Relocating to Irvine next month...need help with logistics (Santa Ana: apartments, foreclosures)

[5star]

You can rent a room for about 700 per month in Irvine. Not a 1 bd room apt,think about double that for your own apt.
Irvine is a great place to live,not really a bad area anywhere there i found.Only problem i see is 60 k isnt a lot of income in that area.

[grovemonkey]

Originally Posted by ragnarkar

You're probably not looking hard enough if you can't find any place under $800/mo for a room near the 'rvine area even if u were to exclude Santa Ana.

According to padmapper.com, 800/mo is about average for a room in the area.

What cities have you been looking in? 2 years ago before moving here, I posted an ad on craigslist for a room up to $600/mo and got countless responses for potential offers, including a few in Irvine.

Irvine only for me. 1br. for me is an apartment and not a sharing situation. If you are willing to share, sure there are a few places where you can get for 800 and share. I was thinking more along the lines of a 1br. apartment where I'm the only occupant. Granted, I've been looking mostly for short term situations and look at a lot of online reviews so I exclude places so maybe you can get longer term housing at that rate.

[KaraG]

If you don't bring your own car, don't get a taxi to visit dealerships, just rent a car. Weekly rentals are very reasonable. And many times much cheaper rates are found in the off-airport locations. Some of them will pick you up.

[bassprincess]

Some practical tips:

Since you are likely arriving from LAX rent a car from the airport, Priceline shows as little as $10 a day not including taxes and you can return to SNA aka John Wayne airport with no extra fees. To get the cheapest rate, rent a week at a time. What's great about rentals is they include insurance. That is expensive in CA if you are an out of state driver.

You will need a car long term, being in So CA without a car is like being without legs. You can get there, just not at all convienent.

Rent a room short term until you decide where you want to go. Craigslist is okay, just make sure there are pictures. Try linked in or work referrals, UCI off campus housing, or local supermarket or coffee house postings, or local church referrals.

$60K doesn't go far in OC if you like to party, so plan well. There are lots of free/cheap stuff to do here, parks, beach, volunteer at charity and meet up events. Lots of good hole in the wall restaurants, great Asian and Mexican food you can't get anywhere else. Use groupon, living social, screaming deals to get your money's worth.

If you are working in Skypark circle, that is by the airport. So rent close to there. Westpark I and II villages of Irvine, University Park, or even the midrises on Jamboree. Check OC register for ads. Irvine has bike lanes, so you can bike to work if you are close.

Just be careful, lots of foreclosures and rent skimming, so always check County recorder's office for notice of default or foreclosure. Always pay by check so there is a record. They are public records and you search for free at the County Recorder's office on site in Santa Ana or Laguna Niguel.

Welcome to Irvine!

[nobodyknowsme]

Originally Posted by bassprincess

Some practical tips:

Since you are likely arriving from LAX rent a car from the airport, Priceline shows as little as $10 a day not including taxes and you can return to SNA aka John Wayne airport with no extra fees. To get the cheapest rate, rent a week at a time. What's great about rentals is they include insurance. That is expensive in CA if you are an out of state driver.

You will need a car long term, being in So CA without a car is like being without legs. You can get there, just not at all convienent.

Rent a room short term until you decide where you want to go. Craigslist is okay, just make sure there are pictures. Try linked in or work referrals, UCI off campus housing, or local supermarket or coffee house postings, or local church referrals.

$60K doesn't go far in OC if you like to party, so plan well. There are lots of free/cheap stuff to do here, parks, beach, volunteer at charity and meet up events. Lots of good hole in the wall restaurants, great Asian and Mexican food you can't get anywhere else. Use groupon, living social, screaming deals to get your money's worth.

If you are working in Skypark circle, that is by the airport. So rent close to there. Westpark I and II villages of Irvine, University Park, or even the midrises on Jamboree. Check OC register for ads. Irvine has bike lanes, so you can bike to work if you are close.

Just be careful, lots of foreclosures and rent skimming, so always check County recorder's office for notice of default or foreclosure. Always pay by check so there is a record. They are public records and you search for free at the County Recorder's office on site in Santa Ana or Laguna Niguel.

Welcome to Irvine!

Thank you for the advice! I will continue searching for housing in the area. Am almost certain I will be accepting my offer this month.

Would you recommend buying a car and doing the nice road trip from East coast to West Coast? Or have company pay for shipping? I've heard that car prices in California are more than other places. May as well buy cheap while I can...

Just wondering, what is a good salary for the Irvine area? I find it so interesting that engineering jobs in the Raleigh area start in the 60k range and that is the same base for the Irvine area. But the cost of living in Irvine is at least 25% higher. Don't understand why people would want to stay in California, then when the rest of the country has some really good locations in states without debt and crazy laws. I guess it must be the lifestyle? I'll learn when I move I guess. Of course, it's difficult to relocate once you establish a base/family etc.

[nurserosie]

Originally Posted by nobodyknowsme

Thank you for the advice! I will continue searching for housing in the area. Am almost certain I will be accepting my offer this month.

Would you recommend buying a car and doing the nice road trip from East coast to West Coast? Or have company pay for shipping? I've heard that car prices in California are more than other places. May as well buy cheap while I can...

Just wondering, what is a good salary for the Irvine area? I find it so interesting that engineering jobs in the Raleigh area start in the 60k range and that is the same base for the Irvine area. But the cost of living in Irvine is at least 25% higher. Don't understand why people would want to stay in California, then when the rest of the country has some really good locations in states without debt and crazy laws. I guess it must be the lifestyle? I'll learn when I move I guess. Of course, it's difficult to relocate once you establish a base/family etc.

We stay in ca cuz we love it here.......don.t think car prices are higher here...but registering one is.....plus if u bring in an out of state car you will jump thru hoops...plus pay sales tax. If car is less than. I think. 5 years old

[nobodyknowsme]

If I buy a car within the next two weeks from my current state and have my company ship it to CA. What fees will I incur? The car is currently registered and will be less than 5-10 years old. I was on the CA DMV site and it shows about $700 in sales/use tax for a 10k vehicle if I choose "private party".
Although, if I choose "received as gift" or "family transfer" then it doesn't show any required tax.

I'm probably buying my car through craigslist or a dealer (obviously). I assume if it's through a dealer, everything will be taken care of (tax wise). Craigslist usually just requires the notarized title signed transfer and a cash/check purchase...

[nurserosie]

I would think if u buy from a dealer you won't be. Able to get out of paying ca taxes.

[nobodyknowsme]

Originally Posted by nurserosie

I would think if u buy from a dealer you won't be. Able to get out of paying ca taxes.

Well doesn't the dealer add the price for "tax, tags, and fees" to the price usually anyway? So yes, I assume that if I bought from the dealer...the tax would be paid for.

But how does it really work? Do they ask how long you've had the vehicle for at the DMV?

Because whether I buy from craigslist or dealer, the vehicle is still coming in from another state. I can either have it registered in my current state and then update registration in CA or just drive/ship it in with the 30 day tag and just do the CA registration.

What's the background check process on the vehicle? I guess if it is a cash sale through craigslist, then there are a lot of loop holes?

[nurserosie]

Ca taxes will not be added unless u buy car in ca. U mentioned I think trying to beat it by having it called a gift....you still would have to pay calif on a gift....I think DMV figures out what u owe based on value of the car