OC is a great place to live!!! (Santa Ana, Irvine: real estate, apartment)

[nevercoldcall]

Okay everyone, I've been here about 6 weeks since making the move from Phoenix ... and all I can say is WOW, Orange County is a great place to live!!!

We live in Newport Coast and I leased an office on the Newport/Irvine border, near the airport. Here are a few thoughts on why I love it here so much:

1. The air quality is fanstastic. I never realized how bad Phoenix air was until now. My endless sinus problems are GONE.

2. The people here are very friendly, upbeat, and outgoing. People overall seem very happy, unlike Arizona where everyone was miserable and therefore rude. The difference is people WANT to be here, unlike AZ where everyone is looking for an escape.

3. Traffic has been a non-issue (granted, we're not commuting anywhere far). Surface streets like MacArthur and Jamboree are VERY light during rush hour compared to Phoenix or even Scottsdale (Scottsdale Rd at rush hour is a mess - think PCH at downtown Laguna). The 73 is always empty and I've even been on the 405 at rush hour, and it wasn't as bad as Phoenix freeways like I-17 or SR-51. At least the 405 moves more consistently since people here are much better drivers.

4. Our biggest surprise - everything is convenient and we're no longer driving 15 miles to go out to dinner or shopping! This was a big surprise to us, since we thought OC would be too suburban, but in fact between Newport and Irvine, we have everything we need very close by.

The only challenge so far has been restaurants. Believe it or not, Zagat recently named Phoenix the #2 restaurant city after NYC, and so far OC isn't holding up to Phoenix in that respect. But we still have a lot of exploring to do and trying out new places and we hope to find some great ones!!

In all, this is a GREAT place to live for anyone considering it! Well worth the cost of living!!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Yeah, OC's great if you can live in Newport Coast and only have to commute to the the airport area. Unfortunately, most of us will never make the millions it takes to do that. SoCal's turning into a 2 class society as the middle class that can't afford Newport Coast, and doesn't want to live like an illegal in Santa Ana, slowly move away.

[Roma]

nevercoldcall,

That's great to hear you love the OC. I will be there in less then a week looking at homes in our price range. (seeing what you get for the money) I can't wait.
We won't be buying right this second because we have to sell our home in Texas first but hopefully soon.

[grisandole]

Yay! We might be moving there (trying to find an affordable rental), and I can't wait.

[nevercoldcall]

Originally Posted by Roma

nevercoldcall,

That's great to hear you love the OC. I will be there in less then a week looking at homes in our price range. (seeing what you get for the money)

Brace yourself because when it comes to square footage, you don't get much for your money! But it's all about location, and being here is what it's all about.

Having said that, the way the market's correcting, it's a good time to move here. We went from a 1,800 sq ft condo in Phoenix worth around $500k to a 1,900 sq ft house in Newport Coast worth around $800k. So in terms of what you get for your money - including the beauty and amenities of Newport vs. Phoenix, plus the fact that we went from an apartment-style condo to a real house - it's actually a better value for the money.

[Angel Bear]

Nevercoldcall,

Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself! Yay!

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

Okay everyone, I've been here about 6 weeks since making the move from Phoenix ... and all I can say is WOW, Orange County is a great place to live!!!

We live in Newport Coast -

There was a real estate agent who ran an advertisement on Newport Coast. The ad was a drawing was of Newport Coast Dr. It showed one way out of Newport Coast. It forked into two roads-one to Laguna-one to Newport. The hit line was to the effect of, "Life's decisions are tough."

[rlchgirl]

so good to hear a positive comment here about the OC. Thanks!

[Roma]

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

Brace yourself because when it comes to square footage, you don't get much for your money! But it's all about location, and being here is what it's all about.

Having said that, the way the market's correcting, it's a good time to move here. We went from a 1,800 sq ft condo in Phoenix worth around $500k to a 1,900 sq ft house in Newport Coast worth around $800k. So in terms of what you get for your money - including the beauty and amenities of Newport vs. Phoenix, plus the fact that we went from an apartment-style condo to a real house - it's actually a better value for the money.

I hear ya. Location is were the value is in any Real Estate. I moved from Calif 2.5 years ago and we are moving back. I just don't know the area and what we will get for our money (price range). I'm from Ventura County and Orange County is all new to me. There are so many cities in the OC with homes with ocean views, that I'm sure we will find one. Just 2 more days till I'm there! Ya!

[Angel Bear]

There was a real estate agent who ran an advertisement on Newport Coast. The ad was a drawing was of Newport Coast Dr. It showed one way out of Newport Coast. It forked into two roads-one to Laguna-one to Newport. The hit line was to the effect of, "Life's decisions are tough."

I like those decisions!!!