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Finding the right home, negotiating a purchase and moving are some of  life's more stressful events. As you search for that perfect coastal home, use the links below to begin to experience the lifestyle that awaits you.

The OC Riviera includes the magnificient Southern California coastline from San Clemente to Newport Beach with the crown jewel of Laguna Beach and the resorts of Monarch Beach in the middle. The OC Riviera lifestyle offers proximity to our beautiful beaches and the ocean for swimming, boating, surfing and fishing along with great golfing from ocean view courses. Our restaurants offer the best dining from casual to elegant settings. World-class shopping abounds from elegant boutiques to high-end retailers like Neiman Marcus. Surrounding all of this are some of the best planned and most beautiful residential neighborhoods to be found anywhere.

Here are some interesting resources for living the OC Riviera lifestyle. Please e-mail us with your favorites so we can add them.

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Laguna Beach forms the crown jewel of The OC Riviera and has long been Southern California's premier seaside artist haven. Though world famous and the subject of a hit MTV reality show, Laguna Beach still possesses a unique small-town charm rarely found anywhere else. Quaint coastal cottages framed by subtropical gardens line bluffs above sandy coves along a seven mile picturesque coastline. Inland, luxuriant foliage and seaview homes cover canyons and ridges that tower more than 1,000 feet above the ocean.

Artists began arriving here over a century ago led by the California watercolorist Norman St. Clair in 1903 considered the first artist to work in Laguna Beach. Members of the Hollywood elite soon followed including Bette Davis, Mary Pickford, Judy Garland, Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin and Mickey Rooney, who all maintained homes in Laguna Beach. In 1920 a group of them founded the Laguna Playhouse - the oldest continuously operating theatre company on the west coast.

Today, visitors from around the world come to Laguna Beach to enjoy the Pageant of the Masters/Festival of Arts, the Sawdust Festival, Art-A-Fair and the Laguna Beach Film Festival as well as the fine shops, art galleries, restaurants and hotels, many with breathtaking sunset views.

 Laguna Beach Real Estate

Laguna Beach real estate offers breathtaking beauty and incomparable architecture from the exclusive communities of Irvine Cove and Emerald Bay as you enter town from the north all the way to Three Arch Bay in the south. In between are the hillside homes and cottages of North Laguna, the charming Laguna Village and the ocean vistas in South Laguna. Homes range from romatic cottages from the 1930's to ultramodern beach front estates.

The real estate market in Laguna Beach remains strong with an average home price of $1,875,000 in October, which is up 14.5% from 2007. The sales volume in October was 20 transactions, which was up 25% from 2007.

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

Incorporated in 1989, the City of Dana Point is named after Richard Henry Dana, Jr. (1815-1882), a Harvard-trained lawyer, seaman, and author of the classic sea journal, Two Years Before the Mast. In his journal, Dana documents his voyage from Boston around Cape Horn to California on the merchant ship, Pilgrim. Dana describes the area once known as Capistrano Bay, as "the most romantic spot on the California coast." Today, Capistrano Bay is known as Dana Point.

Dana Point is home to over 35,000 residents and is characterized by nearly seven miles of prominent coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean. Most noteworthy of these bluffs is a unique promontory known as the "Headlands" which overlooks Dana Point Harbor, one of the most significant man-made alterations of the Orange County coastline. The City of Dana Point also includes the communities of Monarch Bay to the north and Capistrano Beach to the south.

Dana Point Harbor provides slips and mooring for over 2,500 boats along with over 50 specialty shops and restaurants. The Harbor attracts thousands of visitors annually for shopping, sportfishing, walking, bicycling, parasailing and a host of recreational activities. The Dana Point Harbor is also considered the gateway to Doheny State Park, one of California’s most popular beach facilities. The 62-acre State Park offers camping, picnicking, swimming, surfing, bicycling, tide pool exploration and more.

Located on The OC Riviera, Dana Point is approximately one-half way between Los Angeles and San Diego, and is bordered by the cities of Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach to the north, San Juan Capistrano to the east, and San Clemente to the south.

Dana Point Real Estate

Dana Point real estate includes the communities of Monarch Beach in the north, Niguel Shores, Dana Hills, Lantern Village and Capistrano Beach to the south.

Niguel Shores real estate offers a resort lifestyle in a 24-hour gate guarded community with a variety of properties from townhomes to ocean front custom homes. Many of the properties provide stunning coastline, sunset and Catalina views.

