Irvine or Aliso Viejo? (Orange, Mission Viejo: house, rent, work)

[Joana]

I could really some input...

I currently live in Irvine with my husband and son, and we like it a lot. My husband's work is 5 minutes from our apartment (seriously, he can ride his bike to work if he wants) and there's a lot I can do around here without having to use the car: pick up my son from school, go to several different parks, the community pool, and grocery shopping.

But we have been talking about moving to a bigger place, maybe a house, with 3 bedrooms and a small yard. So we started looking and we found a beautiful place in Aliso Viejo. But I don't know the city like I know Irvine, so I've been trying to collect any info I can get.

For instance, I noticed that there aren't community pools there and not so many parks either... plus I would have to do absolutely everything with the car - also because I can't picture myself pushing a stroller up the hill! And the distance from there to Disneyland is also going to increase...

If there are other SAHMs here - that happen to live in Aliso - could you tell me if this impression is true? And if it is, is it something you get used to eventually?

Would you rather stay in Irvine in a smaller apartment or go to Aliso and live in a bigger house?

[missionhome]

What are the cross streets or the community name for the house you are considering in Aliso Viejo? Also you should definitely make a visit if you haven't seeming as Aliso Viejo is only like 15 minutes away. Getting into a house sure would be nice, but you have to decide if it is worth the move and if you really want that space. How does your son feel about it? Is he going to be moving away from life long friends or does he not want to leave? Also, Aliso Viejo's schools are probably going to be a notch below the outstanding Irvine schools.

[califantastic]

Aliso Viejo is beautiful, boring, and isolated.

Irvine is ugly, central, and has plenty to do.

What is more important to you?

[Joana]

Thanks for the opinions...

The cross streets are Pacifica Park and Chase.

But in answer to the last question, I think being central and having plenty to do is more important! Plus, I don't think Irvine is that ugly!

[momandwifefromcali]

Originally Posted by Joana

Thanks for the opinions...
The cross streets are Pacifica Park and Chase.
But in answer to the last question, I think being central and having plenty to do is more important! Plus, I don't think Irvine is that ugly!

Hello Joana,
We live in Aliso Viejo for the last 4 years, we have two kids and we are renting at the moment. WE LOVE IT HERE!!!! My husband lived all his life in Irvine and he prefers Aliso Viejo by far! I fell in love with this city since the moment we arrived. I wouldn't move anywhere else.
Schools are great! There are parks everywhere!!!! So many!!! And there is many many activities for the kids. The only time I ever leave Aliso is to go to Trader Joe's in Mission Viejo. Other than that, I have everything I need here.

Good luck on your decision, again.... WE LOVE ALISO!!!

[missionhome]

What would be the nearest park to her cross streets though? Canyon View Park is probably the closest but looks a little far. I would say there is everything you need pretty much in the Aliso area. There is a lot in the Town Center and a lot in the Laguna Niguel Marketplace which is like right on the city border. Costco is close, WalMart, Movie Theaters, Target etc... are all right there. The MV Freeway Center is close and the malls aren't far either. I can't think of anything you would need from Irvine, South Orange County has become pretty self contained.

[Joana]

Originally Posted by momandwifefromcali

Hello Joana,
We live in Aliso Viejo for the last 4 years, we have two kids and we are renting at the moment. WE LOVE IT HERE!!!! My husband lived all his life in Irvine and he prefers Aliso Viejo by far! I fell in love with this city since the moment we arrived. I wouldn't move anywhere else.
Schools are great! There are parks everywhere!!!! So many!!! And there is many many activities for the kids. The only time I ever leave Aliso is to go to Trader Joe's in Mission Viejo. Other than that, I have everything I need here.

Good luck on your decision, again.... WE LOVE ALISO!!!

I kinda wish now I had talked to you sooner then, cause we decided to pass on that house a couple of days ago. It's nice to hear from somebody who has kids and that really know the city. And again, it's not that I didn't like what I saw of Aliso - I did, quite a bit - but it is very convenient to me, right now, to have lots to do at walking distance. And now, with the summer right around the corner, it's really nice to be able to take my 3-year-old son to the pool at a moment's notice, you know?

