Mission Viejo, San Clemente or Ladera Ranch? (Irvine, Laguna Niguel: house, to buy)

[Chicago5]

I'm narrowing my search down to these three places and would love HONEST assessments as to which area would rate higher when it comes to schools, amenities and overall great family place. We are a very outdoorsy type family who plays a lot of sports, and currently two of my children play travel soccer and run track. I'm most interested in how the high school and middle schools stack up, which one is better? Our price range for housing is 700-800K. Thanks so much!

[loveorangecounty]

I think all the mentioned areas are good. I am partial to Ladera Ranch because that is where I live. The areas you mentioned are either in the Capistrano Unified School District or Saddleback School District. My 2 favorite high schools in that area are Mission and Tesoro. San Clemente HS is also good but pretty crowded. Mission HS is older but has a great reputation both academically and for sports. Tesoro is newer (10 years old) and is great academically and is pretty good in sports. My daughter is a freshman at Tesoro and loves it. Ladera Ranch Middle School is also very good. Most kids in Mission Viejo attend Newhart Middle which is good but very crowded. You can't go wrong with any of these areas. Taxes (Mello Roos) are higher in Ladera and the newer parts of San Clemente. I don't think Mission Viejo has any of the higher taxes but then most of the city is older. Just depends on what you want. One thing you may want to consider if you choose Ladera. Our middle school splits into 2 different high school, Tesoro and San Juan Hills. It's just my personal opinion but I would not send my kids to San Juan Hills. There are environmental issues along with gang problems. I'd be careful to buy in the section zoned for Tesoro. Also something to consider is the kids splitting from their friends if they choose or are zoned for different high schools.

[Charles]

I realize the original poster asked about family stuff but I think the biggest difference (other than SC being closer to the beach) is the distance south from jobs in OC and LA. It's just that much farther.

There are sort of "two San Clementes". The beach town, old version and the inland, master planned versions. Since the original poster was asking about SC as compared to LR and MV I am assuming he is referring to the inland, newer version. Now, with that, just about any type of living or community arrangement in inland SC like Talega or Forster Ranch can be found further north in OC like Laguna Niguel, RSM, MV, Irvine, Las Flores, Ladera Ranch, Foothill Ranch, etc.

Bottom line: No matter what the original poster does, he will be happy. We were in the same boat, looking at homes in MV, RSM, LR, LF, and SC and it eventually came down to the right house on the right place on the right street.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by loveorangecounty

San Clemente HS is also good but pretty crowded. Mission HS is older but has a great reputation both academically and for sports.

It's one year younger. I remember when both were built.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

It's one year younger. I remember when both were built.

Off topic but out of curiosity where did the kids go to high school before those two schools were built? MV is not that old (mid 1960s) but SC is; where did the SC kids and any other kids who lived in south OC go to HS?

[Fontucky]

Capo. Capistrano Union High School, on Camino Capistrano North of the Mission. Yay Cougars. The last year of operation as a HS was 1964.

EDIT: Most of it is still there. The main piece that is missing is the Williams Gym, which is where I attended my first sock hop. The County library sits on that spot.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Capo. Capistrano Union High School, on Camino Capistrano North of the Mission. Yay Cougars. The last year of operation as a HS was 1964.

EDIT: Most of it is still there. The main piece that is missing is the Williams Gym, which is where I attended my first sock hop. The County library sits on that spot.

So what is that building used for now? Did that school move to become Capistrano Valley High School in south Mission Viejo?

[Fontucky]

I think it's 6th grade now, at least it was a few years back. But I'm not sure, as I don't live there anymore. For all I know, it could be a bar and grill now.

CVHS showed up 13 years after CUHS closed, so it's not as if anything was moved. SCHS opened in '65, so that's where the move took place. CVHS adopted the mascot (Cougar) but adopted black and yellow for their colors, rather than CUHS blue and gold.