Lantern Village real estate ranges from older cottages and modern customs to the exclusive gated community of Admiralty on the bluffs overlooking Dana Point Harbor. Many of the streets are named for the colored lanterns that were used in earlier days to guide ships into the harbor.

A major development in Dana Point real estate is The Strand at the Headlands project where grading began in June 2005. When completed the project will provide 118 custom home lots, a 75-90 room resort, commercial development and 68 acres of oceanfront park.

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the Spanish word “Laguna,” which means lagoon, and the word “Nigueli,” which was the name of a Juaneno Indian village once located near Aliso Creek. In 1821, California became Mexican territory and many rancheros were formed in Southern California, including Rancho Niguel. During this period, Rancho Niguel was primarily used as a sheep ranch.

The first private landowner of the area was Juan Avila, a resident of San Juan Capistrano, who obtained land through a Mexican land grant in 1842. Juan Avila was also successful in re-establishing his title to the land after California became US territory in 1848 and remained the owner of “Rancho Niguel” until 1865. In 1895, the “Rancho Niguel” land became part of the Moulton Company, a company that would eventually control over 19,000 acres of local ranch land.

The genesis of today’s  Laguna Niguel was the establishment of the Laguna Niguel Corporation in 1959 by Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, making it one of the first master planned communities in California. The firm of Victor Gruen and Associates was retained to develop a detailed community plan for the approximately 7,100-acre site. Land sales started to occur in 1961 in Monarch Bay and Laguna Terrace subdivisions. Avco Community Developer acquired the Laguna Niguel Plan in 1971 and initiated development as set forth in the original Master Plan.

During the early years of development in Laguna Niguel, the Laguna Niguel Homeowner Association, later to become the Laguna Niguel Community Council, served in an advisory capacity to the Orange County Board of Supervisors on land use issues. In 1989 the voters favored incorporation and Laguna Niguel became the 29^th City in Orange County.

Laguna Niguel is a 14.72 square mile planned community in South Orange County, California and is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is surrounded by the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano.

 Existing and planned use of Laguna Niguel’s 9,456 acres includes 3,549 acres residential, 276 acres commercial, 223 acres mixed uses, 222 acres public/institutional facilities and 3,650 acres designated to parks and open space.

 Click here for a Laguna Niguel map

Click here for the Laguna Niguel weather report

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

The quiet, seaside community of Monarch Beach is located between Dana Point and Laguna Beach, California. This quaint, resort style community is also home to two world class hotels, The St. Regis and The Ritz Carlton. Residents of Monarch Beach enjoy the best of The OC Riviera lifestyle including proximity to fine dining, spas, and Dana Point Harbor.

Monarch Beach Real Estate

Monarch Beach real estate ranges from multi-million dollar estates on the ocean side of PCH in Ritz Cove and Monarch Bay to ocean and golf course view homes on the inland side of PCH in the communities of Monarch Bay Terrace, Ritz Pointe and Regatta.

Click here for a Monarch Beach map

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Click Here to View Our Listings 
of real estate in Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County coastal homes for sale

The City of San Clemente spans fifteen square miles of coastline and scenic foothills. The location of San Clemente, long admired by explorers and passing settlers, remained virtually uninhabited until 1776, when Mission San Juan Capistrano was established by Father Junipero Serra and led both Indian and Spanish settlers to set up villages nearby.

Property rights to the land exchanged hands several times, but few ventured to build on it until 1925, when former Mayor of Seattle, Ole Hanson purchased and designed a 2,000 acre community. Hanson believed that the area's pleasant climate, beautiful beaches and fertile soil would serve as a haven to Californians who were tired of "the big city". He named the City "San Clemente" after San Clemente Island which was named by the explorer Vizcaino in 1602 after Saint Clement, the patron saint of November 23, the day of Vizcaino's arrival on the island.

Hanson succeeded in promoting the new area and selling property to interested buyers. His "San Clemente by the Sea" was to consist of buildings built in the classic Spanish style with red tile roofs. He built public structures such as the Beach Club, the Community Center, the pier and Max Berg Plaza Park, which were later donated to the City. The area was officially incorporated as a City on February 27, 1928.

