The homes in Mission Viejo
The Mission Viejo Company was formed in 1963 and planned the whole community, putting houses on the hills and roads in the valleys. The first residents moved into the Deane Homes by La Paz Road in 1966, and much of the city was built by 1980. It is one of the largest communities in the country built from a single master plan.
Expect tract houses, townhomes and condos, most of them several decades old. Because the city was planned as one project, many neighborhoods have a homeowners association, and some homes answer to more than one. Dues and rules differ from tract to tract. Ask Tony which associations cover a home before you tour it.
Neighborhoods and tracts
Lake Mission Viejo is a private man-made lake along Marguerite Parkway, with waterfront homes and condos around it. Homes built in 1978 or later inside the association's boundaries come with membership attached, and it passes to the next owner. Some homes built earlier by the Mission Viejo Company are eligible to join but were never required to. Ask Tony to confirm a home's status.
Casta del Sol and Palmia are large gated communities with their own associations, occupancy rules and recreation centers. Canyon Crest is another gated community, and Pacific Hills is known for custom homes and views. Each has its own dues and rules, so read the association documents during your contingency period and ask Tony what they mean for you.
Schools
Two districts split Mission Viejo. Saddleback Valley Unified serves the western and far northern parts, with Mission Viejo High School, Trabuco Hills High School, and La Paz and Los Alisos intermediate schools. Capistrano Unified serves the eastern, northeastern and southern parts, with Capistrano Valley High School, Newhart Middle School, and Bathgate, Castille and Viejo elementary schools.
The district line runs through the city, so two homes with a Mission Viejo address can be in different districts. The city publishes a school location map with the district areas shaded. Assignment goes by address and can change, so check each one with the district before you make an offer. Saddleback College, a community college, is also in Mission Viejo.
Parks, shopping and landmarks
The Shops at Mission Viejo is the regional mall. Mission Hospital is the largest hospital in south Orange County. City facilities include the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, the Marguerite Aquatics Complex, the Felipe Tennis and Recreation Center and the Mission Viejo Library.
Oso Viejo Community Park on Veterans Way has softball fields, soccer fields and a walking trail, and the Oso Creek Trail follows the creek. Florence Joyner Olympiad Park has baseball and soccer fields. Wilderness Glen Park and Pavion Park are two more city parks. The lake's swim beaches and boat rentals are for association members.
Getting around
Interstate 5 serves Mission Viejo with five interchanges. The 241 and 73 toll roads also reach the city, and both charge tolls, so count that in if you plan to use them daily. El Toro Road and Marguerite Parkway are two of the main surface streets. John Wayne Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
The Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink station is on Forbes Road in Laguna Niguel, near the 5. It is served by the Orange County Line and the Inland Empire-Orange County Line. Orange County Transportation Authority buses run in the city, and a city shuttle connects to the station.
Buying in Mission Viejo
Three things change from one street to the next here: the school district, the HOA and whether the home has lake membership. Sort those out before you fall for a floor plan. Tony is a REALTOR and a licensed mortgage loan originator (NMLS ID 2359276), so he can go through what you may be able to borrow, dues included, before you tour.
Some South County tracts carry Mello-Roos special taxes, so ask Tony to check the tax bill for the exact address. On older homes, look at the roof, plumbing, windows and any slope or drainage on hillside lots. Tony works in Mission Viejo and has held a California real estate license since 2007.
Selling in Mission Viejo
Buyers here ask the same three questions early: which school district, what the dues are and whether the home has lake membership. Put the answers in the listing, and have your HOA documents and your Lake Mission Viejo Association status ready before the first showing. Tony's office is at The Real Estate Solution in Cerritos, and he speaks fluently in English and Arabic. Ask him which updates are worth doing before you list.
