An affluent, master-planned community, Rancho Santa Margarita is one of Orange County’s youngest cities. Located along the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, it is bordered by the city of Mission Viejo on the west, Coto de Caza on the south, Trabuco Canyon on the north, and the Cleveland National Forest on the east. Dove Canyon, a private residential community of approximately 1200 homes, is located within the eastern part of Rancho Santa Margarita.

Historically, much of the area has been known as Trabuco Canyon, stemming from an incident dating back to July of 1769 when a young Spanish soldier, camping in the area, lost his trabuco, or musket — a most valuable possession to any soldier. To mark this loss, the stream was named Trabuco. The name has been associated with the mesa, the canyon, and the entire area ever since.

Through land grants and several changes of fortune, in 1907 this area became part of the expansive 200,000-acre Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores, owned by an Irish cattleman, Richard O’Neill. In 1948, the O’Neill family donated 278 acres of canyon bottom land to the County of Orange for park purposes. By the 1960s, a rural cluster of homes had been present in Trabuco Canyon for decades, but it was not until 2000 that area voters incorporated the City of Rancho Santa Margarita — a city planned to be an “Urban Village”, offering the best of two worlds: all of the elements and advantages of a small city plus the quality of life of a small village.

The City is a general law city and operates under the council-manager form of government. Rancho Santa Margarita is a contract city. Police services are provided through contract with the Orange County Sheriff. Fire Protection services are provided through the Orange County Fire Authority.

The city currently has a population of over 49,000; residents and visitors alike enjoy the mix of retail shops, restaurants, parks, and annual events that take place throughout the year. The city also has many parks to suit many interests including a dog park, skate park and the scenic Lake Rancho Santa Margarita with a surrounding path ideal for walking, jogging or bike riding.

Recent Rancho Santa Margarita Real Estate Listings

Get new listing alerts delivered to your inbox.
48 Results
2
Beds
2
Baths
924
SqFt
 
 
#OC24244342
2
Beds
2
Baths
1,143
SqFt
 
 
#OC24235798
4
Beds
3
Baths
1,906
SqFt
Open House: Dec 7, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
#OC24232952
3
Beds
2 | 1
Baths
1,446
SqFt
(45)
Open House: Dec 7, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
#OC24242674
3
Beds
2 | 1
Baths
1,778
SqFt
(35)
Open House: Dec 7, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
#OC24240691
2
Beds
2
Baths
876
SqFt
 
 
#OC24243705
1
Beds
1
Baths
612
SqFt
(31)
Open House: Dec 8, 2024 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
 
#PW24242363
2
Beds
2
Baths
1,083
SqFt
Open House: Dec 7, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
#OC24240038
4
Beds
2 | 1
Baths
1,970
SqFt
 
 
#OC24238202
3
Beds
2 | 1
Baths
1,273
SqFt
(38)
 
 
#OC24237246
2
Beds
2
Baths
1,027
SqFt
(20)
 
 
#OC24237744
2
Beds
2 | 1
Baths
1,415
SqFt
(75)
Open House: Dec 7, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
#OC24237107
Based on information from CSMAR, CRMLS, and/or CLAW, and/or CRISNet MLS as of December 5, 2024 9:28 PM PT. The information being provided by CSMAR, CRMLS and/or CLAW and/or CRISNet MLS is for the visitor's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties the visitor may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to a property referenced on this website comes from the Internet Data Exchange ('IDX') program of CSMAR, CRMLS and/or CLAW, and/or CRISNet MLS. This website may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent who owns this website. Any information relating to a property, regardless of source, including but not limited to square footage and lot sizes, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. The data contained herein is copyrighted by CSMAR, CRMLS and/or CLAW, and/or CRISNet MLS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited. IDX powered by iHomefinder, Inc.

Compare Listings

Title Price Status Type Area Purpose Bedrooms Bathrooms