Huntington Harbor

 

Huntington Harbor, on the North end of Huntington Beach, just to the northeast of Sunset Beach, consists of just over 3,500 residences. Additionally, there are 5 man-made islands are strung together and consist of just over 3,500 residences – many of which have boat docks. 

 

If beautiful islands to live on over a pristine bay with boating sounds like your cup of tea, homes in Huntington Harbor may be the ticket for you.  About 2/3 of Huntington Harbor homes lie on the islands’ periphery, but there are about 1,200 homes on the actual islands themselves. As compared to other waterfront properties in Orange County, Huntington Harbor is one of the most economical choices in the area, with average selling prices of single family homes hovering around $1 million in 2014.

 

 

While homebuyers looking for relatively cost effective harbor homes might look to Huntington Harbor as their first choice, like any area there are some things to consider.

 

One drawback for some residents is that for those that commute, like most Ocean-close homes in the county, the placement of the Harbor geographically can add significant time to your commute, with it often taking 15+ minutes from your garage to the 405 freeway.  Also of particular concern for homebuyers, some of the land in Huntington Harbor is “leased land”, as opposed to “fee simple”- this is an issue that you need to make sure your REALTORS® understands and can give you solid advice on.  The basic principal of this is are you going to lease the land that your home sits on; or are you going to buy it?  The obvious choice is to buy the land, however on leased land the home purchase can be a lot cheaper.   Either way it is something to discuss with your agent.

 

 

Huntington Harbor boasts the Huntington Harbor Yacht Club, whose members enjoy nightly dining and beverage options, as well as yearlong social outings including boating, fishing, and events for every season.  Also in the harbor is Peters Landing Marina which features restaurants, sport fishing, boat rentals and private yacht charters.

 

During the holiday season, the harbor lights up with the annual cruise of lights, which consists of narrated boat tours through the beautiful waterways with thousands upon thousands of lights and animated displays – voted one of the Top 10 Christmas Lights Destinations in the US. 

 

 

If you are thinking of buying a home on one of the islands in Huntington Harbor, you’ve got five choices.

 

Admiralty Island, just off of PCH, consists of just 90 homes, almost all of which are on the water and have boat docks. Most homes on Admiralty Island, in addition to touching water, have 3-6 bedrooms and range from 2,000 to 5,500 square feet, with lot sizes of 5,000 to 6,000 square feet.  As such, homes on Admiralty Island don’t come cheap. A home on Admiralty Island will range from $1.6 million to $3 million.

 

Davenport Island is the eastern-most island in Huntington Harbor, and boasts 400 homes. Like much of the Harbor, most Davenport Island homes have boat docks, range from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet, and have lot sizes in the 5,000 to 7,000 foot range.  Homes on Davenport Island range from $1 million to 3 million, though in when you are down towards a paltry million you are typically in very close walking distance of the water, and likely have only the slightest view of the actual water. Roughly half of Davenport Island homes are waterfront.

 

Gilbert Island, which is accessible from PCH, is the smallest of Huntington Harbor’s islands, consisting of just 60 homes. As such, Gilbert Island home sales are relatively rare – often there are just one or two opportunities per year to buy a home here. Like most Huntington Harbor real estate, homes on Gilbert Island will provide you with plenty of waterfront to park your boat.  Gilbert Island homes are generally 3 or 4 bedrooms with 1,700 to 3,000 square feet on lots of about 6,000 or so square feet and range from about $1.2 million to $2.5 million 

 

Humboldt Island, has just over 300 homes, about 225 of them being waterfront with views of beautiful Christiana Bay. Due to a larger number of homes than many islands in the Harbor, homebuyers will often have 3 or even 4 choices to look at if they are considering buying a home in Humboldt Island.  Non-waterfront homes on the island, which tend to be 2,000 2,500 square feet with 3 or 4 bedrooms typically go for around $1 million, while those on the water are typically larger, with 4 to 5 bedrooms and 4000+ square feet, can easily fetch $2 to $4 million.

 

Trinidad Island, is, according to the Trinidad Island Homeowners Association Website, “not just a community of 336 beautifully appointed and landscaped homes, it is a lifestyle apart from the ordinary.”
As much as that sounds like a cheesy brochure, it is hard to argue that Trinidad Island is one of the nicest areas one could select to live in Orange County.  With that being said, Trinidad has the least expensive average selling price of Huntington Harbor Island Homes – with most sales in the $1-1.5 million range for a 3-4 bedroom home with 2,000 to 2,500 square feet – certainly some of the most cost effective water-close homes you can find in the area.

 

Like any area, it will depend greatly on what you’re looking for, but we have had clients fall in love with the area from the first time they set foot on it. We find that for clients looking for a laid-back island lifestyle with less of the glitz (and lower cost) than one could find in Newport Beach or some of the other communities in South Orange County, the Harbor is the perfect choice.