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Old 06-26-2011, 08:27 PM
 
29 posts, read 88,623 times
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I am moving my family from Lake Norman NC just north of Charlotte. It is hard to leave here as we are 20 mins from the city and live in s 5k sq ft home on 3/4 acres with a golf course fairway just past my front yard and a huge lake in my back yard with a 150' pier, boats, jet ski, etc

Having said all of that the opportunity is too good to pass up and if i want to grow to be the COO i have to go. I have two kids 2 and younger. We are cluless as to where to look to live. We like the beach but we also like space. Our budget will be from 900k - 1.2M putting 20-25% down.

What are some options that would be good for kids, schools, stuff to do, etc. We hav moved 5 times in 10 years so relacating is usually not a big issue but we love where we are right now and are pretty nervous about this one.

Any chance to be in a decent beach neighborhood on this budget? My boss is big on laguna hills. I will be working in Anaheim / Fullerton so commuting is a concern too. Anything close to work worth looking at??

Any advice is appreciated
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Old 06-26-2011, 08:53 PM
 
5,381 posts, read 8,682,713 times
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If you want Laguna Hills, Nelli Gail is really nice, with a short commute to the beach. You can get a nice 5br/3bth/2,687 sq.ft. home situated on 1.2 Acres in Nelli Gail Ranch for 1.1M. It’s even zoned for horses.
25011 MUSTANG Dr, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | MLS# S653298

The commute to Anaheim, or Fullerton, is not bad provided you hit the 5N no later than maybe 6:50-7:00 AM.

Homes in beach cities will be smaller. It’s also a lot harder to access the freeway from Laguna Beach. You could get this 2bd/1.75bth/842sq.ft. home in Laguna Beach for $949,500.
655 CUPRIEN Way, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 | MLS# L34462

There are nice homes closer to your job in Anaheim Hills and Fullerton, but getting to the beach would be a chore because you would have to take the freeway.
Check Search Homes for Sale & Find Real Estate Agents Who Put You First | Redfin for listings.
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Old 06-26-2011, 08:54 PM
 
590 posts, read 1,248,883 times
Reputation: 175
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robertpel9 View Post
I am moving my family from Lake Norman NC just north of Charlotte. It is hard to leave here as we are 20 mins from the city and live in s 5k sq ft home on 3/4 acres with a golf course fairway just past my front yard and a huge lake in my back yard with a 150' pier, boats, jet ski, etc

Having said all of that the opportunity is too good to pass up and if i want to grow to be the COO i have to go. I have two kids 2 and younger. We are cluless as to where to look to live. We like the beach but we also like space. Our budget will be from 900k - 1.2M putting 20-25% down.

What are some options that would be good for kids, schools, stuff to do, etc. We hav moved 5 times in 10 years so relacating is usually not a big issue but we love where we are right now and are pretty nervous about this one.

Any chance to be in a decent beach neighborhood on this budget? My boss is big on laguna hills. I will be working in Anaheim / Fullerton so commuting is a concern too. Anything close to work worth looking at??

Any advice is appreciated
laguna hills is not a beach hood....nor can you get a 5000 sq home in any beach community for a million...

good luck
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Old 06-26-2011, 08:58 PM
 
590 posts, read 1,248,883 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pacific2 View Post
If you want Laguna Hills, Nelli Gail is really nice, with a short commute to the beach. You can get a nice 5br/3bth/2,687 sq.ft. home situated on 1.2 Acres in Nelli Gail Ranch for 1.1M. It’s even zoned for horses.
25011 MUSTANG Dr, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | MLS# S653298

The commute to Anaheim, or Fullerton, is not bad provided you hit the 5N no later than maybe 6:50-7:00 AM.

Homes in beach cities will be smaller. You could get this 2bd/1.75bth/842sq.ft. home in Laguna Beach for $949,500.
655 CUPRIEN Way, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 | MLS# L34462

Check Search Homes for Sale & Find Real Estate Agents Who Put You First | Redfin for listings.

you are kidding,,right?? the Nellie Gail home is half the size he wants,,is NOT on the beach and is 31 years OLD

the Laguna Beach house is more a cottage...842 square feet?? for a family of 4

give the guy a break
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:02 PM
 
5,381 posts, read 8,682,713 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nurserosie View Post
you are kidding,,right?? the Nellie Gail home is half the size he wants,,is NOT on the beach and is 31 years OLD

the Laguna Beach house is more a cottage...842 square feet?? for a family of 4

give the guy a break

No, I am not kidding. Where did I say that the Laguna Hills home is on the beach? The OP mentioned that his boss suggested it.

