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Real Estate Brokers:A real estate broker is a term in the United States and Canada which describes a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate (or real property as it is known elsewhere) and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy. In the United States, the relationship was originally established by reference to the English common law of agency with the broker having a fiduciary relationship with his clients. Estate agent is the term used in the United Kingdom to describe a person or organization whose business is to market real estate on behalf of clients, but there are significant differences between the actions and liabilities of brokers and estate agents in each country. Beyond the US, other countries take markedly different approaches to the marketing and selling of real property. In the US, real estate brokers and their salespersons (commonly called "real estate agents" or, in some states, "brokers") assist sellers in marketing their property and selling it for the highest possible price under the best terms. When acting as a Buyer's agent with a signed agreement (or, in many cases, verbal agreement, although a broker may not be legally entitled to his commission unless the agreement is in writing), they assist buyers by helping them purchase property for the lowest possible price under the best terms. Without a signed agreement, brokers may assist buyers in the acquisition of property but still represent the seller and the seller's interests. In most jurisdictions in the United States, a person is required to have a license in order to receive remuneration for services rendered as a real estate broker. Unlicensed activity is illegal, but buyers and sellers acting as principals in the sale or purchase of real estate are not required to be licensed. In some states, lawyers are allowed to handle real estate sales for compensation without being licensed as brokers or agents. The difference between salespersons and brokersBefore the Multiple Listing Service was introduced in 1967, when brokers (and their agents) only represented sellers, the term "real estate salesperson" may have been more apt than it is today, given the various ways that brokers and agents now help buyers through the process rather than merely "selling" them a property. Legally, however, the term "salesperson" is still used in many states to describe a real estate agent. Real estate education: In order to become licensed, most states require that an applicant take a minimum number of classes before taking the state licensing exam. Such education is often provided by real estate brokerages as a means to finding new agents. Today in many states, the real estate agent (acting as an agent of the broker with whom he/she is employed) is required to disclose to prospective buyers and sellers who represents whom. See below for a broker/agent’s relationship to sellers and their relationship to buyers. While some people may refer to any licensed real estate agent as a real estate broker, a licensed real estate agent is a professional who has obtained either a real estate salesperson's license or a real estate broker's license. In the United States, there are commonly two levels of real estate professionals licensed by the individual states, but not by the federal government: Real estate salesperson (or, in some states, Real estate broker): When a person first becomes licensed to become a real estate agent, he/she obtains a real estate salesperson's license (or some states use the alternative term, "broker") from the state in which he/she will practice. If you want to obtain a real estate license, the candidate must take specific coursework (of between 40 and 90 hours) and then pass a state exam on real estate law and practice. In order to work, salespersons must then be associated with (and act under the authority of) a real estate broker. Many states also have reciprocal agreements with other states, allowing a licensed individual from a qualified state to take the second state's exam without completing the course requirements, or, in some cases, take only a state law exam. Real estate broker (or, in some states, qualifying broker): After gaining some years of experience in real estate sales, a salesperson may decide to become licensed as a real estate broker (or Principal/qualifying broker) in order to own, manage or operate his/her own brokerage. In addition, some states allow college graduates to apply for a broker license without years of experience. College graduates fall into this category once they have completed the state required courses as well. California allows licensed attorneys to become brokers upon passing the broker exam, without having to take the requisite courses required of agent. Commonly more course work and a broker's state exam on real estate law must be passed. Upon obtaining a broker's license, a real estate agent may continue to work for another broker in a similar capacity as before (often referred to as a broker associate or associate broker) or take charge of his/her own brokerage and hire other salespersons (or broker) licensees. Becoming a branch office manager may or may not require a broker's license. Some states such as New York allow licensed attorneys to become real estate brokers without taking any exam. In some states, such as Colorado, there are no "salespeople", as all licensees are brokers. A Realtor is a real estate professional, usually a broker or salesperson, who is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). There are 1.3 million Realtors, mostly in the US, and an additional 1 million licensed real estate agents who are not members of NAR and cannot use the term "Realtor". However, note that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics claims only about 600,000 working brokers/salespersons. Agency relationships with clients versus Non-Agency relationships with customers
Agency relationships in residential real estate transactions involve the legal representation by a real estate broker (on behalf of a real estate company) of the principal, whether that person or persons is a buyer or a seller. The broker (and his/her licensed real estate agents) then becomes the agent of the principal.
