Corona del Mar Homes Above the Sea, California

Corona del Mar, a beautiful seaside destination, is especially nice for those who are lucky enough to reside on hills overlooking the blue Pacific. While the architecture in many cities in Southern California and Orange County is described as Mediterranean because of its white-wash stucco siding and red tile roofs, in Corona del Mar the houses along the beach are custom homes that expand the imagination and mind of the architects and residents who built them.

Customized houses make use of the ocean views, especially along the road that winds for about a mile above cliffs, public beaches, and the ocean. From wrapped glass decks and view windows to terraced balconies on three-story homes, with each balcony proportionate to its floor, the ocean-front villas, mansions and homes all offer a look & feel of elegantly casual luxury.

The cost of the land alone along this prized ocean front location situated in famed Orange County's Newport Beach can cost in the millions. Then you need a house to make the plot of dirt complete. Many of the homes require unique architectural considerations because of the cliffs on which they sit. Foundations often include metal supports extending deep into the earth to make sure the homes are secured. Some of the houses along this stretch and further south in Laguna Beach actually showcase the structural beams as part of the design.

If you are looking for a house to call your own, you can buy into the Southern California area in affordable non-beach locations for as little as several hundred thousand dollars. But if you want something a cut above, plan to allocate several million upwards to the "sky's the limit." Some homes along this stretch of California coast rank among the most expensive in the U.S. Why? Preferred locations and top of the line materials go into some of the most luxurious architectural showcases in Corona del Mar.