Is the grass greener in SoCal (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach: homes, to buy, school districts)

[MontCoGirl]

My family is thinking of moving to Orange County to escape the East Coast winters. My job is in LA but I will only have to go 1-2x per month. I have three kids - 13, 10, and 8 - who will probably be shell shocked entering a new school system. We would literally be moving for the weather. We currently live in a small, Norman Rockwell-like town near Philly and NY, that is very nice and very boring. I have heard many say that Orange County a suburb with a beach. I would prefer to escape the suburbs, but I have the three kids to think about. Are there any areas with good schools and at least some more "exurb" like areas (like Bethesda, MD for example). Are each of the towns totally different worlds? For example, if you live in Mission Viejo, can you realistically go to activities in Irvine? Any tips on transitioning east coast kids to the California school system?

[bowneline]

I wouldn't really call Orange County a "suburb," in the traditional sense. It's a very diverse place, with its own economy and culture.

If anything, I would say Orange County is similar to the Northern Virginia beltway area -- in that it pretty built up, upscale and has it's own economy and is relatively dense and diverse - despite technically being a suburban area.

There certainly are large swaths of Orange County that are track homes and you might be debating between Applebees and TGI Fridays for you Saturday night out for dinner. But, there are also large swatches where you have culture and diversity and other characteristics that are more akin to a big city.

The cities and towns in OC are not different worlds. The towns are packed together and you would scarcely know you are traveling out of one city and into the next one as you are driving around. If you were living in Mission Viejo, you could very well go to a movie in Irvine, the beach in San Clemente and dinner out in Laguna Beach over the course of a single weekend. Yes, people travel around the County do to things.

The big factor is your budget. If you can afford it, there are places that I suspect you and your family would absolutely love. Places that are interesting and safe and great to raise a family -- all while enjoying the weather and all the great things OC has to offer. What is your housing budget?

As far as transitioning the kids? Tough to say. Kids in all areas of the country have a lot of things in common, whether they live in NY or OC. Yes, there are probably some surfer kids at the coastal schools that fit a lot of the stereotypes and a small town east coast kid might not relate. There are also probably some kids in the wealthier areas who would fall into the "The OC" stereotypes. But, there are also plenty of kids that are into regular things like basketball or video games and other interests that kids all across the country are interested in, and I suspect your kids would find other kids they could relate to.

[Electrician4you]

Think of OC as the United States. As you drive through them from north to south it goes in and out of old to newly renovated to really new clean and Stepford Wifes imitation. You have a literal cornucopia of foods and ethnicities. Want Mexican food? It's all over. Korean, Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese, Indian you name it it's somewhere. And LA isn't far.

Plenty of good school districts
Tustin
Fountain Valley
Irvine
I'm sure there are others too.

You're going to hear a lot of opinions
I can tell you
OC is crowded
LA is crowded
We don't estimate distance in miles. Distance is gauged in time
You'll find plenty of self absorbed d-heads
You'll also find plenty of very nice people. Contrary to the opinion of people who never stepped foot in California we dont eat our first born nor do we get hairy and howl at the moon.

Most that come here absolutely love it. Some hate it. It's not for everyone. However you will probably find the most open minded people. There are people not only from all over the US trying to get a shot at the title but from anywhere in the world.

Hope you like it

[Kevroqs]

Don't bother moving unless you have more than a million to buy a home and/or have a salary of 100k. If you want to stay out of the hood, anything further south of Santa Ana would be good.

[cornsnicker3]

What is your budget? That will help us help you much better.

[jamesblazen]

So Cal is a great place to live but you need to have money to enjoy it otherwise you live like a rat. Get into one of the gated communities of Huntington Beach and you'll be very happy.

[adr3naline]

The grass is actually brown in SoCal. Which is a good metaphor, I guess. As others pointed out, your QOL, especially with 3 kids, will largely depend on your income. I wouldn't dare bring 3 kiddos to OC on less than $150k/yr...or $175k+ if I wanted to own my home.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

The grass is actually brown in SoCal. Which is a good metaphor, I guess. As others pointed out, your QOL, especially with 3 kids, will largely depend on your income. I wouldn't dare bring 3 kiddos to OC on less than $150k/yr...or $175k+ if I wanted to own my home.

It depends, because some cities use recycled waste water to keep the grass green and flowers in bloom all year round.

The rest, I pretty much agree with, SoCal is very expensive.

[Maliblue]

What little grass there is in SoCal is usually brown and combustible.

[payutenyodagimas]

depends on the turf you buy