Are long time residents being priced out of Orange County yet? (Irvine: buying a house, buying)

[mandK]

you couldn't pay me to live in OC let alone borrow money for a house there. Just the thought freaks me out. Overall I think the vibe just sucks....among a hundred other things.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by SupBro

Here are the things significantly affect my quality of life on a daily basis and why I love living in SoCal:

1) Amazing CHEAP ethnic food. I have never been anywhere else in the world that has such a diverse and vast selection of awesome cheap food. We have LEGIT Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Peruvian, Middle Eastern, etc. food at super reasonable prices. Good luck getting anything like that other than NYC or Chicago and those will have significantly subpar Asian and Mexican.
2) No snow. Snow sucks. Shoveling snow sucks. Wiping snow off my car sucks. Driving in snow sucks. Slipping and falling on snow sucks. Traffic in snow sucks.
3) Related to the snow but more broad: The weather. It can’t be beat. I know people that wear sandals and shorts year round. Barring Hawaii where else is that possible?
4) Open minded and inclusive culture. The people I know in Socal are very welcoming to meeting new people of all different races, religions, and ethnicities. The people I know are not judgmental and it’s not super segregated and full of cliques like there are in other cities. Now to be fair I did not grow up on the West Side of LA which is a completely different kettle of fish. But the majority of people that I have met are just as down-to-earth, friendly, nonjudgmental, and genuine as anywhere else I’ve been, if not more so. If anything it’s the transplants that are the most obnoxious poseurs and materialistic types.

People talk about the beach, the mountains, the scenery and the other natural features of the area. I’m not an avid surfer who goes 3 times a week in the summer. I don’t go on a weekend back packing trip every month. I do enjoy these activities and go to the beach 2-3 times each summer and try to go on a hike every few months but as far as I’m concerned these things are just a bonus. There are other places in the US that also have amazing natural beauty that are much cheaper. One could go live in Charleston if you want some nice warm beachfront or Denver to be right in the mountains.

I take it you dont like snow. Lol at the food comment. So true. Like I said man my wife won't move, so I'm not going anywhere. And we're not getting divorced so it's just something we talk about. The chances of actually happening are very slim. We're pretty rooted here in OC.

Originally Posted by russlancea

I am wondering the same thing about my husband. He's making plans already on where he and I will retire. Of course, I'll hit that age much earlier than him, since I am 10 years older! but seriously--he wants to move out of Cali and retire in OR or WA where he can hear the sound of rain year-round . I'm okay with moving out at that time, but I think, wait, we have a house now. We're actually doing fine and should retire well enough here in SoCal.

But then again, he's the one commuting to West LA everyday while I get to browse the web and be on forums as I "work" from home.

Well right now it's raining cats and dogs so he should be pretty happy. Rain is great to clean everything but I dint think I could take constant rain.

[PeaceOwl]

We travel alot and getting out of Orange County past L A. is so difficult. Driving out of this parking lot is getting worse every year. There are other reasons for leaving, and it won't be easy after 33 years here, but there are so many beautiful areas beyond OC, truthfully we are not worried.

Let's face it, OC is not like it used to be. It's certainly not a buyers market right now in the non smoggy, nicer areas. Do your homework. There are also coastal areas north of here that are so much betterlifestyle.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by PeaceOwl

We travel alot and getting out of Orange County past L A. is so difficult. Driving out of this parking lot is getting worse every year.

The bad traffic is generally in LA...not OC. I can always tell when I have crossed the line from LA county to Orange county because the freeway goes from 3 lanes to 6, and all the traffic disappears.

On a recent Tuesday, I drove from the Grove in LA to my house in RSM. We left at 5 pm (I know, I know...not my choice). This is about 60 miles. The 30 miles in LA county took us 3 hours; the 30 miles in OC took 30 minutes.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Podo944

It's one perspective of hard cold truth, but aside from not "deserving" to live in Orange County, there're emotional tolls as well if one has to move when leaving loved ones behind.