Transaction brokersSome state Real Estate Commissions, notably Florida's after 1992 (and extended in 2003) and Colorado's after 1994 (with changes in 2003), created the option of having no agency nor fiduciary relationship between brokers and sellers or buyers. Having no more than a facilitator relationship, transaction brokers assists buyers, sellers, or both during the transaction without representing the interests of either party who may then be regarded as customers. As noted by the South Broward Board of Realtors, Inc. in a letter to State of Florida legislative committees:
The result was that in 2003, Florida created a system where the default brokerage relationship had "all licensees …operating as transaction brokers, unless a single agent or no brokerage relationship is established, in writing, with the customer" and the statute required written disclosure of the transaction brokerage relationship to the buyer or seller customer only through July 1, 2008. In both Florida and Colorado's case, dual agency and sub-agency (where both listing and selling agents represented the seller) no longer exist. Dual or limited agencyDual agency occurs when the same brokerage represents both the seller and the buyer under written agreements. Individual state laws vary and interpret dual agency rather differently. Many states no longer allow dual agency. Instead, "transaction brokerage" provides the buyer and seller with a limited form of representation, but without any fiduciary obligations (see Florida law). Buyers and sellers are generally advised to consult a licensed real estate professional for a written definition of an individual state's laws of agency, and many states require written Disclosures to be signed by all parties outlining the duties and obligations.
Types of services that a broker can provideSince each state's laws may differ from others, it is generally advised that prospective sellers or buyers consult a licensed real estate professional. Some Examples:
These services are also changing as a variety of real estate trends re-engineer the industry. GeneralThe sellers and buyers themselves are the principals in the sale, and real estate brokers (and the broker's agents) are their agents as defined in the law. However, although a real estate agent commonly fills out the real estate contract form, agents are typically not given power of attorney to sign the real estate contract or the deed; the principals sign these documents. The respective real estate agents may include their brokerages on the contract as the agents for each principal. The use of a real estate broker is not a requirement for the sale or conveyance of real estate or for obtaining a mortgage loan from a lender. However, once a broker is used, the settlement attorney (or party handling closing) will ensure that all parties involved be paid. Lenders typically have other requirements, though, for a loan. Services provided to both buyers and sellersIn addition to the services to sellers and buyers described below, most real estate agents coordinate various aspects of the closing. Real estate brokers (and their agents) typically do not provide title service such as title search or title insurance, do not conduct surveys or formal appraisals of the property such as those required by lenders, and do not act as lawyers for the parties, although they may "coordinate" these activities with the appropriate specialists. Some real estate brokers may be associated with loan officers who may help to finance buyers to make their purchase. Regardless of whether a real estate agent assists sellers or buyers of real estate, negotiating skills and knowledge of financing options are important. Real estate brokers and sellersServices provided to seller as clientUpon signing a listing contract with the seller wishing to sell the real estate, the brokerage attempts to earn a commission by finding a buyer for the sellers' property for highest possible price on the best terms for the seller. In Canada, most provinces' laws require the real estate agent to forward all written offers to the seller for consideration or review. To help accomplish this goal of finding buyers, a real estate agency commonly does the following:
The "listing" contractSeveral types of listing contracts exist between broker and seller. These may be defined as:
In this type of Agreement, the broker is given the exclusive right to market the property and represents the seller exclusively. This is referred to as seller agency. However, the brokerage also offers to cooperate with other brokers and agrees to allow them to show the property to prospective buyers and offers a share of the total real estate commission.
An alternative form, "Exclusive Agency", allows only the broker the right to sell the property, and no offer of compensation is ever made to another broker. In that case, the property will never be entered into an MLS. Naturally, that limits the exposure of the property to only one agency.
