Living in Newport Beach vs Laguna Niguel?

[navsuesiajai]

Havn fun and pacific2...thank you for your comments and thoughts.

Yes after some research today also found that most 4 bdrm rentals are in the $3400 and up range. We're not picky to be honest are aware that we'd have to downsize as we settle into the area. I suppose we could also consider a 3 bdrm town home with a clubhouse/pool etc as a temp solution?

Pacific...very interested in your insight and how your family has adapted coming from the great white north. Have family in Calgary and Edmonton as well. What prompted your move and what's your take on the positives/negatives? This would be entirely new territory for us but we are outdoor folks who love good weather, bbq'ing, swimming and all things spring/summer.

For Business, we currently run a number of Fitness fitness facilities in and around the GTA and would continue to operate them remotely for awhile until US business gets up and stable. (foreign source income for now which should be fun for our accountant) As for business, we are in the midst of planning for a new food/cafe venture and are in developing stage. Likely located in major food courts across major malls. So home office for the time being.

For schools, my wife found a great KG - GR 8 public IB school in Mission Viejo. (Carl Hankey I believe?) We will meet with the principle this March when we come down for 2 weeks...half vacation and half research. St.Mary's is also on our list and we will set up a meeting with them as well. Our children are already enrolled in an IB world school in Mississauga and could be easily transferred.

As with the school boards up here, are we required to live in the same juresdiction as the school itself?

[Havnfun]

Originally Posted by navsuesiajai

Havn fun and pacific2...thank you for your comments and thoughts.

Yes after some research today also found that most 4 bdrm rentals are in the $3400 and up range. We're not picky to be honest are aware that we'd have to downsize as we settle into the area. I suppose we could also consider a 3 bdrm town home with a clubhouse/pool etc as a temp solution?

Pacific...very interested in your insight and how your family has adapted coming from the great white north. Have family in Calgary and Edmonton as well. What prompted your move and what's your take on the positives/negatives? This would be entirely new territory for us but we are outdoor folks who love good weather, bbq'ing, swimming and all things spring/summer.

For Business, we currently run a number of Fitness fitness facilities in and around the GTA and would continue to operate them remotely for awhile until US business gets up and stable. (foreign source income for now which should be fun for our accountant) As for business, we are in the midst of planning for a new food/cafe venture and are in developing stage. Likely located in major food courts across major malls. So home office for the time being.

For schools, my wife found a great KG - GR 8 public IB school in Mission Viejo. (Carl Hankey I believe?) We will meet with the principle this March when we come down for 2 weeks...half vacation and half research. St.Mary's is also on our list and we will set up a meeting with them as well. Our children are already enrolled in an IB world school in Mississauga and could be easily transferred.

As with the school boards up here, are we required to live in the same juresdiction as the school itself?

Hi,

We have family living in Orange County so we have been visiting for a number of years and finally decided that we could no longer stand the cold weather in Calgary! We felt that we worked like crazy to be able to take 5 or 6 vacations a year just to get away from it. Our transition was fairly easy since we had been coming here so often we already had a network of friends and family.

Our son was 16 when we moved so he had 2 years of high school in Mission Viejo (Capistrano Valley High School) and is now attending college at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. You have to live in the jurisdiction of the school for public schools. St. Mary's is a private school so I don't believe you have to live in the area to attend.

When do you expect to be making the move? Have you already started on the Visa process?

[Sunday1]

We thought we wanted to retire in Maine and moved there five years ago for four years. The winters were too long for us so we moved to LN a year ago. We don't have school-aged children so we have a lot of flexibility. In the past several inter-state moves, the quality of the school district has trumped all other considerations in choosing the houses we have purchased. This was the first move as empty nesters and it really makes a difference. We're on the second year of a two year lease which I thought would be too long, but in our case, it's not. We're enjoying the search and in the last year, we have definitely formed new opinions about the coastal OC areas we like vs dislike, so we're glad we opted for this 2 year lease. The weather is amazing. There are absolutely lots of things we miss about New England but the climate is not one of them. So far, the coastal OC weather is trumping every other pro or con. It really changes your life, living in this wonderful climate if and when you're moving from a cold one!

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by Sunday1

We thought we wanted to retire in Maine and moved there five years ago for four years. The winters were too long for us so we moved to LN a year ago. We don't have school-aged children so we have a lot of flexibility. In the past several inter-state moves, the quality of the school district has trumped all other considerations in choosing the houses we have purchased. This was the first move as empty nesters and it really makes a difference. We're on the second year of a two year lease which I thought would be too long, but in our case, it's not. We're enjoying the search and in the last year, we have definitely formed new opinions about the coastal OC areas we like vs dislike, so we're glad we opted for this 2 year lease. The weather is amazing. There are absolutely lots of things we miss about New England but the climate is not one of them. So far, the coastal OC weather is trumping every other pro or con. It really changes your life, living in this wonderful climate if and when you're moving from a cold one!

