Ugh, trying to find housing in RSM and/or Ladera is a challenge (Irvine: for sale)

[MQHP40]

I don't want to live in an apartment so I'm looking for a condo/townhouse, or better yet a single family home. Even though it is me & my 2 kids I can't afford a 3 bedroom so I'm going to go w/ 2 bedroom. I finally came across a real estate agent to help but I must say this has not been easy. There is nothing on Craigslist, rent.com or hotpad.com.

And I hear finding a job is going to be just as challenging.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by MQHP40

I don't want to live in an apartment so I'm looking for a condo/townhouse, or better yet a single family home. Even though it is me & my 2 kids I can't afford a 3 bedroom so I'm going to go w/ 2 bedroom. I finally came across a real estate agent to help but I must say this has not been easy. There is nothing on Craigslist, rent.com or hotpad.com.

And I hear finding a job is going to be just as challenging.

BTW, have you signed a contract with the realtor? If so, will you have to pay a hefty sum for him to find a place for you; and are you sure that’s the wisest use of your funds since you are unemployed?

If you decide to move here before getting a job, might it not be best to opt for the cheapest 2bd apartment in your targeted school district until your situation improves, so you could later move into a more desirable townhouse/condo/SFR in the same area?

Apartments/ Condos (Budget?):

Two bedrooms to $1500 in RSM listed at hotpads.com:
HotPads.com - Real Estate, Apartments, Homes for Sale and for Rent, Rental Houses, Sublets, Roommates
Two bedroom max$1500 @Realtor.com:
13 Carmesi Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S648879 - Realtor.com®
16 Picazo Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S647866 - Realtor.com®
31 Via Prado Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S660113 - Realtor.com®
80 Gavilan 24 Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S655914 - Realtor.com®
(Very Small 2bd)
21 Rosa # 132 Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S660947 - Realtor.com®

Jobs:

I don’t know what sort of position you are aiming for, but there is more resident competition for openings in RSM than in Irvine, Aliso Viejo, Newport Beach and Brea. If you found a job in one of these places, you could still commute to RSM. Of course, it's always best to land a job before moving here.

Which O.C. city has the most job openings? - Handling Hard Times - The Orange County Register

Orange County’s 8.5% unemployment rate is still stubbornly high by historical standards, but four cities tied in June for having the most jobs openings in relation to residents who are out of work, according to an analysis done for the Orange County Register by job search engine SimplyHired.com.

And the winners are … Aliso Viejo, Brea, Irvine and Newport Beach. Each had one out-of-work resident per job opening advertised by employers in their town. The ratio is based on the May Orange County unemployment numbers and SimplyHired’s listings of job openings on company websites, job boards, newspapers, non-profit and government sites in June.

Good luck!

[MQHP40]

Originally Posted by pacific2

BTW, have you signed a contract with the realtor? If so, will you have to pay a hefty sum for him to find a place for you; and are you sure that’s the wisest use of your funds since you are unemployed?

If you decide to move here before getting a job, might it not be best to opt for the cheapest 2bd apartment in your targeted school district until your situation improves, so you could later move into a more desirable townhouse/condo/SFR in the same area?

Apartments/ Condos (Budget?):

Two bedrooms to $1500 in RSM listed at hotpads.com:
HotPads.com - Real Estate, Apartments, Homes for Sale and for Rent, Rental Houses, Sublets, Roommates
Two bedroom max$1500 @Realtor.com:
13 Carmesi Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S648879 - Realtor.com®
16 Picazo Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S647866 - Realtor.com®
31 Via Prado Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S660113 - Realtor.com®
80 Gavilan 24 Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S655914 - Realtor.com®
(Very Small 2bd)
21 Rosa # 132 Rancho Santa Margarita CA - Home for Rent - MLS #S660947 - Realtor.com®

Jobs:

I don’t know what sort of position you are aiming for, but there is more resident competition for openings in RSM than in Irvine, Aliso Viejo, Newport Beach and Brea. If you found a job in one of these places, you could still commute to RSM. Of course, it's always best to land a job before moving here.

Which O.C. city has the most job openings? - Handling Hard Times - The Orange County Register

Orange County’s 8.5% unemployment rate is still stubbornly high by historical standards, but four cities tied in June for having the most jobs openings in relation to residents who are out of work, according to an analysis done for the Orange County Register by job search engine SimplyHired.com.

And the winners are … Aliso Viejo, Brea, Irvine and Newport Beach. Each had one out-of-work resident per job opening advertised by employers in their town. The ratio is based on the May Orange County unemployment numbers and SimplyHired’s listings of job openings on company websites, job boards, newspapers, non-profit and government sites in June.

Good luck!

I have not signed a contract w/ a realtor & the one I am working with says his fees are paid for by the landlord.

I am on alimony so I have some reliable income until I get a f/t job... though I certainly do need to find a job.

Thank you for the info. about where job openings are & for the links.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by MQHP40

I have not signed a contract w/ a realtor & the one I am working with says his fees are paid for by the landlord..\

That's great because he probably has a lot of listings and you can keep your money.

I moved here from Manhattan, and was pleasantly surprised at how really easy it is to negotiate the rental market in OC. In Manhattan, I had to pay the realtor 15% of the annual rent. Plus, I had to give the landlord a check totaling the first and last month's rent, and a security deposit equal to one month's rent.

The real estate market is brutal there, and it's not that uncommon for people to resort to bribing doormen, or (rarely) checking the obituaries to find available apartments.

[MQHP40]

Originally Posted by pacific2

That's great because he probably has a lot of listings and you can keep your money.

I moved here from Manhattan, and was pleasantly surprised at how really easy it is to negotiate the rental market in OC. In Manhattan, I had to pay the realtor 15% of the annual rent. Plus, I had to give the landlord a check totaling the first and last month's rent, and a security deposit equal to one month's rent.

The real estate market is brutal there, and it's not that uncommon for people to resort to bribing doormen, or (rarely) checking the obituaries to find available apartments.

Wow, that is just craziness about Manhattan. I am actually moving from South Jersey to Southern CA but looked into - quite briefly - moving to Manhattan. That exploration did not last long!