This is an Agreement whereby the property is available for sale by any real estate professional who can advertise, show, or negotiate the sale. Whoever first brings an acceptable offer would receive compensation. Real estate companies will typically require that a written agreement for an open listing be signed by the seller to ensure the payment of a commission if a sale should take place. Although there can be other ways of doing business, a real estate brokerage usually earns its commission after the real estate broker and a seller enter into a listing contract and fulfill agreed-upon terms specified within that contract. The seller's real estate is then listed for sale, frequently with property data entered into a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in addition to any other ways of advertising or promoting the sale of the property. In most of North America, where brokers are members of a national association (such as NAR in the United States or the Canadian Real Estate Association), a listing agreement or contract between broker and seller must include the following: starting and ending dates of the agreement; the price at which the property will be offered for sale; the amount of compensation due to the broker and how much, if any, will be offered to a cooperating broker who may bring a buyer. Without an offer of compensation to a cooperating broker (co-op percentage or flat fee), the property may not be advertised in the MLS system. Net Listings: Property listings at an agreed-upon net price that the seller wishes to receive with any excess going to the broker as commission are not legal in most, if not all, states. Brokerage commissionsIn consideration of the brokerage successfully finding a satisfactory buyer for the property, a broker anticipates receiving a commission for the services the brokerage has provided. Usually, the payment of a commission to the brokerage is contingent upon finding a satisfactory buyer for the real estate for sale, the successful negotiation of a purchase contract between a satisfactory buyer and seller, or the settlement of the transaction and the exchange of money between buyer and seller. In North America commissions on real estate transactions are negotiable. Local real estate sales activity usually dictates the amount of commission agreed to. Real estate commission is typically paid by the seller at the closing of the transaction as detailed in the listing agreement. RESPAReal estate brokers who work with lenders may not receive any compensation from the lender for referring a client to a specific lender. To do so would be a violation of a (US) federal law known as the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). All lender compensation to a broker must be disclosed to all parties. A commission may also be paid during negotiation of contract based on seller and agent. LockboxWith the sellers’ permission, a lockbox is placed on homes that are occupied and, after arranging an appointment with the home owner, agents can show the home. When a property is vacant or where a seller may be living elsewhere, a lockbox will generally be placed on the front door. The listing broker helps arrange showings of the property by various real estate agents from all companies associated with the MLS. The lockbox contains the key to the door of the property and the box can only be opened by licensed real estate agents (often only with authorization from the listing brokerage), by using some sort of secret combination or code provided by the brokerage or the issuer of the lockbox. Shared commissions with co-op brokersIf any buyer's broker (or any of his/her agents) brings the buyer for the property, the buyer's broker would typically be compensated with a co-op commission coming from the total offered to the listing broker, often about half of the full commission from the seller. If an agent or salesperson working for the buyer's broker brings the buyer for the property, then the buyer's broker would commonly compensate his agent with a fraction of the co-op commission, again as determined in a separate agreement. A discount brokerage may offer a reduced commission in the event no other brokerage firm is involved and no co-op commission is paid out. If there is no co-commission to pay to another brokerage, the listing brokerage receives the full amount of the commission minus any other types of expenses. Potential points of contention for agentsReal estate commissions are becoming a point of controversy. Home values in many areas have quadrupled over the past 20 years. This may be contributing to the increased number of licensed agents and growing competition between them. The number of real estate agents in areas tends to rise when home values do, and the productivity of existing agents goes down. Another controversy exists around how commissions paid to real estate agents are disclosed to buyers and the effect additional seller incentives may have on the negotiation process and final purchase price. If a listing agent sells a property for any amount above the listed price, he in turn will make additional income. In theory, this will motivate him/her to get top dollar price for his client, the seller. However, if the agent representing the buyer attempts to obtain a lower sales price for his client, then he/she would make a lower commission. Thus, it could be considered to be in the agent's best interest to advise his client to purchase the property at a higher price. Although not very likely since the difference in the commission is