HELP!Thoughts on RSM,LAdera Ranch,Mission Viejo,& Irvine (Orange: assessor, houses)

[cabolissa]

Originally Posted by NewportBorn

This is the mentality that keeps the "unfriendly" vibe of socal going.

You have to reach out and be the neighbor that gives cookies.
If you expect them to come to you, then you will be dissapointed.

My parents had plenty of good friends in our neighborhood when we grew up.
I don't know where people are getting this idea.

Uh, from living in SoCal for 37 years?? I'm a native too.

Back when we were growing up, it was more neighbor-oriented (70's to early 80's). But then everyone moved out to farther suburbs due to the urban sprawl, and then people became more transitory. Housing boomed and homes were seen as investments so families were moving every few years, bigger and better and all that. That created many neighborhoods of people who didn't know eachother.

I'd hazard a guess that most people in OC suburbs (MV, RSM, LR, etc) haven't lived there more than 10 years or so - 80% at least. Of course the beach cities (ie, Newport, where your parents live) tend to have more long-term residents because of the high price of beach town living.

It's not that SoCal people are unfriendly it's just that we keep to ourselves. We don't live in homes for generations like in other places. Heck, I've lived in a new home/city every 7 years since I was born!

[cabolissa]

Originally Posted by Charles

Did your mom work? (I don't know your age), but back in the 1960s and 1970s when I grew up most of the moms didn't work. All the moms and kids had play dates and day trips to places like the LA Zoo, La Brea Tar Pits, the beach, Tapia Park, etc.

My wife didn't work in Thousand Oaks but she found a group of other moms in the vicinity (not too many on our immediate street; They're often "too busy") to hang out with.

May be that there is a higher percentage of two working parents neither of whom is interfacing with the neighbors and nurturing community bonds.

Good point.

I lived in Thousand Oaks for a while, off of Lynn Road...

[SoCalBear]

Originally Posted by nappyshouse

Thank you all for the feedback. It sounds like LR is not as perfect as it seems. Does anyone know what the HOA's and/or mello roos are in that area. Also what about Painted trails? We want to try and stay under $800,000 if possible.

Nappyshouse, I sold my home in another area, moved to Ladera, and am currently renting while we look for houses. We are hopefully going to hear back on an offer today. The reason we moved to Ladera is because of the sense of community, the amenities, and the school district. I watched the Ladera market for years and spent considerable time learning the area and meeting people before we made the decision to move and sold our home. I find the people I've met here very friendly, and I simply love the area. Of course, I'm sure there are people here and everywhere that are too full of themselves.

Although many owners over-extended themselves and are now faced with foreclosure, there are many owners here that bought homes they could afford and live within their means. There are flashy cars and there are everyday cars. You see it all. Because Ladera was built during the boom, you probably see more of it here; however, like anywhere else, the opportunity to buy at more affordable prices benefits people presents itself now.

As for your specific question re HOAs, you can expect to pay around $200 per month, unless you live in the gated community of Ladera (Covenant Hills) where the dues are around $400. The dues include high-speed internet and use of all the pools, tennis courts, skate park, water parks, parks, et cetera.

You can find a great house in the price range you are looking at. I hope this is helpful.

[nappyshouse]

thank you all for your input. We really appreciate the honest feedback. I think we are still leaning toward LR.

[nappyshouse]

wow! those pictures are breathetaking. Thank you so much for all your info. We are leaning toward LR right now, due to the fact that it seems more central, with easier commute access. Thanks again!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by missionhome

Tesoro is ranked number 550 in the country and is a very young school opening only in 2001. It doesn't have IB like the Mission Viejo schools, so advanced students are limited only to AP.

Anyone know why no IB at Tesoro?

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by Charles

Anyone know why no IB at Tesoro?

The International Baccalaureate Program is a much smaller program than Advanced Placement in California and even nation wide. Students can take IB for the challenging full diploma (this is what my oldest is doing) or take certificate classes and pick certain IB classes. Only two high schools in Capistrano Unified have the IB Program: San Clemente High School (in San Clemente) and Capistrano Valley High School (in Mission Viejo). Both of these high schools also offer a full set of AP classes as well.

The district's idea was that students that really want IB can do open enrollment and transfer from their home school to one of these two high schools for the program. CVHS covers the northern half of the district for IB and SCHS covers the southern half of the district.

CUSD doesn't think they need to spend the money to have a full costly IB program at every high school (although Saddleback Valley Unified has been able to maintain a strong IB program at all four of their high schools) and Tesoro just wasn't one of the schools they decided to put the program at, most likely due to location rather than quality of the school (Tesoro has a good AP program). San Juan Hills High that recently opened in San Juan Capistrano hopes to add an IB Program sometime down the road.

[Axiom]

Originally Posted by Charles

Anyone know why no IB at Tesoro?

As with any magnet program, many districts strategically locate their IB programs to help balance demographics and boost achievement scores at targeted schools. Just a guess, but I doubt that Tesoro needs the boost right now.

Originally Posted by missionhome

CUSD doesn't think they need to spend the money to have a full costly IB program at every high school (although Saddleback Valley Unified has been able to maintain a strong IB program at all four of their high schools) and Tesoro just wasn't one of the schools they decided to put the program at, most likely due to location rather than quality of the school (Tesoro has a good AP program). San Juan Hills High that recently opened in San Juan Capistrano hopes to add an IB Program sometime down the road.

I'm a bit surprised that SVUSD chooses to maintain the IB program at all their high schools.

Although I don't know the current status of categorical grant money for IB programs in CA. Generous money was flowing for establishing/maintaining IB programs a few years ago though. It drove IB proponents in AZ crazy because they couldn't get anywhere near the same level of state financial support.

IIRC CA districts could get up to $25,000 for every school with an active IB program every year. Start up costs can be high, and there is definitely a price to maintain an IB program; but I can see a well run, established IB program coming out ahead with that level of funding coming in.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by missionhome

students that really want IB can do open enrollment and transfer from their home school to one of these two high schools for the program.

In light of the controversy about San Juan Hills HS, is open enrollment serving those folks in Ladera Ranch (for a good example) that live on the south side of Roanoke or Windmill to allow their kids attend (the more local) Tesoro (even if there is no bus service in an open enrollment situation)?

School Boundaries Often Lines in the Sand - Los Angeles Times

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by Charles

In light of the controversy about San Juan Hills HS, is open enrollment serving those folks in Ladera Ranch (for a good example) that live on the south side of Roanoke or Windmill to allow their kids attend (the more local) Tesoro (even if there is no bus service in an open enrollment situation)?

School Boundaries Often Lines in the Sand - Los Angeles Times

The allowance of open enrollment depends on the space at both schools, but I have found is being allowed more (which the district probably would like to restrict).

It is on a case by case basis for doing open enrollment, sometimes granted and sometimes not. Currently, the majority of entering freshman are going on to San Juan Hills High because that is where their friends and neighborhood are going (most people don't bother witht he open enrollment process). In my experience, it is the entering freshman that have or had older siblings at either Tesoro or Capo Valley that are applying for open enrollment. For example if a family currently has a junior at Tesoro, more often than not they will apply for open enrollment to go where the older sibling goes. Families usually like to keep all their kids at one school. You also get the transfers who don't like SJHHS lack of a fully established academic program or don't like its first year test scores transfering, but still most students are following through to SJHHS.

The L.A. Times was actually pretty close with their projected ethnic makeup of the school. SJHHS entering class was 38% Hispanic, 53% White, 1.4% Asian, 1.1% African American, and the rest is mixed or other.