Why Do Millionaires Like Los Angeles? (Mission Viejo, Santa Monica: condo, crime, good schools)

[Sorcerer68]

There seems to be some confusion in this thread. Millionaires are all kinds of people. Many a young rocker, actor or saavy businessman would rather live in the urban cityscape of downtown in a killer loft than die of boredom in a spotless, sanitised suburb. Take the elevator down from the lofts and there's all that comes with downtown, including the grit. You either love it or you absolutely hate it and there's no in-between. There's no other place like Downtown. In an area like (parts of) Hollywood, Los Feliz or the lower Hollywood Hills, you have multi-million dollar mansions with homeless people pushing baskets a few short blocks away. There are other parts of town like BH or Bel Air with the isolation factor many people think all millionaires want. In truth, most of the millionaires I know think living isolated in a gated compound is silly. Some parts of town transition quickly and repeatedly. Many people don't mind and rather like the variety.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

In truth, most of the millionaires I know think living isolated in a gated compound is silly..

Statistics show that most millionaires prefer to live away from the poverty and crime.

-Montecito,
-Carmel,
-RSF,
-Del Mar,
-La Jolla,
-Tiburon,
-Belvedere,
-Mill Valley,
-Woodside,
-Saratoga,
-Orinda,
-Moraga,
-Danville,
-Greenwich,
-Darien,
-New Canaan,
-Boca Raton,
-Malibu,
-Beverly Hills,
-Newport Beach,
-Laguna Beach,
-Vail,
-Aspen Highlands,
-Wellesley,
-Sudbury,
-Bellevue,
-Mercer Island,
-Lanai,
-Kailua,
-Hawaii Kai,
-Plano,
-Scottsdale,
-Cary,
-Naperville,
-Lake Forest,
-Chevy Chase,
-Bethseda ..etc

(these are all among the most expensive places to live)

The consensus seems to be low crime, 90% white, good schools, quiet neighborhoods, and a major city nearby..

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

For most upper-class areas within a city, there seems to be 3-4 just as rich(or richer) cities in the suburbs.

In fact, take a look at this list..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest..._United_States

and this article..

"L.A.'s richest ZIP code: the Palos Verdes Peninsula takes the title, thanks mainly to soaring property values. Residents there receive all the benefits of affluence--above all, privacy and seclusion."
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-117772971.html

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

Statistics show that most millionaires prefer to live away from the poverty and crime.

-Montecito,
-Carmel,
-RSF,
-Del Mar,
-La Jolla,
-Tiburon,
-Belvedere,
-Mill Valley,
-Woodside,
-Saratoga,
-Orinda,
-Moraga,
-Danville,
-Greenwich,
-Darien,
-New Canaan,
-Boca Raton,
-Malibu,
-Beverly Hills,
-Newport Beach,
-Laguna Beach,
-Vail,
-Aspen Highlands,
-Wellesley,
-Sudbury,
-Bellevue,
-Mercer Island,
-Lanai,
-Kailua,
-Hawaii Kai,
-Plano,
-Scottsdale,
-Cary,
-Naperville,
-Lake Forest,
-Chevy Chase,
-Bethseda ..etc

(these are all among the most expensive places to live)

The consensus seems to be low crime, 90% white, good schools, quiet neighborhoods, and a major city nearby..

You completely missed my point. I'm well aware that millionaires like the places you listed. My point is that not everyone wants the same thing. We're not all Republican Breeders. Didn't you know many gay guys are filthy rich and pioneers when it comes to up and coming areas? I'm well aware of demographics, I've been in Real Estate for years. I was also speaking of people I know personally who hate that isolationist/vanilla crap so many adore. Who do you think is moving into the restored mansions in Echo Park or Los Feliz or the huge penthouse lofts downtown? My friends who bought in Venice 15 years ago are happy they did. Don't list anywhere in Hawaii and expect even 50% white. White people always have been (by far) the minority in HI. Your list is missing some urban areas and these are glaring omissions, namely Manhattan.

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

Statistics show that most millionaires prefer to live away from the poverty and crime.

