Teresina: Shea Homes Brings 85 Large Single-Family Homes to Lake Forest's Serrano Highlands

Teresina is a sold-out community of 85 single-family homes tucked into the northern end of Lake Forest's Serrano Highlands neighborhood, off Peachwood near Trabuco Road and Bake Parkway. Shea Homes delivered the community on 24.6 acres that the city had carried on its books since 2012 under the name Pinnacle at Serrano Highlands. The project was amended in 2018 and came to market as Teresina, offering eight floor plan options ranging from 3,238 to 4,329 square feet with no Mello-Roos taxes.

If you are looking at resales in Teresina or comparing what Serrano Highlands offers against other Lake Forest neighborhoods, this post covers the key facts. For the broader Lake Forest new construction picture, see the OC New Developments page.

What Teresina Delivered: Large Homes, Hillside Setting, No Mello-Roos

Teresina sits at the northern tip of Peachwood, the only street that accesses the community. That single point of entry gives the neighborhood a quiet, tucked-away character uncommon in South OC suburbs. The site backs up to open space at the edge of Lake Forest's hillside terrain, and homes on the northern lots have direct views into the natural landscape rather than into adjacent backyards.

Shea offered eight two- and three-story floor plans across the community. Homes were built with gourmet kitchens featuring Monogram appliances, covered outdoor rooms, lofts, and primary suite terraces. Many plans offered options for a conservatory, den, home office, or multi-generational suite. The no-Mello-Roos structure was a deliberate selling point in a county where large new communities routinely carry supplemental tax levies of $3,000 to $6,000 per year or more. At Teresina's price points, the absence of Mello-Roos represented meaningful long-term savings relative to comparable new construction communities with tax district fees.

The community name changed from Pinnacle at Serrano Highlands when Shea acquired the project. The entitlements trace back to a 2012 city council approval with a 2018 amendment that refined the site plan before construction began. The model home complex opened and the community sold out, with all homes now in the resale market.

Teresina at a Glance

Community Name	Teresina (formerly Pinnacle at Serrano Highlands)
Developer	Shea Homes
Location	End of Peachwood, Serrano Highlands, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Total Homes	85 single-family detached
Site Area	24.6 acres
Home Sizes	3,238 to 4,329 square feet
Floor Plans	8 plans (2- and 3-story)
Original Price Range	From $1.3 million
Mello-Roos	None
City Council Approval	June 19, 2012 (amended October 16, 2018)
Status	Sold out; resale market only
RHNA Contribution	85 above-moderate income units toward Lake Forest's 3,228-unit 6th Cycle requirement

Teresina's 85 homes count toward Lake Forest's 6th Cycle Housing Element obligation in the above-moderate income category. Market-rate single-family homes at these price points satisfy the city's above-moderate RHNA units but do not offset the lower-income affordability targets that state housing law holds cities most accountable for. Projects like Mountain View and Aspan Court address that side of the ledger.

Looking at Homes in Lake Forest's Serrano Highlands?

There is active inventory in Teresina right now. 27 Alessio and 17 Ponte are both currently on the market. For recent context on where pricing lands, 12 Lontano closed in May 2026 at $2,860,000. I can show you the active listings, walk you through the floor plans, and put them in context against other homes available in Lake Forest today, whether that is additional resale inventory, new construction, or comparable Serrano Highlands properties. Having the full picture before you make an offer is how you know you are buying at the right price.

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