Best Place to live for families, with Irvine job (San Diego: wood floors, bank owned)

[kdjack]

Hi, my husband is considering a job in Irvine (92612) and I'm wondering where the best places to live are. We have 3 children, 2 school aged, so schools are very important to me. I would love to buy a home (need 4 beds) but will consider renting. I just don't want to have to rent for a year and then move to another community and pull the kids from school (my oldest has already changed schools 4 times and he's only in 4th grade.) We are coming from Switzerland, so should be prepared for the cost of living, but have little opportunity to drive around and "visit" the various areas. I don't know about a budget yet either, but am guessing, we need to stay under 650-700K for a home. Finally, I don't know how far you can go and have a reasonable commute (I mean 45 min or less!) I saw an area called Chino Hills which seems to have good schools and a lower home cost, but at 30 min. without traffic, I don't know if it's too far or even if it's a decent area. (Yes, I know it isn't in OC.) Thanks in advance for all your info!

[bhcompy]

Chino Hills is too far from Irvine.

I would look in Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, etc.. Close or neighboring cities.

If you wanted to add some more areas, you could utilize the toll road system, which rarely has traffic, but it is fairly expensive for daily use. That would add Santiago Canyon, Anaheim Hills, (eastern) Yorba Linda.

Your price would fit housing in most of those areas given the market.

You could probably get a little more with some extra drive from western OC as well. Areas like Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Cypress, western Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and parts of Huntington Beach and Westminster have good schools, older homes(70s era typically), bigger yards(than south OC), and would be 30-45min commute.

I would only suggest living outside of Irvine and the surrounding areas if you end up not liking the area to live in or if you have special needs that need to be met.

[missionhome]

We have good value for your money in Mission Viejo right now. You can easily get a nice home, good schools, and be about 20-30 minutes from work in the UCI area.
Samples in Mission Viejo:
Pacific Hills neighborhood, 2880 sq. ft, 4 beds, spa, newer, granite, 3 car garage, Bathgate Elementary (10/10), Newhart Middle (8/10), Capistrano Valley High (9/10).
27087 Pacific Terrace Dr, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information

Open floor plan, wood floors, newer, 2,200 sq. ft, 4 bed, Motevideo Elementary (8/10), La Paz Intermediate (9/10), and Trabuco Hills High (9/10).
21191 Ponderosa, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information

Remodeled home in Central Mission Viejo, 2,400 sq. ft, nice Spanish style, 4 beds, views, nice backyard, Cordillera Elementary (9/10), La Paz Intermediate (9/10), and Mission Viejo High (9/10).
26615 Tampico Pl, Mission Viejo, CA | California Real Estate | Listing Information

Just some suggestions. Best of luck!!

[kdjack]

Thanks for the replies. I've been reading some of the other posts, trying to get a feel for the neighborgoods. I'm originally from the midwest so I am amazed by the size of the lots, and even the size of the homes. I'm used to this in Switzerland (rental properties are usually small with a small yard, or none at all) but can't wait to move back to a "real house." If we were to move in the next 6 mos., how likely are we to break even on a home in 5 years? I'm not saying we would choose to move, but we've been following my husband's job for 8 years already and the vast majority of employers tend to be either San Diego, San Fran, or East coast (pharma.) I want to be prepared if he decides to look elsewhere after several years.

Also, on a side, what do people do with there dogs? I have a golden, and I keep looking at these yards that are basically cement, or almost non-existent, and can't figure out if the dogs like to go outside? Again, thanks for the help!

[bhcompy]

in the current market there is no telling if you will "break even". prices in well to do OC areas arent slipping as much as they are in the inland empire, but they're still slipping.

as far as dogs, find an older home. older the home, better the chance for a bigger back yard with real grass for the most part. that said, there are plenty of dog owners around eventhough a lot of the homes dont even have real yards for the dogs to play in.

[Coldjensens]

The shorter your commute, the happier you will be. Try to stay within a couple of miles of work if you can. Most communities in southern OC are pretty much the same. Why commute to somewhere that is just like a place that is closer?