very little and the agent would not want to jeopardize the deal. According to economist Steven Levitt in his 2005 book Freakonomics, in practical terms, there is rarely a great enough difference between the listing (asking) price and the negotiated selling price to make a significant difference between the commissions generated on each side, and certainly hardly enough to justify an agent failing in his fiduciary duty to obtain the best terms for his/her client. However, when an agent is selling their own property, there exists a greater incentive to sell for a higher price and this is seen in examining historical home sale prices. Another potential conflict of interest exists when a listing agent in a very active real estate market has incentive to sell properties quickly at unnecessarily low prices in order to benefit from a high volume of sales. Real estate brokers and buyersServices provided to buyers
With the increase in the practice of buyer brokerage in the US, especially since the late 1990s in most states, agents (acting under their brokers) have been able to represent buyers in the transaction with a written "Buyer Agency Agreement" not unlike the "Listing Agreement" for sellers referred to above. In this case, buyers are clients of the brokerage. Some brokerages represent buyers only and are known as Exclusive Buyer Agents (EBAs). Consumer Reports states "You can find a true buyer's agent only at a firm that does not accept listings." The advantages of using an Exclusive Buyer Agent is that they avoid conflicts of interest by working in the best interests of the buyer and not the seller, avoid homes and neighborhoods likely to fare poorly in the marketplace, ensure the buyer does not unknowingly overpay for a property, fully informs the buyer of adverse conditions, encourages the buyer to make offers based on true value instead of list price which can sometimes be overstated, and works to save the buyer money. A buyer agency firm which commissioned a study found EBA purchased homes were seventeen times less likely to go into foreclosure. A real estate brokerage attempts to do the following for the buyers of real estate only when they represent the buyers with some form of written buyer-brokerage agreement:
Due to the importance of the role of representing buyers' interests, many brokers who seek to play the role of client advocate are now seeking out the services of Certified Mortgage Planners, industry experts that work in concert with Certified Financial Planners to align consumers' home finance positions with their larger financial portfolio(s).
In most states, until the 1990s, buyers who worked with an agent of a real estate broker in finding a house were customers of the brokerage, since the broker represented only sellers. Today, state laws differ. Buyers and/or sellers may be represented. Typically, a written "Buyer Brokerage" agreement is required for the buyer to have representation (regardless of which party is paying the commission), although by his/her actions, an agent can create representation.
The impact of globalization on real estate brokers' activitiesGlobalization has had an immediate and powerful impact on real estate markets, making them an international working place. The rapid growth of the Internet has made the international market accessible to millions of consumers. A look at recent changes in homeownership rates illustrates this. Minority homeownership jumped by 4.4 million during the 1990s, reaching 12.5 million in 2000, according to the Fannie Mae Foundation. Foreign direct investment in U.S. real estate has increased sharply from $38 billion in 1997 more than $50 billion in 2002 according to Census data. Most local real estate agents view the foreign market as a significant revenue potential and may have already worked with international clients in their local market, new immigrants or more sophisticated investors from different cultures and from other countries. For example, they are providing value-added services to an overseas relocation employee figure out which inoculations his or her children will need as well as the steps needed to register a car in the United States. Real estate brokers want to keep central to the transaction, protect the best interests of their members and address the unique needs of each multicultural global client by acquiring specialized training and designations. (See below for more) In 2007 the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals in Mexico, AMPI, and the NAR, National Association of Realtors in the US, signed a bilateral contract for international real estate business cooperation. Also at the local level, many other state and local associations are helping other countries achieve the same result. For instance, in New Mexico, a historically multicultural state, under the RANM, Realtor Association of New Mexico and the President’s Advisory Council, is looking into forming an ambassador association to help a foreign country into signing a bilateral agreement with the NAR. In New Mexico, there are 4500 licensed real estate professionals and only 14 or 15 CIPS designees, out of whom, only 6 speak a language other than English. EducationA person may attend a pre-license course (often 60 actual hours) and be tested by the state for a real estate agent's license. Chapters of Alison Rogers' book Diary of a Real Estate Rookie describes the author's experience taking a 75-hour pre-license course in New Jersey and a 75-hour pre-license course in New York. Upon passing, the new licensee must place their license with an established real estate firm, managed by a broker. Requirements vary by state but after some period of time working as an agent, one may return to the classroom and test to become a broker. Brokers may manage or own firms. Each branch office of a larger real estate firm must be managed by a broker. States issue licenses for a multi-year period and require real estate agents and brokers to complete continuing education prior to renewing their licenses. Many states recognize licenses from other states and issue licenses upon request to existing agents and firms upon request without additional education or testing however the license must be granted before real estate service is provided in the state. OrganizationsSeveral notable groups exist to promote the industry and to assist members who are in it. