Costa Mesa that bad? (Los Angeles, San Diego: sales, real estate market, apartment)

[ssydday]

Hi!

My boyfriend and I were thinking of moving to the west coast and have been doing some research. We were looking for a city close to the beach, but close to shopping centers, bars/restaurants, outdoor activities, etc but within a reasonable price range for houses (600-650k). We were looking at the Costa Mesa area since its close to the beach but also close to everyday conveniences. We also like how much there is to do around the Newport Beach area is. Irvine would be great, but from what I've been reading, it's really expensive.

Is Costa Mesa so very different from Irvine? Is it that much more unsafe? We are going to start a family soon so I checked out greatschools.net but it didn't really give me an idea of how schools are down there.

If you don't consider Costa Mesa a nice area, is there somewhere near by that is also within 20 minutes from the beach and other conveniences as well? Thanks!

[Charles]

Here's a great tool:

California School Performance Maps

So is this:

School Search Widget - GreatSchools

Here are recent sales for 4+ bedroom SFR homes from $600K to $700K

Real Estate Search | Redfin

[EscapeCalifornia]

Costa Mesa is quite different from Irvine. Irvine is master planned and HOA'ed up the butt. Costa Mesa appears to have no effective zoning at all.

Irvine is very upper middle class, mostly Asian and white. Lots of doctors and other well paid professionals.

Costa Mesa has more middle to lower middle class with lots of Mexicans living 10 to a house and whites that looks like they've had a hard life.

The schools in Irvine are first rate and academic competition can be fierce due to Asians that will pay for tutors to make sure their kid gets the best score on everything. Costa Mesa schools are mediocre at best.

For your price range, you should be able to find something in Fountain Valley. Fountain Valley is older than Irvine and master planned, but not to the neurotic degree that Irvine is. The schools are definitely better than Costa Mesa's but not as competitive as Irvine's. Just make sure you're in Fountain Valley School District's coverage area which means avoiding the far northern and far eastern strips of the city. Basically stay south of Heil and west of Euclid. Fountain Valley's slogan is "A Nice Place to Live" and its true. There's not a whole lot of entertainment there for ADD people, but its close to a million things.

[VeronikaW]

With your price range, I'd suggest Aliso Viejo. Close to Laguna Beach, tons of convenient shopping, good schools.

[bhcompy]

There are good parts and bad parts of Costa Mesa. The worst parts of Costa Mesa are nothing like the worst parts of cities like Los Angeles. The best part of Costa Mesa is probably the country club neighborhood and probably where I would suggest looking if you were looking to buy a house.

Of course, you could get a lot more for your money in safe and family friendly Lakewood(most of it at least) and still be 10-20 minutes from the beach.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by ssydday

Hi!

My boyfriend and I were thinking of moving to the west coast and have been doing some research. We were looking for a city close to the beach, but close to shopping centers, bars/restaurants, outdoor activities, etc but within a reasonable price range for houses (600-650k). We were looking at the Costa Mesa area since its close to the beach but also close to everyday conveniences. We also like how much there is to do around the Newport Beach area is. Irvine would be great, but from what I've been reading, it's really expensive.

Is Costa Mesa so very different from Irvine? Is it that much more unsafe? We are going to start a family soon so I checked out greatschools.net but it didn't really give me an idea of how schools are down there.

If you don't consider Costa Mesa a nice area, is there somewhere near by that is also within 20 minutes from the beach and other conveniences as well? Thanks!

You want to be in Irvine. About the only thing CM has going for it is its proximity to the beach, the Newport night life and alot of younger singles. Since the latter is not relevant, go with Irvine.

CM has some nice parts, but it also has some really bad parts. There are big parts of the north/west side that have large populations of poor and working class immigrants, legal and illegal, living there. This means many of the schools have a big block of ESL kids enrolled and that drags down the educational quality.

Irvine is much friendly for young families. Lots of parks, super safe, much better schools. As for outdoor activities, CM is very dense & paved over. Irvine has tons of bike trails, parks, pools, tennis courts, etc offered by the various village HOA's. You can get a nice 3 br place in Irvine for $600-$650k.

Bottom Line, CM may be a fun place to be for you at this stage of life - Young, DINK, etc. But once you start a family you'll be much better off in Irvine. Given the current real estate market you may want to think about renting in CM for a year then, once we have a better idea if the market has stabilized, buy in Irvine.

True story - when my wife & I were trying to decide where to live when we got married we were down to an apartment in Irvine and one in the Mesa Verde area of CM. We were waffling and after looking at the Irvine place for a second time we headed back to CM to look at the other place. While driving down Harbor Blvd. we saw a SWAT team - sub machine guns at the ready - beginning to execute a tatical assault on a bowling alley. We turned right around and went back to Irvine and signed the lease! Now I'm not saying this kind of thing happens everyday, or even often, in CM - because it does'nt - but it was definately a sign!

[Mr. Fantastic]

Irvine School district is much better than Costa Mesa.

[shoe01]

Something tells me (I could be wrong) that the bowling alley raid you saw was just a drill. The only bowling place that I know of in that part of CM has been closed for at least 15 years. Of course if you saw something in the news the next day, then I stand corrected.

[Vinsanity]

LMAO @ the idea that a SWAT drill literally scared someone out of moving into town

I suppose there's no way of knowing, since it could conceivably been anything, but it does help to check the day after And finding out that it was a drill exercise would have made me want to move into the city, since that tells me they are well-prepared

[KarlaT2]

I lived in Irvine for a couple of years, and liked it for a family. Schools are great. Also liked Aliso Viejo, Foothill Ranch, etc. Costa Mesa is a little hit and miss. Some areas are nice, some are scary.
If you are not stuck on that area though give Northern San Diego area a look too (Carlsbad, Encinitas, Poway, etc).