In 1969, an event occurred which accelerated the growth and reputation of San Clemente. In that year former President Nixon purchased a Spanish mansion in the southern part of town that Hamilton Cotton had built in 1927. This "Western White House" became the site of numerous historical meetings.

Despite rapid subsequent growth, San Clemente today maintains its small-town atmosphere. Two annual festivals; Fiesta La Cristianita, celebrating the first Christian baptism in California including a parade and block party and the Ocean Festival, which features three days of aquatic and endurance competition enhance the community.

San Clemente's population and service area are expected to double over the next 20 years as various development projects are completed in the back country. These new residential projects will be accompanied by commercial and retail developments to provide for a balanced and economically stable community.

San Clemente boasts "the world's finest climate", with sunshine 342 days per year. The annual average temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Click here for a map of San Clemente

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Click Here to View Our Listings 
of coastal homes for sale in Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and other South Orange County real estate 

The Dana Point area is characterized by nearly seven miles of prominent coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean. The longest and most beautiful beach area is Capistrano Beach.

It's very easy to get to Capistrano Beach as the San Diego Freeway runs through Dana Point from north to south and Pacific Coast Highway provides intercity access to the beach, harbor and the community. To get to Capistrano Beach, simply exit from the 5 at "Beach Cities", go South and you are there.

Capistrano Beach is ajacent to Doheny State Park, one of California's most popular beach facilities. The 62 acre State Park offers camping, picnicking, swimming, surfing, bicycling, tide pool exploration and more.

Click here for the Capistrano Beach weather report

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Corona del Mar (Spanish for the Crown of the Sea) is a community as beautiful as its name. Nestled on the foot of the San Joaquin Hills and fronting the Pacific Ocean, Corona del Mar ranges along a bluff at the south end of Newport Beach and includes some of Orange County's most prestigious residential areas. 

Much of Corona del Mar's small-town appeal comes from the cozy style of homes.  Often times, folks say that the homes closer to the beach resemble east coast coastal style homes. Streets of Corona del Mar are named after flowers, and run in alphabetical order from Acacia to Poppy, each lined with a different variety of trees. Beautiful flower gardens on each street display the flower from which the street is named.

The city has close access to the Fashion Island shopping center - which offers Bloomingdale's, Nieman Marcus, Macy's, and outdoor boutiques. The seaside village that borders Pacific Coast Highway offers a unique selection of shopping, restaurants, services and retail fashions.

Corona del Mar is conveniently located just 50 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport, 4 miles west of John Wayne Airport and 70 miles north of San Diego.

Click here for a map of Corona del Mar

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Newport Coast is a world-class community on the OC Riviera high above the blue Pacific and  nestled between the coastal cities of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. Surround yourself with coastal views and spectacular sunsets from luxurious neighborhoods of executive and estate-size homes overlooking the ocean, rugged coastal foothills, canyons and city lights.

Newport Coast is an exclusive master-planned luxury home community of about 5,000 residents and 7 square miles. Newport Coast was annexed by the city of Newport Beach in 2001. Growth here in recent years has been phenomenal, with the population of Newport Coast expected to reach 20,000 over the next decade.

Newport Coast's lifestyle reaches far beyond a panoramic view with championship golf courses at Pelican Pointe and Pelican Hill, shopping and dining at Fashion Island, or a quiet ride on the Balboa Island Ferry. Lauded as a classic destination on The OC Riviera, this residential resort setting provides a fitting backdrop for unparalleled recreational attractions with Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach each just moments away!

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Click Here to View Our Listings 
of  real estate in Newport Coast, Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County distinctive coastal homes for sale

With nine miles of sandy beaches, the opportunities are nearly endless for beach lovers looking to surf, sunbathe, body board, sail, snorkel and more on the shores of one of California’s most picturesque playgrounds. But the fun doesn’t stop on the sand! Newport Beach and the surrounding areas are also home to many museums, world-class shopping, delicious dining, challenging golf courses, renowned attractions, performing art venues and spas.

 Newport Beach Real Estate

Newport Beach luxury real estate ranges from breathtaking sunset and Catalina Island views from bluff tops in old Newport Beach to bayfront homes with boat docks on Balboa Island, Lido Island and the exclusive communities of Linda Isle, Bay Island and Harbor Island. Further south along the coast is charming Corona del Mar and the newer developments of Newport Coast.

