Mid Twenties and working in Long Beach...Where would you buy a house??? (Anaheim: HOA)

[golakers23]

Hello everyone,

I'm in my mid twenties and I currently work in the downtown Long Beach area. I am currently looking to buy my first property with a price around the 250k range. I understand that it is going to be a small condo or townhouse. I don't particularly like the Long Beach area. I'm looking for a fairly safe area that wouldn't be too far from work (30 miles away max) and that would provide enough stimulation for someone in there twenties.

I got a realtor a few months ago and looked around the north orange county area: anaheim, fullerton, la mirada, and garden grove. Fullerton is nice but too far. Anaheim had lots of 3 bedroom houses, but the area is rundown. I also like the West La area- santa monica, redondo, etc, but I don't think I'll be able to pick up anything in my price range. Lots of one bedrooms in the Irvine-Tustin area.. which is a really safe area. Pasadena???

So where would you move if you where in my shoes?? I would like to find a place by the end of this year. I appreciate any answers or advice. Thank you for your help.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by golakers23

Hello everyone,

I'm in my mid twenties and I currently work in the downtown Long Beach area. I am currently looking to buy my first property with a price around the 250k range. I understand that it is going to be a small condo or townhouse. I don't particularly like the Long Beach area. I'm looking for a fairly safe area that wouldn't be too far from work (30 miles away max) and that would provide enough stimulation for someone in there twenties.

I got a realtor a few months ago and looked around the north orange county area: anaheim, fullerton, la mirada, and garden grove. Fullerton is nice but too far. Anaheim had lots of 3 bedroom houses, but the area is rundown. I also like the West La area- santa monica, redondo, etc, but I don't think I'll be able to pick up anything in my price range. Lots of one bedrooms in the Irvine-Tustin area.. which is a really safe area. Pasadena???

So where would you move if you where in my shoes?? I would like to find a place by the end of this year. I appreciate any answers or advice. Thank you for your help.

I would try to find a condo in belmont shore or naples, but you said you don't like Long Beach. Have you been outside of downtown Long Beach? Hard to not like the entire city as it has just about everything (coastal, suburban, urban, etc.) If you liked suburban Fullerton you might like El Dorado Park or other East LB areas? I guess you want something new, master planned, etc.? That is about the only thing LB doesn't have. If that is the case, I would do Irvine. It is that and is withinn your distance requiremet.

[bhcompy]

You can find a condo in that range in a decent area in Rossmoor, but the HOA is a bit pricey. Also parts of east Lakewood(Lakewood Shores is a nice complex with a lake, fairly secluded and backs up to horse properties), east Long Beach(along Spring and Ball before Los Alamitos there are small complexes in a basically nice suburban area), La Palma, western Buena Park, etc.

These areas are quiet and relatively suburban, but that generally means safety. You could find a place along the Blue Line that is more urban and "lively" for someone in their twenties, but that is at the expensive of safety.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by golakers23

I currently work in the downtown Long Beach area.

From a "Plan B' perspective, if you were to lose your job, are there any areas in Southern California where it would be more likely to find your next job, perhaps due to an industry cluster? Or, are jobs requiring your skill set pretty much evenly distributed? If the former, then maybe a tiebreaker for your decision of where to buy would include commuting/proximity to your next potential job. For example, if there are tons of jobs in El Segundo for you and none south of Long Beach, then perhaps weigh more heavily locations on the north side of Long Beach.

[EricJess123]

I would look into Los Alimitos or Cypress for a nice condo or townhouse also la Mirada is wonderful but more for homes