My pipe dream (Irvine, Orange, Newport Beach: leasing, house, neighborhoods)

[Cypresstosocal]

I really want to live in South Orange County. I think my kids will thank me later. They are 5 and 8, both boys. We can spend up to 500,000 on a house. Rental house up to 3K. I really love Lake forest. We both work, my husbands job is here though. He does zoning and leasing for cell phone towers, I'm a dentist. I think I can find something there, but he'll have a harder time. Our background is that we all "look" caucasion but I'm actually Middle Eastern thus my kids are half. Right now we live in a suburb in Houston. We are more liberal than our neighbors and I think in So orange we could have more friends thus my kids have more friends. My question is, is this true? How are the folks in this area? I feel people are fake and insincere here in Houston what is it like there?

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by Cypresstosocal

I really want to live in South Orange County. I think my kids will thank me later. They are 5 and 8, both boys. We can spend up to 500,000 on a house. Rental house up to 3K. I really love Lake forest. We both work, my husbands job is here though. He does zoning and leasing for cell phone towers, I'm a dentist. I think I can find something there, but he'll have a harder time. Our background is that we all "look" caucasion but I'm actually Middle Eastern thus my kids are half. Right now we live in a suburb in Houston. We are more liberal than our neighbors and I think in So orange we could have more friends thus my kids have more friends. My question is, is this true? How are the folks in this area? I feel people are fake and insincere here in Houston what is it like there?

Fully depends on where you move. Some parts are vapid and fake, some parts are great family oriented neighborhoods. City itself almost doesn't even matter to a degree, it's really neighborhood to neighborhood(or development to development in some parts) and school to school. You can definitely find what you want, just check out the neighbors before you choose a house.

[Coldjensens]

South Orange County has a reputation for people being fake and insincere. It is only partially deserved. There is a very visible super materialistic contingent that seems to establish a general atmosphere and which wold not even be tolerated in many other places. While you will find a large number of materialistic shallow people who care mostly about brands and being trendy and are very self centered. You will also find loads of decent down to earth people. It depends on where you go and whom you meet. Most people are from somewhere else, so there is every kind of people here. Once consistency is most are upper middle class or wealthy, or would be considered such elsewhere. You do nto find blue collar workers in South OC, at least not many.

In our experience, the atmosphere in OC public schools tends to be very materialistic, and sexually oriented. While people will say that this is true of schools everywhere, it is not anywhere near the same level where our kids are now. You will have to combat peer pressure and a generally poor moral atmosphere in school more than you would in some other places. However for some people the moral atmosphere in South OC schools is just fine. But if you work with your kids and toss in some good background and a little luck, they will be fine and hopefully will avoid jumping on the bandwagon.

There are over 3 million people in Orange County. If you cannot find decent well grounded friendly people, then you are not looking hard enough. There is a good chance that most of the people you meet will be friendly, but shallow and materialistic; but you also may not meet any of those people. You might meet only people perfectly suited to what you are looking for.

However if you are looking for place instilled with Midwestern type morals/values, selflessness, and work ethic. This is not the place. The general atmosphere is trendy, materialistic, self-centers/hedonistic and shallow. However you can get around that if you work at it.

[Cypresstosocal]

Thank you for your replies. In Houston, your neighbors know if you don't go to church because they ask and then talk with others. It is not viewed well and if you are a Democrat, you don't tell too many people. We were afraid to put our Obama sticker on the window. I just don't want my kids to suffer for this. I am also a working mom and most of my neighbors are not. I just thought I would have more in common with folks in South Orange. We have only made one set family friends in 7 years, they go to church but are very educated in their views, so the subject never comes up. People dress the same here, though I think it's the heat! I lived in a small Texas town growing up. The kids there were having sex in middle school, some even with their stepbrothers. So yes, it's what you teach your kids at home!

