When it's time to present an Orange County city, Sammy Veicer picks one that many newcomers to Los Angeles have never heard of: Aliso Viejo. In his view, it's one of the best-located cities in the county — and with prices that still make sense for someone whose pockets aren't "all that full."

The county's newest city

In the episode, Sammy recalls that Aliso Viejo became a city not long ago, after 2000, and one of the realtors asks whether it used to be a neighborhood of another municipality. In fact, the area didn't belong to any city: it was unincorporated territory of the county, developed from the 1980s on as a planned community. Residents voted for incorporation, and Aliso Viejo became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001 — the only one incorporated in the county since 2000.

The population is also larger than Sammy's estimate of about 42,000: the 2020 Census counted 52.176 residents.

The planned origins show in the landscape: curving streets, orderly residential neighborhoods, concentrated commercial areas and plenty of green space. The city borders Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, a regional park of canyons and trails that runs down toward Laguna Beach.

Location: beach, airport and jobs

Sammy's main argument is the position within the county. By his reckoning:

• about 20 minutes from the beach — Aliso Viejo is not coastal, but it sits right up against Laguna Beach and Laguna Niguel;
• 20 minutes or less from John Wayne Airport (SNA), the Orange County airport;
• about 15 minutes from Newport Beach via the 73 expressway (San Joaquin Hills Toll Road), which is a toll road;
• 10 to 20 minutes from Irvine, depending on the destination — one of Southern California's biggest hubs for jobs, tech and universities.

One of the realtors picks up on exactly that point: Irvine concentrates a lot of jobs, and living near it without paying its price is an advantage.

Prices: two- and three-bedroom condos

Sammy says he had just held an open house in the city and cites as a reference two- and three-bedroom properties between $700,000 and $900,000 — and immediately corrects himself: those are condos (townhomes and apartments), not detached houses, which cost more. For the area, the realtors say, that's a very competitive price.

This kind of property usually comes with an association fee (HOA), and, in some parts of south Orange County, special infrastructure taxes (Mello-Roos). Both go into the monthly cost and should be checked property by property.

The figures cited reflect the agent's read at the time of recording (April 2026); confirm current prices before planning.

Schools and the myth of "cheaper means worse schools"

One of the realtors raises a common question among house hunters: does a city with more affordable prices usually have worse schools? In Aliso Viejo, Sammy answers, no — he considers the schools very good. Most of the city's students attend schools in the Capistrano Unified School District, one of the county's largest districts. As anywhere in California, the assigned school depends on the address, and ratings vary from one campus to another; it's worth checking the district's attendance map and each school's performance data before choosing a property.

Day-to-day life

Sammy highlights the city's town center , with restaurants and shops, and a large shopping mall. It's the profile of someone looking for, in his words, "a nice, cool, safe place with good schools," without needing a beach city's budget.

Who Aliso Viejo makes sense for

• People who work in Irvine or in central Orange County and want a short commute.
• Families who prioritize schools and an orderly neighborhood.
• People who want the beach nearby, but accept driving 15 to 20 minutes in exchange for price.
• People entering the market through a condo or a townhome.

What weighs against it: detached houses cost far more than the condos cited; the fastest route to Newport is a toll road; and, as everywhere in south Orange County, there are areas near hillsides and native vegetation where homeowners insurance and fire risk have to be evaluated.

Sources and verification

• City of Aliso Viejo — incorporation as Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001.
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census: population of 52,176 in Aliso Viejo.
• Capistrano Unified School District — school attendance in Aliso Viejo.
• OC Parks — Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park; Transportation Corridor Agencies — San Joaquin Hills Toll Road (SR-73).
• Transcript and chapters of episode 10 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (April 2026), with Sammy Veicer and the show's other realtors.

Watch this part of the episode:

Aliso Viejo (Orange County): Opportunity and Location — starting at 43:00 · CADÊ BRAZIL