About Walden
Walden is a small gated community in Rancho Santa Margarita (ZIP 92679), set adjacent to O'Neill Regional Park and the Tijeras Creek Golf Course. Built primarily in the 1990s, it is made up of single-family custom and semi-custom homes, many with lake, pond, or park views.
Walden is a low-turnover community — typically only a handful of homes sell each year — so individual sales can move the headline numbers substantially. The figures below should be read with that low-volume caveat in mind. The community is served by the Capistrano Unified School District.
Quick Facts
- SecurityGated community
- Built~1990s
- Home TypesSingle-family, custom & semi-custom
- SettingAdjacent to O'Neill Regional Park & Tijeras Creek Golf
- CityRancho Santa Margarita
- ZIP Code92679
- School DistrictCapistrano Unified
Community Amenities
Location & Commute
Market Snapshot
Detached Homes · January – May 2026 compared to January – May 2025
Market Narrative
Walden recorded 2 closed detached-home sales between January and May 2026 (+100.0% versus the same period a year earlier), with the median sale price at $1,727,500 (-21.5% year over year). Homes averaged 10 days on market with a sale-to-list ratio of 94.9%. As always, results vary by tract, view, and condition — accurate pricing remains the single biggest factor in how quickly a home sells.
Detailed Statistics
Detached Single-Family Residences — Jan–May 2026 vs. Jan–May 2025
| Metric | Jan–May 2026 | Jan–May 2025 | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closed Sales | 2 | 1 | +1 | +100.0% |
| Average Sale Price | $1,727,500 | $2,200,000 | −$472,500 | -21.5% |
| Median Sale Price | $1,727,500 | $2,200,000 | −$472,500 | -21.5% |
| Avg Price Per Sq Ft | $530 | $589 | −$59 | -10.0% |
| Median Price Per Sq Ft | $530 | $589 | −$59 | -10.0% |
| Avg Days on Market | 10 | 7 | +3 | +42.9% |
| Avg SP/LP Ratio | 94.9% | 100.1% | -5.2 | -5.2pp |
| Price Reduction Rate | 0.0% | 0.0% | +0.0 | +0.0pp |
Market Trends
Price, price/sf, days-on-market, and sale-to-list trend lines use a 3-month rolling window ending on each labeled month, smoothing low-volume months for cleaner directional signals. Monthly sales and new listings are raw monthly counts. The annual chart shows total closed sales per calendar year (2026 is year-to-date through May; CRMLS history in this dataset begins in 2024).
Median Sale Price
Median Price Per Sq Ft
Avg Days on Market
Monthly Closed Sales
New Listings Per Month
Sale-to-List Price Ratio
Closed Sales by Year
Price Range Distribution
Trailing 12 months through May 2026 · 3 closed detached sales
Property Segments
Subdivision Breakdown · Trailing 12 Months
| Subdivision | Sales | Median Sale Price |
|---|---|---|
| Walden (WAL) | 3 | $1,910,000 |
Subdivisions with 2 or more closed detached sales in the trailing 12 months, ranked by volume.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Walden?
Our specialists have the local data, the relationships, and the track record to guide you with confidence. Get a complimentary, no-obligation home valuation or buyer consultation today.
Meet our Walden Specialists
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Julie Schnieders has been a South Orange County resident for over 30 years and a licensed Realtor® for 24 years. She has been the #1 listing agent in Robinson Ranch in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025, and works alongside her husband, Greg Schnieders, as the Schnieders Group.
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Greg Schnieders partners with his wife, Julie Schnieders, as the Schnieders Group. A South Orange County resident of more than 30 years, Greg is active in the Saddleback Valley school system and the local community and brings deep neighborhood knowledge to every transaction.
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Susan Stoker has more than 15 years in Orange County real estate and leads The Stoker Group, a family business. A long-time OC resident, she brings local expertise across the Foothill Ranch and Lake Forest area.
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Brock Stoker, an SDSU business graduate, specializes in buyer representation and negotiations as part of The Stoker Group family team.
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