GRAND OPENINGS : 200 Orange County Homes to Open

A public preview of what is described as the largest single-day grand opening of new housing in Orange County since 1986 will be held Saturday when five major builders combine to release 200 homes in Rancho Santa Margarita, situated between Mission Viejo and Coto de Caza.

The homes, which are under construction, are in eight neighborhoods in and around the upper nine holes of Tijeras Golf Course, a Ted Robinson-designed, 18-hole public course, scheduled for play next summer.

The model homes will be open for inspection starting at 10 a.m. and public drawings will be conducted at each neighborhood to establish the purchasing priority of buyers.

Prices range from about $150,000 to more than $500,000 for homes ranging in size from 1,000 to 3,900 square feet.

The town of Rancho Santa Margarita, with a population of about 10,000, has a business park, a neighborhood commercial center, three schools, including a parochial high school, a 13-acre lake and beach club.

Major local employers are Hughes Micro-Electronics Division and Unisys.

Donald E. Moe, vice president of marketing for Santa Margarita Co., the community’s master-plan developer based in San Juan Capistrano, expects the town will have a population of 50,000 and will provide about 26,000 jobs within 15 years.

“Rancho Santa Margarita is one of the few communities designed with a balance of jobs and housing from its inception . . . ,” Moe said.

The 200 homes being offered for sale in the 138-acre Tijeras Creek golf course area are oriented to the fairways and waterscapes, he said.

“Ultimately, the area’s residential components will extend to 12 neighborhoods that will have luxury apartments in addition to single-family residences . . . “ he said.

Single-family neighborhoods participating in the July preview showings include La Tierras by the Fieldstone Co., with homes with up to four bedrooms; Montilla by J. M. Peters offering up to five bedrooms; Terramonte by Standard Pacific, with up to four bedrooms.

Townhouse and condominium neighborhoods include Serabrisa by Lyon Communities, Sierra Verde by John Laing Homes; Belterraza by Standard Pacific; Tierra Linda by the Fieldstone Co. and Alicante by J. M. Peters.

Rancho Margarita Information Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached via the San Diego Freeway. Exit on Alicia Parkway east, to Marguerite Parkway and on to Santa Margarita Parkway, which leads to the center.

Upscale Homes Open in Huntington Beach

Twenty-eight upscale single-family homes near the ocean go up for sale this weekend in Huntington Beach.

The first phase of Ocean Pointe Homes by the Shore, a joint venture of Pacific Coast Homes and Urban West Development, features four floor plans. Each home has two stories, three bedrooms and two or three bathrooms.

Each of the homes also has a terrace, fireplace, interior French doors and sitting areas in the master suite.

The floor plans range in size from 2,408 to 2,629 square feet. Prices range from $499,500 to $529,500.

Another 105 homes will be added to the community in later phases. The sales office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 618 22nd St., reached from the southbound Goldenwest exit of the San Diego Freeway.