Moving from Seattle to OC (Los Angeles, San Francisco: real estate, affordable apartment, foreclosure)

[happ]

Originally Posted by cabolissa

I'm talking about the vivid green in the Pacific Northwest which assists their air quality. And I refer to the fact that California is facing the most significant water crisis in its history. If you haven't noticed, our fire seasons worsen every year... On my drive home from Irvine to RSM (on the 241 South) I pass a couple patches of orange groves, but most of the mountains (Saddleback) are covered by dry beige brush (all burned out last year). Unless you're up in the mountains (not OC, but Arrowhead, Big Bear, etc), you're not surrounded by green. This is a Mediterranean climate evidenced by chaparral in California. As compared with Seattle being in a Pacific temperate rain forests ecoregion.

I see your point & have been very impressed by the beautiful terrain of Seattle. It's almost like a fantasy "post card" of a far away land. But the lack of sunny days puts a cloud cover over the Sound & citizens. They get so much rain that we so desperately need. I am very worried if this winter is dry & warm like it was in 2005 [LA had less than 5" rainfall . The hillsides are dusty & thirsty. I was mainly referring to yards & gardens around town [palms especially].

[happ]

Originally Posted by dockj

What part of OC do you live in? Is it that community that doesn't have a small town feel? Or all communities in general? That's one of the reasons I want to move to San Clemente because I liked that feel and Seattle has lost it over the last couple of years in areas like Ballard, which were sort of the last areas in the city to retain the small town feel.

San Clemente is a good choice. Small enough that you would run into friends in the market but with first-class restaurants & close to Dana Pt\ Laguna Beach for fun. The beach is fantastic in San Clemente & often has the warmest ocean temps. Pretty safe & pretty expensive.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by happ

San Clemente is a good choice. Small enough that you would run into friends in the market but with first-class restaurants & close to Dana Pt\ Laguna Beach for fun. The beach is fantastic in San Clemente & often has the warmest ocean temps. Pretty safe & pretty expensive.

Any other communities that might offer the same, but not so expensive? I'm not sure about the job thing yet, but hoping my doctorate will pay off in terms of landing a decent job.

[happ]

Originally Posted by dockj

Any other communities that might offer the same, but not so expensive? I'm not sure about the job thing yet, but hoping my doctorate will pay off in terms of landing a decent job.

Maybe San Juan Capistrano but not by much. You could consider Temecula but it is very hot during summer.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by happ

Maybe San Juan Capistrano but not by much. You could consider Temecula but it is very hot during summer.

Thanks. I was curious about San Juan Capistrano. I'll have to do a little research.

[happ]

Originally Posted by dockj

Thanks. I was curious about San Juan Capistrano. I'll have to do a little research.

It's a beautiful & historic town. But to be honest, southern Orange County is pretty expensive everywhere [just a little less so well inland like Lake Elsinore\ Murrieta, etc.]. A PhD will provide you a good salary anywhere in California.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by happ

It's a beautiful & historic town. But to be honest, southern Orange County is pretty expensive everywhere [just a little less so well inland like Lake Elsinore\ Murrieta, etc.]. A PhD will provide you a good salary anywhere in California.

Thanks. That's what I've been told, about salary; but before school I worked in restaurants and I'm still in that 'just enough to get by' mentality. Seattle is just as expensive as SoCal, so I'm hoping that eases it all a little, especially with the additional income I should be making.

[slang75]

Originally Posted by dockj

Thanks. That's what I've been told, about salary; but before school I worked in restaurants and I'm still in that 'just enough to get by' mentality. Seattle is just as expensive as SoCal, so I'm hoping that eases it all a little, especially with the additional income I should be making.

I like Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed to do city to city comparisons. You really have to narrow down by city in OC. Comparing the city of Seattle with So Cal won't tell you how much different the cost of living is. This is a huge county and very diverse in all respects. I would use Anaheim as your "Seattle" down here. Similar population, housing prices, crime rate and cost living. It might help you figure out what you can afford in the higher and lower end areas in your budget.

San Juan Capistrano, for instance, is about a 60% higher cost of living than Seattle.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by slang75

I like Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed to do city to city comparisons. You really have to narrow down by city in OC. Comparing the city of Seattle with So Cal won't tell you how much different the cost of living is. This is a huge county and very diverse in all respects. I would use Anaheim as your "Seattle" down here. Similar population, housing prices, crime rate and cost living. It might help you figure out what you can afford in the higher and lower end areas in your budget.

San Juan Capistrano, for instance, is about a 60% higher cost of living than Seattle.

If you are not planning on buying a home, there is not that much of a difference overall. If you are planning on buying a home, then there's a difference, but it's like comparing apples to oranges since there is no comparison of cost of square footage. Seattle homes are typically much much smaller with very little yard. We even have condos in the cheap parts of town for $700k for about 1100 sq. feet. I guess it's all how you look at it. There are other considerations as well, such as school district, quality of life overall, crime rate and the like. In order to get the quality I want, even here I would have to move to a different area that would be about equal to San Juan Capistrano, but much less affordable apartments or condos.

[dockj]

Another cost of living website that compares OC to Seattle has OC with a lower cost of living by 2.3%.
The real comparison would have to be King County to Orange County, which are about the same in many of different respects. King County overall, would definitely have the higher cost of living between the two. One cost of living website actually says that $100000 in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area (equal to Orange County), is $84000 in Orange County.

So, I think the cost of living overall is going to be about equal. Naturally, some places will be more expensive than others. True in Seattle and in Orange County overall.