Irvine Apartments and Rentals

If you are considering a move to Irvine, CA, you can’t go wrong with its variety of apartments and other rentals. Located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, Irvine is widely viewed as a beautiful city and a great place to live. Incorporated in 1971, Irvine is a relatively young community, and although especially popular with families, it has become a beacon for people of all ages.

Today’s Irvine was originally part of three large Spanish/Mexican land grants issued in the mid-1800s. These were eventually broken up and sold to investors, including James Irvine, a sheep rancher. Eventually he acquired a total of 110,000 acres that stretched from the Pacific Ocean inland to the Santa Ana River.

In the early 1900s, the land was planted with crops and citrus orchards. Now called The Irvine Company, the family-run organization sold land to the government during World War II for two Marine Corps facilities, and later to the University of California of a campus, UC Irvine, a preeminent public college.

Working with the University, The Irvine Company developed a concept for a master-planned community to surround the campus. It called for residential, commercial, industrial zones, as well as recreational areas and greenbelts. The first “villages” and business park in the plan were completed by 1970. In 1971, these early residents incorporated their new city. Today, the city encompasses 65 square miles and has a population of 212,000. It is one of the country’s largest master planned communities.

The city and its residents work together to ensure the city maintains its stellar reputation as a “destination city.” In 2012, for the eighth consecutive year, the FBI ranked Irvine as the “safest” city in the country with a population over 100,000 for its low crime rate. In addition, in 2012, the city was designated a “Playful City USA” by a national nonprofit organization in recognition of its quality playgrounds, parks and recreation services. In fact, the now decommissioned El Toro Marine Base is being developed into a huge county park, called The Orange County Great Park. The city was also No. 4 on the list of the 10 Best Cities for Raising a Family in 2012, and No. 5 on BusinessWeek’s 2011 list of Best Places to Live.

Many neighborhoods in Irvine are popular, each for their own unique reasons. Some people prefer the tree-lined original communities like Turtle Rock or University Park, while others will seek out more recently developed neighborhoods like Turtle Ridge or Avenue One.

Irvine’s location in Orange County near major freeways gives residents more job options than other communities. Irvine also has an number of business and industrial parks that house many corporations. In fact, about a dozen international and more than three dozen U.S. companies are headquarters in Irvine. Of course, UC Irvine is a major employer, as is its affiliated hospital and medical center.

Irvine is served by two school districts for kindergarten through 12th grade: Irvine Unified School District and the Tustin Unified School District. Both have nationally recognized schools and an excellent reputation. In addition the UC, Irvine, California State University Fullerton maintains an Irvine campus. Students also can attend Irvine Valley College, a community college.

The cost of living in Irvine is substantially above the U.S. average, as are most of California’s major cities. Keep in mind, that for many jobs in Southern California, pay scales are somewhat adjusted to the local cost of living. Nicely appointed one-bedroom apartments rent for $12,00 to $1,400 monthly. Two bedroom units begin at about $1,500 monthly and increase to around $2,100. Condo rents are slightly higher at $1,600 for one bedroom to $2,200 for two bedrooms.

There is a wide range of attractions and entertainment in Irvine. As a college community, you can count on a variety of trendy eateries, retails and nighttime hot spots. A main gathering spot for the community is the Irvine Spectrum. It features more than 130 retail stores, restaurants and venues for entertainment. For family fun, you’re just a short freeway ride from Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. If sports are your thing, you can catch the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium or the Mighty Ducks at the Honda Center, also in Anaheim. Irvine also boasts a theater, art and museums, among other attractions. The city also is dotted with dozens of parks and outdoor recreational spaces for people of all ages to enjoy.

More than 100 local and national artists participate each June in the Irvine Studio Arts Festival, which includes live demonstrations and musical performances. In late July and August, people grab their lawn chairs and coolers to enjoy free Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts in Park on Sunday evenings. By far the largest local even is the Irvine Global Village Festival in October. The free event features international cuisine, live entertainment, a kids village, cultural exhibits and more.