Anyway, thank you all again for your inputs. I'll make sure to go to Aliso more often now, to get to know the area better...so next time a good opportunity comes, I'll be more familiar with the surroundings!

[jdenver]

Joana, this area in Irvine sounds great! I also love to be able to walk and not have to drive everywhere. Right now I live downtown Denver and I will miss being able to walk everywhere when we move. What area of Irvine do you live in? We have been looking at new home communities like woodbury, central park west,...any recommendations? Can you tell me more about Irvine? I have read about the school system and it seems it is awesome, but what is Irvine like? In another post I read that some of the communities have HOA's that will call you on anything. I understand that as homeowners we need to maintain our properties but I think sometimes it can be a little too much. I would not like to live in a community like that. Any input would be very helpful.

[Joana]

The area I live in right now is called Oak Creek. It's really nice and new, full of parks, pools and shopping. And also close to some major freeways. Woodbury is nice too, VERY new (there are new communities everyday), but more expensive. But from what I know of Woodbury, there are lots of shopping, parks and pools too. Woodbridge is a very nice neighborhood as well, although a little bit older (but the whole city of Irvine is 36-years-old, so we're not talking REALLY old here!): it has 22 pools, A LOT of parks, and 2 lakes that are VERY nice! Honestly, I could go on and on, cause I like most of the city. The 2 neighborhoods I can say I don't like - and the first one is for NO particular reason other than I find it ugly - are Orange Tree and Deerfield.

I can not help you much about the HOA's that will call you on everything, though. I have heard of that once, but I don't know if there are some communities that are better in that aspect. Maybe another person here can tell you more about this.

If there are any other more specific questions that you might have, I'll be glad to answer...if I can!

[Victorian4Us]

Originally Posted by Joana

The area I live in right now is called Oak Creek. It's really nice and new, full of parks, pools and shopping. And also close to some major freeways. Woodbury is nice too, VERY new (there are new communities everyday), but more expensive. But from what I know of Woodbury, there are lots of shopping, parks and pools too. Woodbridge is a very nice neighborhood as well, although a little bit older (but the whole city of Irvine is 36-years-old, so we're not talking REALLY old here!): it has 22 pools, A LOT of parks, and 2 lakes that are VERY nice! Honestly, I could go on and on, cause I like most of the city. The 2 neighborhoods I can say I don't like - and the first one is for NO particular reason other than I find it ugly - are Orange Tree and Deerfield.

I can not help you much about the HOA's that will call you on everything, though. I have heard of that once, but I don't know if there are some communities that are better in that aspect. Maybe another person here can tell you more about this.

If there are any other more specific questions that you might have, I'll be glad to answer...if I can!

My first home was in Orange Tree. It is a smaller village in Irvine. It was very nice and quiet at one time, but like all of Irvine, it's become crowded and has an overrun feeling. The patio home we bought in 1985 for $150,000 is now selling for $444,000. So, Irvine does have its advantages. Lots of people want to live here. We are, once again, the Safest City in California.

We now live in Deerfield, which is not ugly. Deerfield has large single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments. Don't like to bash apartment dwellers, but they don't belong near single family residences. Too much traffic and noise. But I would prefer an older home here in Irvine to an newer one...larger lots and much larger rooms in the homes. We have a little more space here in Deerfield to breathe. You can't beat an association fee of $65.00 a month either.

All of Irvine is very well-kept. It's just gotten very "large". Too many people. But it is a great place for young families. Lots of activities for the kids.

As I once read in a Dean Koontz (he lives in Newport) novel, "the exhaustively planned city of Irvine..." He's not kidding...

The most beautiful area of Irvine is Turtle Rock. Expensive homes in the hills. Very lovely.

I've lived off and in Irvine for almost 30 years. The most important thing about Irvine is the feeling of safety. I don't send my 12 yro or 15 yro to the schools. They attend parochial schools down in south county, but I know the schools here are considered some of the best in the state.

All that being said, I'm running for some land in Texas when my kids graduate from high school. By that time, Irvine will have completely lost the charm it once had for me.