PICTURES of ORANGE COUNTY (Los Angeles, San Diego: getaway, work, resort)

[SkyscraperAngel]

You can always rent houses or condos in California if buying isn't in your budget range.

[missionhome]

The Irvine Spectrum outdoor mall

Dave and Busters at Spectrum

Ferris Wheel and entertainment part of Spectrum



The award winning Mission Viejo Library

Entrance to library from the Mission Viejo Civic Center

Mission Viejo City Hall


The beautiful historic Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Downtown San Juan Capistrano

The delicious Pedro's Tacos in San Juan

[jassonkelly]

I grew up here I'm 25 and loved riding my bike through the orange groves as a kid, keeping my house unlocked at night and saying hi to my neighbors while using their first name. But lets get something straight, OC is becoming more and more like LA everyday. It's practically a rat whole down here now. The only nice areas are Newport, Laguna, Irvine and Dana Point but 10 mins away you have Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Anaheim, and all the other scum lots. Here are other pics of OC not just the reg old beach shots.

[jessemh431]

I see someone posted pics of MV homes. Does anyone have any pics of Lake MV and the beach? That is my dream location.

[JakeDog]

I think it is funny when people blast the OC for its less pleasant towns (Santa Ana being the main target). Sure, there are working class and poor parts of OC, but they are nowhere near as bad as any major metropolitan area. People who live in Dallas, Houston, always blast the OC, but ignore the enormous ghettos in their own towns and neglect the amazing parts of the OC.

[JakeDog]

"only nice areas are Newport, Laguna, Irvine and Dana Point"

Guess that's why Mission Viejo is the safest city in America. Also, Huntington Beach has a rough edge, but is actually statistically VERY safe. San Clemente, Laguna Nigel, etc. Yes, Santa Ana and all points north are very much like LA, and have been for a long time. Many people don't even view them as in the "OC"

[missionhome]

There are pictures of Lake Mission Viejo on Page 3 of this thread. I posted them. You have to click on them to make them larger.

[cityx]

ALL of these pictures are so great. I forgot how much Orange County has to offer on so many levels. I used to live in Huntington Beach off Brookurst and Hamilton back when I was young and dumb - boy did I take it for granted living there. Now I live in crappy, nasty, and hideous Sacramento which has really become my personal hell.
I suppose its bad karma from when I kicked that puppy when I was 9 years old.
OC kicks butt!!!

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by nebulous1

Okay, tell me, how all these people can afford to live there? I am a professional in Indiana, and I am scraping to get by on over $50K. How can you make it out there?

Some (less than half) actually have a decent income and/or bought their property before the RE/Housing bump but the rest eithe live like slums or in a debt that they think is 'normal' yet it is beyond an acceptable level for those who were in the same situation but took the red pill and decided to move away...

Originally Posted by A Proud American

Most start by making a heck of a lot more than $50k. Take a look at the median income stats, and figure that the numbers are a little bit on the low side because of retirees, illegal aliens, and people on the government dole.

Median income means median, you might make more than what is stated by most sources (around $85K-$90K annual per household) but the fact is only some actually make more hence the average value. Still, you have a $100K household income a year and $4000 monthly mortgage, John Doe in elsewhere makes $55 a year and has a $1100 a month mortgage, do you still think you are better off just cause you live in So. CA? Of course a very debatable subject.

Now please, let's get back to pictures.

I totally agree, keep them pictures coming, when I used to live there, naturally I never bothered taking the pictures of scenery...

[JCheng91]

Lots of friendly and upperclass asians in orange county like me.lol.