Love for oc lost

[LAMelanie]

Thats really weird, OP, because I have always found the opposite to be true. If you live in Brea you also live in north OC, which I have found to be less friendly. The most friendly place that I have lived is Newport Beach (Dover Shores area). The people are, for the most part, incredibly friendly and congenial. I think it was my favorite place to live in Orange County for that reason.

Clubs in this area vary and are always changing. There are really no "clubs" for older people because hopefully you are out doing other things at that point.

I love it here, it's my home.

[Drowningintherain2]

Originally Posted by Charles

It might be a very realistic question

Southern California real estate prices have fallen off a cliff - Los Angeles Times

Jobs go begging at Northrop Grumman in Southern California - Los Angeles Times as Northrop Grumman Job Search returned 600 engineering jobs in California.

Just curious Charles, would you consider moving back if both those criteria were met?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Drowningintherain2

Just curious Charles, would you consider moving back if both those criteria were met?

Possibly and if I really felt the job situation had stability (which isn't really that easy feel) and if I got a full relocation package and if we ended up not liking Huntsville. The big killer is both our parents still live in LA (Calabasas and Agoura Hills) and our kids are their only grandkids. Major guilt trip.

So far we like Huntsville but we've only been here four months - still a honeymoon. And we know it is extremely stable with 4500 BRAC jobs moving here between now and 2010. Forty-five hundred jobs coming to a region with less than 300,000 people is a really big deal - especially when the average salary for those jobs is $80K. Even now, before that job migration materializes, hiring managers are begging for engineers.

Huntsville is the exact opposite of Los Angeles. LA is all upper class and lower class and Huntsville is a huge middle class. Great for a 47 year old dad and stay at home mom raising four kids.

Impact of BRAC: An explosion of growth - Reports from The Huntsville Times - al.com

[flo2900]

Originally Posted by Charles

Possibly and if I really felt the job situation had stability (which isn't really that easy feel) and if I got a full relocation package and if we ended up not liking Huntsville. The big killer is both our parents still live in LA (Calabasas and Agoura Hills) and our kids are their only grandkids. Major guilt trip.

So far we like Huntsville but we've only been here four months - still a honeymoon. And we know it is extremely stable with 4500 BRAC jobs moving here between now and 2010. Forty-five hundred jobs coming to a region with less than 300,000 people is a really big deal - especially when the average salary for those jobs is $80K. Even now, before that job migration materializes, hiring managers are begging for engineers.

Huntsville is the exact opposite of Los Angeles. LA is all upper class and lower class and Huntsville is a huge middle class. Great for a 47 year old dad and stay at home mom raising four kids.

Impact of BRAC: An explosion of growth - Reports from The Huntsville Times - al.com

from LA to Alabama is quite a streach...do you really like it?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by flo2900

from LA to Alabama is quite a streach...do you really like it?

Yes we like Huntsville - very different from Alabama as a whole. Huntsville has the highest concentration of engineers of any city in the country. Lots of nerds and geeks here. But, we miss our elderly and cancer stricken parents (who we are flying out to see in a couple hours - if we aren't delayed by storms in Nashville and LA. Flying with four kids is rough.) We miss the weather and we miss the diversity of restaurants and shopping. But otherwise, everything else is better for us in Huntsville: more jobs per capita especially for engineers, no traffic, lower priced homes, variety of neighborhoods with good schools, etc. When you are raising four kids under 10 it doesn't make too much difference where you live, the activities are pretty common: birthday parties, soccer, basketball, swimming, and lacrosse leagues, playing in the street, video games, sleepovers, etc.

It's not so bad here. (Below the Hampton Cove pool and golf courses.)


Space Camp in Huntsville


Downtown Huntsville

[gscinparis]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I had never heard Irvine touted as a best place to raise a family. You Piqued my curiosity so I did some internet searches. I found a lot of lists. None included Irvine. One article wisely stated that it depends on what is important to you. The lists varied wildly. One list even included Los Angeles (but not irvine - now I woudl certianly think Irvine woudl be a better place to raise a family than LA).

Where is the best place to raise a family depends on what factors are considered. You can come out with very differnet results if you weigh factors differently or exclue some factors while including others not included. Do you want the most pediatricians per capita? Most dollars spent per studen in schools? Best test scores on the SAT or ACT? Most playgrounds or parks per capita? Most skateboard parks? Lowest crime rate? Affordable housing?

We did nto find anywhere in OC to be a good place to raise a family. You can raise good kids there (we did) but it takes more work on the parents part than in other places.

The moral atmosphere in CA is generally terrible. Too many chilren are raised with no principals and no work ethic. Many are handed anything they could want with no effort to earn anything and they look with disdain on others who have lesser brand clothing, cars, etc. Sexual morality is almost non-existient. UNderage sex is actually encouraged by a large number of parents. Girls dress like hookers and guys dress like gangbangers in many schools, including the "good" schools (actually many of the lesser ranked schools have a uniform policy). Even the "good" schools are not that great in national comparisons (again depending on which factors are considered). The kids are indoctrinated in social viewpoints as much as they are taught what they need for college. the lifestyle is unwholesome Everything is rush rush rush and many of the schools are insanley competitive. Most of the kids are stressed out. The schools are too large and the kids recieve little personal attention.

Many of these problems exist everywhere to some extent, but to a much greater extent in OC than in amny other places. Certainly a lot of places are worse.

Frankly, I would not want to raise kids in any crowded place. We did raise our kids most of the way in OC then moved. For their sake, I wish that we had moved sooner, but I sure enjoyed living in OC.

Well, this is the best summary of how I feel about the OC... We have young kids and are in our early 30's. We moved here a few years ago and I have never felt at home here. I grew up in San Diego but had the opportunity to live in some great places that had character... so moving back has been tough. And now that we have kids, its a whole new set of worries. I watched the Real Housewives of OC last night while wrapping presents and I started crying because the teenage girls were spoiled brats. And they were hanging out at all of the places we go with our girls!
We are thinking seriously about moving to Seattle. I know the weather is horrible but I've been up there a lot and there is a whole different thing going on up there. Are we crazy or what?

[AKgirlinCA]

Eastern Washington will be sunnier if that's what you need...not sure about the job situation out there but if you're concerned about weather...I have lived in both Bellevue and Issaquah and it really is beautiful. You still have the traffic problems there too though, and Seattle isn't exactly cheap either. Have you considered anywhere in Texas?
-Better weather than Seattle
-Lower COL
-More jobs and they probably pay better too
-Texas actually has a surplus while CA will be broke in a few weeks....
-VERY friendly people
need I continue?

[Reivax]

Originally Posted by chgodon

Quiet Woman is a Cougar Den

Quiet Woman a cougar den?? My dad proposed to my mother there some 45 years ago. CdM on Coast Highway? we talking about same place? haha.

[killer2021]

I'm 20 years old and it sucks. Yea, I guess a 20 year old would like the night life but only if he can afford it. Most 20 somethings are broke seeing as how college is expensive and there are little to no good paying jobs for people without college degrees. The only 20 somethings who are loving it are those who live with their parents or are living beyond their means (ie. student loans, credit card etc). When I get out of college I am leaving and going to Texas simply because the lower cost of living and better live/work situation. When I am living on my own I want some place that offers low cost of living and plenty of jobs. I'll be working 8-5 monday through friday, I am not going to be going out constantly and when I do go out it'll be to the local bar to pick up some hot chick.

I'd rather be on vacation in Orange County not living and working. 1,300/month for a 1bed/1bath while making 50k? I'll pass. I'd rather take the 500/month 1bed and 40k in texas.