Moving to OC With Children on 5K per month Budget (San Diego: rentals, homes)

[WestCoaster99]

We are planning to move to OC with two children 4 and 6.

We have a budget of 5K per month in rent and require:

1. Three bedrooms.
2. Kids friendly place.
3. Walking distance to the ocean.
4. Walk score of 80 plus.

We are looking at Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach etc.

Any suggestions?

Should we pass on OC and look to La Jolla?

We work from home so traffic is not an issue.

Thanks.

[LuvSouthOC]

Did Silicon Valley not work out? You were moving there last week.

[WestCoaster99]

Silicon Valley is an option.
The cost of housing there is horrendous. It is worse than Manhattan.
5K there does not rent you much for a family of four in a good school district.
It appears that OC is somewhat less expensive than Silicon Valley; though I could be wrong.
We will rent for one year and then decide; we are originally from the East coast.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by WestCoaster99

Should we pass on OC and look to La Jolla?

You're unlikely to find a lot of single family homes in La Jolla that would be long term rentals, within your rental budget, and meeting all of your requirements (especially the walking distance to the ocean one).

If you want to consider San Diego County, I'd add Encinitas, Solana Beach, Coronado and Carlsbad to your list in order to find more single family home options close to the beach within your budget (both rental and purchase).

These are all walkable upscale communities with excellent schools. They also are arguably more child friendly than coastal La Jolla.

Why not find a realtor who handles rentals in the areas that interest you and ask them to show you around?

[a333]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

You're unlikely to find a lot of single family homes in La Jolla that would be long term rentals, within your rental budget, and meeting all of your requirements (especially the walking distance to the ocean one).

If you want to consider San Diego County, I'd add Encinitas, Solana Beach, Coronado and Carlsbad to your list in order to find more single family home options close to the beach within your budget (both rental and purchase).

These are all walkable upscale communities with excellent schools. They also are arguably more child friendly than coastal La Jolla.

Why not find a realtor who handles rentals in the areas that interest you and ask them to show you around?

Call Mike Chamberlain at Chamberlain Property Management in Carlsbad. You'll get more for your money in Carlsbad compared to the OC, although there are always exceptions. Also the Carlsbad Chamber and Airpark are both very large if you need representation and office space, and the City loves start ups. And, the traffic is less than Newport!

[Cardiff Kook]

Just move to OC.. We have enough people in North county SD as it is

[NewbieHere]

La Jolla is very expensive. Rent in Newport Beach is not cheap either. I know somebody rent a place, less than 3500sqft for about $10k.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by WestCoaster99

3. Walking distance to the ocean.
4. Walk score of 80 plus.

You're far better off in West LA. You should move there.

[VoxTerra]

It's funny how oftentimes people think they are really well off, then they want to move to OC/SF/Manhattan and realize they're not as wealthy as they think. Happens so often. 1.5 mil sounds like a lot - until it isn't.

Having said that - try Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Lake Forest.

San Clemente and Dana point may also be options.

You may have to compromise on walking score, etc..

[CaliRestoration]

Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo are both burbs with crap public transit systems and daily life requires a car. There's no way Aliso Viejo has a walk score of 80. I don't think it even has a walk score of 40. It's pretty car dependent.