Mission Viejo Real Estate Homes For sale

Nestled in the southern half of Orange County, Mission Viejo, California, is a beautiful master-planned community situated in the Saddleback Valley. It is one of the largest master-planned communities ever constructed at one time in the U.S. Mission Viejo is home to a population of more than 100,000, as of estimates in 2009, and it has been named one of the safest large cities in the nation, according to a 2007 Morgan Quitno crime survey.

The city is suburban and is primarily residential, although there are some smaller businesses and offices found here. The median household income here is $92,614. Mission Viejo derives its name from Rancho Mission Viejo, a Spanish land grant that the community was founded upon. Residents can receive medical attention at Mission Hospital, the area's largest. Malls and retail centers in Mission Viejo include The Shops at Mission Viejo, Gateway Shopping Center, Market on the Lake Shopping Center and Mission Viejo Mall Shopping Center.

Three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, provide golf enthusiasts a number of options, and the Norman P. Murry Community and Senior Center offers an array of activities and events. The city's center is home to Lake Mission Viejo, a man-made lake with boat rentals and beaches to enjoy. The Mission Viejo Youth Athletic Park is the site of eight baseball fields and five soccer fields.

Saddleback College is a large two-year community college in the southern part of the city. The University of California, Irvine, Chapman University and Soka University of America are also all located nearby and easily accessible by residents. The city is served by two school districts, the Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts, which include here more than a dozen elementary schools, three middle schools and four high schools.