Relocating: Work In Fountain Valley (OC), Best Spot (S. Long Beach?) (Santa Ana: 2014, apartments)

[TidyAtac]

So its been about 5 months since I've moved to the OC and I want to move out of my current apartment since its too expensive. I need some advice on what would be good spots for me.

Work: Fountain Valley, CA
Currently Live in Costa Mesa by South Coast Plaza Mall
Issue: Boring and most of all very expensive and not worth the cost (1650 for a studio plus utilities, etc. makes it almost 2K) My main gripe is that if I want to stay in the area, I would have to find room mates for a town house since it seems like a waste of money spending so much on rent (rather put it in my 401k and savings)

Profile: Male
Single, 31
Korean
Into physical activities such as biking and running


I'm thinking of perhaps moving to Long Beach by Belmont Shore area (2-3 miles away). However, a lot of people been telling me that Long Beach at least the North and West is super ghetto and the city itself is bland without a lot of East Asians (Koreans, Japanese, Chinese) that most of the area is Caucasians with Cambodian gangs.

Rent in the area seems much lower than the OC. Around 900 to 1.2K from what I've been seeing compared to 1.5K to 1.8K in the OC.

The 405 going South in the morning and going North in the afternoon seems to really suck but they are supposed to open up 2 more pay lanes on June 6th, 2014 which may make things better (Heard they been working on the project for 4+ years)... I'm worried what the commute will be if the improvements do not pan out.

Other considerations is that I still like to go to bars on the weekends and there's no way I want to get a DUI by driving around... I rather just be somewhat close to some hot spots and cab it (more convenient, etc.(.

Heard, Newport area is notorious for sobriety pull over spots. Santa Ana is ghetto. Huntington beach is bro'ish...

Irvine, Fullerton, and Ceretos all seem good spots for Korean families but not someone in there early 30's and not married.. Fullerton I heard is mostly college students that hang out.

Figure Long beach may be all right because it would be shorter to LA (30 min without traffic, off hrs) and would be cheaper rent but all the negatives I've been hearing has me wondering. Not sure if I should stay put in current area and get a Town House with someone.. lol

Also, all the bars in the OC is over priced.. Closes early and kind of dull.. OC is only good for outside activities such as biking and the beaches it seems and super expensive.

[Electrician4you]

GG has a big Korean Community. Have to looked in that area? Not sure if you're looking fir a ethnic neighborhood or just a party area. A buddy of mine was renting in LB by Belmont Shores and I think he was paying 1400.

[johnkeats]

As you have problem like the rent being too high you need to get hold of some agents in your area who would definitely get you a house as per your requirement. If you have to search as per your requirement it would be tedious job. May be you do have to pay a certain amount to the agent for their work but if you do get a house as per your choice, on the long run it will bear fruit in way you will save lot on the rent as well not to leave the area. Movement or relocating your house materials you can contact some good relocation companies who will help you to move your materials at a very reasonable price keeping in view the safety of your items as their own.

[Electrician4you]

Some agents do not charge the tenant. The LL pays for the service to find a good tenant.

[DTmi]

Wow, that's quite the laundry list.

Honestly, from what you're describing, I feel like what you want is what you'd get in Santa Monica, but that obviously is out of the question due to distance and astronomical prices. You're just not going to get that here. I personally dislike the Long Beach scene. At best, you have Downtown Long Beach where you can drink and walk around, but hardly the scene for Asians, and lots of questionable people. It's surrounded by the not so pleasant thuggish part about Long Beach your friends describe.

If you could accept that OC isn't quite the happening place, then I actually think Costa Mesa is a perfect location due to its central location (I like the Enclave). You are a stone's throw from really authentic Japanese food, a few exits away from Little Saigon, 20 minutes away from OC's k-town without having to live in Garden Grove.

Going further out, have you considered living at The Village by the Spectrum? My friends used to live there, and they have a really active community and lots of young professionals living there. Good place to meet people, branch out to establish your base network, and then go from there. You'd definitely need a roommate, but it's a beautiful complex.

[TidyAtac]

hmmm... What concerns me a lot about long beach is the 405. It seems going south in the morning and north in the evening is a bad idea. It's like a parking lot and when CA adds another lane onto it within the next 5 years, it probably hardly have that much of an affect.

Most of the time, I figure I would probably go up to LA K-town on the weekends or downtown LA area. They have Korean cab service where someone will drive your car to your house for about $50 bucks (Fullerton, Long Beach, Hermosa beach, etc.)...

So its going to be a trade-off between time sacrificed for commuting to work and cost of apartment (don't have to pay for gas, car, etc.)

Just a couple of miles off of Huntington beach are new apartments w hardwood flooring for around 1415 a month for an alright place...

I'm going also try to look for some agents as well as suggested.

[JohnG72]

Why not just live in one of the older, dated apartments in HB between Main St and Golden West...most six blocks or less from the water. Rents are $1100-1500 depending..

Btw, quit worrying so much about what other people are like. You do you.