How is family quality of life in Orange County? (San Diego: real estate, attorneys)

[Frances7]

We currently live in central NJ, in a nice suburban neighborhood, 2 kids, 2 dogs, big yard and decent sized home. We have a job opportunity in Irvine. How would you rate the quality of life for families in Orange County? We have been considing Mission Viejo, RSM and possibly San Clemente. Do neighbors talk to each other? Are the kids all consumed with material things?

[Mach50]

Family Quality of Life in OC is very high, especially in Irvine and Mission Viejo. There are so many parks and outdoor activities to do as a family, most of them are very cheap to free.

Materialism is not so bad in Irvine or Mission Viejo, sure you will get some snobs, but generally those places are friendly IMO.

Obvious Materialism exists mainly in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, Newport is almost another world where everyone gets dressed up before they can go to CVS and ask "what do you do for a living?" as the opening line, kids in Laguna and Newport seem to be very spoiled almost on the Beverly Hills level (Sorry for the generalizations, but this is IMO). You don't see too many Ferraris and Lambo's out in Irvine or Mission Viejo, but you will see a lot of BMW and Mercedes Station Wagons with kids in the back.

Irvine has very high expectations set for schools.
Mission Viejo is the safest city in the country (or one of them now)
RSM is a newer area, kind of far from things, nice place though and very friendly.

[Frances7]

Thank you. It is a big move and a difficult decison to make. Do you have any thoughts on the schools?

[fipster]

I love growing up in Orange County. It's a great place to raise a family. Irvine is a great city if you're comfortable with diversity. Anything north of Irvine is very ethnic and everything south of Irvine is very suburban. However, Orange county is also very narrow in scope. Unlike LA, where you can find just about anyone and anything to do, OC is more moderate. So every few years, you have to shake it up a little here or else you'll become rather bored.

[missionhome]

I have lived in Mission Viejo for 13 years and have a family of five. It is a wonderful city to raise a family and most neighborhoods have lots of kids on the streets and kids get to know each other well. If you are a young family, I also would recommend the neighborhood of Ladera Ranch [unicorporated], which isn't in MV but right next to it and included in the MV MLS on the web. I like Irvine, but I really find it a sterile place. Irvine is almost all flat and everything looks the exact same. Mission Viejo on the other hand is a little more scenic, set in rolling hills with luch mature landscaping that make the streets look really nice. The Mission Viejo Lake is another major feature of MV. It is a private lake for MV residents only in which you can swim, sail, kayak, become a junior lifeguard, pedal boat, or party boat. It is a really beautiful lake with the mountains in the background.
Mission Viejo people are all generally very comfortable financially. Most aren't millionaires likes you get in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, but people in MV do have money to afford nice things like BMW's, a new ipod every year, Nordstrom clothing, etc... You will find most are just trying to raise a nice family in a safe enviornment.
As far as recreation, in addition to the city lake, there are numerous running trails, bike trails, Oso Regional Park, Whiting Ranch Mountain Biking Park nearby (burned in the fires, but is coming back), Aliso Woods Canyon, the beaches are twenty minutes away, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, LA is an hour away, San Diego is an hour away, etc...
The city has abundant shopping and is the main shopping hub for south Orange County. The city has the southern most mall in the county, the nice Shops At Mission Viejo, anchored by Nordstrom, Macy's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. A range of other big box stores are located in the city, such as in The Mission Viejo Freeway Center.
Schools: Mission Viejo is served by two school districts, Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts. Both are excellent and have good reputations and excellent schools. CUSD serves the eastern half of the city, the lake area, and the far south area of the city. SVUSD serves the freeway close neighborhoods north of Oso Parkway and the far northern tip of the city.
Links to Maps: http://www.capousd-services.org/maps...Valley0708.pdf
SVUSD Map

If you have questions on individual schools then ask me, but there isn't a school in the city that I wouldn't recommend.

[missionhome]

[Frances7]

Thank you Missionhome for your thorough response. The photos are gorgeous and I can see why you enjoy life there.

We are interested in finding a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with a fairly big yard and some space between homes if possible, (around the $700,000 range). We would rather go with an older home to get more land if possible. Are there any specific neighborhoods you would recommend? Would you recommend one school district over the other? Thanks for your help.

