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Old 07-24-2014, 04:02 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,678 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi everyone!

I'm a Canadian citizen with a job offer in Irvine. I'd like to take it, but I need advice on where to live. Here's my criteria:

+ I want to minimize travel time. I expect to work long hours, and if it takes more than 30 minutes to get to work it's going to seriously impact my quality of life.
+ I will be bringing my partner with me, and we're hoping to get 700 Sq Feet.
+ My monthly salary is $4375 before tax, and I have to be able to support two people until my partner gets a job (6 months of security would be ideal). That said, we have a large pool of savings to fall back on. I have no idea at this point what my after-tax income will be, or what the non-rent cost of living is.
+ I want to be within walking distance of at least one good eastern restaurant (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, it doesn't matter) and driving distance of an Asian supermarket.
+ Night life is not important to us, but it would be nice to be within short driving distance (~15min) of some stuff to do. We like museums, movies, pretty basic stuff.

Any advice I could get would be great, even if it's "you're crazy to try and support two people in OC on this income".
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Old 07-25-2014, 12:17 AM
 
Location: In a house!
193 posts, read 307,487 times
Reputation: 80
If you like excitement nothing beats Huntington Park after dark!
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Old 07-25-2014, 03:00 PM
 
Location: MO->MI->CA->TX->MA
7,017 posts, read 14,406,938 times
Reputation: 5568
Quote:
Originally Posted by filkry View Post
Hi everyone!

I'm a Canadian citizen with a job offer in Irvine. I'd like to take it, but I need advice on where to live. Here's my criteria:

+ I want to minimize travel time. I expect to work long hours, and if it takes more than 30 minutes to get to work it's going to seriously impact my quality of life.
+ I will be bringing my partner with me, and we're hoping to get 700 Sq Feet.
+ My monthly salary is $4375 before tax, and I have to be able to support two people until my partner gets a job (6 months of security would be ideal). That said, we have a large pool of savings to fall back on. I have no idea at this point what my after-tax income will be, or what the non-rent cost of living is.
+ I want to be within walking distance of at least one good eastern restaurant (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, it doesn't matter) and driving distance of an Asian supermarket.
+ Night life is not important to us, but it would be nice to be within short driving distance (~15min) of some stuff to do. We like museums, movies, pretty basic stuff.

Any advice I could get would be great, even if it's "you're crazy to try and support two people in OC on this income".
You won't be living in Irvine on that salary. There are many Asian (mostly Korean and Vietnamese) supermarkets in Garden Grove which is probably your best best.. still, you're looking at $1100 - 1500/mo for a 700 sqrt apartment. You can try Fountain Valley which as a 99 Ranch (chain Chinese supermarket) but the area is a little more expensive than Garden Grove.

There's another 99 Ranch in Anaheim but I hear that immediate area isn't that great.

If you don't mind a longer commute, try La Palma which is probably the safest city of the bunch (but with prices similar to Garden Grove and Anaheim.) There are some Korean and Chinese supermarkets in that area. You're looking at a 20-30 minute commute to Irvine in average traffic and 30-45 minutes during rush hour here, so that's the downside.
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Old 07-26-2014, 10:34 PM
 
Location: Orange County, CA
93 posts, read 153,390 times
Reputation: 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by filkry View Post
Hi everyone!

I'm a Canadian citizen with a job offer in Irvine. I'd like to take it, but I need advice on where to live. Here's my criteria:

+ I want to minimize travel time. I expect to work long hours, and if it takes more than 30 minutes to get to work it's going to seriously impact my quality of life.
+ I will be bringing my partner with me, and we're hoping to get 700 Sq Feet.
+ My monthly salary is $4375 before tax, and I have to be able to support two people until my partner gets a job (6 months of security would be ideal). That said, we have a large pool of savings to fall back on. I have no idea at this point what my after-tax income will be, or what the non-rent cost of living is.
+ I want to be within walking distance of at least one good eastern restaurant (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, it doesn't matter) and driving distance of an Asian supermarket.
+ Night life is not important to us, but it would be nice to be within short driving distance (~15min) of some stuff to do. We like museums, movies, pretty basic stuff.

