Rancho Mission Viejo Escencia Hilltop Sells Out: What's Next?

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — Five years after its first model homes debuted, the hilltop Village of Esencia has sold their last home, Rancho Missin Viejo announced this week.

The village is now completely sold out. The next opportunity for new homebuyers to purchase at Rancho Mission Viejo will occur with the grand opening of the Village of Rienda, scheduled for Spring 2022. The first phase is planned to include 671 homes in seven neighborhoods by four builders – Lennar, Meritage Homes, PulteGroup and TRI Pointe Homes.

“This is a historic day for Rancho Mission Viejo as we celebrate the completion of the Village of Esencia,” said Paul Johnson, executive vice president of community development for Rancho Mission Viejo. “Although Esencia is officially sold out, those who wish to experience The Ranch’s unique lifestyle won’t have to wait long, as we are slated to grand open the Village of Rienda in Spring 2022.”

“Our consistently strong sales – despite all of the challenges of the past year – demonstrate how new homebuyers are attracted by the appeal of our wide-open spaces, Nature Reserve, trails and extraordinary community lifestyle on The Ranch,” added Johnson. “We are thrilled to be taking the momentum and excitement around Esencia and carry that into the Village of Rienda. Hundreds of people have already signed our interest list, and we look forward to updating them as models are built.”

Situated atop some of the highest elevations at Rancho Mission Viejo, 28 neighborhood collections were offered throughout the three phases at Esencia, which opened in 2015. A total of 2,776 attached and detached homes provided options for a wide array of homebuyers, and is the second completed and sold-out village on The Ranch. The Village of Sendero opened in 2013 with 913 homes, and sold out in 2015.

Encompassing approximately 6,000 acres, the master-planned community is situated amidst the breathtakingly scenic 23,000-acre rancho that today is Orange County’s only remaining working ranch, owned and operated by the O’Neill/Moiso/Avery family since 1882. From cattle operations that recall California’s ranching lore to farming activities that make it one of the county’s largest citrus producers, to an astonishingly biologically diverse nature reserve, Rancho Mission Viejo offers an unparalleled lifestyle to those who live there, work or visit.

Approximately 75 percent of Rancho Mission Viejo is designated as a permanently preserved open space known as The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. The remaining 25 percent is evolving into one of the most popular master-planned communities in the region and includes multiple inter-generational villages. Rancho Mission Viejo offers homes for all ages and lifestyles, including 6,000 primarily single-level “Gavilan” homes exclusive to people age 55 and older, representing 40 percent of the total 14,000 homes planned for The Ranch’s villages.

Celebrated for its robust network of lifestyle amenities, diverse housing offerings and integration of protected open space, Johnson described The Ranch as, “the greatest assortment of things for families, couples and individuals to do and places to explore of any community in California, and probably the nation. We like to call them ‘the playground for a lifetime.’”

Indeed, the menu of activities on The Ranch is almost dizzying, ranging from nature trails, neighborhood and community parks and playgrounds, to well-equipped fitness centers and sparkling pools, to hilltop clubhouses with expansive views, to shops and restaurants, and to community farms where residents can grow and harvest their own produce throughout the year. Serving residents’ school-age children are Esencia K-8 and Tesoro High School, both part of the award-winning Capistrano Unified School District.

Like the Villages of Sendero and Esencia, the Village of Rienda will place special emphasis on nurturing neighborliness and wellness among all ages and life stages, utilizing award-winning amenities and thoughtful programming to create a vibrant social life in neighborhoods set amidst a historic ranch featuring thousands of acres of the permanently protected open space of The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

These comprehensive community amenities will expand upon the unique programming and services offered to all Rancho Mission Viejo residents via “RanchLife,” including fitness classes, health and wellness workshops, happy hours, club meetings and a wide variety of events and activities.

The Village of Rienda at Rancho Mission Viejo will be located less than three miles from downtown San Juan Capistrano and a short ten-minute drive from San Clemente and Doheny State Beach, with easy access provided to the employment and retail centers of Ladera Ranch, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine and other Orange County areas.

To learn more, please visit: www.ranchomissionviejo.com/village-of-rienda