Featured image credit: Living in Irvine California
Most people in the United States have at least some understanding of an incorporated municipality, because most of us live in one. These are cities with their own governments, civic planning departments, police forces, and identities (some more than others). North Tustin is not one of these municipalities. With a population of around 25,700 residents as of 2020, it has no mayor, no city council, and no city hall. And the residents love it for that.
What Does “Unincorporated” Mean in Terms of Lifestyle?
The days of America’s wild west are behind us, so what exactly does an unincorporated community mean today? One need look no further for the answer than North Tustin, where matters fall under the jurisdiction of the broader Orange County due to the community’s unincorporated status. Need the assistance of law enforcement? In North Tustin, that means a call to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Reporting a road in need of urgent repair? The Orange County Public Works is your place. Local planning, zoning, and all of that good stuff are likewise handled by Orange County’s development services.
It’s an unfamiliar scenario for a lot of prospective buyers, which can leave them weary of committing to a North Tustin home. But to the select executives, entrepreneurs, and long-term homeowners who reside in the rolling hills of North Tustin, the unincorporated status is liberating. It’s a sentiment supported by the community’s expansive lots and scenic views.
A Different Kind of Freedom
While moving into a new community may bring up questions about homeowners’ associations, North Tustin offers a radically different experience. Instead, you might be considering whether you need stables for horses or a barn for your cattle. The area’s unincorporated status makes it easier to open the door to those kinds of questions.
Homeowners can explore their creativity with home designs, keep livestock, or even utilize their property in decidedly unconventional ways, including adding sustainable, cost-efficient upgrades such as solar panels. Like other unincorporated areas, North Tustin is also a bit more relaxed when it comes to zoning than nearby incorporated communities. For those feeling stifled by HOAs that cast their shadow over most of Orange County, homes for sale in North Tustin can offer a much-needed breath of fresh air.
The North Tustin Character
Naturally, a prospective North Tustin homebuyer may wonder if the unincorporated status of the community means that it lacks a distinct character. However, the identity of the community is a serious consideration for the Foothill Communities Association, a non-profit established in 1964 with the mission of not just preserving but enhancing the community’s living environment. That’s not to say this organization informs this identity. Rather, North Tustin’s character remains free from municipal impositions, evolving on its own and contributing to something akin to civic pride in many of its long-term residents.
With median home prices around $1.5 million, North Tustin has a high price of entry. But it’s a price people are willing to pay for spacious estates, rolling hills, and a semi-rustic charm with relaxed oversight. But much of that demand is also a result of North Tustin’s highly limited housing inventory and low-density zoning.
Adjusting to North Tustin Life
Of course, unincorporated status also brings with it certain complexities. For example, the community is divided between three water districts, two school districts, and two zip codes, which can be challenging when trying to navigate the twists and turns of establishing or maintaining services. And, in worst-case scenarios, emergency calls can even be misrouted. It’s rare. But it’s also possible. Buying a home in North Tustin also requires some additional due diligence. Several factors are established at the parcel level, often including tax obligations, like Mello-Roos, in addition to jurisdiction.
Still, when given the option, the community chooses to remain unincorporated time and time again, even as it’s grown to a larger population than six of Orange County’s cities. It’s a conscious choice of freedom, character, and a lifestyle beyond ordinances, bureaucracy, and master plans. And that’s undeniably rare. But North Tustin’s authentic (and unrestrained) identity is where its true value lies.
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
