Good/Bad about living in Orange County (Los Angeles, San Diego: houses, rent)

[RobE]

Portland Girl, I have lived in Tokyo and Orange County personal space is the size of the United States compared to that. Everybody in Tokyo is up in everybody else's business. It is a heck of a great city, but if you are claustrophobic then don't go to Tokyo.

I've always felt relaxed in Orange County myself. But everybody reacts to his environment in different ways.

[tikbj]

I don't think anyone here wants to hurt anothers feelings sometimes with post or emails a conversation can get out of hand because there is no meaning. I know in another forum I got into a very bab bad fight with two other members to the point where they looked up my space account and sent me really bad hate emails, and it all started because they miss understood my email. Had we been talking face to face they would have seen my facial expressions and emotions and realized that I ment no harm.

I don't think anyone on her is against excercise at all. I myself live in wisconsin we eat allot of cheese and beer. I am about twenty pounds over wieght and here trust me I look hot compared to most women.

Most everyone here is over weight but you have to remember the life style is different. Me and my sweetie where just talking about that.

When I meet up with my friends we love bragging about what we cooked or where you can get the latest sale on a food item.

It is true in California they are very into health and image and money.

Here I drive a chevy trailblazer and I look like a hot shot but my sweetie tells me in california it is all about hummers and bmw ect...

Just a different life style here you really dont here of plastic surgery ect..

And we only go to the gym at the start of summer so we can get into our suites.

We have long winters in the midwest you can hide that fat bulge!
HE HE HE HE

[RSCII]

Originally Posted by Russel

America is the best country in the world. California is the best state in the USA. Orange county is the best county in California. The beach areas of Orange county are obviously the best places you can find anywhere. Therefore, if you live close to the beach in Orange county you live in the best place in the world.

1. When you live here for a long time you feel the weather change. The weather in Orange county is NOT boring but beautiful. If you don't like anything else the least you can complain about is the California weather.

2. The area is economically diversified and businesses are prospering. If you cannot find a good job here that means you must go back to school to get additional qualifications. You cannot get lazy in Orange county and be successful.

3. It is important to look good in Orange county. That means you have to look after yourself. Orange county will not allow anyone to neglect their body and demand a high pay. It is not going to happen.

4. The area is culturally diversified. There many Asians, Middle Easterners, Mexicans and also the blond white people. Sorry if it bothers anyone. We have incredible Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese cuisine - all kinds of restaurants.

5. As for shopping, very few places on this planet can match the quality and variety of Orange county. The South Coast Plaza and the Fashion Island are the best of the very best anywhere.

6. The Performing Arts Center, the Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Barclay Theatre are again the best of the very best. In fact, the combination of the Orange County Performing Arts Center together with the Segerstrom Hall at least from the architectural point of view is more impressive than the Lincoln Center in New York.

7. Los Angeles with all its diversity is only 1.5 hours away. San Diego is also close by. Las Vegas is 3.5 - 4 hours away. The Palm Springs area with a totally different climate and atmosphere is only 2 hours away.

8. The housing is expensive because people understand the value and they want to live in Orange county. Obviously, it creates a high demand. Those who expect a huge housing price reduction/collapse are living in a fantasy. There are many people from all over the world ready to move here.

9. The traffic is not good but it is not any different from the big metropolitan centers in other parts of the country.

10. Considering that life is not a dress rehearsal but a one-time shot it makes good sense to live in a place that offers the best weather, services, employment/business opportunities, beautiful beaches, etc. etc.

Moderator cut: personal attack Yes it's true that California and Orange County were once the very best of the United States - the finest country in the world.... but those days however are LONG GONE. I could go on and on and on about why Orange County has degenerated so rapidly over the last 10-15 years, but instead I'll be responding to bullet # 8. Perhaps Russel has long-term memory loss. The following website should jog his memory and that of anyone else who questions my common sense and historical understanding of what is going to happen to California - AGAIN.

History of a housing bubble

(I can't wait to make money off the inevitable though... people like Russel are a dime-a-dozen throughout the southland - and oblivious to the overcrowding, overpopulation, over-development, over-saturation of NON-ASSIMILATING minorities - which all just barely begin to scratch at the surface of the demise of the once glorious Orange County. My grandfather who bought in Newport back in 1959 is surely rolling in his grave at the thought of modern-day “OC living.”)

[Axiom]

Originally Posted by dtran103

The thing is, the salaries tend to be higher in places like Orange County to offset the high price of living.

I don't live in OC and never have, so I can't respond to much being discussed here, other than to say it seems there are some sweeping generalizations being spewed as fact.

But I had to respond to this post. Because that's what I thought too.

However when I did some research, and realize my numbers are specific to my situation, ie: for one occupation and moving from PHX, AZ to OC, CA and they are from several months ago. FWIW

Employers there tend to pay 10.1% more than employers here.

Problem is the cost of living there is 28.3% higher than it is here (and that's excluding housing costs, we're basically talking taxes and consumer price index)

If you add housing to the mix you had better be making substantially more than the standard 10% differential.

