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-Hey,
I will be moving to the Laguna/Irvine/Mission V. area for school this fall. I'm looking for nice, quiet, safe apartments/condos/townhouses/whatever! My budget is looking to be around 1500$ per month (though I can go over that)- I would like a 2brd so family has a place to stay when they visit. Any suggestions? Apartmentratings.com is scaring the crap out of me!!
Thanks!
I have lived in a few apartment complexes in Orange County, stay away from Woodbridge Meadows in Irvine. That's my biggest piece of advice.
V. =)
I always wondered why that place was so cheap; I've never been inside the community, but I've always noticed that it's in a really area.
Aside from Woodbridge Meadows, $1500/mo for a 2br in Irvine isn't going to happen. You'll have more choices within your budget further down the freeway in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, and Mission Viejo, but I think you'll find the nicest place for the money in Rancho Sta Margarita. It's far from the freeway, though, so if you're going to UCI, your best bet is to use the 133 toll road.
I always wondered why that place was so cheap; I've never been inside the community, but I've always noticed that it's in a really area.
Aside from Woodbridge Meadows, $1500/mo for a 2br in Irvine isn't going to happen. You'll have more choices within your budget further down the freeway in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, and Mission Viejo, but I think you'll find the nicest place for the money in Rancho Sta Margarita. It's far from the freeway, though, so if you're going to UCI, your best bet is to use the 133 toll road.
We lived in Woodbridge Meadows for a year (in 2001-2002). It was a nightmare.
I have lived in a few apartment complexes in Orange County, stay away from Woodbridge Meadows in Irvine. That's my biggest piece of advice.
V. =)
Yeah, I've been looking around there too...I actually HAD Woodbridge Meadows written as a possibility! Are they the same people who also run Woodbridge Willows (in Irvine) Woodbridge Villas and Windwood Knoll...?? I think its Shea Apartments. Is it management that is negative, or the complex itself? They have properties all over the surrounding areas, and it was one of the property managers suggested by the school!
I know the 1500 is low, that is totally flexible. I'm also looking around Irvine, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, etc. Just trying to get a feel for where I should completely AVOID, you know?
Thanks!!
Last edited by Ladyethyme; 06-16-2010 at 02:28 PM..
Just wondering what went wrong at Woodbridge. As for details about my move, what would you like to know? lol-trying to find an apartment halfway across the country is crazy! I'm starting the winter semester in Jan, and am flying down to look at my shortlist of apartments probably in October, then renting it and moving my stuff.
Parking is a nightmare. You get 1 covered spot. I repeatedly had someone park in front of the trash (red zone), which was immediately behind my spot, and I could not move my car into or out of my spot while they were there. I had them towed 3 times before they stopped parking there.
We had a second car, and if we got home after 6pm, we'd have to park outside of the complex, because there just wasn't any parking.
The inside of the apartment was pretty rundown (think an entire wall in the living room was mirrored). They hadn't updated any of the apartment since they were built (except I believe there was new carpet).
The people who lived above us smoked, and dropped their cigarette butts down onto our porch. They were always on their porch smoking and drinking.
The complex was filthy. It was littered with trash and dog feces.
The management did nothing about the parking situation, the neighbors throwing cigarette butts, or the trash. The laundry rooms were filthy. They were so bad we took our laundry to a relative's house.
There were roaches.
After our lease was up (1 year), we got the heck out of there.
My mom cleaned the place (she used to live on base housing, she knows how to "white glove" clean an apartment), and they still tried to withhold part of our deposit for cleaning, until I presented them with pictures.
On another note, I'm not sure how many are in Orange County, but also stay way the heck away from BRE properties. I'd live back in Woodbridge Meadows before I'd live in a BRE property.
V. =)
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