Diamond Bar? (Los Angeles, Anaheim, Huntington Beach: rent, low crime, house)

[pisces]

Hi,

Anyone's thoughts on Diamond Bar? I'm relocating from northern NJ and I'll be commuting to HB and my husband is looking for a job, which will probably be in LA. Are the hills mega-steep or does it depends on where in Diamond Bar? I have my eye on a few homes just north of 60 and south of W.Temple Ave.. I realize my commute could be an hour - but I'm hoping not more than that on a "normal" day. My other concerns are the crime rates, fires, and home re-sale value.

I was looking for homes in Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, but the prices are a bit too high for us. We'd like an area that's not crazy with traffic congestion (meaning you could get to a store for a coffee and it's not going to take more than a half-hour) and also have a somewhat peaceful yard to enjoy on the weekends.

Thanks for your consideration.
peace,
pisces

[fastfilm]

Pisces, I think people have not replied to your post perhaps because we don't know what you're expecting. All of Los Angeles is quite congested with traffic, that's a given. Diamond Bar was originally touted as an affordable community within reasonable commuting distance of downtown L.A. But things always change in Los Angeles, and usually not for the better. With gas prices for that commute having risen so outrageously since Diamond Bar's inception decades ago, and traffic choking the areas east of downtown, this place's draw as a fine bedroom communty has lessened. And very little in L.A. is technically affordable, at least to folks from outside of L.A. Read some other threads here about prices, etc.

As to shopping commmutes, most areas in L.A. have nearby shopping, markets, etc., because L.A. suburbs, unlike other urban areas, are contiguous: there's no open space between neighborhoods, with the exception of the mountains. You might have a little trouble with that wish for a peaceful back yard. In all but the richest neighorhoods, you'll be wearing earplugs to drown out parties with P.A. systems worthy of stadiums every weekend.

[Skout]

Diamond Bar is a high rent district. I have lived in that area most of my life. A lot more Asian people moving there from neighboring cities.

[socali]

Diamond Bar is a good area, everything you hope for can be found there.. local traffic is not that bad, taking the freeway systems to and from the greater los angeles area you will need to be prepared for higher traffic congestion.

[SGVJoe]

I don't know if you have children but the Walnut Valley Unified School district which cover most of Diamond Bar is very good. In fact if you are considering Diamond Bar, you might also look into Walnut and Chino Hills, all have excellent school district, quiet neighborhood and low crime rate. If you do decide to buy in DB find out which school distict the house is in. Eastern part of DB is cover by pomona school district and their schools are not too good. Use this website to check the california API score for diamon bar high and pomona high

http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports/page2....submit1=submit

[nascarnancy]

Originally Posted by pisces

Hi,

Anyone's thoughts on Diamond Bar? I'm relocating from northern NJ and I'll be commuting to HB and my husband is looking for a job, which will probably be in LA. Are the hills mega-steep or does it depends on where in Diamond Bar? I have my eye on a few homes just north of 60 and south of W.Temple Ave.. I realize my commute could be an hour - but I'm hoping not more than that on a "normal" day. My other concerns are the crime rates, fires, and home re-sale value.

I was looking for homes in Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, but the prices are a bit too high for us. We'd like an area that's not crazy with traffic congestion (meaning you could get to a store for a coffee and it's not going to take more than a half-hour) and also have a somewhat peaceful yard to enjoy on the weekends.

Thanks for your consideration.
peace,
pisces

I live in Yorba Linda and commute to Huntington Beach. Diamond Bar is farther out. It takes me on average 45 minutes to get to work and an hour to get home. You'll be taking the 57 and going through the Orange Crush as we call it. I take the 55 to the 22. I go about 5 miles on the 55 and sometimes (most the time) it can take 20 minutes. If you have to go all the way down the 55 to the 405, that 55 is basically a parking lot, I couldn't do it. Brea mall is really nice. Fires are no fun, we have had a few that were a little too close for comfort. Diamond Bar and YL are pretty much foothilll area's so nothing mountainess steep such as going up to Big Bear. Hope that helps.

[Cortezgroup]

Originally Posted by pisces

Hi,

Anyone's thoughts on Diamond Bar? I'm relocating from northern NJ and I'll be commuting to HB and my husband is looking for a job, which will probably be in LA. Are the hills mega-steep or does it depends on where in Diamond Bar? I have my eye on a few homes just north of 60 and south of W.Temple Ave.. I realize my commute could be an hour - but I'm hoping not more than that on a "normal" day. My other concerns are the crime rates, fires, and home re-sale value.

I was looking for homes in Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, but the prices are a bit too high for us. We'd like an area that's not crazy with traffic congestion (meaning you could get to a store for a coffee and it's not going to take more than a half-hour) and also have a somewhat peaceful yard to enjoy on the weekends.

Thanks for your consideration.
peace,
pisces

The prices of homes here in Diamond Bar are pretty steep price wise, the average 4 bedromm house is going to be $700,00 but recently the market is cooling down a bit and prices are starting to level off. The commute within Diamond Bar is not terrible but we do get alot of traffic from the 57 and the 60, and Grand ave is a major commuter street. The backyards and views here can be quite amazing, since Diamond Bar is a hilly area. The view varies with the house but many have really nice big backyards.

[TornadoAlley]

Its a nice area. VERY pricey though

[golakers]

[quote]In regards to Diamond Bar, I have lived here for 20 years. In fact, the area you are tageting is the area where I currently live. The area east of Golden Springs and north of the 60 was built in the mid to late 80's and is very nice. Hills are not an issue there. A 2400 sq. ft. four bedroom home should cost you around $700K. Expensive, but the same home would cost you $900K in Yorba Linda or a milion in Anaheim Hills. Diamond Bar is a very culturally diverse, upper middle class city.

Diamond Bar is a wonderful place to raise kids. It's a very safe, healthy enviroment. There is every sport imaginable: Soccer (AYSO), little league baseball, girls softball, youth basketball, Pop Warner football. I have two grown sons and a daughter in high school. They all did the sports thing and it was great. A typcal Saturday in Diamond Bar will have every field in the city occupied by some youth sport.

As far as schools, Diamond Bar does not have its own school district. If you live north of Grand Ave. the schools belong to Pomona Unified School District. If you live south of Grand, the schools are in the Walnut Unified School District. The Walnut School district is generally better, but schools such as Golden Springs Elementary is outstanding even though it's the Pomona District. Diamond Point is good as well. Lorbeer Middle School in on the North End and my kids went there and went on to do well in high school. Lorbeer does have a very good GATE program. As far as high schools, Diamond Ranch H.S. is a relatively new school (opned in '97) and is a beautiful campus on a hill. I did not send my kids there because it was not built yet when my sons started High School (they went to private school instead). I hear Diamond Ranch High School is good, but not great.

As far as commuting to O.C. I work in Anaheim and my wife works in L.A. When we moved here, we did so because it was accessible to both cities. I won't lie, traffic is bad, but it's bad every where. I leave the house at 6:00 and get to work at 6:30 for an 18 mile commute to Boeing in Anaheim. Our facility is moving to Huntington Beach in 2 to 3 years so I will be making that longer commute. I'm not looking forward to it, but it's doable. I'm not leaving Diamond Bar, I ove it here.

Hope this helps.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

What keeps you in Yorba Linda area? Why not consider HB? Unless your husband works in the I.E. there's not a very big price difference between there and HB. Same distance virtually to LA. Your husband could also find work in Irvine/Costa Mesa area. Yes it is a bit more to live in HB, but it will be worth it. Think..no traffic to and from work..beaches..proximity to great areas like Newport and Laguna Beach..