Location
Irvine is located in the heart of Orange County and is surrounded by Newport Beach and Costa Mesa to the southwest, Santa Ana to the northwest, Tustin to the north, Lake Forest to the east, and Laguna Hills to the south.
Irvine can be accessed from Interstate 5 or 405 south of the 55 interchange and all the way down to where the 405 merges into Interstate 5. Running from the east is the 261 Toll Road and from the west the 73 Toll Road.
Overview
Irvine is a master-planned community that started in the 1960s by the Irvine Company. Originally known as Irvine Ranch that was used for farming land, the University of California, Irvine bought 1,000 acres for $1 which began the first major housing developments around the university.
Today, Irvine is the largest business hub in Orange County with strong growth and is concentrated around Orange County airport. The city population is approximately 300,000 because of its close proximity to work and 85,000 housing units. In 2003, the city annexed back El Toro Marine Base and that has turned into one of the last major developments in the county at the Orange County Great Park. Most of the city is on a flat valley with some neighborhoods rolling into the foothills heading west to the Pacific Ocean.
Irvine has received numerous recognitions throughout the year, including in 2008 being named the fourth-best place to live in the United States by CNNMoney.com, 2011 named the fifth best city by Businessweek, 2017 the tenth best city in America by Niche.com, and 2019 the second happiest place to live by BusinessInsider.
Neighborhoods
Irvine has a diverse selection of properties from old to new and modern, condos and townhomes, starter single family homes, to luxurious custom estates in Shady Canyon. Properties range from the $500,000s for a small condo to the low $1 million for starter single family homes and up depending on square footage, age, and lot size.
Irvine is divided into nearly 60 villages all with their own themed architecture and styles. Areas in central Irvine tend to be older, such as the Woodbridge, El Camino, and Orangetree areas. Newer developments do exist surrounding these areas, including Tustin Field (older Tustin Marine Corps air station) and Central Park West, which is an urban development right in downtown Irvine off Jamboree Road near all high-rises.
Newer developments include Portola Springs located off the 133 and 241 Toll Road and the Orange County Great Park, at the Interstate 5 and 405 interchange where the old El Toro Marine Base used to be. Both of these areas continue to sell new homes and offer the latest in home and community amenities.
The high-end community of Shady Canyon offers luxurious homes and custom estates with some having golf course views.
Given the diversity of the real estate available in Irvine, there are many options to fit many different lifestyle goals and budgets. Due to the community’s central location, close proximity to work, and high ranking schools, living in Irvine does come at a cost premium relative to neighboring communities.
Amenities
Irvine was designed around its villages encompassing schools, parks, shopping centers and more.
Popular points of interest include Irvine Spectrum Center and the Market Place. Irvine Spectrum, located where Interstate 5 and the 405 Freeway merge, is a gigantic outdoor shopping mall with a multitude of retail, dining, and entertainment options with a large movie theater at it’s core and has been continually expanding over the past decade. The Market Place, is a newer dining and entertainment hub with movie theater, bowling, bars, restaurants, and retail and is located at Jamboree Parkway and Barranca Parkway where the old Marine Corps Air Station Tustin used to be.
When it comes to parks, they are numerous options throughout the city. There are over 20 community parks and 40 neighborhood parks. Larger parks not controlled by the city include William R. Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.
There are two major golf courses in the community, including San Joaquin Golf Club and Strawberry Creek. Strawberry Creek is the more expensive course, however, also plays in a much more scenic and challenging atmosphere.
Irvine schools are primarily served by Irvine Unified School District with five high schools (University, Irvine, Northwood, Woodbridge, Portola and Beckman) and numerous elementary and middle schools. The community also has various private school choices, a community college (Irvine Valley College), and is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI).