🏡 From Irvine to Lake Forest: The Shift That Changed Our Market
If you’ve lived in Portola Hills or anywhere in Lake Forest the past few years, you’ve probably noticed the traffic, the cranes, and the “Sold Out” signs. That’s not by accident; it’s the ripple effect of Irvine’s price explosion . When prices in Irvine’s Great Park and Portola Springs pushed past $2 million, buyers — and investors — started heading right up the hill to Lake Forest. New communities like Serrano Summit , Baker Ranch , IronRidge , and The Oaks at Portola Hills became the next stop on the migration map. We dove into the how that migration impacted home sellers and buyers... 📊 The Numbers Tell the Story: Between 2020 and 2025: Irvine new-build cash sales jumped 83 % , peaking around $2.1 million. Lake Forest new-build cash sales soared 225 % , hitting nearly $2.9 million. That’s not organic growth — that’s a surge of capital chasing limited supply. As Irvine became out of reach, Lake Forest became the “affordable alternative”… for about five minutes. Th...