Where did I suggest that he actually live in the Laguna Beach home?
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:07 PM
 
29 posts, read 88,623 times
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I dont need the 5k sq ft, i am just saying this is a big change for us. We dont use most of our house now. I do need realistically a good 2300+ it all depends on the location. I would sacrifice size for the beach if i can be near the beach i need land for a pool, etc and some space to the house

feel mixed about the move, i know it is right profesionally. I keep hearing how crazy expensive it is there. Annual comp will be around $250-$260k, will i be able to be comfortable out there??
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:13 PM
 
5,381 posts, read 8,682,713 times
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Quote:
I do need realistically a good 2300+ it all depends on the location. I would sacrifice size for the beach if i can be near the beach i need land for a pool, etc and some space to the house
That might be why your boss suggested Laguna Hills, because you could get a much larger home there than you could in a beach city. Still, the beach is a short drive from Nellie Gail Ranch. Click on the link above and check-out the house. It's on 1.2 acres and has a pool.
Quote:
Annual comp will be around $250-$260k, will i be able to be comfortable out there??
The average weekly salary in Orange County is less than $1000, so you should do fine.
O.C. pay: Where’s the beef? - Handling Hard Times - The Orange County Register

Last edited by pacific2; 06-26-2011 at 10:05 PM..
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Old 06-27-2011, 08:20 AM
 
394 posts, read 966,612 times
Reputation: 186
There are really two things to consider when deciding where to live in SoCal. They are safety for yourself and your family and proximity to where you work. If you don't have both of those covered, you may find yourself to be disenchanted with the experience.

With that being said, I would suggest Anaheim Hills (mostly newer construction and some fabulous vistas), Orange Park Acres (larger lots and an equestrian area as well), Cowan Heights / North Tustin (larger lots, great vistas a rural feel) and maybe Coto de Caza. Coto is the furthest from Anaheim but is a really nice area to live if you can afford it.
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Old 06-27-2011, 09:27 AM
 
5,381 posts, read 8,682,713 times
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You can find beach close (near Laguna Beach) newer construction in Aliso Viejo, often with stunning views, but the lots are much smaller than are those in Nellie Gail Ranch.

One word of caution, however, most homes in Aliso Viejo are subject to Mello-Roos (special assessment for parks, etc.) fees, as well as HOA dues. Each varies according to the development. The Mello-Roos fee for any particular home can easily be found by entering the address at the Orange County Tax Assessor’s website. We're a very small city, but we have 23 parks, a large Aquatic Center, a new conference center, a golf course, etc., so we have to pay for them. That's just life. The Nelli Gail home does not have a Mello-Roos charge.

Therefore, the true cost of the home is the combined total of the mortgage, Mello-Roos and HOA. The same is true for most newer developments in other parts of Orange County.
.
This 5bdr/3bth/3,200 sq. ft. home in Aliso is listed for $1,249,900 (above your upper limit, but it gives you some idea of what is out there):
37 FAWNRIDGE Pl, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# S662837

This 4bd/4.5bth/3,753sq.ft. home is on the market in Aliso Viejo for $1,039,500:
38 REMINGTON Ln, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# S656260

This 5bd/3.25bth/3,550 sq. ft. Aliso Viejo house has a pending sale ($1,099,000) with backup offers accepted, of course.
20 VERMILION Clfs, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# S663100

Here’s a 4bd/3.5 bth/3,885 sq.ft. home in Aliso Viejo that is on the market for $999,900:
44 ANACAPA Ln, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# S626877

You might also want to check nearby Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel. Dana Point is a nice coastal community, but living there would just make your trip to Anaheim/Fullerton a bit longer.

Your best bet is to get a short-term corporate rental (maybe your company could cover the costs), and then drive around to various Orange County communities to see what fits you.

Getting a knowledgeable Orange County real estate buyer’s agent would be useful.

Last edited by pacific2; 06-27-2011 at 10:36 AM..
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Old 06-27-2011, 09:58 AM
 
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
5,888 posts, read 13,000,204 times
Reputation: 3974
its a bit of a commute, but you may be surprised what you can find in Huntington Harbour, especially if you like a boating life style. Schools are pretty good in the HB.

Closer to Laguna Hills is Dana Point and San Clemente. A bit pricier and no opportunities for waterfront/dock property. You will still get the Beach Lifestyle.

I had similar property in Missouri. 1/2 on the lake. I just hated living in Missouri.
You may want to rent first. I have noticed that many red staters do not adapt well to California (especially the crowds, traffic and "diversity").
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