Big dogs need less room than small dogs becuase they are less energetic. What people do it take their dogs for walks, take them to dog parks, or in the winter take them to the beach. (Some beaches still allow dogs in the winter. Huntington has a dog beach where you can let your dog off leash to play in the sand or surf).

Irvine, Mission Viejo, Tustin, all have decent public schools, low crime and loads of homes in your price range. Depending on where you are you could also look at Santa Ana Heights (they may have been annexed into Newport Beach, not sure whether that ever happened). You could also look at Silverado canyon, a small villiage in a Canyon in the Cleveland national forest. Tiny yards, but who cares when the National forest adjoins your back yard?

[homesbyarea]

Originally Posted by kdjack

Hi, my husband is considering a job in Irvine (92612) and I'm wondering where the best places to live are. We have 3 children, 2 school aged, so schools are very important to me. I would love to buy a home (need 4 beds) but will consider renting. I just don't want to have to rent for a year and then move to another community and pull the kids from school (my oldest has already changed schools 4 times and he's only in 4th grade.) We are coming from Switzerland, so should be prepared for the cost of living, but have little opportunity to drive around and "visit" the various areas. I don't know about a budget yet either, but am guessing, we need to stay under 650-700K for a home. Finally, I don't know how far you can go and have a reasonable commute (I mean 45 min or less!) I saw an area called Chino Hills which seems to have good schools and a lower home cost, but at 30 min. without traffic, I don't know if it's too far or even if it's a decent area. (Yes, I know it isn't in OC.) Thanks in advance for all your info!

Visit my web site and I can provide free real estate reports on neighborhoods and city reports. You will find my reports very useful. Up on your request I can set up the search on our web to send you REO properties (Bank Owned Real Estate) To have access to these properties you must email us making this request to homesbyarea@gmail.com. It is free
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[omalley_fam]

Wow, I could have written the OP. Except I'm moving from the midwest. I have a great backyard, which the dog loves, and I'm not going have a chance to look much at houses before we move.

Please, more responses.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

The shorter your commute, the happier you will be. Try to stay within a couple of miles of work if you can. Most communities in southern OC are pretty much the same. Why commute to somewhere that is just like a place that is closer?

Big dogs need less room than small dogs becuase they are less energetic. What people do it take their dogs for walks, take them to dog parks, or in the winter take them to the beach. (Some beaches still allow dogs in the winter. Huntington has a dog beach where you can let your dog off leash to play in the sand or surf).

Irvine, Mission Viejo, Tustin, all have decent public schools, low crime and loads of homes in your price range. Depending on where you are you could also look at Santa Ana Heights (they may have been annexed into Newport Beach, not sure whether that ever happened). You could also look at Silverado canyon, a small villiage in a Canyon in the Cleveland national forest. Tiny yards, but who cares when the National forest adjoins your back yard?

Great advice from Coldj.

Many of the masterplanned areas in South County are designed to provide community spaces for dogs, kids, etc. to take the place of the larger backyards most eastern suburbanites are used to. If a larger lot is important to you, in OC You can find larger lots in older neighborhoods, but you end up with all kinds of other tradeoffs. Or you can look more inland and you will pay less dollars for your house, but have a much longer commute. But usually the So Cal idea of a "large Yard" will be a joke to an easterner.

Lastly, One area that has not been mentioned is Yorba Linda/Anaheim Hills. If you are willing to pay the $5 toll (each way) you can get from these areas to Irvine in 15 minutes using the 241 toll road. The friends I have in these areas seem to have larger lots & houses then what I've seen closer to the coast.

Its all about trade offs. Good Luck!

[monique=)]

My name is Monique. I‘m an 18 year-old girl from Germany. Before applying for university I‘d like to visit the United States. I like getting to know other cultures and I hope to improve my English. Therefore I‘m looking for an host family. In return I could work as an au pair, or pay for the lodging. And of course you can always come to our apartments in Germany. If you are intrested (and you want more information) or if you know someone who could help me please write me a short answer. My e-mail adress is : st-monique@web.de Thank you!!!