Where to live in SoCal?
Jan 26th, 2006, 01:30 PM
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Where to live in SoCal?
Hi everyone,
My boyfriend and I are are relocating to Southern California around the Irvine area. Besides going there and checking out the various communities, where can I go online to find out more on which areas would be good to live in, what the neighborhoods are like, etc. Right now we are thinking Manhattan Beach or Huntington Beach. Thanks in advance for your help.
My boyfriend and I are are relocating to Southern California around the Irvine area. Besides going there and checking out the various communities, where can I go online to find out more on which areas would be good to live in, what the neighborhoods are like, etc. Right now we are thinking Manhattan Beach or Huntington Beach. Thanks in advance for your help.
Jan 26th, 2006, 01:48 PM
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Do you mean your place of employment will be in Irvine ? If so I would not want to drive there everyday from Manhattan Beach....lots and lots of traffic on the 405 freeway. I've lived in Huntington Beach and my dentist was in Irvine and getting there traffic wise was often hell as I needed to do the freeway. HB is a great place tho !! Irvine itself is nice and has lots of apartments, townhomes, houses. You might want to check them out via a realtor. If the beach areas are important to you then look into H.B., Seal Beach, Newport Beach (altho NB is pretty expensive). Costa Mesa may be worth looking into, as well as Fountain Valley.
Really to me the decision on where to live would boil down to the amount of time it took to get to work and the traffic involved. From some of these areas you can do local streets which is often better then the freeway.
I love Manhattan Beach (Redondo and Hermosa Beaches as well) and they are a great place to live but rather a long commute to Irvine.
I have no idea where you now live but prepare yourself for high rents/high prices on housing.
Really to me the decision on where to live would boil down to the amount of time it took to get to work and the traffic involved. From some of these areas you can do local streets which is often better then the freeway.
I love Manhattan Beach (Redondo and Hermosa Beaches as well) and they are a great place to live but rather a long commute to Irvine.
I have no idea where you now live but prepare yourself for high rents/high prices on housing.
Jan 26th, 2006, 10:19 PM
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I totally agree with Lori that you should try to live in the Irvine Area if your jobs are in that area. Traffic in LA Area is terrible and you would not want to drive from Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach to Irvine everyday. There are many nice beach areas more accessible to Irvine. Prices are very high tho. Hope your move to our area is all you hope it to be.
Jan 29th, 2006, 09:53 PM
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Irvine is a big and congested area.
The best advice I can give, as a South County resident is to stay in a hotel for a few days near your work and check out the traffic, markets and shops and other necessities NEAR YOUR JOBS before you commit to a place to rent. I advise RENT for a while even if you ultimately want to BUY a place to really see in 2 phases, what areas are the most comfortable,accessible and affordable to you both in regards to work and residential opportunities.
It's a great area, but complicated issue, do your homework and good luck.
The best advice I can give, as a South County resident is to stay in a hotel for a few days near your work and check out the traffic, markets and shops and other necessities NEAR YOUR JOBS before you commit to a place to rent. I advise RENT for a while even if you ultimately want to BUY a place to really see in 2 phases, what areas are the most comfortable,accessible and affordable to you both in regards to work and residential opportunities.
It's a great area, but complicated issue, do your homework and good luck.
Jan 30th, 2006, 07:13 AM
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Everyone is giving you excellent advice. The geographic area of Irvine seems to be pretty sprawling, so I would be careful to look for housing less than two miles from the place of work. delor's suggestion to rent while feeling out the housing market is very wise.
Jan 30th, 2006, 07:42 AM
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I live close to Irvine, and while it's modern, clean & safe, it isn't exactly brimming with personality! Nothing wrong with it, I just find it bland.
Everyone's giving you good advice, which is to live within an easy commute of your job...where will that be?
Everyone's giving you good advice, which is to live within an easy commute of your job...where will that be?
Jan 31st, 2006, 08:39 AM
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How old are you? Irvine will be fine if you want convenience and a nice quiet tract home or apt. to live in. Easy to get to places from there.
If you are in your 20's, early 30's and want personality like Manhattan Beach then definitely look on the Pennincula in Newport beach or nearby. ( It will take you 20-30 minutes to get to work though) More to do and more bars, beach access and restaurants with people your own age and interests.
If you are in your 20's, early 30's and want personality like Manhattan Beach then definitely look on the Pennincula in Newport beach or nearby. ( It will take you 20-30 minutes to get to work though) More to do and more bars, beach access and restaurants with people your own age and interests.
Jan 31st, 2006, 10:34 AM
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Thanks everyone for the advice. I think that we are going to rent for a bit and see what the areas are like. My boyfriend is in sales so he can work from home or go to the Irvine office so the commute is not a big deal for him. We are in our 30s so we want to stay in a place with personality.
Jan 31st, 2006, 11:26 AM
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Manhattan Beach is a very desirable place to live, but is expensive. We own a rental Townhome besides our own house, and our tenant just sighed up for another year lease, going on his 4th year. He works and commutes everyday to Irvine (at least airport traffic is in opposite direction)
He said he would give it a try for the first year, to see how it would be, and prefers our beach community here, to where his office is. I'm just pointing out that people do make that drive.
He said he would give it a try for the first year, to see how it would be, and prefers our beach community here, to where his office is. I'm just pointing out that people do make that drive.
