There is just no other real estate in Southern Orange County quite like what San Clemente has to offer. It’s a combination of Spanish and Native American influences with a nod to the past, while still conveying a vision of the future.
In 1925, Ole Hanson bought 2,000 acres of land near the Mission San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente real estate got its start. His Spanish Colonial style architecture is still evident all over San Clemente. Both commercial and residential structures still bear Hanson’s signature white stucco and red roofs from the early 1900s.
Over the years, San Clemente grew from the initial 2,000 acres of the 20s to nine separate districts that cover 19.468 square miles today. Those nine districts are:
Here are a few key points regarding living in San Clemente by specific areas:
Often referred to as “The Pier Bowl”, this area is close to the San Clemente pier and offers some very diverse real estate opportunities. Some of the historical homes that Ole Hanson developed are located here and they include vacation rentals, multi-family units and small beach cottages. It’s the area in San Clemente that has most retained the feeling of Hanson’s original architecture and numerous homes in the area have become well-preserved historic homes.
This neighborhood is located east of the freeway. It’s made up of mostly single-family homes and many of them enjoy either ocean or golf course views, or both in some cases.
Forster Ranch is located next to the Coastal District, but a bit further from the water. Because of this, they offer larger lots and beautiful sprawling Spanish/Mediterranean-style homes. This area underwent major development in the 80s and both condominiums and single-family homes are available, making them excellent starter homes.
This area is made up of five communities of single-family homes and is a gated community. As one of the most popular places to live in the entire San Clemente area, it also has two condo communities, basketball and tennis courts, as well as a lush neighborhood park.
The San Clemente North area is an eclectic mixture of everything from small beach cottages to up-scale neighborhoods full of expansive luxury homes. A number of those properties, big or small, enjoy views of the Pacific and some all the way to Catalina.
This area occupies a prime location atop the ridgeline that towers above the San Clemente High School. It is by far the smallest community in San Clemente with a design that centers around two central streets; and the majority of these exclusive homes enjoy views of the ocean and Catalina.
A major revitalization is currently underway in San Clemente Southeast. This area includes a variety of popular home styles and many of them are located high upon the hillside, giving them majestic views of the city lights, the Pacific Ocean and Catalina.
This is undoubtedly the area with the most distinctive real estate in San Clemente and most of the initial 2,000 acres developed by Ole Hanson are located here, adding to its homey small-town feeling. Residents of most of the homes in the area can just walk to both San Clemente’s downtown areas and the beach. A number of homes also have double lots for more available yard space. And, Southwest San Clemente had a major celebrity homeowner back in 1969 when President Richard Nixon’s estate, which still remains today, was dubbed “The Western White House”.
Not to be confused with Talladega, Talega is San Clemente Real Estate’s newest offering. It is a master-planned community containing more than 40 diverse communities designed with a harmonized look, combining a mixture of condo communities and single-family homes with the neighborhood school, Vista Del Mar, at the center.
If any of these areas sounds like the perfect place for your new home and you are feeling a strong desire for the pleasures of living in San Clemente, call Ron Evans Realty today for more information.