Any advice I could get would be great, even if it's "you're crazy to try and support two people in OC on this income".
I use paycheckcity.com to calculate your monthly take-home income before tax of $4375.00. It is about $3200.00/month for a single filer like you. Ever thought about renting a room with your own bathroom in someone's house in Irvine? It is about $800/month including utilities in Irvine. My co-worker makes $5k/month and he rents a room (with his own bathroom) in someone's house in Irvine for $750/month utilities included. If you don't like traffic then traffic to Irvine has been brutal lately. I work in Irvine but live in Garden Grove, which is 17 miles from Irvine. It takes me on average 45 minutes to commute to work lately due to the sudden spike in traffice lately (it used to be about 35 minutes). If you don't want to spend more than 30 minutes commuting to work; I suggest you live within 10 miles radius of Irvine.

There is a Vietnamese restaurant in Barranca Pkwy in Irvine if you like. It is called Ha Long Vietnamese Cuisine.
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:48 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,678 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by tiredatwork View Post
I use paycheckcity.com to calculate your monthly take-home income before tax of $4375.00. It is about $3200.00/month for a single filer like you. Ever thought about renting a room with your own bathroom in someone's house in Irvine? It is about $800/month including utilities in Irvine. My co-worker makes $5k/month and he rents a room (with his own bathroom) in someone's house in Irvine for $750/month utilities included. If you don't like traffic then traffic to Irvine has been brutal lately. I work in Irvine but live in Garden Grove, which is 17 miles from Irvine. It takes me on average 45 minutes to commute to work lately due to the sudden spike in traffice lately (it used to be about 35 minutes). If you don't want to spend more than 30 minutes commuting to work; I suggest you live within 10 miles radius of Irvine.

There is a Vietnamese restaurant in Barranca Pkwy in Irvine if you like. It is called Ha Long Vietnamese Cuisine.
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, I can't really rent a room as there's two of us. We've talked about renting a larger room where couples are OK, and that's still something we might do if we get desperate, but it would really suck at this point to downgrade from having an apartment of our own to living like college students out of a single room again...
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Old 08-12-2014, 11:24 AM
 
Location: Irvine, California
156 posts, read 228,036 times
Reputation: 200
Just wanted to update the thread: I arrived in Orange County (staying in Irvine for the time being) yesterday and have to say it's even better than I thought it would be. People are so upbeat and nice everywhere you go, it's pretty amazing.

So for now the next step is to find someplace temporary for the next month or so while I can start up my new job and look into certain areas for apartments.

Just wanted to thank everybody in this thread for their advice and patience with all my questions through the process. It's nice to finally be here!
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Old 08-12-2014, 11:36 AM
 
Location: Orange County
56 posts, read 101,308 times
Reputation: 73
Welcome! Glad you are enjoying it here so far. Best wishes on your search for a place for your family!
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Old 08-12-2014, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Irvine, California
156 posts, read 228,036 times
Reputation: 200
Quote:
Originally Posted by cgk2013 View Post
Welcome! Glad you are enjoying it here so far. Best wishes on your search for a place for your family!
Thanks!
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Old 08-12-2014, 05:43 PM
 
25 posts, read 45,800 times
Reputation: 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by RG1981 View Post
Just wanted to update the thread: I arrived in Orange County (staying in Irvine for the time being) yesterday and have to say it's even better than I thought it would be. People are so upbeat and nice everywhere you go, it's pretty amazing.

So for now the next step is to find someplace temporary for the next month or so while I can start up my new job and look into certain areas for apartments.

Just wanted to thank everybody in this thread for their advice and patience with all my questions through the process. It's nice to finally be here!
I just jumped in to this thread, but you'd probably do good looking at Laguna Niguel & Aliso Viejo. The 73 toll road is right there, the schools are good, and maybe you can get the toll road as part of your job offer Also, check out charter schools. There are a few around. Good luck!
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Old 08-15-2014, 03:04 PM
 
14,199 posts, read 11,440,782 times
Reputation: 38767
I'm new to the forum but just wanted to say hello and welcome! I grew up in north OC (La Habra), but I have lived in Rancho Santa Margarita for 17 years now and Lake Forest for a year before that. We really like this area; hope you do as well!
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