-Montecito,
-Carmel,
-RSF,
-Del Mar,
-La Jolla,
-Tiburon,
-Belvedere,
-Mill Valley,
-Woodside,
-Saratoga,
-Orinda,
-Moraga,
-Danville,
-Greenwich,
-Darien,
-New Canaan,
-Boca Raton,
-Malibu,
-Beverly Hills,
-Newport Beach,
-Laguna Beach,
-Vail,
-Aspen Highlands,
-Wellesley,
-Sudbury,
-Bellevue,
-Mercer Island,
-Lanai,
-Kailua,
-Hawaii Kai,
-Plano,
-Scottsdale,
-Cary,
-Naperville,
-Lake Forest,
-Chevy Chase,
-Bethseda ..etc

(these are all among the most expensive places to live)

The consensus seems to be low crime, 90% white, good schools, quiet neighborhoods, and a major city nearby..

I agree with you to a point that millionaires prefer to live in smaller communities away from poverty and crime. However, the reality is that many, perhaps most millionaires live in urban areas. For example, nearly half of the 200,000 plus millionaires in LA county live in the city of LA and Cook County (Chicago) has the second highest number of millionaire households. Manhattan has more than 62,000.

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

For most upper-class areas within a city, there seems to be 3-4 just as rich(or richer) cities in the suburbs.

In fact, take a look at this list..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest..._United_States

and this article..

You missed the disclaimer in the article you cite above about the relevance of said information:


These rankings are typically not used when describing the richest places, because locations with very small populations may have high per capita incomes due only to a few high-income individuals.

[Roma]

I think "Millionaires" love California period but also love other places too. I also think that where someone lives has to do a lot with their careerer. But also as they progress in life (say have children or start to make more money or retire...etc) their needs and wants change and they move accordingly to what fits their needs at that time.
For me, I am retired and love the ocean and want to get back to it. I love the Pacific Coast and prefer to live in So Calif because of the warmer climate.
Yes I could move to say North Carolina and own 2 homes (one at the beach and one in the mountains on a lake). Prices are that different. But like I said, I love California (the weather, no bugs, really ever thing). So I am going to have to pay an arm and a leg just to get back to Calif and to us it is worth it.
I have family all over, one in Maui, one in LA and another in Ventura County and I am hoping to get into Orange County. We are all very blessed and have wonderful lives but we are all different and prefer different locations and have different needs and wants. None are better or worse then the other, just different.........

[Sorcerer68]

To the person who *ahem* decided to send me nastiness regarding my using the word "vanilla" in the above post, let me educate you a little. In gay slang, the word vanilla hasn't a thing to do with race. It specifically means boring or lacking flavor and that's how I meant it. For me to use it as a racial slur would be confusing since I'm a white guy. To put it all together, I simply meant not being in a sanitised neighborhood where I'd basically die of boredom. Got it?

[jbear182]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

Statistics show that most millionaires prefer to live away from the poverty and crime.

-Montecito,
-Carmel,
-RSF,
-Del Mar,
-La Jolla,
-Tiburon,
-Belvedere,
-Mill Valley,
-Woodside,
-Saratoga,
-Orinda,
-Moraga,
-Danville,
-Greenwich,
-Darien,
-New Canaan,
-Boca Raton,
-Malibu,
-Beverly Hills,
-Newport Beach,
-Laguna Beach,
-Vail,
-Aspen Highlands,
-Wellesley,
-Sudbury,
-Bellevue,
-Mercer Island,
-Lanai,
-Kailua,
-Hawaii Kai,
-Plano,
-Scottsdale,
-Cary,
-Naperville,
-Lake Forest,
-Chevy Chase,
-Bethseda ..etc

(these are all among the most expensive places to live)

The consensus seems to be low crime, 90% white, good schools, quiet neighborhoods, and a major city nearby..

Naperville? Come on. Naperville might be nice, but it is hardly one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. let alone Chicago metro. In Metro Chicago you have Kenilworth, Winnetka, Wilmette, Glenco, Northbrook, Glenview, Highland Park, Northfield, Barrington, etc. Each much more exclusive than Naperville.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Originally Posted by jbear182

Naperville? Come on. Naperville might be nice, but it is hardly one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. let alone Chicago metro. In Metro Chicago you have Kenilworth, Winnetka, Wilmette, Glenco, Northbrook, Glenview, Highland Park, Northfield, Barrington, etc. Each much more exclusive than Naperville.

I agree.. I definitly overlooked that. Lake Forest is deserving though .. right?