Affordable Cities???

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[quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!
 
[quote author="reason" date=1246422449][quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!</blockquote>


Reason grew up in SA but never ventured up to the northside. The traffic was reconfigured during the early 70's to create seclusion to the Northside where the Politicians lived.
 
I grew up in Costa Mesa and was told to never, ever go to Santa Ana (unless I was going to South Coast Plaza, which as I was told is technically Santa Ana although they don't want to admit it).
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1246423460][quote author="reason" date=1246422449][quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!</blockquote>


Reason grew up in SA but never ventured up to the northside. The traffic was reconfigured during the early 70's to create seclusion to the Northside where the Politicians lived.</blockquote>


Yes, I grew up on the southside. All my G.A.T.E. classmates lived on the northside. I knew early on I was the outcast. You know what's so surreal about my HS years? I went to Santa Ana High with a student population of 90% hispanic. Yet, due to my GATE classes I was surrounded by all caucasians and 1 Chinese. The only time I saw the Hispanic kids were in the hallways and my P.E. class. You can say I was in a protective bubble =). Thanks to the influence of the parents from the northside.
 
[quote author="reason" date=1246425528][quote author="bkshopr" date=1246423460][quote author="reason" date=1246422449][quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!</blockquote>


Reason grew up in SA but never ventured up to the northside. The traffic was reconfigured during the early 70's to create seclusion to the Northside where the Politicians lived.</blockquote>


Yes, I grew up on the southside. All my G.A.T.E. classmates lived on the northside. I knew early on I was the outcast. You know what's so surreal about my HS years? I went to Santa Ana High with a student population of 90% hispanic. Yet, due to my GATE classes I was surrounded by all caucasians and 1 Chinese. The only time I saw the Hispanic kids were in the hallways and my P.E. class. You can say I was in a protective bubble =). Thanks to the influence of the parents from the northside.</blockquote>


That crazy purple house posted with green and yellow interior is across the street from your old school. I knew that Chinese guy too. He was Hop Sing Gutierrez.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1246427343][quote author="reason" date=1246425528][quote author="bkshopr" date=1246423460][quote author="reason" date=1246422449][quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!</blockquote>


Reason grew up in SA but never ventured up to the northside. The traffic was reconfigured during the early 70's to create seclusion to the Northside where the Politicians lived.</blockquote>


Yes, I grew up on the southside. All my G.A.T.E. classmates lived on the northside. I knew early on I was the outcast. You know what's so surreal about my HS years? I went to Santa Ana High with a student population of 90% hispanic. Yet, due to my GATE classes I was surrounded by all caucasians and 1 Chinese. The only time I saw the Hispanic kids were in the hallways and my P.E. class. You can say I was in a protective bubble =). Thanks to the influence of the parents from the northside.</blockquote>


That crazy purple house posted with green and yellow interior is across the street from your old school. I knew that Chinese guy too. He was Hop Sing Gutierrez.</blockquote>


Haha! You're crazy!
 
[quote author="reason" date=1246422449][quote author="tmare" date=1246422216][quote author="reason" date=1246422091][quote author="tmare" date=1246421621][quote author="reason" date=1246419469]Morrison Park? Hmm, thanks Bk.</blockquote>


The SAUSD superintendent lives in Morrison Park.</blockquote>


You're kidding?! Hmm...</blockquote>


Get out and drive around, reason! There are lots of nice neighborhoods out there!</blockquote>


Hey, I am trying. Haha!</blockquote>




I find that one gets a much better sense of neighborhoods by parking my car and walking around.



Alternatively, if the area is larger, parking the car and taking the bicycle out of the trunk and riding around.



Then stop and talk with people walking or doing yard work, and ask them about the neighborhood, schools, etc
 
I really love the old neighborhoods in SA, Fullerton and parts of Orange. There is no doubt that there are some incredibly charming homes in those cities and they are more affordable than ever. My husband would not live that far inland, so we chose CM. It's not perfect, but it is centrally located... in fact the most convenient place in OC that I have ever lived and it is nearly coastal. I like my neighborhood, but don't love it. If I had to do it all over again, I would look at being west of placentia and stay south of victoria. Some mornings



I take my dog over to canyon park and I think what a great neighborhood this is. There have been some great homes over there between $400K and $500K. From our neighborhood, it's a 15-20 min bike ride to the beach in HB, from there it's even less. A little longer to get to the freeways, but we're talking maybe 5-6 mins. My husband has made it to his office in Irvine in under 15 mins.



And no, it's not ideal, but when affordability is the factor and your criteria is being close to the coast, I don't think you can go wrong in parts of CM. We looked at Mesa Verde, but hubby did feel that it was a little more suburban than he wanted. He really liked being south of Victoria and the proximitiy to the SA river trail to the coast.
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1246413847]I've realized now that I can't keep hoping to live in the ideal home. Prices aren't going to come down that much more so now is the time to realistically budget. I mean, who wouldn't want to live in Newport, Huntington, Irvine, Villa Park, Seal Beach, etc.? But in terms of affordability, it's going to be Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Orange, or Costa Mesa. Without giving an exact number, my budget is between 300K to 500K. I think a mortgage between 2K-3K/month is affordable.</blockquote>


Thats $400K +/-. What is the housing criteria? 3 beds, 2 baths, 2 car garage, 1250+ sf preferrably 1500ish?



Frankly, $400K is a today target in many of the communities you described. By fall, I'm expecting several good homes in many of those neighborhoods.



And frankly, by winter, a 3/2 detached condo 'SFR' in Irvine will be in that range.



By winter I suspect several of the towns listed above will have decent 3/2s in the upper 300s.



The bigger question IMHO, is what city do you work in? The commute in OC can and is a pain.
 
Ever consider Tustin? It's got a good central location (like Irvine), but prices tend to be cheaper, especially outside Tustin Ranch (which is basically an extension of Irvine).
 
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