Orange County Sucks! (Santa Monica, Dana Point, Nice: crime, house, living in)

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by sav858

did you ever think "maintaining your lifestyle" was a big part of the problem for you here?? I don't get why some people need such huge homes to make themselves feel happy or need a bunch of "stuff".

2300sf is hardy a mansion. If you'd actually like bedrooms bigger than 10x10, a kitchen bigger than 8x9, and a decent sized media/game room, 2300sf gets eaten up pretty quickly.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

2300sf is hardy a mansion. If you'd actually like bedrooms bigger than 10x10, a kitchen bigger than 8x9, and a decent sized media/game room, 2300sf gets eaten up pretty quickly.

It's not that small either. What you "like" and what you "need" are two different things too. Everyone can't always get what they "like".... It's not Orange County's or CA's fault some people "like" large homes and can't live in a smaller one.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by sav858

It's not that small either. What you "like" and what you "need" are two different things too. Everyone can't always get what they "like".... It's not Orange County's or CA's fault some people "like" large homes and can't live in a smaller one.

Everyone gets used to a certain standard of living. I'm sure if you had to live in a 3rd world country in a 10x10 shack, you wouldn't have a very good opinion about that place. Downsizing isn't pleasant or easy.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Everyone gets used to a certain standard of living. I'm sure if you had to live in a 3rd world country in a 10x10 shack, you wouldn't have a very good opinion about that place. Downsizing isn't pleasant or easy.

You can have a higher standard living in an apartment in Manhattan than you could in a 5,000sq ft house in Texas. A big home does not equate to a higher standard of living, it just a bigger home. Your comparison between living in a third world country to a place like OC is pretty absurd too, compare some apples to oranges while you're at it.

I think a lot of the people pissed off about CA's cost of housing just can't over the fact they can't get a large house like you can in other states. Ca isn't the only place like that and this really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone with a 1/2 of brain.

[missionhome]

For rent, Orange County is the ninth most expensive per square foot. Places like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, N. New Jersey, etc.... have always been expensive places to live. People live in 10 x 10 rooms in NYC but you don't hear as many people complain about it. The fact is that Southern California is becoming a denser place. In 1960, California was sort of like what Texas is today. Now all that farmland is dense development and it costs a lot to live here, just like New York. What people have the biggest gripe about is all the change and how California is increasingly becoming more and more like places like NYC, while there are people that miss the wide open spaces of 1960. Change will inevitably offend some people, but most people seem to be sticking around. Less than 1% of Californians actually left the state in 2006.

[NativeOrange]

I think I just came to a realization of my home I call Orange County. First of all, I want to say I am in no way materialistic, fake, or greedy. My theory is that because Orange County is viewed this way is because of it's evolution. It used to be an affordable place one time or another, maybe the 40's or 50's, but because it evolved so fast gaining media attention nationwide as a paradise, many people moved out here in the 50's and 60's. This brought desirability to the area making it expensive. Anyway what I am saying is that Orange County is no different than any other rich area like Palm Beach, Northern suburbs of Chicago, or most areas of New York. (In the cost of living sense.) Because it radiated and became such a large wealthy area, much larger than the previous mentioned, people don't take that into consideration and generalize it in a way they would generalize any other suburbia in America. So people who want to move here should compare their situation as if they were moving to Lincoln Park, or Palm Beach or any other wealthy area. Anyway I could be totally wrong but that is just my theory.

[jksouthbay88]

I like Orange County,but there are many many many things I don't like.One is the cost,traffic is another and "lack" of diversity.I put "lack" because some may say that OC is diverse,but I beg to differ.I'm a big fan of the cities west of the 55 because it is more appealing to me and cheaper.A little more urban,bigger population,and it reminds me of where I am from.Plus it has everything you can think of shopping-wise.The South OC is nice too,just not my type of place and it has smaller cities.But as a whole,OC is expensive and way overpriced.Most expensive county in Southern California right?But with the some of the best schools,nice beaches(most) and high paying carriers it makes sense that Orange County is expensive up the anus.(Excuse me for that language)

[streetscenes]

Originally Posted by TexasTrash

I am shocked and dismayed by the pure price goughing I have experienced since coming to the OC in July of this year. Everything is twice as much as it is in Texas! I paid $130.00 for a 5' x 8' U-Haul trailer to come here. The SAME trailer picked up at the SAME place I dropped it off and dropped off at the SAME place I picked it up to begin with is NOW $634.00! Why? The U-Haul man said quote "because it's leaving California"! Thats why! Don't you get it? Hell NO I don't get it! ********** place. Texas may suck in comparision to the climate and geography in the OC (and it does) but my lifestyle is way BETTER there. How do you people live out here and pay these high prices for EVERYTHING! I have a 2,350 SF home built in 2001 on a double corner lot that I paid $110,000.00 for. I can't get a comprable home anywhere out here (in the OC) for less than $650,000.00 most are up around a MILLION FRIGGEN DOLLARS. Screw the OC you rich idiots can have it! I'm going back to Texas where I can live in luxury and not get RAPED everytime I buy something! I make over $150,000.00 a year and would not even begin to try and live here on that. I would need around $500,000.00 to maintain my lifestyle here like we live in Texas! HOW DO YOU DO IT?

In Texas you need a 4,000SF house because you can't go outside for 10 months of the year, it's either too hot and humid or too cold. So if your "lifestyle" is sitting around in the AC or heat, getting fat from eating way to much and living with intolerance and ineptitude then go back to TX. If your lifestyle includes being outside, staying fit, enjoying the mountains or the beach or the desert, and living in a more tolerant and progressive area then come to Cali. So long and thanks for your greenbacks.

[ThreeOneO]

too many white people in OC

[CAtransplant]

We moved from L.A. to Houston,TX 2 years ago and simply cannot stand Texas, its climate, boredom, nasty insects, trashy cities, etc... I do not care how huge and nice your homes are, there is a reason why they are so cheap. Your "lifestyle" borders a mortuary!
This state is a dusty wasteland, humid, hot, did I say boring? People totally have no sence of culture and cosmopolitan orientation.
But yes, economy is great (still), people are friendly and food is great but that still doesn't do it for us. I cannot take my baby outside because he might suffer a sunstroke or mosquitos will eat him alive! Gone is Kemah now after hurricane IKE, there is nothing to do and nowhere to go, plus people drive their monster trucks like maniacs.
Thank you Texas for sheltering us out during the economic downturn and hello CA in a couple of years!