What do you think about Aliso Viejo? (Irvine, Orange: real estate, apartment)

[whitechocolate86]

What do you think about Aliso Viejo?...is it as "cookie cutter" (as I have heard described) as Irvine? Are there things to do there?...it seems like the real estate is more affordable than neighboring cities by socal standards...

[missionhome]

Aliso Viejo is similar to Irvine if you think that Irvine is cookie cutter. Aliso is even newer and the city is pretty much all 1990's or newer stucco homes and has a fairly large condo/apartment amount, also usually stucco. It is a nice community with nice parks, good schools, and decent shopping, but it isn't any different than Irvine if you are looking for something unique. Perhaps San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, or Laguna Beach might interest you more if you aren't looking for a suburb that is mainly tract homes with small yards.

[whitechocolate86]

would you say that the weather is nice and gets a lot of the Mediterranean feel or is it much hotter than Laguna Beach?

[missionhome]

It is a little hotter in the summer, but not much. It is more mild than other cities farther in. Aliso is actually just on the other side of the hill from Laguna Beach. The homes at "Top of the World" in Laguna Beach look down on Aliso Viejo which is on the other side. It is a great value for the location. Laguna is going to cost you $$$$ but Aliso is very affordable by OC standards and is still a great community, just not ocean front and still with the great California weather.

[califantastic]

Since it is very hilly Aliso Viejo is about 1000 times prettier than mostly flat Irvine. Of course the advantage of Irvine is that it is a much better location central to everything.

[missionhome]

True, Aliso Viejo is a lot prettier with its landscape on the hill. And some places in Aliso have beautiful views of the Saddleback Valley.

[whitechocolate86]

Originally Posted by missionhome

True, Aliso Viejo is a lot prettier with its landscape on the hill. And some places in Aliso have beautiful views of the Saddleback Valley.

that is pretty, thanks...I assume you live in Mission Viejo...are Aliso and Mission related (because of the viejo part of their names)...common land grant or something?

[missionhome]

The two communities were part of separate ranches originally. Mission Viejo was part of Rancho Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo was part of Moulton Ranch, each owned by separate families. The Mission Viejo Company that developed Mission Viejo bought the land that is now Aliso Viejo from the Moulton family in 1976 and built the first development in 1982. In 1990 Aliso Viejo had under 8,000 residents, but by 2000 it had over 32,000 and in 2001 became Orange County's most recent city to officially incorporate. I don't know where the "Viejo" part of Aliso Viejo's name came from, but the Mission Viejo Company did develop it so they probably just added the Viejo name.

[BreaOC]

Originally Posted by missionhome

The two communities were part of separate ranches originally. Mission Viejo was part of Rancho Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo was part of Moulton Ranch, each owned by separate families. The Mission Viejo Company that developed Mission Viejo bought the land that is now Aliso Viejo from the Moulton family in 1976 and built the first development in 1982. In 1990 Aliso Viejo had under 8,000 residents, but by 2000 it had over 32,000 and in 2001 became Orange County's most recent city to officially incorporate. I don't know where the "Viejo" part of Aliso Viejo's name came from, but the Mission Viejo Company did develop it so they probably just added the Viejo name.

Wow mission, excellent insightful post! I tried to rep you, but it said I can't rep you yet!

[Joana]

Does anybody know if there are any community pools in Aliso, like in Irvine? I currently live in Irvine, but considering moving to Aliso, just not sure because I don't know the city very well...