How many of you are fleeing OC and where are you going? (Irvine: sex offenders, neighborhoods)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by KaraG

I enjoy living in a place again where master planners & HOA's aren't everywhere


Doesn't bother me to see a cute little home next to a gorgeous sprawling horse farm.

next to this




or this




or this


or this



or this

[KaraG]

Charles, that really is okay with me. People have boats and rv's and many like to work on cars. The campers are a mess but at least they're hidden in the woods a bit.

I grew up in a small town on the nicest street in one of the most expensive homes. Our next door neighbor was one of the wealthiest in town and he owned the refuse collection company and parked the trash trucks on that property! Mom said she'd catch the odor on hot days. So I guess I've been broken in early to how different people want/need to use their property. To me it's part of being a free America and being tolerant of others in your community.

As for property values, I would bet you that it is the highly regulated cookie cutter HOA communities in California that lost more value and have more foreclosures than the small towns that have less restrictions.

Just my two cents - I'm an easy going plumber's daughter who is out of OC and enjoying small town USA again.

[xxgingerxx]

I have lived in Mission Viejo for 15 years and it was beautiful when I moved here. It's actually still beautiful, but the smog here in OC is getting really bad. There are too many people, too much traffic and I work very hard to live here. I have no time to enjoy life and have decided to move someplace less expensive where I can afford to only have to work part -time. I'm just starting my search for possible relocations. My kids are aged 18 to 24 and most likely will not go with me - so I don't want to go too far from them if I can help it. I have family in the Bay Area, so am considering Northern CA. (not Bay Area - too expensive) Texas is far, but I have friends that moved to Austin from MV and love it there and I would like to check it out.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by xxgingerxx

Texas is far, but I have friends that moved to Austin from MV and love it there and I would like to check it out.

Austin's great but you have to really like heat and humidity to live there. Be sure to check it out in August and be really honest with yourself about your tolerance for the weather

[Raelyn28]

But then it is really nice in the winter and very mild. Texas and surrounding States have some of the friendliest people in the US. Every place has it's negative points. I guess for me when I counted all the cons that came with Southern California they far outweighed any other place that I have been. There were pros don't get me wrong, but not many and the cons were getting to me.

I have lived in Nebraska, California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and now heading towards Oklahoma... I know the southern states are hot but I'll take the few months of heat any day over all the negatives of OC.

She will love Texas!!!! southern hospitality... You get used to the heat really fast....

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Austin's great but you have to really like heat and humidity to live there. Be sure to check it out in August and be really honest with yourself about your tolerance for the weather

[AKgirlinCA]

I agree Raelyn....can't wait to call Dallas home.

[jackie100]

I'm possibly thinking of L.A, the big city. OC is too boring and suburban for me. I also love Hollywood, the big city feel, it's more glamorous.

[AKgirlinCA]

We've also added Kalispell,MT to our list.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by AKgirlinCA

Kalispell,MT

Jobs?

(I hope it's not another "We work from home in our jammies pulling in $200K....")

[AKgirlinCA]

Hi Charles,

That's funny....no, I wish though! My aunt and her husband have a law firm that they would employ me at as I am a current paralegal student. My husband has a few other options as well as he grew up there and his father still lives there. But, the job situation there is still scary and that's why it will probably be Dallas. Love the jammie thing though.
Cheers!