Ladera Ranch good for kids (Orange, Mission Viejo: rental, HOA fees, condos)

[mr_california]

I was wondering how Ladera Ranch is for kids. I am looking to relocate to Orange County from the Bay Area, as I would like to move somewhere where homes are cheaper and the Bay area is too liberal for me.

Do kids play in front of their homes in Ladera Ranch, or do parents mostly keep them in the house. Or are most of the kids involved in so many activities that they don't have time to play outside?

How friendly are people? Are they into their little clique? Or are they pretty outgoing towards others? Is it easy for kids to make friends there?

Looking for a place where my kids can play outside or maybe ride bikes around the neighborhood with other kids and where people are pretty friendly and down to earth, rather than stuck up and pretentious.

[TrophyRanger]

I don't live in Ladera but am formerly from San Clemente and since no one else has answered you yet I figured I'd chime in. IMO, Ladera is a great community to raise a family. I have several friends raising families there and they all love it. There's lots of parks and activities for families with children. Regarding friendliness, and this comment pertains to south Orange County as a whole, I'd say most people are friendly. Obviously there are always exceptions but generally speaking we always got along with most young families. I'm sure there's cliques here and there but if you're intentional about trying to make friends I'm sure you won't have a problem.

Also, I wouldn't hesitate to limit your search to only Ladera. There are also great communities in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.

If there's anything else I can help to answer, please let me know.

[thenext88]

I'm in a similar position as the OP. I'm not sure whether or not my family will move, but if we decide a condo in Santa Monica isn't enough we may end up in a house in a south OC community since I don't really like anything in between here and there.

Questions:

1. Are the clubhouses there "free" - as in are there no additional membership fees on top of the HOA fees?
2. Are there any additional costs on top of the property tax and HOA fees? I've read something about "Mello-Roos" and that was the first time I came across that term. How much would I expect to pay yearly on a $1M home?
3. Is there a weekly farmer's market?
4. Any fire season dangers?
5. Work not counted since both my wife and I can work remotely, about how much driving is involved in living in a place like this?
6. How does it compare to Talega? (another area I would be interested in due to proximity to the ocean and good school ratings)

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by thenext88

I'm in a similar position as the OP. I'm not sure whether or not my family will move, but if we decide a condo in Santa Monica isn't enough we may end up in a house in a south OC community since I don't really like anything in between here and there.

Questions:

1. Are the clubhouses there "free" - as in are there no additional membership fees on top of the HOA fees?
2. Are there any additional costs on top of the property tax and HOA fees? I've read something about "Mello-Roos" and that was the first time I came across that term. How much would I expect to pay yearly on a $1M home?
3. Is there a weekly farmer's market?
4. Any fire season dangers?
5. Work not counted since both my wife and I can work remotely, about how much driving is involved in living in a place like this?
6. How does it compare to Talega? (another area I would be interested in due to proximity to the ocean and good school ratings)

1. There are multiple cities in South OC and each has a number of condos. You'd have to check the rules for the one you finally decided to buy into.

2. Mello-Roos fees are dependent upon the city where you live. Some cities may still have them, while others eliminated them several years ago. Once you find a property, check the OC Tax Assessor's website to see what assessments are charged in addition to property taxes.

3. Farmer's markets are held in several, but not all, cities.

4. We occasionally have small brush fires which are easily and quickly extinguished. The most recent exception, if I recall correctly, was the 120 acre 2018 "Aliso Fire" or "Laguna Fire" during which evacuation orders were given for about 2,000 homes, but the orders were rescinded for all but a small number. I think it was later disclosed that it had been set by a child. Other than that, it's not unusual for smoke from SD fires to drift into South OC. Still, it pays to always be prepared for a possible evacuation.

5. If you work from home, then you drive as little or as much as you want. There are parks, libraries, schools, gymnasiums, restaurants, grocery stores, big box stores, strip malls, doctors, etc. all other South OC.

6. You need to specify a city and subdivision of interest.

[TrophyRanger]

Originally Posted by thenext88

I'm in a similar position as the OP. I'm not sure whether or not my family will move, but if we decide a condo in Santa Monica isn't enough we may end up in a house in a south OC community since I don't really like anything in between here and there.

Questions:

1. Are the clubhouses there "free" - as in are there no additional membership fees on top of the HOA fees?
2. Are there any additional costs on top of the property tax and HOA fees? I've read something about "Mello-Roos" and that was the first time I came across that term. How much would I expect to pay yearly on a $1M home?
3. Is there a weekly farmer's market?
4. Any fire season dangers?
5. Work not counted since both my wife and I can work remotely, about how much driving is involved in living in a place like this?
6. How does it compare to Talega? (another area I would be interested in due to proximity to the ocean and good school ratings)

1. I'm assuming this would be on a case-by-case basis. Areas with high HOA's may have access to clubhouses whereas others with little to no HOA's won't have near the amenities.
2. Mello-Roos is an extra "tax" used to pay for bridges, road, clubhouses, pools, etc. for newer developments. They generally have a 15-20+ year life but as was mentioned above it's best to check with each community before considering an offer. The fees are not insignificant.
3. San Clemente and Dana Point both do and I'd assume M.V., Ladera, etc does as well.
4. I lived in San Clemente 30 years and never worries about fires. True, there are brush fires from time to time but they are the exception, not the norm.
5. It depends on which community you live in but when we lived in San Clemente (Forster Ranch), everything we needed was within a 5 mile radius. Traffic isn't the greatest, and is getting worse each year, but if you stay off the freeway and major highways during peak hours most of it can be avoided.
6. Talega is a great area, I'd recommend checking it out. Lot sizes are generally smaller so housing is typically more dense but it's a great area to raise a family. Honestly, most of south OC is in my opinion. I'm biased but we loved San Clemente because it's the furthest city south before Camp Pendleton so it was a bit more off the beaten path which means less traffic and congestion. The marine layer there (and Dana Point) makes the climate a little nicer there too, in my opinion.

One other thing, traffic in LA and Santa Monica can get REALLY bad. Not trying to detour you from there but keep that in mind.

Best of luck with your search. If you have any other questions, ask away.

[thenext88]

I was able to visit Ladera Ranch recently. It seems like a kid paradise. Parks everywhere, and the entire town is very well maintained. And depending on where you live, you don't even really need a large lot. You can just walk out to one of the many green spaces that are scattered out all over town.

I have no idea how the people are though, so if/when we make the move it'll probably be a rental first to try before we commit longer term.