What is Costa Mesa's Destiny? (Santa Ana, Anaheim: real estate, apartment complexes, renting)

[ineedsleep]

Hello all,

I've been living in Costa Mesa and saving up to someday buy a house in this city. Prices are falling and that someday seems to be coming soon. A few people have brought up concerns that the city is destined to become a Santa Ana , Anaheim , or Garden Grove. I really hope this is untrue, but from where I live ( Wilson & Harbor area ) I can't help but somewhat agree with them.

From driving around and researching the "problem areas" of the city, they all seem to have one thing in common in the area... High density , low cost Apartment complexes.

I'm looking to stay in the house I buy for at least 7 years when I believe the market will start to climb again and then turn it over for hopefully a profit. I want to stay away from these problem areas. My question is two parts...

1) In a built up city such as Costa Mesa, Can these problem areas expand without the city rezoning for high density ?

2) From looking here : http://www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us/depar...ning%20Map.pdf it looks as if Costa mesa is rezoning alot more medium and high density residential areas.... does this automatically mean more problems? Or can certain styles of high density ( I.e Urban lofts ) actually be beneficial for surrounding property values ?

Facts are nice, but opinions in regards to the future of Costa Mesa are welcomed as well.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Living where you do, I'd say its already Garden Grove, on its way to Santa Ana. The problem with Costa Mesa is that it looks like there's no zoning or planning of any kind. Look at a city like Fountain Valley that's master planned. You have commercial areas, residential areas, and industrial areas. Costa Mesa has everything mixed in haphazardly so you have crappy apartments full of illegals right across the street from $400k houses, all bordering high-traffic commercial. So I'd say its a tough place to get a house that's not too near something undesirable. Your best bet is probably the far eastern edge that borders Newport Beach. And yes, problem areas can expand without rezoning. Take single family homes, put three families in them, and presto! You're living in Santa Ana. Costa Mesa is already a very crowded city with lots of traffic. I don't see high density urban lofts doing anything to reverse that. People are still going to have cars. There will just be more people per square foot of Earth.

[killer2021]

I personally believe there is a DIRECT correlation between real estate prices and the people who live there compared to neighboring areas. If the real estate prices are low compared to neighboring areas then that means there is less demand for those homes compared to the higher priced ones. Generally these areas attract certain types of people - mainly the poor. The poor bring many problems with them which are: increased crime, low respect for their area (shown in low school performance), and overcrowding.

Compare that to the areas that are higher price which is usually where the rich and affluent will live. These areas have very good performing schools, low crime and often the people who live here have a high sense of respect for their surroundings.

Just look at this map:

Orange County Home Prices and Heat Map

Notice that Santa ana, garden grove, anaheim all have low real estate prices compared to Newport coast, laguna beach, and Yorba Linda. Now just look at costa mesa which seems to be in the middle, not low real estate prices but not high prices. I am sure costa mesa is heading in the direction of a santa ana or garden grove. Matter of time if you ask me.

Right now I live in Garden grove and have lived here for nearly 20 years. When we first moved it was a decent area. We had good neighbors who kept their lawns tidy and their homes maintained. Slow but surely the trouble makers started moving in and the good neighbors eventually packed their bags and left. The people who bought these houses were scum. Both of the homes on either side of our house were sold. The neighbor on the left of us kept the house maintained (luckily). The neighbor on the right turned his home into a slum. About 10 adults live in the home with about 5-6 kids (and a new baby). Their garage was converted into a bedroom/construction shop and they have about 5-6 large trucks which always clog up the street. Their kids are ALWAYS outside screaming from about 2pm till about 10-11pm - everyday. They even have the nerve to go in the front of their lawn and spray paint cabinets!!!!!!

Then there are the punks who live across the street. When this home was sold it appears to be sold to some asian gangsters. The front lawn is completely dry, including their once beautiful rose garden which is now nothing but sticks. The police raid this home about once every 3 months, everytime hauling someone off to the slammer. It is nothing but a mess. If you can't afford to buy in the good areas, don't bother buying!!! Renting will be cheaper in the long run and save you a lot of headaches.

[Unkllars]

There seems to be a widening of the gap of nice and not so nice in Costa Mesa. It has a lot to offer with fine shops, dining, music, yet it also is influenced by surrounding cities. I don't think it is the next bad city, as it is currently the escape city from the others. Want a nicer neighborhood that is close to Santa Ana but you feel you would not like to live in Santa Ana, where do you go? You go to Costa Mesa. My uncle still enjoys his quiet, safe neighborhood off the 405 and Harbor, but other areas are becoming less desirable. You think the gap is bad here though, go and see Hollywood. Multi-million dollar mansions in one area and shootings, gangs, and ghettos in another area of it. That's where my parents lived while my dad went to dental school at USC. He's patched tubs with bullet holes and dead gypsies. Costa Mesa isn't like that.

Costa Mesa isn't particularly special by itself... but it is very close to everything that is, hence its appeal!!

[Reivax]

Born, raised and lived ~35 of my 43 years in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
Other than the fact that property prices have gone up dramatically, Costa Mesa is pretty much not changed much in my life time.
There are lots of Mexicans now and have been most of my life. If that bothers you, then I can't help you there.
Oh, and there are just as many Mexicans in apartments on East side as on West side. Don't let the guy trying to sell you his 1.5 million 1,500 sq ft box over there on Orange Ave. or Santa Ana Ave try to tell you otherwise.

The "problem areas" in Costa Mesa, are close to being memories. When I was a kid, the "freedom homes" (west of Placentia) were sketchy, pretty low budget and nowadays they are just as pricey as homes east of Newport Blvd.

Personally, I don't really know what would constitute a "problem area" in Costa Mesa. I lived for a while off 19th, close to the DMV and other than having to hear Mariachi music all day Saturday, I don't remember any problems at all. I have an aunt who lives over behind St. John the Baptist school, off Adams, about as Mexican an area as you can get, and she says nothing but nice things about her neighbors. Of course, she's near deaf and can't hear that damned Mariachi music. But you get the smell of carne asada to balance it out, I guess.

I don't see how Costa Mesa will ever be like Santa Ana.

[youngmoney]

If Costa Mesa keeps electing good leaders, like Mayor Mansour, I can ensure you that the "Mexicanization of Costa Mesa" will be perpetually stymied.