We're renters who have stuck to our "working class" apartment for 8 years. We almost bought when prices were low 5 years ago but didn't (ug that's another story) and have certainly played with the idea of moving out of state. (why I joined C-D in the first place a while back)... However, we've become very close to our granddaughters especially after their parents divorced, we have good friends here, and my husband loves his job which counts a lot! We may not have much, and we wont even try buying at this point, so our extra money is going into retirement savings for now. Who knows what the future will bring.

That's awesome.

As one who has moved out of state, there are certain things you cannot put a price on, certain things that no cheaper or bigger house can get you.

For me, one of those things is the fast food cuisine found in the Inland Empire. I miss it more than the beach.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by Podo944

It's one perspective of hard cold truth, but aside from not "deserving" to live in Orange County, there're emotional tolls as well if one has to move when leaving loved ones behind.

We're renters who have stuck to our "working class" apartment for 8 years. We almost bought when prices were low 5 years ago but didn't (ug that's another story) and have certainly played with the idea of moving out of state. (why I joined C-D in the first place a while back)... However, we've become very close to our granddaughters especially after their parents divorced, we have good friends here, and my husband loves his job which counts a lot! We may not have much, and we wont even try buying at this point, so our extra money is going into retirement savings for now. Who knows what the future will bring.

Ouch. I have a dear friend I'm helping to find a place to buy, and frankly, I have all but given up. The prices are too high and will likely fall in the future. Do not give up.

[russlancea]

Originally Posted by BuildingsR'Us

Do you know of anyone you know personally that have been forced to move Inland/out of state for an affordable housing market?

Housing affordability in 2016: Increasing rents, home prices will drive more people away from O.C. - The Orange County Register

The article quotes a 36 year-old office manager who wants to move away from here, because she is having a hard time paying $1,000 rent. She probably makes $40k a year?

It's been a long time since I was single, but I remember when I was single and making ~38k. I didn't struggle paying $1,000 rent along with utilities, food, gas, etc. Of course, I didn't have to buy a $500 smartphone and pay for cell service each month. I'm frugal, though, so I doubt I would spend that much on a cell phone on that income.

I must be out of touch with today's cost of living and I'm so off topic, but is it really that hard for a single person to live on $40k these days? I know we've covered this topic before...

[SupBro]

If you live with a room mate in a 2 bed 2 bath apartment you can definitely live on 40k a year so long as you don't have gnarly debt.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by russlancea

Of course, I didn't have to buy a $500 smartphone and pay for cell service each month. ...

IF, the office manager actually has a $500 smartphone, it may be out of necessity since they now function as mini computers.

My occupation is totally different but, for example, I very much appreciate the fact that I can e-sign and transmit documents (coded with no identifying info) from my smartphone. I do it all the time, and it's a tremendous convenience.

Still, getting back to the point of the article, even if she happens to make about $40K, that is not much of a salary for someone in this (SoCal) economy who wants to live on their own, and also buy a home one day.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by russlancea

The article quotes a 36 year-old office manager who wants to move away from here, because she is having a hard time paying $1,000 rent. She probably makes $40k a year?

It's been a long time since I was single, but I remember when I was single and making ~38k. I didn't struggle paying $1,000 rent along with utilities, food, gas, etc. Of course, I didn't have to buy a $500 smartphone and pay for cell service each month. I'm frugal, though, so I doubt I would spend that much on a cell phone on that income.

I must be out of touch with today's cost of living and I'm so off topic, but is it really that hard for a single person to live on $40k these days? I know we've covered this topic before...

Truthfully 40k a year isn't a lot. At least not here. Not today. It amounts to 19.23 a hour if you're doing 40 a week. That's 769.20 a week gross. I'm not defending wages etc, but the COL here pounds 20 a hour to dust. She could do it if she had no debt whatsoever, no car oayment, little overhead, prepaid cell, lived with three or four roommates and was a person who could save. She could technically eventually afford a $120-140k worth of house at that wage. She would still need to be debt free and save for house maintenance insurance etc. But basically at 40k a year you're not buying in so cal.

As for the smart cell let's face it, it's almost a need. ibhave a friend who does EVERYTHING on his smart phone that most do on computers.