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Old 10-10-2009, 02:28 PM
 
31 posts, read 40,293 times
Reputation: 16
If you guys hate living in Orange County so much, why are you still living there? And I'm not asking in a smart a$$ or rude kind of way...I just don't get it. Why are SO many of you SO unhappy there??
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Old 10-10-2009, 03:59 PM
 
2,416 posts, read 1,032,126 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JesiJay View Post
If you guys hate living in Orange County so much, why are you still living there? And I'm not asking in a smart a$$ or rude kind of way...I just don't get it. Why are SO many of you SO unhappy there??
People ARE leaving. Most can't leave overnight. It takes a few months or a year to tie up loose ends, save up money etc. This isn't the 1800s where you can just pack up the wagon and head out.

What's funny is all of us who "hate" living (hate being a strong word) in Orange County are mostly middle class Americans with good jobs. Small businesses are fed up with CA as well. The only ones that will be left are the super rich and the super have nots. Which category will YOU fit into?
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Old 10-10-2009, 06:25 PM
 
224 posts, read 541,438 times
Reputation: 129
My wife and I have lived in south OC since 1998 when we moved here from Maine. We love it.
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Old 10-11-2009, 06:32 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
25,879 posts, read 40,983,045 times
Reputation: 14788
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Bonner View Post
My wife and I have lived in south OC since 1998 when we moved here from Maine. We love it.
The thing is 1998 (and the associated housing prices) was in a different century, figuratively and literally.

We're not there (yet) but housing prices are falling and might approach 1998 inflation adjusted prices. Combined with low interest rates

Why 15-year mortgage rates are down more | L.A. Land | Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laland/2009/10/best-deals-15year-fixed-if-you-can-get-them.html - broken link)

there might be another opportunity in the next year or two.

Go Angels.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/291008..._world_series/
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Old 10-12-2009, 06:53 AM
 
Location: Flower Mound, Texas
1,837 posts, read 2,078,813 times
Reputation: 525
I DID move away from OC in 2001 and we (my husband and I) are MUCH happier. The reason we didn't leave earlier was because moving is expensive and risky when you don't have a job to go to. Finally after praying for 15-years (I am not kidding) my husband was able to transfer to Oregon and even though I had NEVER been to Oregon, didn't know anyone from Oregon I said YES!!! I couldn't wait to leave and have never regretted it although I have since moved away from Oregon to another state. I have never been back for a visit...

I don't hate OC or California for that matter but it is so hard to have a decent life there unless you bought a home years ago or you make ALOT of money. Maybe things will change, jobs will become more available and houses will be affordable but when I lived there we could never afford to buy a home, and could never get ahead. I also hated the traffic, pollution and never being able to understand anyone. I felt like a minority. Trust me I am not racist but I believe there is just too many different types of people in that area which leads to communication problems.

Like I have mentioned on other threads English should be the primary language but it isn't and I dislike not being able to understand my neighbor.... It was frustrating to live there (for me anyway). Not to mention the loose moral standards. I got kind of sick of taking my too young boys to the beach and looking at both guys and girls in thongs!! It just wasn't where I wanted to raise my family and I/we left.

Many people love it there but hopefully people who come to this forum for help and advise will take everything into consideration before they decide to move there. I never received any help or direction when I moved to SoCal back in the "80's. I don't want someone to learn the hard way as I did that it isn't what the TV series portrays it as...unless of course you make over 300K a year or more. With the right kind of job and income you can find a nice house on the beach stay close by and avoid the bad areas while being able to afford private school for your kids.

Of course this is just my opinion and experience along with the experience of many friends and family members of mine who still live there. I hear their complaints on a regular basis...


Quote:
Originally Posted by JesiJay View Post
If you guys hate living in Orange County so much, why are you still living there? And I'm not asking in a smart a$$ or rude kind of way...I just don't get it. Why are SO many of you SO unhappy there??
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Old 10-12-2009, 07:00 AM
 
Location: Flower Mound, Texas
1,837 posts, read 2,078,813 times
Reputation: 525
That is great that you love it... Not to be too personal or anything, what kind of job and income do you have? Just curious. Also, do you have kids? I could probably deal with it without children.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Bonner View Post
My wife and I have lived in south OC since 1998 when we moved here from Maine. We love it.
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Old 10-18-2009, 03:30 PM
 
30 posts, read 63,267 times
Reputation: 23
After reading all the threads about moving to Orange County, I can tell you that I appreciate people's honesty. I have traveled for work to Orange County quite extensively and my wife and I once considered a move there. We had no grand illusions about living in Newport Beach in a 75 bedroom home, driving 2 Bentleys and gallivanting to oceanfront restaurants every night of the week. We did, however, think we could live well for a rent of $2,000 per month, all the while striving to purchase a nice, little house for around $450K. Man, were we wrong!! The cost of living in Orange County is much, much higher than I ever imagine. And yes, I am familiar with the cities around there such as Fullerton, Brea, Anaheim, La Palma, Irvine, etc. We would be North County people as it seems they are described. Well, sounds more like we would be living in a total dump dodging gunfire. OC is off our list.

Thanks for all your honesty!
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Old 10-18-2009, 03:50 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
25,879 posts, read 40,983,045 times
Reputation: 14788
Quote:
Originally Posted by CadillacRF View Post
We did, however, think we could live well for a rent of $2,000 per month, all the while striving to purchase a nice, little house for around $450K. Man, were we wrong!!
You may still be wrong.

Here are a few homes, South OC, good schools, newer, nice neighborhoods, around $450K, not short sales. Note these are asking prices. Actual sales prices are most likely lower (but since redfin's recent sales database is still screwed up, I just provided these).

9 Calellen Ct, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 | MLS# S582775

14921 Larkspur Cir, Irvine, CA 92604 | MLS# S586227

3108 Dublin St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | MLS# P703654

27446 La Cabra, Mission Viejo, CA 92691 | MLS# S591682

6209 E Onyx Ln, Anaheim Hills, CA 92807 | MLS# P703226

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 | MLS# S577913

23386 VILLENA, Mission Viejo, CA 92692 | MLS# S590774

3 Paseo Geranio, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 | MLS# S592668

22672 Genova, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | MLS# S592864
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Old 10-18-2009, 04:04 PM
 
5,980 posts, read 4,981,969 times
Reputation: 6403
Maybe HarlowPartyofSix should have kept it down to HarlowPartyofThreeorFour....LOL

Who has four kid these days and wants to relocate to OC.
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Old 10-18-2009, 04:38 PM
 
191 posts, read 295,512 times
Reputation: 78
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Bonner View Post
My wife and I have lived in south OC since 1998 when we moved here from Maine. We love it.
Dirk, that move would be completely different today.

Many who live in OC wouldn't be able to afford the home they're living in - because they bought in the 90's. Not saying you're in that camp, but times were different 11 years ago.

That smells like an inflated market, or one that remains in denial. There's no sacred ground, the surrounding dirt is getting cheaper, and jobs have receded over the past couple of years.

It is very difficult to make ends meet AND save for the future in OC - unless one is doing extremely well, making tremendous sacrifices, or arrived before the bubble.

Count yourself in at least the last camp.
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