PANDA_IHB
New member
I came across this link to get some unbiased feedback about living in Irvine. I am suprised to see that there are more negative than positive comments. Many are saying that Irvine is stale, boring, lacks character, pesonality and culture. Many are also saying that Irvine is not a people friendly place. Are these comments pretty accurate?
I find these comments really valuable to compare with the lifestyle of the midwest.
<a href="http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2008/07/11/best-places-to-live-2008-no-4-town/">What people are saying about Living in Irvine</a>
http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2008/07/11/best-places-to-live-2008-no-4-town/
What do you think of the No. 4 town on this year?s Best Places to Live list? What makes it a great American town? Are real estate prices reasonable? How are the schools? What activities and events does it offer? Is it a place where you can live a low-stress life? If you don?t live there now, would you consider moving there? Tell us what you think. The best replies will be published here, and possibly in a future story on CNNMoney.com.
Irvine Ca is just one big strip mall. Like most of Southern Ca (sans San Giego), Irvine lacks any character. It is clean, the area is prosperous, and the weather is great but the materialistic nature of southern cal is exemplified in Irvine.
Posted By Mark, Santa Rosa, Ca: November 25, 2008 9:11 pm
we lived in irvine for 11 years and moved to fairfax, va a few years back. Main reasons?.the irvine bubble?the children were too sheltered and grew up with a sense of upper middle class entitlement that was getting in the way of basic objectivity??the school system has taken a massive tanking?though the elementary schools are still good the middle and high school have a lot of good teachers that left and the replacements are not of the same caliber?. the school system has cut so many corners over the past years that the quality is not the same?a lot of our friends have left irvine?.
the multiethnic mix is no longer a mix?everyone clusters about in their own little ethnic groups and refuses to acknowledge people not from their cliques?the PTAs? are no longer harmonious and petty frustrations abound?.the swim teams have become positively poisonous?.it is not what the irvine it used to be?.the new immigration mix is too rife with pettiness of all kinds?.
but?the restuarants are great, shopping fabulous and the beaches not too far away?but how much money will you have left over after the high mortgages?..
Posted By irvine, ca: October 7, 2008 11:10 am
Irvine is the place to be if you have a child with Autism. they have the resources, therapy, and schools.
Posted By Sylvia, Fontana, CA: September 25, 2008 10:47 am
As a native orange county person, Irvine has always be a joke among us. It was developed by one big company, The Irvine Company so of course, it is safe and clean and very boring?as of schools, it may be good but how many actually are well known musicians or doctors ..the same percentage as any other good school system in U.S. so in the end, it doesnt matter where one lives but how one lives. I now live in England where my children are doing very well.
Posted By Lynn Hnat, Kenilworth, England: September 23, 2008 7:25 am
serious? im looking to leave the area?great if you like a starter home for 700k, packed freeways, rude people, strip malls, tourist.
Posted By scott, irvine, ca: September 14, 2008 10:49 pm
I too say look at Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Orange Park Acres, Villa Park. Brea, in north Orange County, is a nice blend of bang for your buck- great schools, nice neighborhoods, safe, low crime and very ?with-it? city although smaller at 38,000. Brea has been rated one of the best small cities in country.
Posted By Robert, Brea, CA: September 10, 2008 11:52 am
Many of the statements here are complaining of things that you should be looking for in a city. Bottom line, any place you would call your home town should be safe, clean, and why not ?Perfect?.
I live 50 miles from Irvine and commute there to play hockey at
The 949 Roller Hockey Center. This facility is truely one of the perks of the city as it is one the best roller hockey facilties in the nation.
The city is also centralized with a short commute to beaches, mountains, city life, and amusement parks in any direction.
Posted By EJ, Upland California: September 10, 2008 1:48 am
nice place for now, with kids enjoying excellent schools and outdoors. but, we ARE MOVING OUT WHEN OUR KIDS HAVE GROWN - boring place, no soul, sometimes i wish there were some ?chaos? on these streets..
Posted By bob, irvine, ca: September 9, 2008 2:36 pm
My family moved away from Irvine 14 years ago because of the terrible traffic. I love being out of Irvine!