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is the largest real estate organization and one of the largest trade groups anywhere. Their membership exceeds one million. NAR also has state chapters as well as thousands of local chapters. Upon joining a local chapter, a new member is automatically enrolled into the state and national organizations. When the principals of a firm join, all licensed agents in that firm must also belong. An advantage of membership is access to the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) (sometimes countywide, sometimes broader in coverage, which exists for the benefit of members and which provides access following the payment of additional dues to the local system. The Realtor Political Action Committee (RPAC) is a separate entity, and also the lobbying arm of NAR. In 2005, they were considered the largest PAC in the United States. According to realtor.org, RPAC is the largest contributor of direct contributions to federal candidates. The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents is a group of agents and brokers who work in firms that represent buyers only. They assist in locating exclusive buyer agents for home buyers through the website www.naeba.org . The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) was founded in 1947 as an alternative for African Americans who were excluded from the dominant NAR. Both groups allow members to join without regard to race. However, NAREB has historically been an African American-centric group with a focus on developing housing resources for intercity populations. Changing IndustryCompensation has traditionally been based on a percentage of the sales price, split between the buying and selling brokers, and then between the agent(s) and his/her real estate agency. While a split based on the percentage received by the broker is generally normal, in some brokerages agents may pay a monthly "desk fee" for office costs, monthly fee, etc. and then retain 100% of the commission received.
National Association of Realtors
National Association
of Realtors building on New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington DC
The building
is triangular in shape, due to the configuration of the streets
which border it.
The NAR building
and the U.S. Capitol in the background.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR), whose members are known as Realtors, is North America's largest trade association representing over 1.2 million members (as reported November 2008), including NAR's institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. NAR also functions as a Self Regulatory Organization for real estate brokerage. The President of NAR for 2009 is Charles McMillan. OverviewThe National Association of Realtors was founded on May 12, 1908 as the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges, the founding group being located in Chicago, Illinois. In 1916, the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges changed its name to The National Association of Real Estate Boards. The current name was adopted in 1974. NAR's membership is composed of residential and commercial real estate brokers, real estate salespeople, immovable property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others engaged in all aspects of the real estate (immovable property) industry, where a state license to practice is required. Members belong to one or more of some 1,600 local Realtor boards or associations. They are pledged to a code of ethics and standards of practice, which includes duties to clients and customers, the public, and other Realtors. Local associations are required to enforce the code of ethics through a Professional Standards Council or Committee. Trained members of the association form hearing panels charged with the responsibility of hearing testimony and evaluating evidence from complaints filed by the public or other members against association members for alleged violations of the code of ethics. If the panel finds the member in violation, disciplines recommended may be one or more of the following: a letter of warning or reprimand, educational courses, suspension or expulsion of membership, fines up to $5,000 and probation. All recommended disciplines by professional standards hearing panels are subject to the ratification by the association's board of directors before the discipline takes effect. The National Association of Realtors is also a member of The Real Estate Roundtable, a lobbying group in Washington, D.C. Trademark statusRealtor is a frequently-used word in many countries to describe any person or company involved in the real estate trade, regardless of their NAR status or American residence. However, in the United States the