[missionhome]

As far as neighborhoods that I recommend:
Pacific Hills is a newer neighborhood of homes set on a large hill centrally located in almost the exact center of the city. Loads of families live here and many homes have large lots. There are certain streets with very small lots also though.
All of the older homes in the city are similar and in nice neighborhoods. I wouldn't recommend one over the other, it just depends on finding the house that fits you.
Finding a house in your price range would be very easy and you can get a nice size lot (not like an acre though). Market is weak now, so make low offers on homes that have been on the market for a while.
Of the two school district, they really are not that different. CUSD is bigger (52,000 students in several cities) and SVUSD is smaller (31,000 students in four cities). In Mission Viejo all the schools are good. I recommend touring campuses to find one your child likes.
Here are links to a few homes that fit what you are looking for:
26781 Carretas Dr, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information (http://www.prudentialcal.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?Search=9833a527-1798-4715-a447-a0154ae8be5f&Listing=25401441&IRPAgentID=&Image=1& First=1&Last=10&pagesize=10&SearchType=city&Listin gDistrictTypeID=&FirstLetter=&Sort=6&Cookies=&UseC olorBar=false - broken link)
The interior in the one of the link below is very nice IMO
24521 Ladera Dr, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
21845 Ontur, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
23585 N Rangoon St, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
24101 Salero Ln, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
One below has a large lot and a pool!
28811 La Lita Ln, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
25382 Pacifica Ave, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information
25742 Morales, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information (http://www.prudentialcal.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?Search=9833a527-1798-4715-a447-a0154ae8be5f&Listing=19838219&IRPAgentID=&Image=1& First=1&Last=10&pagesize=10&SearchType=city&Listin gDistrictTypeID=&FirstLetter=&Sort=6&Cookies=&UseC olorBar=false - broken link)
31 Cantata Dr, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information

[Frances7]

Thanks again as you have been very helpful.

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by missionhome

I have lived in Mission Viejo for 13 years and have a family of five. It is a wonderful city to raise a family and most neighborhoods have lots of kids on the streets and kids get to know each other well. If you are a young family, I also would recommend the neighborhood of Ladera Ranch [unicorporated], which isn't in MV but right next to it and included in the MV MLS on the web. I like Irvine, but I really find it a sterile place. Irvine is almost all flat and everything looks the exact same. Mission Viejo on the other hand is a little more scenic, set in rolling hills with luch mature landscaping that make the streets look really nice. The Mission Viejo Lake is another major feature of MV. It is a private lake for MV residents only in which you can swim, sail, kayak, become a junior lifeguard, pedal boat, or party boat. It is a really beautiful lake with the mountains in the background.
Mission Viejo people are all generally very comfortable financially. Most aren't millionaires likes you get in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, but people in MV do have money to afford nice things like BMW's, a new ipod every year, Nordstrom clothing, etc... You will find most are just trying to raise a nice family in a safe enviornment.
As far as recreation, in addition to the city lake, there are numerous running trails, bike trails, Oso Regional Park, Whiting Ranch Mountain Biking Park nearby (burned in the fires, but is coming back), Aliso Woods Canyon, the beaches are twenty minutes away, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, LA is an hour away, San Diego is an hour away, etc...
The city has abundant shopping and is the main shopping hub for south Orange County. The city has the southern most mall in the county, the nice Shops At Mission Viejo, anchored by Nordstrom, Macy's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. A range of other big box stores are located in the city, such as in The Mission Viejo Freeway Center.
Schools: Mission Viejo is served by two school districts, Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts. Both are excellent and have good reputations and excellent schools. CUSD serves the eastern half of the city, the lake area, and the far south area of the city. SVUSD serves the freeway close neighborhoods north of Oso Parkway and the far northern tip of the city.
Links to Maps: http://www.capousd-services.org/maps...Valley0708.pdf
SVUSD Map

If you have questions on individual schools then ask me, but there isn't a school in the city that I wouldn't recommend.

I'm not the original poster, however, I LOVE the pictures that you posted as well as all the detailed information. May I ask what occupations the residents in Ladera Ranch are in? Are they entrepreneurs or doctors, attorneys, etc.? Are they from old money, trust funds, etc.?

While I really love the area and have researched it, I'm not too keen on the competing with the Jones's. If one does not conform to the buying a new car every year or every other year, or buying clothes from Nordstrom, etc., would one be ostracized? Are there any normal people who don't buy into that? I do not mean anything negative by that, so please accept my apologies if I gave that impression. For us, we are both professionals; husband is a pharmacist, I am a former public accountant, have my own business now. We have a large family ages 23 to age 6. I am looking for a place that has job opportunities in teaching for my oldest son as well as a hispanic community for my second oldest son who is working on a Spanish degree. For me, CA is the biggest market in the states for my business. My worry and concern is about living in a place where I do not feel very comfortable in the regard that I have to possibly conform to people's expectations and standards as far as materialistic things are concerned. Please, if you would, let me know your thoughts on that. Thank you.