Best location for families outside Commerce - maximum commute less than 1 hour. (Long Beach: rentals)

[New2Cali]

We are moving down to California from Florida within the next two months and my husband will be working in Commerce.
We debated for a long time on Irvine and Huntington Beach but it looks like the commute to Commerce for him will be hellish..even if he leaves for work at 9:30am.
The metrolink from Irvine-Commerce is 1 hr long and end at 5:54 pm. Plus he would have to walk 30 mins from Commerce to work.
We have two kids (5 yrs old and 1 yr old) and 2 dogs and are looking for a great location with great school systems (9 or 10 ratings). The maximum rent we can afford is $3,500 per mt for a 3-4 bedroom place.
A lot of people have talked about Long Beach and Seal Beach but the rentals look really old. Also we will be staying in West Hollywood for a while so we can look where to live. But even West Hollywood looks very expensive and more for single professionals.

Since I will be with the 1 yr old the whole time while my son is in school, we are looking for a fantastic location with great school and close to his work and the beaches.

[Mike121]

The closest good public schools to Commerce are in Monterey Park.

Parts of Alhambra, Pico Rivera and Downey have may have acceptable schools, depending on your definitions.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by New2Cali

We are moving down to California from Florida within the next two months and my husband will be working in Commerce.
We debated for a long time on Irvine and Huntington Beach but it looks like the commute to Commerce for him will be hellish..even if he leaves for work at 9:30am.
The metrolink from Irvine-Commerce is 1 hr long and end at 5:54 pm. Plus he would have to walk 30 mins from Commerce to work.
We have two kids (5 yrs old and 1 yr old) and 2 dogs and are looking for a great location with great school systems (9 or 10 ratings). The maximum rent we can afford is $3,500 per mt for a 3-4 bedroom place.
A lot of people have talked about Long Beach and Seal Beach but the rentals look really old. Also we will be staying in West Hollywood for a while so we can look where to live. But even West Hollywood looks very expensive and more for single professionals.

Since I will be with the 1 yr old the whole time while my son is in school, we are looking for a fantastic location with great school and close to his work and the beaches.

What is "old"? Anywhere by the beach will have some old stuff. But you can find SFR for rent in both Long Beach and Seal Beach that are not that old. If you want the brand new cookie cutter tract stuff (personally I hate it) then you're right. You won't find that in LB or SB for the most part.

[bhcompy]

Cerritos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, Cypress, western Garden Grove

for Seal Beach, check out College Park East and College Park West.. newer homes

That said, this whole area has been more or less built out since the 70s or 80s latest. You're not going to find many new homes, especially ones up for rent. Cypress may have the newest homes of the bunch, but still looking at 80s latest in most parts

[BRinSM]

if you can afford it, i would go with south pasadena or san marino, hands down. otherwise, you'll proabably want to consider the foothill communities east of pasadana proper.

[Jay100]

If I were you, I would try Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Pasadena, San Marino and maybe even South Hills West Covina.

[the one]

i second the south pas option. or alhambra.

you can always shoot down the 710 fwy to commerce from south pas.

and you wont be too far from the beaches.

but if you want to be closer to the nicer (OC) beaches then move south of commerce. head towards cerittos, lakewood. it will leave you about half way between commerce and the beaches.

[New2Cali]

Thanks All!
We will narrow our searches by the time we get down there in 2 weeks to check it out.
Probably have an agent to show us Irvine and Huntington Beach and then another one to show us Long Beach/Seal Beach and also South Pasadena.
Coming from Miami Beach, we want to atleast maintain or better our lifestyle if possible in Cali
Everyone tells me its two different crowds. Plus we are originally from NYC and just moved to FL 1 yr ago.

[BRinSM]

just a quick FYI: no one in CA, let alone the western united states refers to the state as cali.

[JohnG72]

I dunno what is with the recommendations in this thread.

You will be fighting traffic all the way, but Cerritos is closer than Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, or Los Alamitos and has one of the best school districts in the state.

Maybe people don't like it cause they are racist against asians? I'd rather have asian neighbors than most other races, including my own. They keep up their properties, by and large are very patriotic Americans, and tend to emphasize education to their kids.

From mid Cerritos...say South Street and 605, Commerce is a 10-15 minute drive without traffic, maybe a 35-45 minute drive with traffic.