National Association of Realtors in 1949 obtained preregistrations for the words Realtor and Realtors as collective trade marks. In 2003, Jacob Joseph Zimmerman, a real estate agent who was not a member of NAR, petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the trademarks, on the ground that "Realtor" and "Realtors" were generic terms rather than a trademark. On March 31, 2004, the USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board denied the petition. NAR and Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systemsThe NAR governs the hundreds of local Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) which are the information exchanges used across the nation by real estate brokers. (However, there are many MLSs that are independent of NAR, although membership is typically limited to licensed brokers and their agents; MLSPIN is an example of one of the larger independent MLSs in North America). Through a complicated arrangement, NAR sets the policies for most of the Multiple Listings Services and, in the late 1990s with the growth of the Internet, NAR evolved regulations allowing Information Data Exchanges (IDX) whereby brokers would allow a portion of their data to be seen on the Internet via brokers' or agents' websites and Virtual Office Websites (VOW) which required potential buyers to register to obtain information. These policies allowed "participants" (whether they were individual one-person brokers or large regional companies) to limit access to some or all of the MLS data by individual brokers (whether they were brokers operating solely on the Internet or local competitors). In 2005, this prompted the Department of Justice to file an antitrust lawsuit against NAR alleging its MLS rules in regard to these types of limitations on the display of data were the product of a conspiracy to restrain trade by excluding brokers who used the Internet to operate differently from traditional bricks-and-mortar brokers. (For a description of the DOJ action, see Antitrust Case filings for US v. National Association of Realtors.) Meanwhile various real estate trends such as expanded consumer access and the Internet are consolidating existing local MLS organizations into larger and more statewide or regional MLS systems, such as in California and Virginia/Maryland/Washington DC's Metropolitan Regional Information Systems. In response to the case, NAR had proposed setting up a single Internet Listing Display system which will not allow Participants to exclude individual brokers (whether of a bricks-and-mortar type or solely Internet-based) but require a blanket opting out of display on all other brokers' sites. This system is the IDX system. Although it allows the public to view MLS listings, it still requires the listing brokerage information to be placed on the listing (brokers legally "own" the listings of their brokerage), every place it appears, in order to prevent misrepresentation of the listing information, and to place accountability for the information on the broker, also as the law dictates. The antitrust lawsuit was settled in May 2008. The agreement mandates that all Multiple Listing Service systems allow access to Internet-based competitors. The NAR will be required to treat online brokers the same as traditional brokers and cannot exclude them from membership because they do not have a traditional business model. The NAR admitted no wrongdoing, and it paid neither fines nor damages as part of the deal. The settlement will not be official until a federal judge formally approves it, most likely in the summer of 2008. While the general counsel of the NAR believes that the settlement will have no effect on the commission paid by the general public, a business professor at Western Michigan University predicted that the increased competition would cause a 25 to 50 percent decrease in commissions. NAR educational requirements and recognized designationsAs adherents to NAR's code of ethics, Realtors are required to update their acquaintance with the Code every four years by taking a course, available online or "live". However, Realtors, as members of NAR, also have the option of studying for additional certifications in a variety of specialties, several of which are backed by NAR with offerings of certification and update courses available nationwide. The most well known NAR sponsored designations are the following:
Contributions to political campaignsThe NAR wields substantial power as a lobbying organization on behalf of agents and brokers; in 2005, NAR had the largest Political Action Committee in the United States. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the association is the United States' third-largest donor to political campaigns, having given since 1990 more than US$30 million. Of this sum, an average of 47% has gone to Democrats and 53% to Republicans. Key political issues for the group revolve around federal regulation of the financial services industry. RadioThe NAR produces a weekly 2-hour radio program entitled Real Estate Today. The show includes The Local Market Report, a 3-minute segment customized for individual stations. The program is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks, and as of February 2008, the show is only heard on WMAL in Washington, DC, and three channels on Sirius XM Radio. Other national real estate associations
About Mission Viejo:
