There is something about driving into a place that is still being built: everything feels possible. This post is the written companion to one of Grant's Orange County Living videos, embedded below, about the realities and the rewards of new communities.
What buying new actually means
New communities like the villages of Rancho Mission Viejo are built one phase at a time, so buying early means watching amenities arrive while the surrounding roads are still quiet. Rienda, the newest village, opened in 2022 and is still filling in, with a TK-8 school planned for fall 2027.
New has a smell and a wait, and both are fine if you budget for them. Buyers who like being early in a well-planned community tend to enjoy watching the neighborhood come together, one phase at a time.
Compare two similar streets on schools and commute before you visit.
The video for this post is playing right above, and the OC Living channel has plenty more tours wherever this one takes you.
Watch It
Every post on this blog is tied to a video from Grant’s YouTube channel, Orange County Living, where he tours Orange County communities, neighborhoods, and the places worth knowing. Watch the video behind this post, then browse the channel for the next stop on your list.
This post · the video
OC Living · New Communities and New Homes
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Written by Grant
Grant is a local real-estate agent who has spent years walking the trails, eating at the counters, and showing families around the villages of South Orange County. He also hosts Orange County Living on YouTube, where he tours the communities, neighborhoods, and hidden gems this blog writes about.
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