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Old 06-16-2009, 01:52 PM
 
72 posts, read 200,810 times
Reputation: 21

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Hello everyone,

I am looking into an opportunity to relocate from NJ to CA. Work will be in Irvine close to the orange county airport. I have 3 children (1, 7 and 10).
I have been in Irvien a coupel times already but this is just in and out... during my next visit I would liek to visit more but will have very limited time.
Irvine have a lot of various (or not so various) communities... it is hard for me to see the differences from Northpark to quail hill, portola or newburry...
We are looking for good safe school (if possible be able to walk to...), not too noisy (next to a freeway or inline with Orange airport..) we generaly like meditteran style and newer homes... community swiming pools etc... kids to play with and divers community ( 100 % asian will not be divers...). Budget will be around high 900 K.
Last, would love to have a solar powered house...

Any insight of where I should look first would be great and save me sometime.... I have been to the new Tustin marine corp shopping center and like it very much...

Thanks
Pecosbill
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Old 06-16-2009, 05:35 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,729,143 times
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Have you spent some time looking at some online internet databases?
Did you research the schools? Do you have any target schools?
Are you familiar with the HOAs of the different neighborhoods?
Would you consider other towns besides Irvine?
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Old 06-16-2009, 05:44 PM
 
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
2,498 posts, read 11,434,862 times
Reputation: 1619
I'm no Irvine expert, but local elementary schools could be a way to look at neighborhood demographics. An elementary school generally serves just one or two neighborhoods and the demographics of the children at the school can often match the neighborhood's actual demographics as well. A elementary school that is 45% Asian, 30% white, 10% Hispanic, 15% other is probably pretty similar in overall demographics for the neigborhood.

All of Irvine will have areas of new homes and community pools pretty much. I guess it is just finding one that fits you best and is near shopping centers you like, schools you like, etc...
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Old 06-16-2009, 05:57 PM
 
72 posts, read 200,810 times
Reputation: 21
thank you for your replies.
I have looked a new home source and a lot of houses on realtors.com....
I have also looked at the village at irvine web site but i am having difficulties seeing the differences... So far i have not targeted any specific schools as on paper they look very much alike... But i guess nothing beats local of knowing people who lives here.
I know also that most of the area have pools and rec center etc.. but again are they over crowded nice, not nice... they only thing i can see is from the internet sites and they look like resorts...
i will be open to other towns... as well with the same createria.
thanks again
pecosbill
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Old 06-16-2009, 10:42 PM
 
110 posts, read 439,956 times
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As cookie cutter as Irvine is, there are differences from community to community. The first thing to keep in mind is mello roos. Newer communities have it and most of the older ones don't. They can potentially double your property tax. The other, more obvious, difference is age of the homes. I used to laugh when people talked about 20 year old homes being "old". But after house hunting for a few months, I started to see what they were talking about. The newest communities (Woodbury, Quail Hill, Oak Creek and Portolo Springs) are going to have very new homes, really nice ammenities and little or no yards. The older areas (including Northwood, Woodbridge and University Park) are showing their age but still have nice features - especially Woodbridge which has over 20 pools and 2 man made lakes for walking, boating or fishing. The older hoods also have walkable schools from K to high school in many cases. The newer areas may have a walkable grade school, but jr. and high might be a drive.

You really need to drive around and check out the different hoods.
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Old 06-16-2009, 10:48 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,438,984 times
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Another consideration is the HOA. I've heard Woodbridge's is expensive because of all the upkeep on the lakes. Northwood doesn't even have an HOA so that's one less expense each month and one less group of busy-bodies threatening you if your house isn't the exact right shade of beige.
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Old 06-17-2009, 01:12 AM
 
2,654 posts, read 5,463,677 times
Reputation: 1946
Quote:
Originally Posted by pecosbill View Post
Hello everyone,

I am looking into an opportunity to relocate from NJ to CA. Work will be in Irvine close to the orange county airport. I have 3 children (1, 7 and 10).
I have been in Irvien a coupel times already but this is just in and out... during my next visit I would liek to visit more but will have very limited time.
Irvine have a lot of various (or not so various) communities... it is hard for me to see the differences from Northpark to quail hill, portola or newburry...
We are looking for good safe school (if possible be able to walk to...), not too noisy (next to a freeway or inline with Orange airport..) we generaly like meditteran style and newer homes... community swiming pools etc... kids to play with and divers community ( 100 % asian will not be divers...). Budget will be around high 900 K.
Last, would love to have a solar powered house...

Any insight of where I should look first would be great and save me sometime.... I have been to the new Tustin marine corp shopping center and like it very much...

Thanks
Pecosbill
Pecos,
Well, you could check out my area in Irvine - Westpark. It is roughly the area bordered by Harvard ave on the west, Culver on the east and stretches from the 405 to Irvine Center Drive. Architecture is all Mediteranean - beige stucco & red tile roofs. Most homes built from the late 80's to the early 90's.

There are many options in your price range here & some of the larger homes have pretty decent lot sizes (for Irvine). Much of the area attends the Plaza Vista school, a top ranked year round k-8 school with an outstanding reputation. Population is pretty diverse. Tilts heavily asian, but also a good mix of caucasians, persians, indians and jews.

The area is a little older so the Mello-Roos and dues are less then in the newer parts of irvine. The HOA has several outstanding parks and pools for you little ones to enjoy (my 3&5 y/o's LOVE all the parks & amenities here) You can also walk to shopping (including the District - the center you reffered to), some restaurants and theaters.

PM me and I'll send you the name of a realtor who specailizes in the area. This individual is a bit of a jerk (I bid on a house he was selling & my realtor said he was a pain to deal with - did'nt buy it) but his website has extensive info on all the developments in Westpark.

Good luck & let me know if there is any other way I can help.
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Old 06-17-2009, 11:07 AM
 
110 posts, read 439,956 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia View Post
Another consideration is the HOA. I've heard Woodbridge's is expensive because of all the upkeep on the lakes. Northwood doesn't even have an HOA so that's one less expense each month and one less group of busy-bodies threatening you if your house isn't the exact right shade of beige.
Yes. I forgot about the might HOAs. Some communities have 2 HOAs if you own a town home. From what I found, types of detached home are even considered town homes in some communities. The parts of Northwood we looked at did have HOAs. They were not as much as Woodbridge, though. The communities we saw with no HOAs were in the El Camino Real area....and it shows. Redfin listings will often contain the HOA details.
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Old 06-17-2009, 11:38 AM
 
72 posts, read 200,810 times
Reputation: 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by slang75 View Post
Yes. I forgot about the might HOAs. Some communities have 2 HOAs if you own a town home. From what I found, types of detached home are even considered town homes in some communities. The parts of Northwood we looked at did have HOAs. They were not as much as Woodbridge, though. The communities we saw with no HOAs were in the El Camino Real area....and it shows. Redfin listings will often contain the HOA details.
Slang75, thank you for the info on redfin listings it is very nice and help me locate the houses on a map, at last....
Going to make my search much more efficient...
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Old 06-17-2009, 12:25 PM
 
72 posts, read 200,810 times
Reputation: 21
Thanks all for your feedback.
As far as noise level, air plane landing way, is their any area to avoid ?
Last do you of any Solar panel house community ?

Thanks
Pecosbill
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