The rundown of OC (Long Beach, Orange: homes, neighborhood, earthquake)

[ocexpo]

Originally Posted by whitechocolate86

Well, maybe when it goes down further...I'll buy a house there...are there nice houses that aren't in a wildfire hazard zone?

They [Laguna Beach] have a huge threat for landslides due to their questionable building strategies in the 1930's and 1940's (homes on very steep hillsides that are composed of a lot of unstable sand instead of soil). You can truly get the BEST view of the ocean in this city if that is what you are looking for.

[ocexpo]

Also, when I say "$80K+", I mean $80K all the way up to extreme wealth.

[Coldjensens]

Like most OC residents you know nothing about Santa Ana. You can hardly be faulted for that. Most OC residents are afraid of the City because of the well deserved reputation that it had in the 1980s and never venture into the city except a quick pass through with the doors locked the whole time. Even many people who work there never venture outside their locked and secured office to explore the city. It is not filled with illegal immigrants. It is filled with immigrants. Most are legal immigrants at least in our experience.

Your description fits Santa Ana in the 1980s and is still applicable to some parts of the City now. However that kind of gross generalization about a city of this size is, like most gross generalizations, incorrect.

Parts of Santa Ana are as nice or nicer than parts of any adjoining or nearby cities. Further, there are good schools in Santa Ana, you just have to look for them. In fact, the third or fourth best rated high school in Orange County is in Santa Ana (OCHSA). There are decent elementary schools and jr. high schools as well, but that takes a little more hunting. Just becuase there are a lot of horrid schools, does not mean that the entire district is horrible. There are some good schools at every level, as well as some awesome private schools (Mater Dei for example).

Likewise there are some great places to dine, shop, golf, hike, etc in Santa Ana. I always found Main Place mall to be far more pleasant than insanley crowded and pushy South Coast Plaza, or the ultra pretentious Fashion Island; and it has all the stores that I need. (It could use a movie theater though).

Your income levels are not even in the ballpark. With a family income of three times your typical income level, we could nto afford a house in most orange county communities, but then you are probably assuming that everyone has no kids. We initially chose a house in Santa ANa because it was affordable. after living there for a few years, we came to love the City is has a lot to offer. It took a while to get over the inherent prejudices, but eventually we were interoduced to a lively and exciting culture. Having moved ot an all white commuity, we find advantages here, but cannot help but conclude that many white people tend to be uptight and stuffy. We often miss our hispanic nieghbors.

[Coldjensens]

The descripotion of Newport Beach is also a gross generalization. You do describe inland Newport accurately, but Balboa villiage is a different place altogether. IN the winter, it is a small town atmosphere, occupied by nice friendly people. The true locals are terrific. IN the summer it is a bit of a nightmare.

[ocexpo]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Like most OC residents you know nothing about Santa Ana. You can hardly be faulted for that. Most OC residents are afraid of the City because of the well deserved reputation that it had in the 1980s and never venture into the city except a quick pass through with the doors locked the whole time. Even many people who work there never venture outside their locked and secured office to explore the city. It is not filled with illegal immigrants. It is filled with immigrants. Most are legal immigrants at least in our experience.

Your description fits Santa Ana in the 1980s and is still applicable to some parts of the City now. However that kind of gross generalization about a city of this size is, like most gross generalizations, incorrect.

Parts of Santa Ana are as nice or nicer than parts of any adjoining or nearby cities. Further, there are good schools in Santa Ana, you just have to look for them. In fact, the third or fourth best rated high school in Orange County is in Santa Ana (OCHSA). There are decent elementary schools and jr. high schools as well, but that takes a little more hunting. Just becuase there are a lot of horrid schools, does not mean that the entire district is horrible. There are some good schools at every level, as well as some awesome private schools (Mater Dei for example).

Likewise there are some great places to dine, shop, golf, hike, etc in Santa Ana. I always found Main Place mall to be far more pleasant than insanley crowded and pushy South Coast Plaza, or the ultra pretentious Fashion Island; and it has all the stores that I need. (It could use a movie theater though).

Your income levels are not even in the ballpark. With a family income of three times your typical income level, we could nto afford a house in most orange county communities, but then you are probably assuming that everyone has no kids. We initially chose a house in Santa ANa because it was affordable. after living there for a few years, we came to love the City is has a lot to offer. It took a while to get over the inherent prejudices, but eventually we were interoduced to a lively and exciting culture. Having moved ot an all white commuity, we find advantages here, but cannot help but conclude that many white people tend to be uptight and stuffy. We often miss our hispanic nieghbors.

The only part of Santa Ana worthy of any praise is northern Floral Park. The PUBLIC schools are awful, All of them are.

And Newport's description is not wrong, it is the city in GENERAL. Geez, you people expect a street by street analysis of every city. I am giving you the general flavor of these places, not saying "well PCH from Dover to Jamboree is a little more down to earth than Jamboree to Macarthur." I think I was pretty fair and accurate in my descriptions, and I was being frankly honest before one of you convince an unsuspecting homebuyer to put an offer in on a house in Santa Ana and ruin their lives because you are boasting the city as some mecca of perfection when, frankly, it is not.

