Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
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Here are the top picks for Best new home community:
1. Rienda
Rancho Mission Viejo; ranchomissionviejo.com/homes/rienda-village
The popularity of the Village of Rienda continues as the Rancho Mission Viejo community continues to grow with new neighborhoods and amenities. At the time of this writing, Rienda was actively selling two-story, single-family homes in Sapphire by Trumark Homes, Lotus by Trumark Homes and Arrowleaf by Shea Homes.
Coming in the fall are Sunflower by Trumark Homes, a collection of duplex and single-family detached homes, as well as two-story, single family detached home neighborhoods Indigo by Lennar and Primrose by Shea Homes.
Prospective residents are likely looking forward to big developments within the community. Set to open in summer of 2027 is Rienda Park, a six-acre area with built-in barbecues and picnic tables, soccer and softball fields, tot lots for Rienda’s youngest residents and a perimeter walking trail. Rienda Park will have shared access with the village’s new school, which is set to open in fall of 2027.
This is in addition to amenities that are already available, like the 5.5-acre Backyard, South Paw Dog Park and Providence Mission Hospital Sports Park. There is also Boulder Pond and Playground, with a half-mile of walking paths and 3.5-acre pond, the Rienda Plunge, a pool and event space, and Ranch Cove, a 20,000-square foot lagoon-style pool with a cascading stream bed and a nearby firepit.
Between the amenities and Rancho Mission Viejo’s active RanchLife calendar of events, it’s no wonder Register readers choose Rienda as Orange County’s best new home community.
— Liz Ohanesian
2. Great Park Neighborhoods
Irvine; greatparkneighborhoods.com
There are a lot of reasons to love Irvine’s Great Park Neighborhoods, a major one being the community’s connection to the outdoors.
“Resident parks are the focal point and community’s happy place,” says Eric Morgan, vice president of community affairs for FivePoint.
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Great Park Neighborhoods has nine parks and clubhouses, including Luna Park, which, at 13 acres, is one of the county’s largest resident parks. “Enjoying the outdoors and prioritizing healthy living are part of everyday life,” Morgan says. “Residents are all part of one community association, which means residents have access to and enjoy all parks, pools and community buildings.”
Nature is well-incorporated into the neighborhoods. “FivePoint’s partnership (Heritage Fields El Toro, LLC) has preserved nearly 1,000 heritage trees and replanted them throughout the individual neighborhoods,” Morgan explains. “In total, more than 7,000 trees have been planted across Great Park Neighborhoods’ streetscapes, parks, schools and open spaces.”
Plus, residents have access to the Great Park itself and Great Park Trails. Luna Park, the eighth Great Park Neighborhood, is actively selling with homes available in multiple styles and at multiple price points.
3. Crestview in Summit at Orchard Hills
Irvine; sheahomes.com/new-homes/california/orange-county/irvine/crestview
Crestview in Summit at Orchard Hills opened in mid-2025 with 68 lots, about 44% of which had sold a little over a year later.
“I think one of the largest draws for us is Irvine’s schools,” says Karen Ellerman, VP of sales and marketing for the Southern California Division of Shea Homes. Its location in a prestigious, gated community with lots of space and scenic views is also a draw. “We get a lot of buyers from within the area just wanting to move up to Orchard Hills,” Ellerman adds.
And then there are the homes within Crestview, with four different floor plans that start at around 2,800 square feet and increase to over 3,200 square feet. With four to five bedrooms, chef’s kitchens and great rooms, these are homes for modern luxury living and, depending on the floor plan, can be upgraded to include conservatory rooms, lofts, offices and other optional spaces.
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