Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We just moved to San Clemente, Ca a week ago from the East Coast for my hubby's company. They are putting us up in corporate housing for a few months then we need to buy a home. We are in our early 30's and have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. It's so hard to buy a house when you know nothing about the area! I want to make sure we are around like-minded people so the kids and I can make friends.
Please explain the differences in the people between San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano. The impression I am I getting from San Clemente is that you are either a soccer mom or a surfer. The impression I am getting from Dana Point is that it's all retiree's. I could be way off. I would appreciate you guys breaking it down for me! It would make picking a town to buy a home in so much easier!
The area in question can't be pigeonholed by city or town, there's just too many people. It needs to be broken down by neighborhood, but before that happens, you need to explain what you mean by "like-minded people". Don't expect us to guess.
San Clemente- Upper-crust conservative folks with lesbian tendencies (men included) whose hobbies include gardening and bridge. Most selected dog is the Irish Wolfhound and most popular car is the Mercedes SL500 (both of which make up for lack of member endowment among the Y-chromosome crowd)
Dana Point- Nouveau-riche with a flair for the dramatic. Coastal hodads who wear skipper's hats to all social functions and enjoy talking about the tides and slight changes in the weather. Favorite car is the Lamborghini Murcielago and favorite dog is the locally famous "Pit Poodle" (equal combinations of French Poodle and Pitbull).
SJC- Country folk who circulate VHS videotapes of Hee Haw amongst themselves at social gatherings. Their skin is noticeably drier since they don't always get the benefit of the moisture coming from the coast. Station wagons are common and the favorite dog is the Bernese Mountain Dog.
We just moved to San Clemente, Ca a week ago from the East Coast for my hubby's company. They are putting us up in corporate housing for a few months then we need to buy a home. We are in our early 30's and have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. It's so hard to buy a house when you know nothing about the area! I want to make sure we are around like-minded people so the kids and I can make friends.
Please explain the differences in the people between San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano. The impression I am I getting from San Clemente is that you are either a soccer mom or a surfer. The impression I am getting from Dana Point is that it's all retiree's. I could be way off. I would appreciate you guys breaking it down for me! It would make picking a town to buy a home in so much easier!
Thanks!
This is a huge job that I would not rush in to. First of all, you are using an incredibly powerful tool that is the City Data forum. There are other tools, some of which I put into this neat toolbox:
A lot of people would recommend renting for a year since 1) your kids are so young, moving twice in the next year or two won't be a huge impact 2) you have more precious time to scope out the right neighborhood and 3) a lot of people think housing prices will continue to go down.
Where will he be working? Is it in San Clemente?
What will be your housing budget?
Will you be working too?
A couple of really confusing things to become familiar with are "Mello Roos" and HOAs (and their associated amenities). Seems like there is a google map for everything these days but I still haven't found one for those. You have to go to an assessor's website one query at a time. Redfin does provide the HOA fees but it isn't always clear what you get. For example Ladera Ranch has HOA fees close to $200/month but you get a lot of amenities. Wagon Wheel has HOA fees of about $50/month but not too many amenities.
OK, just generalizations for each of these three cities, but here is the "general" cultures that seem to set the tone of each IMO.
SAN CLEMENTE: Two groups of people in general in San Clemente: Group #1 loves a humble beach culture lifestyle and are all about small town feel, surfing, casual clothing, flip flops, live and let live type attitude. It is very much the small town surfing culture. These folks in general live west of the 5 freeway. Group #2 is people that want to live by the ocean and also want to be able to get a suburban environment that you would find in Ladera Ranch, Irvine, etc... of master planning (you could call them soccer moms). They often live in masterplanned neighborhoods like The Reserve, Marblehead, Talega, etc... Some "old money" for Orange County standards in neighborhoods like Sea Point Estates, Cypress Cove, Cypress Shores, and the estates surrounding Nixon's Western Whitehouse. Hispanics are concentrated in certain apartments and condos near downtown.
DANA POINT: Very country club like in north west Dana Point in the area known as Monarch Beach. The St. Regis and Ritz Carlton hotels are here as well as expensive golf courses and some of the city's most expensive real estate. Much newer area and you have tourists in the mix as well. Decent amount of retired people in Monarch Beach area (they do love to golf and walk on the trails and stuff. The other area of Dana Point is more modest and beach town like. Capistrano Beach neighborhood feels more like San Clemente IMO due to PCH off ramp from I-5 separating neighborhood from most of Dana Point. The area from Dana Hills High School to the Dana Point Harbor is more modest single family homes, condos, and apartments where you will find people that are pretty humble and kind. Not as many surfers as San Clemente due to Doheny's waves being bad due to harbor breakwater (plus water is gross there). Still a beach culture though. Parts of Dana Point near borders with other cities feel like Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, or Laguna Beach.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO: People here love a small town feel, history, and HATE HATE HATE development. Strong force to preserve rural feel and equestrian trails. SJC does not allow the tops of ANY hills within city limits to be built on and the tops of hills can not be destroyed, terraced, excavated, etc... They don't want big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart, Target, and more who have tried to open their doors despite the taxes those stores bring to a city. Lots of pride for city's beautiful mission and Swallow's Day events. Two sides though to SJC. It is mainly rich and poor with few solid middle class. Rich live in the hills in million dollar+ estates and mansions with horses, etc... in neighborhoods like the Hunt Club, Hunter's Creek, Marbella, Old San Juan, Peppertree Bend, etc.. They often send their kids to several private schools in SJC. Poor are mainly Hispanics living in the valley and surrounding downtown in neighborhoods like La Zanja, the Village, Capistrano Villas, and mobile home parks. No other place in southern OC has such a big income disparity.