Mission Viejo is suburban in nature and culture. The city is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits. The city is planned and features a very large number of single-family homes, some condominiums, a two-year community college, and a regional mall. Mission Hospital is the largest hospital in south Orange County and serves as the area's regional trauma center. It also offers one of two CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) locations providing outstanding care for children. Mission Hospital is a critical asset to the region. It is undergoing a multi-year campus expansion, which includes emergency services, conference and medical office space as well as a new inpatient hospital tower. Other medical facilities and offices have clustered around the hospital. It is conveniently located off the I-5 Crown Valley Parkway exit about half a mile from the freeway. The city's name is a reference to Rancho Mission Viejo, a large Spanish land grant from which the community was founded. There is no Spanish mission in Mission Viejo, and the name is an ungrammatical use of a masculine adjective with a feminine noun. The correct Spanish term meaning "old mission" is "misión vieja." Recreational activities abound; the city has numerous recreational areas such as the newly remodeled Norman P. Murry Community and Senior Center there are about two parks per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Costa del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission Viejo, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom waterfront homes, condominiums, boat rentals,and swim beaches. HistoryThe hilly region which Mission Viejo occupies was primarily used as cattle and sheep grazing land, as it was of little use to farmers. It was one of the last regions of Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. Englishman Juan (John) Forster, husband of Mexican Governor Pío Pico's sister Ysidora, acquired the Rancho Trabuco (future Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita) from Santiago Arguello. Forster provided fresh horses to American military forces led by Commodore Robert F. Stockton and General Kearney on their march from San Diego to retake Los Angeles during the Mexican-American War. The force camped in Lake Forest along their march. Early developers in the 1960s dismissed most of the land in the area as simply "undevelopable". In the early 1970s, urban planner Donald Bren, who would later become the president of the Irvine Company, drafted a master plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills, and contoured to the geography of the area. The plan worked, and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction even began on them. The houses and shopping centers in the city are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo as the first and largest manifestation of Donald Bren's obsession with Spanish architecture, which would again become apparent with his developments in Irvine and Newport Beach. After Donald Bren sold his interest in the Mission Viejo Company. The Mission Viejo Company was headed by Philip J. Reilly, and James Toepfer and the company was purchased as a subsidiary of the Phillip Morris Company. The Mission Viejo Company continued as the master builder of the city. The company expanded its operations and went on to build the Lakes project in Tempe Arizona, Mission Viejo Aurora in Colorado and were the initial master planners of Highlands Ranch, both suburbs of the Denver Metropolitan area. SealThe Seal of the City of Mission Viejo was designed and drawn by Carl Glassford, an artist and former resident of the city. Geography
Lake Mission
Viejo
Mission Viejo is located at 33°36'46"N 117°39'22"W / 33.61278°N 117.65611°W (33.612739, -117.656038). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.3 km˛ (19.0 MI˛). 48.3 km˛ (18.7 MI˛) of it is land and 1.0 km˛ (0.4 MI˛) of it (1.94%) is water. A significant portion of the surface water is held in Lake Mission Viejo, an artificial lake stretching approximately one mile from Olympiad Road to Alicia Parkway along Marguerite Parkway. It is bordered by Lake Forest on the northwest, Trabuco Canyon on the northeast, Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch on the east, San Juan Capistrano on the south, and Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills on the west. DemographicsMISSION
VIEJO DEMOGRAPHICS
SCHOOLS IN MISSION VIEJO
HOME SALES For
population 25 years and over in Mission Viejo For
population 15 years and over in Mission Viejo city Median
real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in
2007: $3,622 (0.5%) Single-family
new house construction building permits: Daytime
population change due to commuting: -13,454 (-14.5%) Population change in the 1990s: +12,557 (+15.6%). Unemployment
in December 2008: Birthplace
of: Hospitals/medical
centers in Mission Viejo: Other
hospitals/medical centers near Mission Viejo: Airports
certified for carrier operations nearest to Mission Viejo: Other
public-use airports nearest to Mission Viejo: Amtrak
stations near Mission Viejo: Colleges/Universities
in Mission Viejo: Other
colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Mission Viejo:
Public
high school in Mission Viejo:
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high schools in Mission Viejo:
Biggest
public elementary/middle schools in Mission Viejo:
Private
elementary/middle schools in Mission Viejo:
Library
in Mission Viejo:
