Where new homes are being built in Orange County
Most new for-sale homes in Orange County come from three master plans: Great Park Neighborhoods and the Villages of Irvine (Portola Springs and Summit at Orchard Hills) in Irvine, and Rancho Mission Viejo in south county. Outside them, new homes come in small infill projects of a few dozen townhomes or houses. The Census American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) counts just 1.3% of the county's 1,146,169 homes as built in 2020 or later, and another 8.1% built from 2010 to 2019.
The difference shows in the census places themselves. In Rancho Mission Viejo, 95.1% of homes were built in 2010 or later; in Irvine the figure is 33.1%; in Garden Grove it is 3.4%. If you want a new home in north or central county, expect a townhome or a small-lot house on a former commercial site. If you want a new detached house with a yard, you will mostly be looking in Irvine or Rancho Mission Viejo.
Prices below were read on the builders' and master plans' own sites on October 30, 2026. Builders change prices and incentives weekly, so treat each figure as a starting point and ask the sales office for the current price sheet.
New home communities in Orange County
Great Park Neighborhoods, Irvine (FivePoint)
Great Park Neighborhoods is FivePoint's master plan next to the city's 1,300-acre Great Park. The Orange County Business Journal reported in November 2025 that FivePoint had entitlements for 10,566 homes on about 2,100 acres, had sold more than 9,000 lots to builders since 2013, and that builders had reported more than 7,000 home sales. FivePoint was seeking approval for about 1,300 more homes near Barranca Parkway. The newest district is Luna Park, where several builders are selling now (see the next four entries).
Lennar at Luna Park (Rhea, Alta, Isla, Celeste)
Lennar's Irvine page lists four Luna Park collections, Rhea, Alta, Isla and Celeste, with move-in-ready homes and further phases under construction. Ask the sales office for the current price sheet and which phase is releasing next.
KB Home: Moonlight at Luna Park
KB Home lists Moonlight at Luna Park from $1,599,880 with a new phase open. The Orange County Business Journal reported in April 2026 that the community has 76 homes, three-level designs with four bedrooms and four and a half baths, near Wild Rivers water park.
Tri Pointe Homes: Naya at Luna Park
Tri Pointe lists Naya at Luna Park as now selling, from the mid $1.2 millions.
Toll Brothers at Great Park Neighborhoods
Toll Brothers sells five collections at Great Park Neighborhoods, from the Elm Collection of three-story condominium townhomes priced from $1,425,000 to single-family collections, with 20 quick move-in homes listed. A separate Toll community at Great Park lists single-family homes priced from $3,888,000.
Portola Springs Village, Irvine
Portola Springs is one of the Villages of Irvine. The Villages of Irvine site lists California Pacific Homes' Azul (2,787 to 3,552 sq ft), Sierra (2,220 to 2,704 sq ft) and Fiore (final homes), Risewell Homes' Olivewood (2,870 to 3,220 sq ft), and Shea Homes' Arbor and Cielo. Shea lists Arbor, single-family homes of 2,133 to 2,420 sq ft, with pricing coming soon and quick move-ins available, and prices Cielo, 3,225 to 3,473 sq ft, from $2,748,888.
Summit at Orchard Hills, Irvine
The top of the Irvine new-home market. The Villages of Irvine site lists Shea's Crestview, Brookfield Residential's Vista (3,500 to 4,931 sq ft, up to seven bedrooms) and Toll Brothers' Pinnacle and Skyline. Shea prices Crestview from $2,810,190; Toll prices Skyline from $5,199,000 (final homes) and Pinnacle from $5,234,000. See the Irvine new construction guide for more on the Irvine villages.
Rienda Village, Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo, in south Orange County, is the county's other large master plan. Its all-age homes are selling in Rienda Village: Trumark's Sunflower (duplexes and detached homes, 1,568 to 2,357 sq ft, from the mid $900s), Lennar's Indigo (from the low $1 millions), Shea's Primrose (2,491 to 3,009 sq ft; Shea lists it from $1,714,680), Trumark's Sapphire and Lotus (from the mid $1 millions) and Shea's Arrowleaf (3,306 to 3,965 sq ft; Shea lists the final two homes from $2,640,000).
Gavilán 55+ at Rancho Mission Viejo
Gavilán Ridge is Rancho Mission Viejo's first village only for buyers 55 and older. Now selling: Tri Pointe's Lavender (paired and detached homes, from the low to mid $800s), Lennar's Nova (from the low $900s) and Strata (from the low $1 millions), and Del Webb's Luna (mid $1 millions) and Elara (high $1 millions). Four more neighborhoods, including Tri Pointe's Solene, anticipated from the mid $900s, are listed as coming in early 2027. Our 55+ communities guide covers the age rules.
