Relocation question (Los Angeles, Orange, Mission Viejo: HOA, big house, high schools)

[Chicago5]

This board has been fantastic for great tips on what area is best for a family relocating from out of state. We have narrowed down our choices to San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, RSM, Laguna Nigel and MV (guess that isn't narrowing it down!)

I know in my area in the midwest I can name which top three suburbs are best known for 1. Top High School/school, 2. Best sports programs (Travel soccer, basketball) and 3. Best Park District. Would anyone here be able to rate in order of preference which of the above mentioned suburbs has all this? We obviously also want the best value for our money, but our price range for a 4 bdrom house is 700-800K. We also have 5 young children under 11, so family friendly areas are really important to us.

Thank you so much!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Chicago5

San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, RSM, Laguna Nigel and MV

1. Top High School/school,
2. Best sports programs (Travel soccer, basketball)
3. Best Park District.

Would anyone here be able to rate in order of preference which of the above mentioned suburbs has all this?

I can't.

[SoundsGood2]

Originally Posted by Charles

I can't.

Charles, Charles, Charles... what can I say.

By the way -- 5:35 AM ???

[robbybee]

Of the cities you listed, I like San Clemente but I have no knowledge of the schools or local sports. I doubt that any of them would be a bad choice.

Congrats and good luck! BTW, 5 kids??! WOW!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by SoundsGood2

Charles, Charles, Charles... what can I say.

By the way -- 5:35 AM ???

That's almost lunch time for me. I get up at 4, out the door at 450, catch my vanpool at 510 and use high speed 3G internet in the van on the way to El Segundo.

[MOONLIGHTING]

Best sports I would say MV for football (Mission Viejo?? or Marino Valley??), Laguna N. I think they are a HS football town too. Honestly all the good basketball programs are either up north in SF or in the inner city and suburbs that surround Los Angeles.
San Clemente area may have a nice HS Bball program. I have no info on soccer programs. Check Rivals.com if you want stats of schools in the area. Someone else on here will have some info on Soccer programs in those areas. I imagine all those area schools have nice facilities and active boosters.

[Chicago5]

Thanks so much Moonlighting! Anyone else..please? Really need the feedback! Thx!

[Havnfun]

Originally Posted by Chicago5

This board has been fantastic for great tips on what area is best for a family relocating from out of state. We have narrowed down our choices to San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, RSM, Laguna Nigel and MV (guess that isn't narrowing it down!)

I know in my area in the midwest I can name which top three suburbs are best known for 1. Top High School/school, 2. Best sports programs (Travel soccer, basketball) and 3. Best Park District. Would anyone here be able to rate in order of preference which of the above mentioned suburbs has all this? We obviously also want the best value for our money, but our price range for a 4 bdrom house is 700-800K. We also have 5 young children under 11, so family friendly areas are really important to us.

Thank you so much!!

Chicago5 we moved here in 2008 from Canada with our son who was going into 11th grade. We looked at Ladera Ranch, RMS, Laguna Niguel and MV. We chose MV with high schools being one of the largest determing factors. For us we found it to be the most convenient with the best value, we liked that it has the lake and the shopping mall!

Things we didn't like about other locations:

Laguna Niguel - doesn't have it's own high school, there isn't really anything there but houses.
RSM - Too far from the freeway
Ladera Ranch - too crowded, HOA too expensive

We didn't look at San Clemente at all because I didn't want to be that close to the beach or that far south. My sister-in-law lives in San Clemente and loves it.

We had been visting Orange County for about 14 years before we moved here and had never been to Mission Viejo. Once we started looking into moving here it became our top choice pretty quickly with RSM beging second.

Have you been to all of the areas you are looking at?

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Havnfun

Things we didn't like about other locations:

Ladera Ranch - too crowded...

Actually, of the cities/ communities you considered, Mission Viejo is the most densely populated/crowded.

Ladera Ranch Population Total 22,980 - Density 4,685.3/sq mi (1,809/km2)

Mission Viejo Total 93,483 - Density 5,158.2/sq mi (1,991.6/km2)

Rancho Santa Margarita Total 47,853 - Density 3,683.1/sq mi (1,422/km2

Laguna Niguel Total 62,979 - Density 4,231.1/sq mi (1,633.7/km2)

[Havnfun]

Originally Posted by pacific2

Actually, of the cities/ communities you considered, Mission Viejo is the most densely populated/crowded.

Ladera Ranch Population Total 22,980 - Density 4,685.3/sq mi (1,809/km2)

Mission Viejo Total 93,483 - Density 5,158.2/sq mi (1,991.6/km2)

Rancho Santa Margarita Total 47,853 - Density 3,683.1/sq mi (1,422/km2

Laguna Niguel Total 62,979 - Density 4,231.1/sq mi (1,633.7/km2)

I think our experience was not necessarily the number of people but how small the lots were with big houses with very short driveways (or none) so there were so many cars parked on all the streets.