Of course I got slightly different numbers depending on the source, but here are some of my housing numbers:

US 100
Phx 116.7
OC 333.9

Housing 164.881% more in OC than in Phx

To replace a $350,000 house in Phx, you can expect to pay:
$968,000 in Mission Viejo
$1,769,000 in Newport Beach


The initial job offer we got in OC came in at almost exactly the standard 10.1% higher than what we were making here. IMO we would have been crazy to try and move on that, no matter how much we would like to be close to the beach, etc.

[rockx]

We just moved back to OC (Newport Beach) last year, after 10 years away. I have lived in Phoenix, Washington D.C., Orlando FL, New York City then here, in that order over the last 10 years.

I am white(Irish), my wife is mexican we live in Newport Beach and make great money, dress nice, we like nice things...but still people stare at us and treat us like 2nd rate. Maybe it is just Newport? But I have not been to any other place (even the South) where we are shunned and just gawked at.

IMO, Orange County has slumped and become L.A.'s worst stereotype.

I think this area is slow, racist, materialistic and overall fake. Too many people trying to be something they are not, hence the Sub-Prime dilemma.

This place was much better 10 years ago by far. Such a beautiful place.

Can't wait to move away in a couple of months.

[missionhome]

I happen to think South Orange County is a wonderful place to live contrary to what most on this site think. If the job is in South Orange County you are close to the cities of Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Laguna Niguel. These are all great places to live, without the extreme expense of the beach front cities of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, ect... These are ultra extreme mind you, and everything else is in the county is extreme in cost of living. A home in the areas I recommended start at over $650,000 for a starter home. If you can afford a lifestyle like this then go for it. Many can and that is why they stay here, and many also can't which is why they are moving. The stereotypes mentioned on this site, that is being used to generalize all of Orange County is foolish in my opinion. No, everyone is not a "blond babe" with plastic. This county has a large Latino population, especially in the northern portion that I am sure is not full of plastic women. To have Newport Beach and its culture be representative of the whole county is unfair to the majority of us who are normal. Since I live in Mission Viejo, I will give you a description of the lifestyle here and you can decide for yourself if you like it like the other 90,000 residents of the city do.

Mission Viejo is set in rolling hills lushly landscaped with eucalyptus trees along the slopes of the streets throughout the city. It was ranked as the fourth safest city in the whole USA for cities of populations over 75,000 people. Mission Viejo is a middle- upper middle class community where the normal single family home sells today for around $700,000 and it goes up to the lavish mansions that sell up to $4 million on the water of Lake Mission Viejo. Mission Viejo Lake is in the northern portion of the city and is a mile long man made freshwater lake. Along the shore are those custom mansions and condominiums with private boat docks. The only boats allowed on the lake are electric party boats, kayaks, pedal boats, etc... The best part about the lake is that it is extremely clean and you can swim in it. This is great in the summer when many of the residents go to the beaches on the lake's shore called "Main Beach and East Beach." These are only open to the residents of Mission Viejo and you can also rent boats here. During the summer, concerts and "movies in the starlight" are done on the shore of the main beach. A walking path of 3 miles surrounds the lake. There are numerous other trails throughout the city for walks/runs close to each neighborhood. Shopping wise Mission Viejo has everything within 5 miles. The city has its own upscale mall, "The Shops at Mission Viejo" anchored by Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's. I would consider it upscale, but there are a host of affordable brands here and the mall is more relaxed, without the stuffiness of South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island in the Newport Beach area. Electronic stores like Best Buy and Circuit City are here, wholesale retailer Costco is in neighbor Laguna Niguel, there are two Targets, a Walmart in Laguna Niguel and Foothill Ranch, several sport stores like Sport Authority and Chicks, ect.... On the topic of sports, almost every mom here is a "soccer mom." Everyone has kids that play a sport and most of the moms are like bus services driving their SUV or minivan from park to park to pick up kids from practice. My kids do sports and I find myself driving to the park all the time. I don't mind it because they love it and they have so many friends through sport teams. I wouldn't take it away from them simply because I don't want to make the ten minute drive to practice. Some people think the OC is too sport cultured for kids, and maybe it is, but I think it is better to have them running out and around with their teammates than sitting around looking for trouble and watching television. Another great part of Mission Viejo is the school systems. The Capistrano Unified School District and the Saddleback Valley Unified School District are award winning districts with excellent schools. The three high schools in Mission Viejo, Capistrano Valley High (CUSD), Mission Viejo High (SVUSD) and Trabuco Hills High (SVUSD) are all in the list of the top 1,200 schools in the USA, California Distinguished Schools, and at least National Blue Ribbon Finalists. They have excellent API scores and all three have vast AP classes and all three are IB (International Baccalaureate) world schools, the highest and most advanced program a high school can offer, and are three of only 180 in the USA and Canada to offer it. This is a testament to the excellent students and education provided in Mission Viejo. If you want good schools, Mission Viejo defiantly has it and I don't think many districts except Irvine Unified and Placentia Yorba Unified compare. Traffic in Mission Viejo is getting worse, but it is a trade off to a beautiful place with great weather. The longest drive in twenty minutes from the north end of the city, eight miles south to the city border. Commutes to the freeway are only ten minutes at most. Ont he freeway, which is backed up at peak hours, it can get frustrating. We don't have to use the freeway as our jobs are close by in Irvine and we can take city streets. Our longest commute is thirty minutes to work. If you work farther than Irvine, then expect a long drive because the freeway is super slow during traffic times. Otherwise, we don't have to go on the freeway that often at peak times. When we go to visit family, friends, Disneyland, sporting events, ect.. on the weekend and go on the freeway we don't usually run into traffic. I think traffic is worse in northern Orange County, but we only go there on occasion so it doesn't really effect us. I hope you won't stereotype Orange County because of what people think all Orange County people are like. Yes, it is expensive to live here, but just because it is doesn't give those that can't afford it the right to call those that can "soulless snobs." Yes, many people drive expensive cars here but they are minuscule to the normal Toyota, Honda, and Chevrolet that makes up the majority of cars. Given this is the largest market for cars in the USA and this is the second largest US metropolitan area, don't you think there would be more expensive cars here than other areas? If people have to move because this is an expensive place, that is totally understandable and I support you, but to cover that up with reasons like "the people are snobs" then I suggest you go to Santa Ana and look at the majority of the county. Yes, there are rich areas with rich people, but that doesn't mean they are snobs! I know people at church and have friends who have opened their home to homeless people, housed missionaries from third world countries, worked in soup kitchens at Christmas, and held fund raisers for charities. Some on the board may call them "snobs" because the can afford and do drive a nice car like a Mercedes Benz yet they are housing a family stranded from the hurricane in New Orleans? Does their nice car make them a snob. I think it is the actions that count, but some people are so obsessed with what others can afford and have that they become jealous and start calling someone a snob just because they live in "that neighborhood" or have "that car" or "that purse," ect.. Many haven't even talked to someone before they decide they are a snob based on appearance. I think you will like Mission Viejo, it is a welcoming community of people and if you look in the new neighborhood of Ladera Ranch you will find many new and young families who will have you over for diner and have a cake at your doorstep the day you move in. Not all OC people are this stereotype and it is unfair to say so. Good luck with finding a place to live and hopefully we'll see you around Mission Viejo!

