Development of gated communities nationwide has been on the rise in the past few years. One place where the there is a wide range of choices is South Orange County. Every single one, whether it’s a luxurious estate or a small town home, has something unique and special to offer. And in Orange County, finding the perfect community is easy, especially when you know where to look, like Coto de Caza, which is one of the most popular gated communities in the entire area.
More than 200 years ago, Spanish ranchers claimed thee land and sold it to a man named Ernest Bryant jr. in the 1930’s when it became Bryant Ranch. It was a wide-open range with hillsides covered with plenty of live oak trees and was populated by mountain lions, deer and some cattle. It became a popular hunting preserve where the rich and famous, like John Wayne, hunted and trained horses. It also included a hunt club and a general store.
In 1963 the 5000-acre Bryant Ranch was sold to a developer and it became Coto de Caza, which translated from Spanish means "hunting preserve". The Coto de Caza Development Corp. then proceeded to build the current exclusive South OC enclave, which has become one of the biggest gated communities in the United States. All of the remaining home sites had been sold by the mid-1990s and construction on what is now South Coto was completed in the early 2000s.
The Village is Formed in Coto de Caza
The Coto Valley Country Club had its grand opening in the early 70s and, at that same time, their first homeowner’s association was founded and the community was named The Village in Coto De Caza. The Village has a rural country life feeling and offers homebuyers an assortment of distinctive homes on winding roads lined with oak trees. There is also a local dog park, polo field, equestrian center and Canine Corrals.
Since those early days, Coto de Caza has been transformed many times over. Still sticking with the country feel of its Spanish roots, it’s still thought of today as a civilized adaptation of the Wild Wild West. It offers its almost 15,000 residents a community that is exceptionally close-knit and reminds them of those simpler Bryant Ranch times even though it is quite upscale once you enter the gates. In reality though, Coto de Caza is only a ten-minute drive from the 5 Freeway.
An 18-hole golf course, which runs right down the center of the community, was created in the mid-80s. To this day, the Coto de Caza course is thought of as one of the most challenging golf courses in the OC. During that same period, the initial master planned development began construction alongside the golf course. This part of the community became known as North Coto.
There is definitely plenty to do in this upscale community, and residents and guests at Coto de Caza enjoy an Easter egg hunt, movies in the park in the summertime, and an annual parade on the 4th of July. In addition, summer concerts have brought artists like KC and the Sunshine Band, Pat Benatar, the Doobie Brothers and Three Dog Night to Coto de Caza.
So, not matter what style or size you're looking for in a beautiful new home, you're sure to find it when you visit Coto de Caza, the gated community in Orange County where everybody wants to live.
Ready to make your move to Coto de Caza? Give Ron Evans Realty a call today. We're here to guide you!