Kelly Rhee

What North Tustin Actually Is

North Tustin isn't a city. It's an unincorporated community in Orange County, about 6.6 square miles, home to roughly 25,700 people as of the 2020 census. It sits bordered by the City of Tustin on the south, east, and west, and the City of Orange to the north, split across ZIP codes 92705 and 92780.

Why It Isn't the City of Tustin

North Tustin has never incorporated. It first showed up in the 1970 census under the name "Tustin Foothills," was designated a census place in 1980, and was renamed North Tustin for the 2010 census. Unincorporated means county services rather than a city department. The Orange County Fire Authority covers fire and EMS here, for one.

St Hubert Woods Estates

Kelly's pick for where to start, and the neighborhood she's been walking these past two weekends with her listing on Bryce Place. Wide streets, older ranch and mid-century homes kept up with real care, and neighbors who actually know each other: people trade citrus from their own backyards and look out for one another. It's part of unincorporated North Tustin (92705), on generous lots that mostly run from around 11,000 to over 13,000 square feet, but some are over 20,000 square feet.

Loma Vista, Hewes, Foothill

Homes in St Hubert Woods Estates feed into Loma Vista Elementary, Hewes Middle School, and Foothill High School, all Tustin Unified, and the three names families ask about most when they're deciding on this pocket of North Tustin.

Lemon Heights

Named for the lemon groves C.E. Utt and Sherman Stevens planted after buying 600 acres here in 1910. Developer George Marcy later built it into a residential park with tree-lined streets, and by the 1920s it had earned the nickname "the Beverly Hills of North Tustin," a reputation the hillside lots and view homes still trade on.

Cowan Heights

Named for Walter R. Cowan, who bought nearly 1,000 acres from George Marcy in 1944 and developed it as Cowan Heights Ranch. It's still known for the view... the Santa Ana Valley and, on a clear day, Catalina Island... and for the multi-million-dollar homes that now sit on those hillside lots.

Panorama Heights, the School District Catch

Most of North Tustin falls under Tustin Unified. Panorama Heights is the exception: it, along with Crawford Canyon, is zoned to Orange Unified instead, Panorama Elementary specifically. It's a small detail that matters a lot to a relocating family, and it's easy to miss.

Red Hill

The 347-foot hill for which the neighborhood is named gets its color from cinnabar deposits. It was mined for mercury from 1884 until World War II. It's a California Historic Landmark (No. 203) and is now a private residential development, with the old mine shafts still on the property.

Pre-Listing Checklist for North Tustin Sellers

North Tustin has a lot of custom homes, which makes comparables harder to find. The first step is working with a realtor who actually knows the area, someone who understands what a view or an oversized lot is really worth here.

In an ideal world, you'd vacate and have the home professionally staged. Realistically, it's usually a realtor guiding you through getting the home ready while you're still living in it. That process often takes homeowners weeks, sometimes months, before they're ready to go live.

That means things like taking family photos off the walls and fridge, clearing out extra furniture, clearing counters and bathrooms of personal items, and putting away pet bowls, beds, and toys.

What North Tustin Buyers Actually Respond To

Buyers respond to how a home feels. The layout, the natural light, whether the space actually works for daily life.

North Tustin buyers are also more forgiving of an older home than people expect, and cities like Irvine are the reason why. Irvine has a lot more new construction, but plenty of buyers come out here specifically because they're tired of the zero lot line, cookie cutter feel of a brand new tract home. They'll trade a newer build for an older one with a real sized lot. That's why a North Tustin home that's actually been renovated well tends to move fast.

Realistic Timelines: List to Close

Real North Tustin numbers, not a national average. Here's what the local market is actually doing, and what I've personally seen in my own listings.

Snapshot as of August 2026. Updated monthly.

A Stager's Eye, Not Just an Agent's

Kelly owned a home staging business from 2018 to 2022 and was an interior designer before that. When she walks a listing, she's reading it the way a designer or stager would, and not just as an agent counting bedrooms.

