Belmont Shores (San Diego, Long Beach, Santa Ana: home search, neighborhoods, school districts)

[goozer]

So, I have a job opportunity in Irvine near the John Wayne airport and I am trying to figure out the best place to live with my family, which includes a spouse, a six year old, and a one year old. Our priority is a good walkable neighborhood (with fewer suburban tract homes and more character) with some decent food and recreation options, second priority is a decent elementary school. I haven't been able to find anything that fits this bill in South OC, and I have started looking in North OC, including Orange and Santa Ana (Floral Park neighborhood). I see that Long Beach (and other areas in south LA county) isn't that much further away than these two locations and I am reading good things about Belmont Shores. Does anyone have a sense of the quality of the schools in the neighborhood? Also, how bad would the "reverse" commute be from Belmont Shores to Irvine on the 405? It looks to be about 20 miles. Would that be 45 minutes or an hour and a half in prime rush hour?

FWIW, I lived in San Diego previously and one of my favorite neighborhoods there was Mission Hills. I would love to find something similar that is a reasonable commute to Irvine.

Many many thanks.

[smokingGun]

honestly, unless there's a particular reason you need to be near Long Beach or downtown LA, I'd strongly suggest staying out in the OC, like the University Park area of Irvine or Laguna Hills. I've got friends with older elementary school kids in those areas and they're happy with the school districts & love the family-friendly neighborhoods. My firm's former receptionist grew up in Belmont Shores and went to Wilson High and she derisively describes it as the land of boob-jobs, botox & bleached tresses.

[HarryKerryJr]

Agree with smokingGun. Belmont Shore (no "s") is a nice place to visit, but can be a challenging place to live as parking is extremely limited and it can rule your life like it did my aunt who always had to leave early from a function just to get a parking spot in walking distance to where she lived. Very dense in the negative sense. However, great amenities, but with a lifestyle price.

[bhcompy]

You might be better off a little south in Seal Beach. Better commute(marginally) and everything you're looking for, plus it has a better parking situation as long as your home is not directly on the beach. The commute is 45-75minutes in rush hour depending on the day, if there's an accident(too common), etc. I make the same commute daily. Off peak, it's 25 minutes.

Other neighborhoods that would be much closer to Irvine that fit what you're talking about are the old town areas of Orange and Tustin. School quality less than Seal, though.

[goozer]

Thank you all for the replies. Very informative in helping me rule out Belmont Shore (and LA County in general really). I don't mind a short 30 minute car commute, but I'm definitely trying to avoid one much longer that that. It's pretty daunting to conduct a home search in such a large metro area. Recommendations against are almost as helpful as recommendations for. Thank your for both!!

[braddomo]

Los Alamitos, Rossmore is a nicer area. Belmont shore is a nice beach community for college students, partiers, boaters... Wilson high school seems like it is getting very ghetto to me. Seal Beach is a sleepy beach town. Nice but boring. A lot of people I know think orange county is even more boring though.

[NaplesRes]

I recommend Belmont Park. Threre is a main street (2nd Street) with shops and places to eat in Belmont Shore. If you go just north (away from the ocean) of The Toledeo, that is Belmont Park. It has all the things you said you were looking for (walkable, recreation and homes with character) but larger lots and doesn't have the parking issues of Belmont Shore. The elementary school is great (Lowell) and so are middle and high schools (Rogers and Wilson). It's a very family centric neighborhood and is walkable to 2nd Street and the bay. You would still have to decide if the drive is worth it which is typically 45 min.