[bhcompy]

floral park isnt the only nice area. as far as newport, you just need to describe the major areas, and balboa is definitely a major area worth mentioning because it has some large differences from typical newport. you dissect some other cities(like mentioning the nice/new area of brea) in your rundown, but not others, so i would say its not a big deal to say that balboa is a quaint old beachtown district in newport

[Coldjensens]

Balboa is not a street, it is a place. Balboa is actually a villiage within the City of Newport Beach. It even has its own post office. (Don't remember if the zip code is different). It is very different from the rest of Newport Beach, especially in the winter. Corona Del Mar is also a seperate place that I ithnk is part of Newport Beach, maybe it is seperate, I am not certain, but I think it is part of Newport. CDM is not really all that different from the rest of Newport though except the really really really rich people live in CDM.

Lots of nice areas in santa Ana. Quite a few good schools too.

The entire south coast metro area is pretty nice, Sandpointe is nice, Park Santigo is nice, French Park, Washington Square and Wilshre Square are all pretty nice if you have a modicrum of tolerance. West Floral Park is not bad, there is a decent small neighborhood just north of Floral Park that I cannot rememebr the name. There is a nice neighborhood on the North East side of Santa Ana that is good (I cannot remember the name). I could go into another half dozen or so but I would have to look them up to rememeber the names of the areas.

John Muir elementary is a decent school. OCHSA is excellent. Segerstrom High is good. Villa middle school is a good school. There is another good middle school that I cannot remember the name of, it is generally considered a bit better than Villa (MacArthur maybe?). Wherever Bob Rankin is currently the principal is probably a good school, or it is becomming one if the teachers and board are supporting him. Some Santa ana residents can go to Tustin schools which are good. There is a good elementary school in Floral Park. I am missing a few others. I do not know whether the OSHA feeder elementary ever opened or whether it is any fgood. They planned ot make it a good school. There are aslo some good private schools in and around Santa Ana.

I forgot, Middle College is also very good.

[bhcompy]

balboa is indeed a seperate zip. 92662 i believe. 92660 is standard newport

as far as santa ana, ive always liked the area around saddleback hs. no idea what thats called, but its nice and quiet

[whitechocolate86]

Originally Posted by ocexpo

They [Laguna Beach] have a huge threat for landslides due to their questionable building strategies in the 1930's and 1940's (homes on very steep hillsides that are composed of a lot of unstable sand instead of soil). You can truly get the BEST view of the ocean in this city if that is what you are looking for.

If one buys a home that was built in the 30's and 40's...doesn't that make earthquake insurance more affordable and other home owner's insurance because the property has weathered the elements for so long? All in all, if I can ever afford property in SOCAL, it probably wouldn't be laguna beach...as long as it is a far drive from the beach...that is what would be cool for me

[Soccersupporter]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Balboa is not a street, it is a place. Balboa is actually a villiage within the City of Newport Beach. It even has its own post office. (Don't remember if the zip code is different). It is very different from the rest of Newport Beach, especially in the winter. Corona Del Mar is also a seperate place that I ithnk is part of Newport Beach, maybe it is seperate, I am not certain, but I think it is part of Newport. CDM is not really all that different from the rest of Newport though except the really really really rich people live in CDM.

Lots of nice areas in santa Ana. Quite a few good schools too.

The entire south coast metro area is pretty nice, Sandpointe is nice, Park Santigo is nice, French Park, Washington Square and Wilshre Square are all pretty nice if you have a modicrum of tolerance. West Floral Park is not bad, there is a decent small neighborhood just north of Floral Park that I cannot rememebr the name. There is a nice neighborhood on the North East side of Santa Ana that is good (I cannot remember the name). I could go into another half dozen or so but I would have to look them up to rememeber the names of the areas.

John Muir elementary is a decent school. OCHSA is excellent. Segerstrom High is good. Villa middle school is a good school. There is another good middle school that I cannot remember the name of, it is generally considered a bit better than Villa (MacArthur maybe?). Wherever Bob Rankin is currently the principal is probably a good school, or it is becomming one if the teachers and board are supporting him. Some Santa ana residents can go to Tustin schools which are good. There is a good elementary school in Floral Park. I am missing a few others. I do not know whether the OSHA feeder elementary ever opened or whether it is any fgood. They planned ot make it a good school. There are aslo some good private schools in and around Santa Ana.

I forgot, Middle College is also very good.

Boy did that post bring back memories. Sandpointe Park is where I hung out in HS with all my friends many moons ago.

The elementary school down from OCHSA is open. My daughter went to OCHSA from 7th to 1st semester of her junior year. It is much better than any other Santa Ana HS but the enrollment is from mostly outside of Santa Ana. It is a great arts school and a charter school which affords then the ability to run independent of the SAUSD.

Santa Ana has many pockets of good neighborhoods, the schools in general are under performing schools unfortunately but there are good schools in Santa Ana also like most SoCal communities.