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Old 12-12-2011, 08:15 PM
 
15 posts, read 31,280 times
Reputation: 19

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Greetings all. I'm currently in the hunt for a promotion that might land me in that OC area. I'm looking for some info on where to live. Some background info. Our office is in Santa Ana. I would like to keep my commute under 45 minutes if at all possible. I'm a 30 year old young professional type. The salary for this position will be in the $85k to $100k range. I'm a pretty frugal person, yet I still enjoy going out within my budget. I'm the outdoorsy type and also like going out for a night on the town for dinner/drinks/music. Depending on where the pay falls I'm comfortable with my rent being in the $2000-2500 range. I would like to try and get in a place that isn't a total crap hole. I'd like to be able to go out and mingle with folks that are at a similar point in life as myself. Definitely not into partying like a rock star 24/7. More like a weekend warrior who is starting to simmer down a little. Basically I'm looking for a fun place for a 30 year old single guy with a little cash in his pocket.

Some places I've already heard mentioned...Huntington Beach, Newport, Tustin and Fullerton. Pro's/Con's of these? Are there other places more suitable to what I'm looking for? As always, any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Old 12-12-2011, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,838,468 times
Reputation: 17835
Quote:
Originally Posted by unclejessie View Post
Greetings all. I'm currently in the hunt for a promotion that might land me in that OC area. I'm looking for some info on where to live. Some background info. Our office is in Santa Ana. I would like to keep my commute under 45 minutes if at all possible. I'm a 30 year old young professional type. The salary for this position will be in the $85k to $100k range. I'm a pretty frugal person, yet I still enjoy going out within my budget. I'm the outdoorsy type and also like going out for a night on the town for dinner/drinks/music. Depending on where the pay falls I'm comfortable with my rent being in the $2000-2500 range. I would like to try and get in a place that isn't a total crap hole. I'd like to be able to go out and mingle with folks that are at a similar point in life as myself. Definitely not into partying like a rock star 24/7. More like a weekend warrior who is starting to simmer down a little. Basically I'm looking for a fun place for a 30 year old single guy with a little cash in his pocket.

Some places I've already heard mentioned...Huntington Beach, Newport, Tustin and Fullerton. Pro's/Con's of these? Are there other places more suitable to what I'm looking for? As always, any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Sounds like you are on the right track so far. One other thing to become familiar with is traffic patterns. It might give a you a tiebreaker. Check out Sigalert.com Los Angeles Traffic Map for real time traffic and check what traffic is like from your candidate areas to Santa Ana in the morning and the reverse in the PM.
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Old 12-13-2011, 10:19 AM
 
15 posts, read 31,280 times
Reputation: 19
I'm leaning towards the Newport Beach - Costa Mesa area depending on apartment costs etc. Anyone have any feedback on those areas? How's the crime? How are the people? That sort of stuff.
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Old 12-13-2011, 11:13 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,838,468 times
Reputation: 17835
Quote:
Originally Posted by unclejessie View Post
I'm leaning towards the Newport Beach - Costa Mesa area depending on apartment costs etc. Anyone have any feedback on those areas? How's the crime? How are the people? That sort of stuff.
In general, the closer you get to the beach, the more expensive it gets. NB will most likely be more expensive than CM for example.

Crime is subjective. Personally, I wouldn't be worried about crime in just about any neighborhood in OC. I don't know the north side of OC that well but I've read some crime stories in some parts of Santa Ana. Other than that, and maybe a neighborhood or two in Anaheim, I think there is little to worry about.


Do a "drive by" using Google Street view. Often you can get a feel for a neighborhood and what looks right and what doesn't

There's a neat website Apartments for Rent - PadMapper Apartment Search for Oodle, Apartments.com, Rent.com, Kijiji, and Craigslist Apartments
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Old 12-13-2011, 11:45 AM
 
15 posts, read 31,280 times
Reputation: 19
Oh wow. Awesome link Charles. Thanks.
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Old 12-14-2011, 09:03 AM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,708 posts, read 79,913,617 times
Reputation: 39454
If you go to newport, you want to be in one of the little villiages like Balboa, or Carona Del Mar if possible. You do not want to get buried int eh endless realm of soulless McMansions in the general Newport beach area.

Huntington beach is a bit more of a surfer dude party town along the beach area, inland it is similar to most other places.

Fullerton and Old Town Orange both have callege campuses and thus can be a bit more fun and lively. Old town is just plain neat anyway.

If you are outdoorsy and adventureous, you might look at Silverado Canyon. It is right in the Cleveland National Forest.

Santa Ana has some nice parts and it can be a lively place. Ignore the naysayers who never lived there and just repeat rumours from 20 years ago. Although not as quiet and pristine as othe OC cities, Santa Ana can be a great place to live. I lived there for 9 years raising 5 children and it was a fun and pleasant place to live. You do need some common sense and a lack of prejudice towards other cultures. If you are prejudiced, or have no common sense than you should not consider Santa Ana.

At the outside edge of your 45 minutes, San Clemente is a neat little beach town. Clean pleasant and quiet.
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Old 12-14-2011, 10:08 AM
 
15 posts, read 31,280 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens View Post
Old town is just plain neat anyway.
What makes it "neat"?
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