The shape of North Tustin
Cowan Heights and Lemon Heights are the two names people use, and both describe the same thing: large parcels on steep ground, mature oak and eucalyptus, driveways that climb, and roads that follow the contour instead of a grid. Half-acre and acre lots are normal. So are corrals, tack rooms and riding trails that connect through to Peters Canyon Regional Park.
All of that arrives indoors. Decomposed granite off a long driveway, arena dust, oak leaf litter and horse bedding come through the back door on boots and paws every day of the week, and the houses are big enough that it spreads before anyone notices. What works here is a longer standing visit with the mudroom, laundry and back hallway treated as the real front door of the house, because that is what they are.
What North Tustin homes are like to clean
Most of the stock went up between 1955 and 1985 as custom builds rather than tracts, so no two floor plans repeat. Sizes run 2,200 to 5,000 square feet, usually single-story or split-level following the slope, with tile, wood and a lot of glass facing the view. Detached garages, guest quarters and barns are common. Newer hillside houses from the nineties push higher, and a few streets sit behind private gates.