[RobE]

Dude, how can you feel like a second class citizen in Newport for having a Mexican wife? I see a lot of racial intermarriage in OC (in fact, even among Korean-Americans and hispanics despite the supposed Korean xenophobia) and nobody cares. They night be staring at your wife because she's hot. Or they're thinking, "how did a hot chick like her end up with HIM?" Or you are looking to be a victim.


As for OC deteriorating, yep, that is true. Could be at least partially solved if we dealt firmly with the illegal alien issue, but that is a topic for another thread.

[Aunt Wonnie]

Make sure it's a really GOOD job opportunity, and a really SURE one. You don't want to ever find yourself unemployed in Southern CA.

There are still some nice, normal, unaugmented people there (my family, anyway). To check out some home prices in "livable" areas, go to realtor.com or another site where you can access the MLS and try Yorba Linda, Brea, or Fullerton, which has the award-winning Troy High School Troy High School Unfortunately, these are to the north end of Orange County. If you lived in Murrieta or Temecula you could enjoy a lovely, large new home, but you wouldn't spend much time there as you'd again be trapped on the freeways. The Santa Ana Mountains separate Riverside and Orange Counties, and if you take that Ortega Canyon twisty loop-back carnival ride as a shortcut, be prepared for carsickness. There is no way to get out of traffic; there is no decent public transportation that goes where you need to go; and while residents point to the arts and culture that So Cal so abounds with, you can't absorb it while sitting in your car unless you're tuned to classical music on the radio.

Others have posted on similar threads about living in mobile homes in So Cal, and condos are certainly available, but it's a big adjustment for a family to downsize so hugely. Maybe you could be really lucky and find a short-sale or fixer-upper. Maybe you could work from home a few days a week, or schedule your hours to off-peak traffic times (I don't know when "off-peak" is!!!). Just make sure you have a really reliable, livable car!

[AmyM]

I moved to Newport Beach this year in Jan. and I love it. I don't get what all the complaining is about?
Yes there are alot of fake people here, but that can be found anywhere. And I would know, I've lived in 5 countries and Newport Beach has been my favorite place to live (apart from Vancouver, BC).
And just to clarify, I'm not materialistic nor am I a fake blonde. In fact I'm Asian Indian and my husband is white, we have not had anybody stare at us in a rude way nor have we been treated differently.
Maybe we've just been lucky and haven't met people like that yet as I'm sure there are, but then again that can exist anywhere in the world. It could also be that I'm 25 and my husband's 28 so we meet mostly younger people who may think differently than the older generation.
I think if you want to live here, there's an element of being used to being around rich people (not to be taken in a bad sense), and being able to put up with expensive cars and designer handbags, but some of these people are really nice people (not all of them of course).
Newport Beach isn't perfect, but I have to defend it as I don't think it's as 'bad' as it is made out to be by some people.

[rockx]

I can't speak for the Asians in OC, but I can say that hispanics (proper american hispanics) are being discriminated against.