How is it in Aliso Viejo, CA to relocate? (Huntington Beach: hotel, home)

[twiz88]

Hey I have been planning my move to California since my visit there earlier this year. Looked up a few areas but I now have since started with a new employer. They have a few locations in California but I came across Aliso Viejo, CA. Wanted to get some insight into the area, how is it to live, and etc. I'm a 26yr old single male.

[Count David]

It is one of dozens of cities that make up Orange County. One of the nicer ones.

Read up on the forum re: life there, and you should be able to make somewhat of a determination.

Good luck.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Aliso is a very nice, clean community. Very family oriented.
But not really the place for a 26 year old, single male
Think Newport Beach, Huntington Beach.

If you are working near the Summit/TechSpace office complexes, think about Dana Point, Laguna Beach

[DriveNotCommute]

Must be willing to drive but a good bedroom community. Clean and safe, reasonably quiet. Plenty of convenient shopping for life's basics. Does not really stand out in terms of restaurants, but it's not bad either given the Aliso Town Center around the movie theater. You may want to rely on the Toll Road that's there, as it will quickly get you to all the more interesting places that a 26yo with a rising career may want to go.

[Fast Cat]

Concur with all the comments above. Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are probably the best communities for singles. You should also examine San Clemente.

[pacific2]

OP, it's a matter of personal preference. Actual city residents are much younger in Aliso Viejo than in either Huntington Beach, or Newport Beach. Young people visit them since there is truly scant nightlife in South County, including Aliso Viejo.

You'll find plenty of information about AV on C-D. FWIW, or not, here a few of my old posts.

Originally Posted by pacific2

Aliso Viejo:

It's very small, hilly & pretty with flowers & trees everywhere; and it's just 10-15 minutes away from the ocean.

All of this adds up to more than "one thing," but I also love that AV is green, still fairly progressive, health conscious (OC's longest life expectancy), clean, safe (One of CA's safest cities), with good schools, and well-managed with low unemployment (Among the lowest of any OC city), a solid infrastructure and a budget surplus.

Originally Posted by pacific2

Aliso Viejo is not a traditional burb, and as a former big city dweller (ex-Manhattanite), I could not stomach living here if it were. AV is a work in progress.



Town Center:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaqHklpy4kI



Soka Performing Arts Center



Soka University of America Performing Arts Center - YouTube

[pacific2]

A few more of my old AV posts. Sports, both indoor and outdoor, are very big in AV.

Originally Posted by pacific2

Shoot us. We are a city of mostly physically active people, and that extends all the way down to kids. That's probably a good part of the reason why Aliso Viejo has OC's longest life expectancy; we are not couch potatoes. The city attracts a lot of young, and middle-aged, people who love to be active.

That said, swimming is huge in Aliso, as is surfing (Aliso Niguel men's surf team has won championships), as well as other organized sports; and boating, biking and hiking.

Gymnastics also rule, so the city trains some Olympic champs and contenders. Hockey and ice skating are popular as well, in AV (Aliso Viejo Ice Palace).

It's not by chance that a huge sports hotel (Rennaissance ClubSport) with swimming and multiple basketball, racquetball and squash courts ......is here. Careful research went into that decision.

Nevertheless, there are several independent dance and acting studios in Aliso Viejo; and kids who want to be physically active, but not in the above sports, can do so without feeling they are in any way unusual.

I agree, though, AV and OC are not for everyone.

PS

Sports are not everything, and we have good schools, including one which is a private International Baccalaureate (IB) World school; and a few UCI profesors are working on a proposal to open a STEM school in AV.

Originally Posted by pacific2

For beach-close bargains (10 minutes to Laguna Beach), try Aliso Viejo* , since prices have been suppressed here due to Mello-Roos.

The kicker is that many of the dreaded Mello-Roos fees are actually quite low; and all are set to expire in 2016. That, IMHO, suggests that current undervalued properties may increase in price in the future.

Kids attend either Aliso Niguel or, in some cases, Laguna Beach High.

For example, this 5bd/4bth/3,150 sq.ft. home with canyon views is on the market for only $1.025,000. Mello-Roos=$758.42/yr.

41 Sprucewood, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# OC14060675 | Redfin

This 4bd/2.75bth/3,300 sq.ft. home presently lists for only $1,078,000. Mello-Roos=$769.58/yr.

49 Oak View Dr, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 | MLS# OC14026561 | Redfin

*I admit that I am partial to AV since I actually live here (Manhattan "transplant") and know this small town quite well.

[pacific2]

Aliso Viejo is very tiny (slightly smaller in area than neighboring Laguna Beach) at about 7.47 sq miles.

Renaissance ClubSport is sort of a hangout place in AV for a lot of people; both residents and nonresidents alike.

(Dated video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDQG9mplsY0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjleXmcX_Lo

[pacific2]

The Neighborhood Cup in Aliso Viejo is the local favorite coffee house:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RutfLoclDs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-2D4agXY14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szgkShe6ZXc

[pacific2]

While most of Aliso's restaurants are part of a big chain, there are exceptions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhsxhdFGN6Q

Stadium Brewery attracts a lot of AV "locals" (Mr. T ??? Agave Underground Spokesman)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rABIPz1EVrc