Your advise on areas to live (Irvine, Orange: for sale, real estate, apartments)

[socalocj]

Hello,
I am considering moving to Orange County from Wisconsin. The primary motivation being weather, in spite of several wildfires a year in SoCal. I have read several articles about best areas to live and their pros and cons, long commute times, etc but cannot seem to find in those articles what I am looking for. I am interested in areas that have character. Places where I can walk to grocery store, coffee shop, mom-n-pop restaurants, charming small town feel, safe. If I cannot walk then at least within a 15 minute drive. I am planning to live in an apartment. From the job market search for my profession, it appears that most companies are in Irvine, Alisa Viejo, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Lake Forest, etc.

Any advise from the long time residents? Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Appreciate it.

[brown_dog_us]

Budget?

[socalocj]

Originally Posted by brown_dog_us

Budget?

Let's just assume budget is not a constraint

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by socalocj

I am interested in areas that have character. Places where I can walk to grocery store, coffee shop, mom-n-pop restaurants, charming small town feel, safe. If I cannot walk then at least within a 15 minute drive. I am planning to live in an apartment. From the job market search for my profession, it appears that most companies are in Irvine, Alisa Viejo, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Lake Forest, etc.

Any advise from the long time residents? Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Appreciate it.

You're not likely to find the small town charm with mom and pop stores in OC that you seek, but this post will provide you with detailed information about Aliso Viejo:

Originally Posted by pacific2

Welcome. You will have no problem making it in Aliso Viejo. Three bedroom condominiums start at about $2400/month and SFR's at around $3000/month:
http:Find Real Estate, Homes for Sale, Apartments & Houses for Rent - realtor.com®



Other child-relevant things to know (Maybe more than you want, or maybe you already know these things ):

• The beach (at Laguna Beach) is 10-15 minutes away, depending upon where you live.
• There are about 23 parks inside the city.
• Aliso Viejo (AV) is very safe and kid-friendly.
• The schools are very good.
• AV is only about 7.5 sq miles in area, so its easy to make it from one activity to another.
• AV sponsors a number of free outdoor children's activities all year round.
• Kids seem to like to attend the annual Founder's Day festivities at the Aliso Viejo Ranch.
• AV has free outdoor movie nights during the summer months.
• The movies are located at Town Center. You'll also find an ice cream parlor, grocery stores, TJ's, etc. there.
• You can find both a Barnes and Noble bookstore, and the city library at Town Center.The library is on Journey, located a bit away from the shops.
• Indoor sports activities for kids, teens and adults: Aliso Viejo Ice Palace (Skating and ice hockey); Azarian National Gymnastics Center and Renaissance Club Sport. Of course, adults can also go to 24 Hour Fitness, etc.
• Kids seem to love watching the dogs romp around at PetSmart's PetsHotel. They have large windows, and the dogs can sometimes be seen at play. Parents often take their kids there to see them, or the other animals and fish on display. Some adults even stroll inside just to enjoy the animals.
• There is outdoor swimming at the AV Aquatic Center. I think it's open from about May-September. Additionally, your development will likely have its own swimming pool.
• There are tons of acting, martial arts, dance and other classes available at Town Center, but you would never know it because its usually on the second floor; and signage is strictly limited.
• There is an Urgent Care Center (for occasional scrapes, bumps and bruises) at Town Center.
• Saddleback Hospital, hopefully you will never need it, is about 1.5 miles away from AV.
• Emergency response time in AV is excellent.
• The closest Costco is about 1-2.0 miles away in Laguna Niguel.
• More info can be found at the city's website:City of Aliso Viejo > Home
• Just one more note about Town Center, especially important if you and yours want a local night out, it can be very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. There is now valet parking available to help deal with this problem.

Other questions?

[pacific2]

THIS IS ALISO VIEJO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISgGMqlB4W4


Experience It All @ Aliso Viejo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lplA4VMQrns&t=65s

[pacific2]

Aliso Viejo Ranch Project - 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfqJzz3i6_U

[socalocj]

[quote=pacific2;56538089]THIS IS ALISO VIEJO

Thank you!

What about these places? Some of them sound interesting.

[url]https://enjoyorangecounty.com/best-downtowns/[/url]

I intend to visit and checkout Aliso Viejo and other places.

[pacific2]

[quote=socalocj;56538335]

Originally Posted by pacific2

THIS IS ALISO VIEJO

Thank you!

What about these places? Some of them sound interesting.

https://enjoyorangecounty.com/best-downtowns/

I intend to visit and checkout Aliso Viejo and other places.

You'll have to wait for others to chime in regarding life in those towns. You said you plan to visit various cities in OC, and that's a very good idea, since it sometimes takes actually being in an area to determine if it's right for you ("Vibes").

For example, some favor Rancho Santa Margarita due to the fact that much if it is similar to AV, but it's closer to the mountains. Others prefer Ladera Ranch because they see it as being more kid friendly. Mission Viejo is liked by some since it has an abundance of trees and larger (Compared to relatively new Aliso) homes. There are also those who like San Juan Capistrano as most of it still has an "old time" look and feel. Laguna Niguel seems to be a favorite for those who like a place with "older" homes, more trees, and a older crowd. Dana Point is a favorite for others since it is a small laidback coastal town. It's nice and, given your preferences, you might want to put it at the top of your list and check it out in person. The list goes on and you'll have to visit to determine what best suits you.

[saibot]

My two cents on the places mentioned in the "Best Downtowns" is that you will need to live close enough to walk to them to actually enjoy them. Otherwise, don't bother (parking is a nightmare, especially on the weekends, and the other areas of those towns are not inspiring). In fact, for what you want you should only look at areas of any city that are adjacent to the town center, assuming there is one.

My city, Rancho Santa Margarita, is delightful and walkable to all sorts of things if you live close to the lake. Otherwise, it's basically residential suburbia and you would have to drive everywhere. A short drive, but still.

If money is really not an object, then best of all would be Laguna Beach.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by socalocj

Hello,
I am considering moving to Orange County from Wisconsin. The primary motivation being weather, in spite of several wildfires a year in SoCal. I have read several articles about best areas to live and their pros and cons, long commute times, etc but cannot seem to find in those articles what I am looking for. I am interested in areas that have character. Places where I can walk to grocery store, coffee shop, mom-n-pop restaurants, charming small town feel, safe. If I cannot walk then at least within a 15 minute drive. I am planning to live in an apartment. From the job market search for my profession, it appears that most companies are in Irvine, Alisa Viejo, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Lake Forest, etc.

Any advise from the long time residents? Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Appreciate it.

Originally Posted by socalocj

Let's just assume budget is not a constraint

OK, that's good because here in Orange County we discriminate...….

We discriminate against the poor, those who can not afford to pay high prices for rent, let alone buy

No ticket, no laundry.