Notable locations in Mission Viejo: Felipe Tennis Center (A), Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center (B), Mission Viejo Golf Club (C), Casta Del Sol Golf Course (D), Mission Viejo Branch Orange County Public Library (E). Shopping Centers: Gateway Shopping Center (1), Market on the Lake Shopping Center (2), Mission Viejo Mall Shopping Center (3). Reservoirs: Upper Oso Reservoir (A), El Toro Reservoir (B), Lake Mission Viejo (C), Oso Creek Dam (D). Parks in Mission Viejo include: Aegean Hills Park (1), Alicia Park (2), Pebble Creek Park (3), Aurora Park (4), Doria Park (5), Wilderness Glen Park (6), Barcelona Park (7), Bart Spendlove Memorial Park (8), Christopher Park (9). Tourist attraction: All Star Dugout (Amusement & Theme Parks; 23854 Viaduct Fabricante) (1). Hotel: Ayres Suites Mission Viejo (28941 Los Alisos Boulevard) (1). People
in group quarters in Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo
compared to California state average:
Banks with most branches in Mission Viejo (2009 data): # 1 Rated Bank in Mission Viejo - Iron Stone Bank, Click here for more information
PoliticsOf the 56,286 registered voters in the city, 31,090 (55.2%) are Republicans, 14,319 (25.4%) are Democrats, 8,790 (15.6%) declined to state political affiliation, and the remaining 2,087 (3.8%) are registered with a minor party. In the state legislature Mission Viejo is located in the 33rd Senate District, represented by Republican Dick Ackerman, and in the 71st Assembly District, represented by Republican Jeff Miller. Federally, Mission Viejo is located in California's 42nd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +10 and is represented by Republican Gary Miller. SportsMission Viejo has a major youth athletic facilities, Mission Viejo Youth Athletic Park. The park consists of eight baseball fields and five soccer fields. It is host of Little League District 55, Little League District 68, AYSO Region 84 and four competitive soccer clubs: Pateadores Soccer Club, Mission Viejo Soccer Club, West Coast Futbol Club, and Saddleback United Soccer Club. The Mission Viejo Nadadores swimming and diving team won a string of national championships and produced a number of Olympians and world record holders in the 1970s and 1980s. Olympians included Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell, Larson Jenson, Maryanne Graham, Nicole Kramer, Casy Converse, Marcia Morey, Dara Torres, and Greg Louganis. There is also a soccer facility, now used by the town's youth soccer program, that was used as a training field by the United States men's national soccer team before and during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States. Amenities: Skateboard parks are included in some of the recreational facilities throughout Orange County as well such as; Bebee Park, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, San Clemente, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Vans Skatepark at the Block at Orange, Etnies of Lake Forest, and Anaheim West. The Saddleback College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes minor league baseball team of the Western Baseball League from 1996-2001. Now the ballpark has a semipro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire. Mission Viejo is also the hometown of University of Southern California star quarterback Mark Sanchez. Education
Capistrano
Valley High School in Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo is served by two school districts, the Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts. Capistrano Unified serves the eastern, northeastern, and southern portions of the city with eight schools. As of 2006, all high school students in the Capistrano Unified portion of Mission Viejo attend Capistrano Valley High School. Students from western Mission Viejo (north of Oso Parkway and west of Marguerite until Alicia Parkway) attend Saddleback Valley's Mission Viejo High School. Far northern Mission Viejo attends Saddleback Valley's Trabuco Hills High School, though most of that school has students from Rancho Santa Margarita and Lake Forest. Silverado High School, Mira Monte High School, and Pathfinder are continuation and adult schools within the city. Silverado High School provides a day school environment while Mira Monte, which shares the same campus, is strictly independent study. Saddleback College, near The Shops at Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley High School, is a large community college in the southern half of the city. In addition, the University of California, Irvine, Chapman University and Soka University of America are nearby in adjacent cities. Skateboard parks are included in some of the recreational facilities throughout Orange County as well such as; Bebee Park, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, San Clemente, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Vans Skatepark at the Block at Orange, Etnies of Lake Forest, and Anaheim West. La Tierra Elementary is scheduled to be shut down in June 2009 due to budget cuts. It was chosen due to its small size and minimal student body. The school will remain closed until further notice. Mission Viejo residents refer to La Tierra as "The Little School With a Big Heart." Students there are reassigned to Del Cerro Elementary. O'Neill Elementary, the city's first elementary school, will close in June 2009 also due to budget cuts in SVUSD. Students in the Deanne Home community surrounding the school will be moved to nearby De Portola Elementary. Students living in the homes north of the lake will be moved to Melinda Heights Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita. Elementary Capistrano Unified
Saddleback Valley Unified
Private
Middle school
High school
College
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