Francesco Ortiz — home
Overhead view of a Southern California residential neighborhood

Communities · Orange County

Costa Mesa.

Francesco Ortiz's primary farming market: postwar homes, one of the most active renovation markets in Orange County, and a lifestyle directly adjacent to Newport Beach.

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The neighborhood

What pulls buyers in.

The Newport Beach proximity is the most consistent draw. Costa Mesa is directly adjacent to Newport Beach, and Newport Coast is minutes further. The beaches, the harbor, the Back Bay, and the full Newport Beach lifestyle are accessible from most Costa Mesa neighborhoods within minutes, and the Newport-Mesa Unified district that serves Newport Beach and Newport Coast serves most of Costa Mesa too. For buyers who want to be close to Newport Beach at a more accessible price point, Costa Mesa is the natural first look.

Within Costa Mesa, College Park is the sub-neighborhood Francesco knows best: clean comparables, no HOA, no Mello-Roos, Newport-Mesa schools, and a renovation market that has rewarded smart buyers for years. The wider city has higher walk scores than most of its OC neighbors, so daily errands are possible without a car, and most homes were built five to seven decades ago on generous lots. You can buy a finished rebuild and move in, or buy an original home and build the value yourself. Some blocks are trending faster than others, and Francesco is happy to walk you through which is which.

  • Costa Mesa is the market Francesco Ortiz knows most deeply across all of Orange County, with College Park as the single neighborhood he follows most closely within it.
  • The city sits between Newport Beach and the 405, covering about 16 square miles of walkable residential blocks.
  • Most homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s on generous lots, which is exactly why the renovation market here is so active.
  • The same Newport-Mesa Unified school district that serves Newport Beach and Newport Coast also serves most of Costa Mesa, and the price gap between the cities draws a steady flow of buyers who want proximity to Newport Beach without paying Newport Beach prices.
Crisp white California residence framed by palms against a clear sky

$1.45M

Median sale price

Top 20%

Newport-Mesa USD in CA

65

Walk Score (city avg)

2.8M sqft

South Coast Plaza retail

*Estimates based on recent market data and may vary by village. Contact us for street-level comps.

Live market data

Costa Mesa by the numbers, updated continuously.

Pulled live from current CRMLS data. Each chart tracks the trailing market trend, so you always see where Costa Mesa stands today.

Source: CRMLS market statistics. Figures are area medians and may vary by village or street — contact us for street-level comps.

What buyers love

What makes Costa Mesa different.

SoBeCa plus 17th Street.

The South Bristol Entertainment and Cultural Arts area (SoBeCa), built around The LAB Anti-Mall and The CAMP, connects to 17th Street to form a walkable stretch of independent shops, coffee bars, and design studios. It's the creative heart of the county's retail scene.

South Coast Plaza.

South Coast Plaza is 2.8 million square feet and more than 250 stores, which makes it the largest luxury shopping center on the West Coast. It draws about 20 million visits a year, and that traffic supports the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the office cluster nearby.

Dining that punches above its weight.

Between SoCo, The LAB, and the Plaza, Costa Mesa has one of the deepest restaurant lineups in the county. Din Tai Fung, Hokkaido Santouka, Ospi, and a few Michelin-listed spots are all here. The OC Fair and Event Center hosts more than 150 events a year, including the summer concerts at Pacific Amphitheatre.

Inside Costa Mesa

The villages worth knowing.

Each village in Costa Mesa has a different personality. Here are the ones buyers ask us about most.

College Park

Francesco's primary specialty within Costa Mesa. The broader College Park Collection of five sub-neighborhoods sits just south of Orange Coast College, bounded by Merrimac Way, Fairview, Victoria, and Harbor, with single-story ranch homes built roughly 1956 to 1979. No HOA, no Mello-Roos, clean comparables, strong Newport-Mesa schools, and a renovation market that has rewarded buyers for decades. Minutes from Newport Beach. See the dedicated College Park page for the full breakdown.

Mesa Verde

Built starting in 1958 around the Mesa Verde Country Club. The streets are leafy, the homes are 1950s and 1960s ranches, and turnover from renovations is high.

Eastside

The most sought-after pocket in Costa Mesa. A mix of bungalows, mid-century homes, and newer builds within walking distance of 17th Street. Closest to Newport Beach in both geography and lifestyle, and premium pricing reflects both.

Westside

A former industrial corridor that's become a creative district, with live-work lofts, craft breweries, and lower entry prices than Eastside.

Mesa del Mar

A quieter 1960s neighborhood backing Fairview Park. Popular with families looking for stronger schools and bigger lots.

South Coast Metro

Condos and townhomes right next to South Coast Plaza and Segerstrom. The buyer pool is mostly professionals and investors.

Halecrest

Costa Mesa's original planned neighborhood, built in the mid-1950s. It still has its private swim and tennis facilities, plus a well-preserved mid-century feel.

Common questions

What buyers ask about Costa Mesa.

Let's talk

Questions get answers, not a pitch.

Whether you're researching Newport Beach, Newport Coast, or any community across Orange County, you'll get a straight, informed read on the market. No pressure, no obligation. Just an honest conversation and a clear next step.

Start the conversation(949) 910-7421