Smaller projects in Tustin, Buena Park and beyond
Outside the master plans, KB Home lists Stafford Glen in Tustin from $895,880 as a final opportunity, and Lennar lists Trellis in Buena Park. Lennar also has pages for Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and Yorba Linda, and reports 41 move-in-ready and quick move-in homes across Orange County. City pages track the rest: see new construction in Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Cypress, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and Laguna Niguel.
Orange County new home communities compared
| Community | Builder | Where | Home type | Listed price (Oct 30, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonlight at Luna Park | KB Home | Great Park, Irvine | Three-level, 4 bed | From $1,599,880 |
| Naya at Luna Park | Tri Pointe | Great Park, Irvine | Not stated | From mid $1.2M |
| Elm Collection | Toll Brothers | Great Park, Irvine | Condo | From $1,425,000 |
| Arbor | Shea Homes | Portola Springs, Irvine | Detached | Pricing coming soon |
| Cielo | Shea Homes | Portola Springs, Irvine | Detached | From $2,748,888 |
| Crestview | Shea Homes | Orchard Hills, Irvine | Detached | From $2,810,190 |
| Skyline / Pinnacle | Toll Brothers | Orchard Hills, Irvine | Detached | From $5,199,000 / $5,234,000 |
| Sunflower | Trumark | Rienda, Rancho Mission Viejo | Duplex and detached | From mid $900s |
| Primrose | Shea Homes | Rienda, Rancho Mission Viejo | Detached | From $1,714,680 |
| Lavender (55+) | Tri Pointe | Gavilán, Rancho Mission Viejo | Paired and detached | From low to mid $800s |
| Stafford Glen | KB Home | Tustin | Not stated | From $895,880 |
Mello-Roos and HOA fees on new Orange County homes
New master-planned homes in Orange County usually carry two costs that older homes don't: a Mello-Roos special tax from a community facilities district, and one or more HOA dues. Both are on top of the roughly 1% base property tax; the county's 2026-27 tax rate book shows most tax rate areas a little above 1% before any special tax.
At Great Park Neighborhoods, Voice of OC reported in 2020, updated 2021, that the special taxes ranged from about $2,000 to just over $21,000 a year, with the low end for homes under 800 sq ft, and that they have no sunset date. Those are older figures; ask the builder for the current special tax disclosure for the lot you are buying. At Rancho Mission Viejo and the Villages of Irvine, ask the same question. Ask for the written notice of special tax before you sign the purchase contract, not at closing. The Mello-Roos guide explains how to read it.
Master plans also stack associations: a master HOA for parks and pools and a neighborhood HOA for the tract. Add both dues and the special tax to your monthly budget, then compare the total with a resale home nearby.
New vs resale homes in Orange County: what costs more
New homes in Irvine often price above Irvine's resale market. Redfin's median sale price for all Irvine sales in the three months to September 2026 was $1,449,310, while the detached new-home collections with published prices in Portola Springs and Orchard Hills start above $2.7 million. In Rancho Mission Viejo, Redfin's three-month median was $1,128,962, close to where Rienda's entry collections start. Zillow's county typical value was $1,174,873 in September 2026.
What you get for the premium: new systems, a builder warranty, energy features and no deferred maintenance. What you give up: established trees, larger lots in older tracts, room to negotiate on price (builders more often offer rate buydowns or upgrades), and you take on the special tax. Price per square foot and total monthly cost are better comparisons than list price alone. For the wider trend, see the Orange County housing market report.
Inspections and warranties on new construction
Hire your own home inspector even on a brand-new house, and book a pre-drywall inspection if the builder allows it, because framing, plumbing and wiring are hidden after that stage. Ask for the builder's written warranty, how long each part lasts and how claims are made, and read the purchase contract's dispute resolution clause, since many builder contracts send claims to arbitration. Ask the sales office which defect claim procedure and time limits the contract follows, and talk to a lawyer if a defect claim comes up. Do a final walk-through and a list of items to fix before closing, and another before the one-year warranty ends.
Buying a new home in Orange County with a local agent
Many builders pay a buyer's agent only if the agent is registered on your first visit, so ask the sales office for its broker registration policy before you tour, and bring your agent along. Since the 2024 commission changes, you sign a written agreement with your agent first; the commission guide explains it. A local agent can compare the builder's price, incentives and special tax with nearby resales and push for a rate buydown or closing credit. Our featured local agent works across the county.