Welcome to Irvine, CA., where the median price of a home is $1.56 million. The winding streets are spotless, there’s no telephone polls visible, and every house has the exact same terracotta roof.
In the meticulously planned city, which continuously tops hottest housing market lists, streets run in perfect circles, everyone’s house must have windows on all four sides, and lawns are spaced accordingly.
Each village inside Irvine gets its own landscape design where only certain types of imported greenery and brightly colored plants are approved.
The mastermind behind the design and upkeep of Irvine is 92-year-old Donald Bren, CEO of Irvine Co., and the wealthiest real estate developer in America, according to Bloomberg. He’s reportedly a peculiar personality, and keeps personal information about himself private.
Under his leadership, Irvine has become a bubble away from the rest of the world.
Every corner of the city has surveillance cameras operated by local law enforcement, who also drive Tesla trucks designed for their specific police department.
In 2024, Irvine made the list of the top five cities to raise a family, according to WalletHub.
‘The appeal of Irvine is top ranked education, incredible employment centers, renowned health facilities, and an incredible master planned community with loads of open space, family activities and parks,’ local realtor Cathy Haney, a broker from First Team Real Estate, told the Daily Mail.
Hellbound and Down 