[kristinichka]

Originally Posted by Cypresstosocal

I really want to live in South Orange County. I think my kids will thank me later. They are 5 and 8, both boys. We can spend up to 500,000 on a house. Rental house up to 3K. I really love Lake forest. We both work, my husbands job is here though. He does zoning and leasing for cell phone towers, I'm a dentist. I think I can find something there, but he'll have a harder time. Our background is that we all "look" caucasion but I'm actually Middle Eastern thus my kids are half. Right now we live in a suburb in Houston. We are more liberal than our neighbors and I think in So orange we could have more friends thus my kids have more friends. My question is, is this true? How are the folks in this area? I feel people are fake and insincere here in Houston what is it like there?

Cypresstosocal-We moved to Lake Forest a few months back from the Bay area and it's been a very positive move for our family. The schools are great, the people are very down to earth, and the prices are reasonable in comparison to Irvine. I do NOT think the people are fake or insincere where I live, but I'm sure there are areas that you will find plenty of people like that (like in Newport Beach). You can get a decent house in Lake Forest for under $500k. All that said, most of my neighbors are pretty religious and conservative. I feel like we moved to the SoCal Bible belt, although I think people here are more open minded and less likely to pressure others into religion/politics than they were in Oklahoma where I lived for a couple years. There are lots of working moms and stay-at-home moms. I don't think that'll be an issue.

I also used to work in the cell tower business a few years back. I know Velocitel's headquarters are in Irvine.

I think this area is wonderful and a great place to raise children! Our experiences have not been like Coldjensens at all, but my kids are still in elementary school. Good luck making a decision.

[nurserosie]

Originally Posted by Cypresstosocal

Thank you for your replies. In Houston, your neighbors know if you don't go to church because they ask and then talk with others. It is not viewed well and if you are a Democrat, you don't tell too many people. We were afraid to put our Obama sticker on the window. I just don't want my kids to suffer for this. I am also a working mom and most of my neighbors are not. I just thought I would have more in common with folks in South Orange. We have only made one set family friends in 7 years, they go to church but are very educated in their views, so the subject never comes up. People dress the same here, though I think it's the heat! I lived in a small Texas town growing up. The kids there were having sex in middle school, some even with their stepbrothers. So yes, it's what you teach your kids at home!

yikes they ask and talk about you if you don't go to church??? what business is it to anyone but you and your God....that is beyond the beyond

same for political views...ironically my hubby and I (36 years) have had interesting and heated discussions about Obama...I will admit I voted Democrat for the first time in my life..I sorta hate that many want to blame Obama for the mess this country is in...how soon they forget the 8 years of Bush that preceded him....who is to blame??? one can point all 10 fingers in different directions..

tho OC is traditionally Republican..we have lively discussions..and NEVER in our many years here have we ever been talked about for not going to church..

good luck..you need to get out to small town Texas..me thinks

[dank]

It's not often that people move from Texas to California.

[a34dadsf]

You are a fool if you move from texas to CA. Just spend two weeks on vacation here then go back.

[kristinichka]

Originally Posted by a34dadsf

You are a fool if you move from texas to CA. Just spend two weeks on vacation here then go back.

I spent a summer in Dallas and I would pick California any day of the week over Texas. What makes a person a fool for leaving TX to come to CA? The cost of living?

[sweetdreamerx0]

Originally Posted by Cypresstosocal

I really want to live in South Orange County. I think my kids will thank me later. They are 5 and 8, both boys. We can spend up to 500,000 on a house. Rental house up to 3K. I really love Lake forest. We both work, my husbands job is here though. He does zoning and leasing for cell phone towers, I'm a dentist. I think I can find something there, but he'll have a harder time. Our background is that we all "look" caucasion but I'm actually Middle Eastern thus my kids are half. Right now we live in a suburb in Houston. We are more liberal than our neighbors and I think in So orange we could have more friends thus my kids have more friends. My question is, is this true? How are the folks in this area? I feel people are fake and insincere here in Houston what is it like there?

There's gonna be fake and insincere people no matter where you go, that's just the way life is