I have been planning my move to OC for a while now, and even went on a fact finder trip and got lots of help from the people on this site. Although I loved San Clemente for the small beachtown vibe and laid back culture, I am now in the process of filling out rental apps in Dana Point. My reasons include needing a small fenced backyard and living in walking distance of stores and a landlord that will accept my pet. Both San Clemente and Dana Point are beautiful and the people seemed warm and friendly for the most part, happy to tell you about their dislikes and likes of their town. Hope this helps.
OK, just generalizations for each of these three cities, but here is the "general" cultures that seem to set the tone of each IMO.
SAN CLEMENTE: Two groups of people in general in San Clemente: Group #1 loves a humble beach culture lifestyle and are all about small town feel, surfing, casual clothing, flip flops, live and let live type attitude. It is very much the small town surfing culture. These folks in general live west of the 5 freeway. Group #2 is people that want to live by the ocean and also want to be able to get a suburban environment that you would find in Ladera Ranch, Irvine, etc... of master planning (you could call them soccer moms). They often live in masterplanned neighborhoods like The Reserve, Marblehead, Talega, etc... Some "old money" for Orange County standards in neighborhoods like Sea Point Estates, Cypress Cove, Cypress Shores, and the estates surrounding Nixon's Western Whitehouse. Hispanics are concentrated in certain apartments and condos near downtown.
DANA POINT: Very country club like in north west Dana Point in the area known as Monarch Beach. The St. Regis and Ritz Carlton hotels are here as well as expensive golf courses and some of the city's most expensive real estate. Much newer area and you have tourists in the mix as well. Decent amount of retired people in Monarch Beach area (they do love to golf and walk on the trails and stuff. The other area of Dana Point is more modest and beach town like. Capistrano Beach neighborhood feels more like San Clemente IMO due to PCH off ramp from I-5 separating neighborhood from most of Dana Point. The area from Dana Hills High School to the Dana Point Harbor is more modest single family homes, condos, and apartments where you will find people that are pretty humble and kind. Not as many surfers as San Clemente due to Doheny's waves being bad due to harbor breakwater (plus water is gross there). Still a beach culture though. Parts of Dana Point near borders with other cities feel like Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, or Laguna Beach.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO: People here love a small town feel, history, and HATE HATE HATE development. Strong force to preserve rural feel and equestrian trails. SJC does not allow the tops of ANY hills within city limits to be built on and the tops of hills can not be destroyed, terraced, excavated, etc... They don't want big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart, Target, and more who have tried to open their doors despite the taxes those stores bring to a city. Lots of pride for city's beautiful mission and Swallow's Day events. Two sides though to SJC. It is mainly rich and poor with few solid middle class. Rich live in the hills in million dollar+ estates and mansions with horses, etc... in neighborhoods like the Hunt Club, Hunter's Creek, Marbella, Old San Juan, Peppertree Bend, etc.. They often send their kids to several private schools in SJC. Poor are mainly Hispanics living in the valley and surrounding downtown in neighborhoods like La Zanja, the Village, Capistrano Villas, and mobile home parks. No other place in southern OC has such a big income disparity.
This is really perfect
I'd pick San Clemente if I were you (I lived there for a year with my young family). It's a no-brainer to me:
SJC - only if you are a multi-millionaire planning to send kids to private school. All other areas are not good.
Dana Point - So close to San Clemente, that you can enjoy the marina, but not the older rich retired folks.
San Clemente - Best beaches. LOVE the area by the pier. If it were me, I'd live in Old San Clemente, which is west of I-5 towards the beach (some neighborhoods east of 1-5, but they are older). There are really 2 San Clemente's. Old San Clemente and Talega. If you want to be a Talegan, then you are really wanting the typical suburbia life. New house. Nice upgrades. Golf courses. Planned community. 5 miles to the beach. You will find that native San Clementeans don't really love the development that is Talega. Basically you buy your house in Talega, then there is a preconceived notion about you. You like newness. You buy in old SC, then you are kind of welcomed into the town and you are more carefree, surfer mom, walk to the beach, where Rainbow sandals and hang out.
You have a great opportunity to live in one of the most adorable towns in the whole US. Good luck with your move!
If I had to pick one I would pick either San Clemente or Dana Point, not San Juan because you have to be RICH to live in a good area the other areas are full of lower-middle class hispanics.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
