Many questions regarding move to OC (Long Beach, Huntington Beach: apartment, layoffs, transfer)

[Plastic_Lemons]

To give some more details, I am considering a move to Orange County in the near future. I've got a few questions that I'll list below, and help on any or all of them is greatly appreciated!

1) I currently live in Boston (been here all my life). I HATE the cold. Am I going to be culture shocked (I'm expecting laid back lifestyle, nice weather, beach, and similar costs to living in Boston)?

2) I will be commuting to night school at UCLA. I know CA traffic is horrendous. What am I really looking at for a commute to LA (leaving OC at 2 PMish, reverse commute)? It will only be twice a week.

3) I will be moving with my GF. We currently pay $1500 for a decent 1 BR in the best area of Boston. What can we expect for this price, and what cities could we expect to live in? I'd love to live as close to the water as possible.

4) More importantly, what areas do we want to avoid?

5) My GF is a teacher (moderate special needs; fluent in Spanish). What are teacher salaries like in this area of CA? She will have 4 years experience, a B.A. in Education and Spanish, and M.Ed. in Special Ed. Her current pay here is around $48k.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Plastic_Lemons

To give some more details, I am considering a move to Orange County in the near future. I've got a few questions that I'll list below, and help on any or all of them is greatly appreciated!

1) I currently live in Boston (been here all my life). I HATE the cold. Am I going to be culture shocked (I'm expecting laid back lifestyle, nice weather, beach, and similar costs to living in Boston)?

2) I will be commuting to night school at UCLA. I know CA traffic is horrendous. What am I really looking at for a commute to LA (leaving OC at 2 PMish, reverse commute)? It will only be twice a week.

3) I will be moving with my GF. We currently pay $1500 for a decent 1 BR in the best area of Boston. What can we expect for this price, and what cities could we expect to live in? I'd love to live as close to the water as possible.

4) More importantly, what areas do we want to avoid?

5) My GF is a teacher (moderate special needs; fluent in Spanish). What are teacher salaries like in this area of CA? She will have 4 years experience, a B.A. in Education and Spanish, and M.Ed. in Special Ed. Her current pay here is around $48k.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Even at 2PM traffic to UCLA will be insane.

Where will you two be working?

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[bhcompy]

First, your GF will need to get a CA credential. I'm not sure if MA credentials are transferable(if they're transferable at all). Fluent Spanish makes her probably one of the most desirable candidates around.

As far as where to live, coastal OC and coastal Long Beach are pretty much all good. At your price you can find pretty much anything from Long Beach through Huntington Beach. If you want something urban but laid back, check out Belmont Shore in Long Beach. If you want something less urban and laid back, check out Seal Beach. Either place should have studios or 1bd apts in your range.

Keep in mind that UCLA is a hell of a drive

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by Plastic_Lemons

2) I will be commuting to night school at UCLA. I know CA traffic is horrendous. What am I really looking at for a commute to LA (leaving OC at 2 PMish, reverse commute)? It will only be twice a week.

Could you take classes at UCI instead? They're both part of the same state college system. UCI would be a lot closer.

[Plastic_Lemons]

I'll be working remotely for my company based in Boston, so I'm really location agnostic in that sense. I'd like to have decent space, maybe enough for a dedicated office/workspace, but don't need a 2 BR. GF does not have a job, but you can teach anywhere.

I'm aware of obtaining proper licenses for teaching, and I believe MA is transferable to CA, but if not, we'll take care of that well before moving.

My main purpose for moving will be to go to the part time UCLA MBA program, so I think I'm pretty set that I need to take classes there, but like I said, it's only twice a week so I can deal with a crappy drive twice a week...right? RIGHT??

[Palenaka]

[quote=Plastic_Lemons;17627830]My main purpose for moving will be to go to the part time UCLA MBA program, so I think I'm pretty set that I need to take classes there, but like I said, it's only twice a week so I can deal with a crappy drive twice a week...right? RIGHT??[/QUOTE

I've done that commute and you're right if you leave at 2 pm you should be ok I like to use sigalert.com on my iPhone in case I need to make a detour due to an accident.

[robbybee]

I would have to disagree with anyone who says that the commute between Irvine and Westwood would be tolerable. It would take over an hour on a good day - one way. There are very few good days on the LA Freeways. I would NOT want to make that commute once a week - or even once a month.

It was suggested by bhcompy that you consider Long Beach as an alternate destination. I would agree with that. Belmont Shore is great, Naples is interesting and the downtown area has been going thru some major upgrades over the past 15 to 20 years and is quite attractive. Plus, it's approx halfway between Irvine and Westwood and freeway close - unlike many beach cities in SoCal.

However, as a native of Southern California I am required to do what I can to convince people from the east that moving to California is a bad idea - so here goes...

Reasons to stay away, in no particular order:
1. Earthquakes
2. Traffic
3. The over-abundance of ex-New Yorkers
4. Higher than average property values
5. Higher than average taxes
6. EARTHQUAKES!
7. Effed-up state government
8. Truly, our state government is effed up!
9. Illegal immigrants
10. Earthquakes

I will add more reasons to consider another destination as I think of them!

Oh, and Welcome! ;-}

[Fontucky]

11. No jobs

[Plastic_Lemons]

I'd be interested hearing more about Long Beach. What's the atmosphere there? Are there good bars, restaurants, beaches, etc...? Overall, is it a decent place for twenty-somethings to live?

Realistically, I don't care if my commute is 1 hour each way, even 2 hours once in a while isn't bad. I'm going to be working out of my apartment and won't mind getting out a couple times a week.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Long Beach is a pretty awesome city, with almost every type of neighborhood and most have easy access to the freeways.

My personal choice would be the Belmont Shore / Alamitos Bay Area which as a great range of bars, beaches and restaurants. You should be able to find a something for 1500.

and like everyone else has mentioned, Traffic around here is pretty terrible. There have been times it took me 2 hours to go twenty miles.