Costa Mesa · Trading Up
Trading Up in Costa Mesa
Selling and buying with one plan, with the timing worked out before you list.
From a condo to a house with a yard
Many Costa Mesa move-up buyers start in a condo or townhome and want a single-family home with some outdoor space. Others want an accessory unit for family or rental income. Costa Mesa's range of property types gives you choices, and the equity in your current home often helps pay for the next one.
I'm Jeanette Nelson of Jeanette Nelson Real Estate at Keller Williams Realty, and I handle both sides of the move.
Selling and buying with one plan
Sell first, buy first, a contingent purchase, or a rent-back: we choose before anything goes on the market, based on your equity and your lender. Read how long it takes to sell and buy at the same time. Start with what your Costa Mesa home is worth.
Looking beyond Costa Mesa
If more house and land are the priority, Fountain Valley often has larger lots. If you want the coast itself, see trading up in Huntington Beach. More on my trading up page.
Mesa Verde and the Eastside
Move-up buyers who want more room often look at Mesa Verde, with its established streets, mature landscaping and single-story and two-story homes, many with larger yards, near parks and golf. Others want Eastside Costa Mesa, next to Newport Beach, where remodeled homes and newer custom properties sit alongside original cottages.
Let's start with a conversation
Reach out here or call (714) 366-8575.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I sell my Costa Mesa condo before buying a house?
It depends on your equity and financing. Options include selling first, buying first, a contingent purchase or a rent-back.
Can I buy a Costa Mesa home with an accessory unit?
Yes, Costa Mesa has homes with accessory units. Look at how the unit affects financing, and we can check with the city on permits once you're serious about a specific home.
Where else should move-up buyers look?
Fountain Valley often offers larger lots, and Huntington Beach offers the coastal city itself.
Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa at a glance
Where Character Meets Coastal Living.
- The homes
- Eclectic. A mix of residential zoning and development patterns: single-family homes alongside duplexes and other multifamily properties, condos, townhomes, accessory units, older cottages, remodeled homes and newer construction. Architecture, lot configurations and property types can vary street to street.
- Why people choose it
- People choose it for its variety and personality, and to enjoy neighboring Newport Beach's beaches, restaurants, shopping and coastal lifestyle without Newport Beach home prices. Eastside Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde and the Westside each feel different.
- Getting around
- Access to the 55, 405 and 73, and close to Irvine, Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.
- Nearby
- South Coast Plaza, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a strong restaurant, coffee and local business scene, and Newport Beach next door.
- The trade-off
- Versus Huntington Beach: Costa Mesa is not a beach city. Parts of Eastside Costa Mesa are very close to the ocean, but there are no miles of coastline, beachfront bike path, pier or surf-town setting outside your door.
Trading Up: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Jeanette Nelson Real Estate?