Recommend rentals in safe area and easy commute to Santa Ana (Irvine: schools, living)

[socalphilly]

Hi,
I got a job in Downtown Santa Ana and have to move to the OC soon. I am a young professional female so I perfer a safe area where I can run in the mornings. It would be nice to live in a area with people in my age range as well, which is early 30s. But I want to be safe since I will be living by myself. I will have a commute to Santa Ana for work as well. Please help. I've been looking for apts but having a hard time deciding on the area.

Thanks

[bhcompy]

Newport Beach may work.

[OC Investor2]

Tustin Ranch or Irvine. Both are safe - Irvine is VERY safe. Both have lots of running/ biking trails & paths. Many young professional 30 somethings as well. Little more family oriented & quieter then Newport or Huntington as well. And - if I read your screen name right - there is even a decent cheesesteak shop in Irvine.

[socalphilly]

Thanks for the responses. A cheesesteak place in Irvine? hmm..I will look for rentals in those sections. How about Costa Mesa? From what I read on this forum, Irvine is safe but not much to do?? I definitely have to check it out though.

[socalphilly]

Is Tustin ranch the same as Tustin? I looked up the area and see there's a Tustin foothills and a Tustin? Thanks

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by socalphilly

Is Tustin ranch the same as Tustin? I looked up the area and see there's a Tustin foothills and a Tustin? Thanks

"Tustin Ranch" is the newer part of Tustin. Roughly from Tustin ranch road east/south to the 261 corridor.

Tustin itself is an older middle class area, some parts of which are a little to Santa Ana-ish to reccomend to a SF. Tustin Ranch is kind of like Irvine-lite, a master planned area that is just a tad less expensive as the schools don't have as good of a rep.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by socalphilly

Thanks for the responses. A cheesesteak place in Irvine? hmm..I will look for rentals in those sections. How about Costa Mesa? From what I read on this forum, Irvine is safe but not much to do?? I definitely have to check it out though.

Irvine is definately more sedate, but that's the flip side of the "safe" coin.

CM definately has more to do for a young single. Flip side is that it is not as safe. CM also tend to be pretty hot or cold - really nice areas and really bad areas. Geographically its positioned between upscale Newport and the rougher Santa Ana. The city reflects that as it is where these 2 groups bump into each other. You can check out some additional info on CM in this thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/orang...etto-nice.html

[socalphilly]

Thanks. I will have to make a drive out there. It's so tough to tell in my opinion. When I was in Downtown Santa Ana, it looked safe to me. And then I read all this crazy stuff. Now I'll definitely stay away. I really cannot take risks since I will be living alone.

[socalphilly]

OC Investor- So I checked out the Irvine/Tustin Ranch area and I think it's a good spot for me. I may rent in Woodbury where I can hop on I5N from Sand Canyon. Do you know what the traffic is like going north to downtown Santa Ana in the morning is like? What do you think of the Woodbury Irvine area or do you think I should stick around the Irvine/Tustin Marketplace area? Thanks