Huntington Harbour has million-dollar homes, yachts and exclusive islands. But it’s no Newport Harbor. And people there like it that way.
“You don’t get the flashiness you see in Newport Harbor,” said Huntington Harbour resident and real estate agent Scot Campbell of Coldwell Banker-Campbell Realtors.
“People here try to fly under the radar,” he said. “There are a lot of people who live in Huntington Harbour with money. But they like to downplay it.”
Anywhere else, Huntington Harbour might be top dog when it comes to coastal luxury living. But in Orange County, it’s in the shadow of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach to the south, home to the wealthiest here.
But Huntington Harbour is rich, even if it’s not flashy.
Many of the folks who live there are business owners, doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and other professionals.
The area, in the northwest part of Huntington Beach, also has a fair amount of retirees and undercover millionaires, according to Campbell.
Celebrities and professional athletes are known to live in Huntington Harbour. Bette Midler and Mark Maguire once lived there.
Boating Life
Huntington Harbour definitely is a boater community.
Most of the waterfront homes have their own private docks for yachts, boats and Duffys,small, covered electrical boats.
The Huntington Harbour Yacht Club is big with locals.
The club has been a fixture in the area for nearly 45 years and counts about 300 members who pay about $660 every year to take part in its sailing and community events.
Residents host weddings and parties at the club and come to socialize, according to general manager Shirley Wallace.
A good chunk of members are older professionals and retirees. But the club has seen a wave of younger members in their 20s in recent years, she said.
“The demographic is definitely changing,” Wallace said. “We’re seeing a lot more young professionals here.”
Wallace credits the influx of younger members to the relative affordability of the neighborhood.
“It’s very luxurious here but it’s not over the top like some areas,” she said.
Homes
Homes in the area aren’t as expensive as those in Newport Harbor. They cost about 30% to 50% less.
Prices in the area have come down a bit amid the weak real estate market. Condominiums typically are about 700 square feet and sell from $475,000 and up.
Single-family homes span 1,800 square feet to 7,500 square feet and can cost $550,000 to $7 million.
The most expensive home on the market is listed for $7.25 million, real estate agent Campbell said.
The 6,200-square-foot Mediterranean-style home was built in 2008. It has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a deck and spa.
“You get a lot more for your money here,” he said.
Newly built homes fetch top dollar in Huntington Harbour.
“Home improvement is contagious in this area,” Campbell said.
Reconstruction is big. Since most of the homes in the area were built in the 1970s, many homebuyers have torn down houses and replaced them with new ones.
The masterplanned community was created in the early 1970s by developers who sensed the appeal of luxurious waterfront lifestyle.
The harbor was dredged and five islands,Admiralty, Gilbert, Humboldt, Davenport and Trinidad,were created.
Bridges connect each island to the mainland and to one another with each island having its own channel.
There are Venetian-style canals.
The islands are home to gated and non-gated neighborhoods of homes in varying styles and sizes. The neighborhoods on Davenport and Trinidad are known for their cul-de-sacs and parks, which attract families with kids, according to Campbell.
Humboldt has a variety of single-story homes, which are popular among retirees, empty nesters and second-home buyers, he said.
Calm Waters
The harbor’s calm water is ideal for boaters and kayakers. On any given day, you’ll see people taking out their Duffy boats for a sunset cruise through the canals while they picnic on wine and cheese, Campbell said.
“Cruising through the canals in a Duffy is a popular thing to do around here,” he said.
Some people like to take their boats to the harbor’s shops and restaurants.
Campbell has lived in Huntington Harbour for three years.
One of his favorite things to do is take his 28-foot boat out for a cruise to Catalina, he said.
The harbor’s layout has deterred residents with massive yachts since they’re too big to cruise under its network of bridges, he said.
“You just don’t see the enormous yachts that you see in Newport Harbor out here and part of that is because there’s just nowhere to put them,” Campbell said.
Boat Parade
Residents still like to doll up their boats.
Around Christmas, harbor residents put on a Cruise of Lights parade where they dress up their boats with lights and decorations and parade them through the harbor.
The event is put on by the Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee and has been a neighborhood tradition for nearly 45 years.
Living on the water can have its drawbacks.
Huntington Harbour has been invaded by algae that crowds out native plants and animals. Trash and debris in the water have been another problem.
The problems largely have been cleared up, according to Campbell.
