Moving From Ft Lauderdale to Orange County - Very Scared :S (Santa Ana: rent, crime)

[ysr_racer]

Originally Posted by Richiebell19

ps....Still upset at these prices though lol

Welcome to So Cal

I own a few rental properties, and even I wouldn't pay myself that much in rent !!

But I'm glad a few other people do.

[Richiebell19]

Originally Posted by ysr_racer

Welcome to So Cal

I own a few rental properties, and even I wouldn't pay myself that much in rent !!

But I'm glad a few other people do.

What also makes it difficult is that we have a small dog. Which adds more to rent. Viewed a couple more today. Its really frustrating. But as you said, I guess that's just socal. Now with the dog it looks like ill be paying 1700 for a 1br

[ysr_racer]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'd rather have a crack addict for a tenant than a pet owner.

Every pet owner I've ever rented to has told me the same BS, "Puddles never has any accidents, and will be in a crate when I'm gone". And every time I end up with a unit that smells like cat or dog pee.

Now, if you have a pet and want to rent from me, there's a $3500 non refundable pet fee. Thankfully nobody has taken me up on it.

420 OK / Pets NO WAY

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by Richiebell19

ps....Still upset at these prices though lol

Welcome to California!
What we don't get in square footage we get in some real beauty spots and great weather!

I remember one summer asking a tourist from back east what he liked most about his visit, thinking he'd say the beach, or Disneyland etc. he said, "your shade"! What? He said over here you actually cool off when you go into the shade!

[KBlack2595]

the only way your going to find under 1500 in oc is if u have good luck or want a place thats a dump where i live in orange, CA is 650 but we get a deal the place next to is is a 1/2 bed and around 1200 u could maybe get a studio for under that but for that price u could made find a older place 1 bed room if your lucky also it is beter to live here and ask around or just drive around because alot of the smaller complexes dont advertise on the big sites sorry i could be more help but this socal and every thing is expensive here

[Richiebell19]

Hey everyone. I'm very sorry i haven't responded but i have been super busy. travelling from CA, to ATL to JA and then finally back in FL. I found a great place managed by the Irvine company. believe it or not for about 720SQ FT in Tustin ranch i would have gotten the place for 1350 + 50 Pet rent. However, the wife wasn't too thrilled it wasn't gated(Florida people love gated communities). So we settled on Rancho Monterey in Tustin Ranch for roughly 1600 for a 708SQ FT 1BR. I get a garage with storage. Lay out is great. Its gated with nice pools and a gym with free weights. So i guess thats it. I may be looking to move in under a year though. I will keep this thread updated on what i find living where I am going to live. Anyone here familiar with Tustin Ranch? Is there anywhere I should avoid? The entire place looks beautiful to me.

Thanks again for all your input.

[luckodeirish]

Originally Posted by Richiebell19

Hey everyone. I'm very sorry i haven't responded but i have been super busy. travelling from CA, to ATL to JA and then finally back in FL. I found a great place managed by the Irvine company. believe it or not for about 720SQ FT in Tustin ranch i would have gotten the place for 1350 + 50 Pet rent. However, the wife wasn't too thrilled it wasn't gated(Florida people love gated communities). So we settled on Rancho Monterey in Tustin Ranch for roughly 1600 for a 708SQ FT 1BR. I get a garage with storage. Lay out is great. Its gated with nice pools and a gym with free weights. So i guess thats it. I may be looking to move in under a year though. I will keep this thread updated on what i find living where I am going to live. Anyone here familiar with Tustin Ranch? Is there anywhere I should avoid? The entire place looks beautiful to me.

Thanks again for all your input.

Did you bring the dog?

[revrandy]

I wish I had of seen this thread earlier. I could have referred you to a place I just vacated. 1,000 sq. ft., pet friendly, near South Coast Plaza (small 4 plex), 2 bedroom, garage plus outdoor spot for under $1500 (water/trash included). The owner doesn't really advertize and goes by word of mouth.

[antibes]

Originally Posted by Richiebell19

Hello all. I will be moving from FL to OC in a month or so. Ive been searching for affordable safe apartments for a few months now and have reviewed almost every thread on apartments in OC and I must admit I am very Scared. My wife and I are both 30 years old and i will be working on Hutton Center Drive in Santa Ana. I was looking for a nice place close to work, shopping and entertainment. It appears that almost every Apartment complex has horror stories on apartmentratings.com. Even the very expensive ones. Can anyone here recommend a place that would fit what im looking for. I will be going to OC tomorrow on a third trip to find a place to live and im not very confident at this point. Any information from current residents would be greatly appreciated and useful. I am looking to spend up to $1500. The more space the better. Thanks!

You should not feel scared!

Orange County as a whole is about 1000 times safer than Florida, in my view. I did many business trips to Florida and was horrified how dodgy it seemed. It was far too ghetto to even compare with OC.

The ratings on the site could be done from malice or by a competitor. Nowadays some 80% of ratings are suppose to be fake. So don't worry. There are many options for you on your budget - and you can also look in Costa Mesa, which is very close to Santa Ana and has a wide range of apartment complexes on good quality and high standards.

You do need a car to move about comfortably around OC so I hope you drive.

[psr13]

Originally Posted by Richiebell19

Thanks Guys. Believe it or not yesterday my wife and i hit 19 properties lol. We started in Costa mesa, went to huntington beach and then to Irvine. You are absolutely correct in regards to the review sites. One apt that got the worst reviews was one of my favorites(Villa Venetia) on Mesa Verde. It had a 1br in the 1300 range and was pet friendly. Also looked at a few close to the South Coast Plaza and was able to find one in the 1300 range as well. Also reviewed private rentals. Surprisingly they appear to be just as expensive, if not more than the megaplexes. They also require a bigger deposit. Also went to some Irvine apartments by UCI and I am not paying 1800 for a 1BR, even if I can afford it lol. Huntington Beach appeared to be older and less well kept than costa mesa in general and Irvine is definitely too expensive. I think i will focus in the Costa Mesa metro area that borders Santa Ana and Irvine. Hopefully i should be able to get good value for money. If anyone else has any recommendations please keep them coming. With all the help everyone here has posted and what I've seen Im definitely not as scared

ps....Still upset at these prices though lol

Check different Archstone properties. There is one in Fountain Valley. Many are in South County. They tend to be nicer than other communities I've come across and pretty darn safe.