How are these people affording $2k rent in Irvine? (Santa Ana: apartment, insurance)

[brendancw]

How are these people affording 2k rent in Irvine? Almost everyone in most decent communities the rent is 2k minimum.

I am coming from bay area and here I rent a decent town home in a nice apartment in Fremont for 1550. I can get into a gheto apartment for 1550 in Sanata Ana.

My earnings will drop by 10% becasue bay area was supposed to be 10% expensive.
Now there is noone in Irvine that would pay comparable salary to bay area yet the cost of living is 40% more.

I do not understand the economies in this area. Are people making more here that I am not aware of? Or are they paying an arm and a leg for the summer heat. Bay area is always 75 during August while people get roasted here.

[robabeatle]

I'll bite:

You can get a 1bd for about $1600 in Irvine.

You will not get roasted here.

[bhcompy]

Irvine is an expensive area. Go somewhere less expensive. I pay $1400/mo for a 2bd townhouse apt in Los Alamitos. I work off peak hours, 25minute drive. Great community

[TexasGuy22]

its really hard to compare to others, because you dont know their finances, you can get a place in Irvine for $1550, also try negotiating too

[BVitamin]

You're not looking hard enough. As to Santa Ana, you can get decent places for $1000.

[ahawke]

Geez, you can buy a condo or townhouse for no more than rent.

[kristinichka]

In our experience OC is far less expensive that the Bay area, but we lived on the Peninsula and now live in Lake Forest. Our standard of living went up significantly despite our pay going down. You can definitely make it work here as long as you don't have to live in Irvine. Lake Forest has a ton of decent 2 bedroom apts. for $1400-1600 and the area is great.

I would also like to add that the weather here is amazing. Yes, it is occasionally hot, but most days the weather is PERFECT!

[k374]

Forget Irvine, it's disproportionately more expensive than surrounding neighborhoods due to the excellent school district. If you don't have kids this is totally irrelevant to you.

You can get something decent in Costa Mesa for $1100/mo or under for a 1bd. and the neighborhood is much better than Santa Ana. When I was renting in Lake Forest last year my rent was only $1100 for a 1bd with a private garage and the neighborhood was adjoining upscale Foothill ranch. Rents have come down quite a bit now.

The 1bd have really good deals on them right now because there is too much supply as most are sharing 2 bdrms in this economy rather than renting a 1bd by themselves.

[DinsdalePirahna]

2 bdr Townhouses in Huntington Harbour are going for 1200 - 1800. I've seen studios around $800.

[nurserosie]

Originally Posted by ahawke

Geez, you can buy a condo or townhouse for no more than rent.

where?? not in OC

not to mention the down payment, prop taxes..insurance..utilities..and repairs..