Costa Mesa - HB (Irvine, Orange: apartment complexes, renter, townhomes)

[uppercut1134]

I have learned a lot about most of this cities in Orange County from this forum, but have not heard much about Costa Mesa. My wife and I were looking for apartments in the HB area and have noticed we can get a much nicer place in Costa Mesa. How is the area? Clean? Far from the beach? Pretty landscapes? Do you know of any nice apartments? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Reivax]

You could certainly live in worse places.
Costa Mesa is very close to the beach. My house is about as far as you can get from the beach and still be in Costa Mesa, but I'm a 25 minute bike ride down the bike trail.
Costa mesa is clean, amazingly safe, nothing much ever happens here. Lived here and in Newport Beach most of my life and worst thing that ever happened to me or someone I know is a stolen car stereo.
One nice thing of Costa Mesa is that zoning is mixed. So you can live in smaller complexes of apartments, if you like that.
you'll hear people talk about "west side" vs. "east side", the reference point being Newport Blvd. Many people think the east side is more desirable because of fewer Mexicans. They're bigots, so don't pay much attention, and don't let that artificial dividing line make a decision for you.
What you want to avoid are crowded streets with large apartment complexes on them. There aren't really any "bad" parts of Costa Mesa, a simple drive through of the area will tell you what you want to know.

If you're looking to live in a complex with all the amenities, try the areas on Mesa Verde Dr., or maybe on Sunflower just north of 405.
If you want a smaller complex, try the grid bordered by Mesa Dr., Irvine Ave., 17th st. and Newport Blvd.

[YLresident]

From what I read on reviews when my BF was looking to rent, try to stay away from the community college... there were a lot of complaints about car burglaries in the complexes closest to the college--not to mention noise levels.

[Mel2882]

I think the person that posted the first reply was right on. I lived a couple blocks away from Orange Coast College (near Vanguard University), and I loved where I lived. It is cheaper than Newport or Huntington, clean, very close to the beach, and yes, the west side may look like the "bad area" of Costa Mesa, but it's really fine.

[dakicka]

I don't think there's anything wrong with costa mesa, yes not as glamorous or perfectly clean and spotless like newport or laguna but it is also probably 20-25% less cost to live there on rent of home prices. there is also a lot to do in costa mesa- south coast plaza (one of the best malls in the country), various shopping centers, the camp (another shopping/bar area), cheaper gas, good restaurants, a nice business area with a lot of companies near south coast, close proximity to all major freeways 405, 73, 5, a cheap public golf course, a few big nightclubs, and not too far from the beach if you live on the western part closer to newport blvd and newport beach area.

yes i hear there are a lot of mexicans on costa mesa and some people call it costa mexico, but in reality it's all relative to where u live. if u lived in newport your whole life you will think any town outside of newport is strange since 95% plus of newport beach is caucasian, costa mesa still has far less of a mexican population than most towns like it in san diego, and far less than santa ana or anaheim. and there is nothing wrong with mexicans, i think people should be worried about gangs rather than a particular race.

[Mach50]

Costa Mesa is a nice place to live, many of the negative comments about it are no more than racism.

Whatever you do, do not live in the Coronado Apartments on 16th (actually it is considered Newport Beach, but close to Costa Mesa) These places are cheap, noisy and dirty.

Also make sure you use apartmentratings.com to check for opinions.

[uppercut1134]

Thank you all very much for your replies, you have helped us a lot with the decision.

One poster mentioned to stay away from Coronado, does anyone have any they would recommend in HB, Costa Mesa, or Newport?

[uppercut1134]

Also what utilities do you have in the OC and typical costs of each?

[dakicka]

Originally Posted by uppercut1134

Thank you all very much for your replies, you have helped us a lot with the decision.

One poster mentioned to stay away from Coronado, does anyone have any they would recommend in HB, Costa Mesa, or Newport?

Coronada is a joke. When I was apartment searching via the net and phone in NJ before I moved, coronado looked like a gem from the pictures on the web, however I didn't realize they were taken 10+ years ago when it was newer. It's located right across from the Newport Harbor HS and is trashy looking and low class and run down. I picked Turtle Ridge which is TECHNICALLY in irvine but 500 yards from Newport Beach and 3/4 miles from being considered Newport Coast. Some apartment magazines even consider it NB, however it is irvine and you save a couple hundred on the rent cost.
1 bedroom you can expect to pay 1550-1700, 1 bedroom with den I think is around 1680-1750, 2 br is 1700-1900, and they also have townhomes. I've been here 7 month and no complaints, clean, nice pool, pretty people, lot of young families and single professionals as well as some middle aged families I think on layover between moving to new homes. Another nice place which s brand new is called the village at the irvine spectrum but that would be far out of reach if you want to be in costa mesa/newport area, worth checking out though, lot to do at the spectrum too, it's being built up recently. I don't know of any spots in costa mesa, and the apartments in newport all go for 300-400 more than turtle ridge but you get much less and they are old. that is my best recommendation- turtle ridge.

[Reivax]

Coronado is the place behind Harbor high's parking lot/football stadium?
It's dumpy. I took piano lessons in there when I was 12, that was 30 years ago and it was dumpy then. And who'd want to live behind a high school?

Utilities:
I haven't lived in an apartment in a long time, but here's some utilities for my 1500sq ft house, maybe that would help.

gas: $35
I rarely heat the house, say from around sundown til bedtime during a couple months a year, keeping it low. During those times my heating bill can be $60-70.
Other than that, it just runs the water heater.

water: can be about 60 a month, but I water front and back lawns, and a washing machine. You probably wouldn't have that much in an apt.

electricity: $75-90, I have 2 refrigerators, fish tanks and some computers that run 24/7.

phone: I just have a land line so I can have their DSL service.
the basic phone is ~15 a month, the DSL is $29.95.
I only use a cell, in fact, don't laugh, but I have to think twice just to remember my house land line.

I pay for trash, but I don't believe a renter would have to.
I think it's 18 a month.

Hope that helps any.