The Case for Staging, By the Numbers

NAR's 2025 staging survey found the living room, primary bedroom, and dining room are staged most often (91%, 83%, and 69% of the time), and 83% of buyers' agents said staging makes it easier for buyers to picture themselves in a home. Separately, the Home Staging Institute's industry survey put staging costs at roughly 1–3% of asking price, useful context, though it's an industry-survey estimate rather than a controlled study, so treat it as a range, not a promise.

Room-by-Room: Where to Spend, Where to Skip

Start at the front door. A mirror in the entry makes the space read bigger and literally helps a buyer picture themselves living there, it's a small move, but most sellers wouldn't think to do or know the psychology behind it. From there, spend on the rooms that move a sale, the living room, kitchen, and primary bedroom, then a secondary room if the budget allows. And no matter what, declutter and edit out as much as you can first, it makes a bigger impact than most people realize.

Soft Staging, Even in an Occupied Home

Not every seller wants to pay for full staging or move out so it can happen, and most stagers won't work in a home someone's still living in. On Kelly's recent listing the owner was still in the house, and the occupied staging quote she got was $4,000 for just three areas (the minimum most stagers will even take on for an occupied home). Instead she had the client purchase a $1,000 sectional they'd actually keep, and then soft staged it herself, bringing in the art, the plants and decor. Same polished result for a fraction of the cost.

Before & After

A sample gallery of real staging transformations from Kelly's own listings, proof, not a claim, that staging transforms rooms. A third of the photos were staged by Kelly.

How an SRES-Designated Agent Can Help You

Kelly holds the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation through the National Association of REALTORS®, training specifically in helping clients 55 and older navigate downsizing, relocating, and other major transitions with the care those decisions deserve.

When the Home You've Lived in 40+ Years Doesn't Fit Anymore

Many of the families Kelly works with in North Tustin are the neighborhood's original owners, people now in their 80s and 90s, in the same home since they bought it decades ago, trying to figure out whether to stay, downsize, or move somewhere with more support close by. This is where Kelly can help navigate the whole process from consultation to making your next house a home.

A Free Consultation, No Pressure

Kelly offers a free consultation for families weighing a move to a senior community or assisted living, real information and referrals, on your timeline.

Old Town Tustin

The historic district around Main Street and El Camino Real, with buildings dating back to the 1880s, including the Stevens House and Vance House, two Queen Anne Victorians built the same year. It's the walkable, small-town center a lot of North Tustin families end up spending their weekends in.

Zov's Bistro & Bakery

The Karamardian family has run Zov's in Tustin for close to 40 years, on the corner of 17th and Yorba just off the 55. Chef Zov Karamardian started it as a small bistro bringing Mediterranean and Armenian cooking to Orange County, and it's since grown to include a bakery and cafe right alongside the bistro. It's the spot Kelly points people to when they ask why families stay in this part of town for generations.

Peters Canyon Regional Park

A 340-acre OC Parks preserve built around the 55-acre Upper Peters Canyon Reservoir, with trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians through coastal sage scrub and riparian habitat. The East Ridge View Trail has some of the best canyon views around. Open 7am to sunset daily; $3 daily parking fee.

CHAAK Kitchen

A Michelin Bib Gourmand contemporary Mexican restaurant at 215 El Camino Real, led by Chef Gabbi Patrick and built around her Yucatecan heritage, pibil, recados, and traditional smoking techniques. The ceviche and cocktails get singled out most, with both indoor and patio seating.

Tustin Ranch Golf Club

An 18-hole, par-72 public course designed by Ted Robinson at 12442 Tustin Ranch Rd, stretching nearly 6,850 yards from the back tees. It's picked up repeat "Best of Orange County" honors from OC Register readers and was named Course of the Year by the California Golf Course Owners Association in 2008.

Kelly's Actual Go-To Spots

Where Kelly actually eats, gets coffee, and takes clients or her own family around Tustin, a running list she keeps adding to as she finds more.