The luxury home market in Newport Beach remains strong although the average sale price in 2007 for a single family luxury home (top 10% of the market) was $6,292,197, down slightly from the $6,495,545 average price in 2006. The average days on the market for a home over $10,000,000 was 146 days in 2007, down from 221 days in 2006. 

Click here for a map of Newport Beach, CA

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

As part of our concierge service, The OC Riviera Group provides contact information for utility services in our area. If you have any questions or suggestions for additional information we could provide, please contact us.

Electric
Southern California Edison (Laguna Beach, Newport Beach) 800-655-4555
SDG&E (Dana Point, Monarch Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano) 800-411-7343

Gas
The Gas Co. 800-427-2200

Phone
SBC (Dana Point, Monarch Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente) 800-310-2355
Verizon (Laguna Beach) 800-483-4000

Cable
Cox 949-240-1212

Trash Removal
Solag Disposal 949-728-0446
Waste Management (Laguna Beach) 949-642-1191

Water
Laguna Beach 949-494-1041
Moulton Niguel (Laguna Niguel) 949-831-2500
South Coast (Dana Point, Monarch Beach) 949-499-4555
San Clemente 949-361-8315

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com
 

Distinctive real estate in Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County coastal homes for sale

Use these on-line resources to plan your relocation including researching your new community, selling your home, buying a new home and moving. The OC Riviera Group can help with all aspects of your relocation to the coastal communities of Orange County. Please e-mail us with any questions or requests for assistance with your upcoming relocation.

 Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com
 Real estate in Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County distinctive coastal homes for sale

The 1031 Exchange Explained

An investor in real estate understands how important it is to preserve wealth and assets. In the frequently changing world of taxation, the investor is fortunate to have IRC Section 1031. This tax code allows the investor to exchange from one investment property to another and defer taxes on the gain. This means that a 1031 Exchange is a rollover of equity of like properties, rather than an avoidance of tax. Thus the investor continues to build wealth through real estate investment, and maintains the hard earned equity. Any tax liability through inheritance will be limited to the gains from the date of the inheritor’s acquisition, not during the years of ownership. So in essence the taxes that are saved now are never paid.

• Taxpayer finds a buyer and sells the property through a Qualified Intermediary.

• Taxpayer buys a replacement property through the Intermediary.

• The parties may not know each other and their properties can be in different states.

• The exchange period begins on the day the relinquished property is transferred and ends on the earlier of 180 days thereafter or the due date (including extensions) of the tax return for the taxable year in which the transfer of the relinquished property occurs.

• The taxpayer’s agent, broker, attorney, accountant or family member is excluded as a qualified intermediary.

Equity ($120,000) less tax ($14,000) = $106,000 available towards purchase of a new property.

If the tax-deferred exchange of the property was properly executed, TAX WILL BE DEFERRED and the investor will have $120,000 to use towards the purchase of another investment property.

The concept of a tax deferred exchange is easy to understand. However, there are many details involved in an exchange that need careful consideration. Before taking steps towards a 1031 tax-deferred exchange, please consult your CPA, attorney, or tax advisor.

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com
Laguna Beach real estate, Monarch Beach real estate, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County distinctive coastal homes for sale

The city of San Juan Capistrano is located in the center of Southern California, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Situated in the lush Capistrano Valley and minutes from the coast, San Juan Capistrano is a cultural center, filled with historic sites and know worldwide for the Swallows of Capistrano, who have returned to the Mission San Juan Capistrano for centuries to nest.

The Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of California's oldest and most beautiful of California's historical missions. Known as, "The Jewel of the Missions",  the mission was founded by Junipero Serra in 1776 and named after Giovanni de Capistrano. Within the mission walls lay the ruins of The Great Stone Church, a Roman Greco style cathedral that once towered in the California wilderness. Destroyed in an earthquake in 1806, the Great Stone Church is now the center of an effort to preserve this great national treasure.

Located just across the train tracks from the historic Capistrano Depot is Los Rios Street, which is one of the oldest residential streets in California with adobes and European structures lining the street. There are shops, galleries, several restaurants in this area as well as the old jaill. Downtown Capistrano offers excellent dining choices, many with outside patios to take in the charm.

Coastal Orange County Real Estate and Distinctive Homes

The OC Riviera Group
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-842-9304
ocrivieragroup@yahoo.com

Click Here to View Our Listings 
of  real estate in Laguna Beach, Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and other South Orange County distinctive coastal homes for sale