Irvine, Ladera Ranch or Laguna Niguel??? Need insight

[00molavi]

In our assessment when you factor in afford ability with things like Mello Roos and HOA, Laguna Niguel was the better mix. Good schools and less of the expenses you don't have control on. My point is that with MR and HOA, even when you have paid your loan off, you still have to pay a chunk for MR, HOA and on top of that taxes and repair. You might as well rent forever. Irvine has the better schools from what we have heard, but they could also be super competitive and if your child is anything but a straight A, then the inferiority complex sets in.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by 00molavi

In our assessment when you factor in afford ability with things like Mello Roos and HOA, Laguna Niguel was the better mix. Good schools and less of the expenses you don't have control on. My point is that with MR and HOA, even when you have paid your loan off, you still have to pay a chunk for MR, HOA and on top of that taxes and repair. You might as well rent forever. Irvine has the better schools from what we have heard, but they could also be super competitive and if your child is anything but a straight A, then the inferiority complex sets in.

Mello Roos will expire before most people pay off their loans. Mello Roos assessments are for 15 or 20 years or somewhere around there. A mortgage is typically 15 or 30 years. And, the mello roos expires from when the house was purchased - not when you buy it. So, a 15 year Mello Roos on a house built in 1995 expires this year.

[masalamomma]

Originally Posted by 00molavi

In our assessment when you factor in afford ability with things like Mello Roos and HOA, Laguna Niguel was the better mix. Good schools and less of the expenses you don't have control on. My point is that with MR and HOA, even when you have paid your loan off, you still have to pay a chunk for MR, HOA and on top of that taxes and repair. You might as well rent forever. Irvine has the better schools from what we have heard, but they could also be super competitive and if your child is anything but a straight A, then the inferiority complex sets in.

Which is why I RENT in Irvine. I don't own a home because the rent to own cost comparison is just way out of whack in favor of renting. Personally, I wouldn't mind living in all the areas south of Irvine, but my husband is all about the schools for the kids. And I am tired of arguing with him, so we stay. Which is not so hard, because Irvine is a wonderful place to live, as I am sure are Ladera Ranch and Laguna Niguel.

[00molavi]

Thanks, masalamomma and Charles. I should have disclosed that I am not that against Mello Roos anyways. We actually ended up in LA and bought in a Mello Roos tax district. I guess I feel part of the Laguna Niguel advantage is the perceived value of proximity to the beach. We never cared about it but they make a big deal of it down there and also keep telling you that Ladera Ranch is HOT. I never lived in Irvine, but have a lot of friends that do. It is a great place, but I still think the prices for a purchase is high.

[chunter6]

Originally Posted by stylishmommy

For the locals on the site, my husband is relocating to OC for work from Napa Valley and we need a 3 bedroom 2 bath home that we will rent at first, would like a yard but that seems like a joke considering the "yards" we saw scouting homes last week. We have a 9 month old son so I want a community that is very family friendly but also offers social gatherings and farmers markets, trails/parks. We lived in SF so also like nice restaurants/shops. I would love to know the Pros /Cons of the following areas....Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Niguel. I did recently go to the area but didn't have the chance to look thoroughly at homes just drove by the area. My husband works from home and then commutes to distributers so he will be driving a lot no matter what.

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

I have a four bedroom plus office, two bath home in Laguna Niguel. Nice view, close to parks shopping etc. I'm considering leasing it out as I may be relocating.

Cornel
949.249.6721

[MattClyde]

I hate LR, that place is in a horrible location also homes are so close together that they make Irvine lots look huge.
I just had to add that part.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by MattClyde

I hate LR, that place is in a horrible location also homes are so close together that they make Irvine lots look huge.
I just had to add that part.

The other thing about Ladera that may be a turn off for some people is many of the garages, while three car garages are tandem configurations - two stalls wide but one stall is two stalls deep. Some people (like me) prefer three parallel stalls all one stall deep. The tandem configuration sort of means your storage stuff (lawnmowers, bikes, etc) are way in the back of the garage - to be dragged out by your kids - against your car's paint job.

Still, when you are buying in Ladera, you're buying your neighbors, the schools, the amenities, the beauty, the community. We made a couple offers on a couple homes there. I'm sure we would have been happy living there had we bought there instead.

[C&L]

We may be interested in renting your property if you decide to lease. We're not yet set on an area but headed to So Cal in Dec to look

Let me know if you become serious.