Sunday1, would love to hear what new opinions you have formed about OC areas. Feel free to private message if you'd rather.

[navsuesiajai]

Originally Posted by Havnfun

Hi,

We have family living in Orange County so we have been visiting for a number of years and finally decided that we could no longer stand the cold weather in Calgary! We felt that we worked like crazy to be able to take 5 or 6 vacations a year just to get away from it. Our transition was fairly easy since we had been coming here so often we already had a network of friends and family.

Our son was 16 when we moved so he had 2 years of high school in Mission Viejo (Capistrano Valley High School) and is now attending college at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. You have to live in the jurisdiction of the school for public schools. St. Mary's is a private school so I don't believe you have to live in the area to attend.

When do you expect to be making the move? Have you already started on the Visa process?

We are planning for July 2015...about 18 months out as we want to wrap up our affairs here appropriately. We are starting the immigration/visa process in March when we meet with an immigration lawyer in OC who used to practice in Montreal and was formerly a Canadian. Specializes in canadians wanting to immigrate to US. So far looking at the L1-A by expanding our company to US.

We'll be visiting this March for 2 weeks for half vacation and half research. We also have some family in Aliso as well as Tustin Ranch and friends spread all the way from SanFran to SanDiego!

Some of our concerns based on reading up:

- Seems like good area/streets to live can be literally 2 min away from not so good areas.
- Cost of living is higher on average? (although living in the GTA, we're already used to that. Avg house price up here for a 4 bdrm 3000 sqft home is now $750-900k...or even 1.2M if in key cities like Oakville, Vaughn)
- Culture for kids...US culture vs Canadian. Not sure if there is any difference at their level anyway?
- Traffic (again used to hwy 401 and Toronto traffic but not sure if even worst?)
- Smog and perhaps sinus issues?
- Toronto is very multi ethnic and a cultural melting pot...and it works. Not sure how attitudes are down in SC? Seems like some threads are devoted to people finding areas where they don't feel they are the 'minority' aka. want to be with my own kind. Are racial attitudes more accepted down there?

We have tonnes of questions which I'm sure will be answered as time goes on!
Really do appreciate your comments!

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by navsuesiajai

Havn fun and pacific2...thank you for your comments and thoughts.

Yes after some research today also found that most 4 bdrm rentals are in the $3400 and up range. We're not picky to be honest are aware that we'd have to downsize as we settle into the area. I suppose we could also consider a 3 bdrm town home with a clubhouse/pool etc as a temp solution?

Pacific...very interested in your insight and how your family has adapted coming from the great white north. Have family in Calgary and Edmonton as well. What prompted your move and what's your take on the positives/negatives? This would be entirely new territory for us but we are outdoor folks who love good weather, bbq'ing, swimming and all things spring/summer.

For Business, we currently run a number of Fitness fitness facilities in and around the GTA and would continue to operate them remotely for awhile until US business gets up and stable. (foreign source income for now which should be fun for our accountant) As for business, we are in the midst of planning for a new food/cafe venture and are in developing stage. Likely located in major food courts across major malls. So home office for the time being.

For schools, my wife found a great KG - GR 8 public IB school in Mission Viejo. (Carl Hankey I believe?) We will meet with the principle this March when we come down for 2 weeks...half vacation and half research. St.Mary's is also on our list and we will set up a meeting with them as well. Our children are already enrolled in an IB world school in Mississauga and could be easily transferred.

As with the school boards up here, are we required to live in the same juresdiction as the school itself?

I moved here from Manhattan due to the weather and no, I don't miss the frosty chill of the North. I genuinely like that I don't have to worry about snowstorms, or digging my car out. I do admit to missing the variety of cultural amenities and the architecture. I lived in a "prewar" building with high ceilings, thick walls, stone facade, and lots of windows; and always, until I moved here, avoided anything that was even faintly "modern." Never say never.

[marcellamiami]

Thank you for all the information and opinions. I am leaning first towards Corona del Mar, second Dana Point, third Laguna Niguel. Any advise?

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by marcellamiami

Thank you for all the information and opinions. I am leaning first towards Corona del Mar, second Dana Point, third Laguna Niguel. Any advise?

Marcella:

Please compare what you can get just a little bit inland (6 miles?) in beautiful Nellie Gail Ranch (Laguna Hills) in your price range. It has magnificent weather, and easy access to the 5, beaches, etc. Laguna Hills also has good schools and is very safe.

House 1

House 2

House 3

House 4

[marcellamiami]

Thank you. I will look at Nellie Gail since it has been brought up several times as a good option.