Posted By Kathy Cannon, Atascadero, Ca: September 8, 2008 9:18 pm
I find it very immature that the people who live in Irvine and love it claim that those who criticize it are people trying to get ?in?. That just goes to show the type of mentality that brews there.
Logically, it isn?t for everybody. People are different and look for the type of environment that will best fit them and their families. As a person born in O.C. who was relocated to San Diego(but attended UC Irvine), I cannot believe this is the only California place that made it on the list! What were they thinking? Yes, safety and public schools are important, but so are raising your children having contact with real world California.
I would never move there again, even if you paid me a hundred thousand dollar salary. Irvine is so sterile a place it is scary. There is very little interaction with people, and everyone looks the same. Diversity? Hah! Don?t make me laugh.
For anyone considering moving to California, San Diego is the perfect place. You can get a small town feel in many areas, the schools are decent, and you actually have culture. The people are friendly and more down to earth too. None of this snooty stuff.
Also, SDSU and UCSD ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE BREATHING, LIVELY, COLLEGE CAMPUSES. I ended up transferring to UCSD, best decision I ever made.
Posted By LW, San Diego, CA.: September 8, 2008 12:06 pm
irvine is great if you hate back yards
Posted By P.B., Santa Ana, CA: August 29, 2008 5:46 pm
Oh, Irvine! I think I speak for a lot of Californians when I say that I have a love/hate relationship with Irvine. Many of you making comments are nailing it right on the head: Irvine is a very pleasant town for families, but pretty boring for young adults. The city just doesn?t have much personality. And I would question the ?diversity? statistics. From what I?ve seen, it?s all white and Asian. I have friends that live in the area who say they rarely see black or latino people.
The streets or Irvine are clean and well kept. But it?s just too boring. Too sterile. No personality. I?ve lived in Southern California all my life until a year ago, when I moved to San Francisco. I don?t know if I would want to settle down up here (expensive in the city, plus I?m far from my family) but I?ll take an afternoon at Dolores Park over an afternoon in Irvine ANY day.
But Irvine, again, is definitely well-kept, spacious, and temperate.
Posted By Brian, California: August 27, 2008 8:18 pm
How can you include Irvine, CA as a ?best place? when housing is so overpriced. A 3 bedroom for a$700,000 is not affordable to at least 95% of Americans. There are many other places in America that are nice places to raise a family and be able to afford a house.
Posted By Kim, Tustin, CA: August 1, 2008 10:10 am
Irvine is riduculously perfect. Its so perfect, that we occassionally need to go slumming in other cities. Everything here is almost exactly as it should be (whether we like it or not). There is no better place to raise a family.
Posted By Eric, Irvine, Ca: July 31, 2008 3:52 pm
What part of Irvine is a ?Small City?? It is a nice area if you don?t mind crowds, but I would more likely consider Ft Collins a small city than Irvine
Posted By Kyle, Houston, Texas: July 31, 2008 2:20 pm
Can Diane from Orange County please list more places to consider apart from Tustin, Yorba Linda etc. Good schools are important but a vibrant community is just as key ? I will be moving my family to OC from Asia next year.
Posted By Tina, Singapore, Singnapore: July 29, 2008 11:26 am
Irvine is an ideal city for a family. Singles by find themsselves bored and yearning for the ?big city life? as there isn?t much in the way of entertainment for singles- everything in Irvine is targeted at the family unit. That being said, it IS one of the safest, nicest, cleanest, and best places to live- It?s also overpriced.. But you get what you pay for. But it beats paying $1 mill in NYC, right?
Depending on your priorities, Irvine is a great place to live
Posted By Jim Laguna hills, CA: July 28, 2008 11:56 am
We moved to Irvine in ?03 with our child. I won?t say whether we like it here, that would be pointless. Just because we love it doesn?t mean you will, or vice versa.
As for the experience these words come to mind; pleasant, beautiful, civilized. Some say it?s perfect?the weather for sure. But that?s a problem. It never rains, that?s no exaggeration. We desparately need rain.
Without a doubt Irvine is for families with children. There are countless activities and programs for kids.
Location? Look at a map. LA to the north San Diego to the south, Inland Empire to the east and very nice beaches to the west within a minutes.
The school system if it is stellar relies on what parents are doing at home and their involvement in the system itself. Our child has never enrolled in a NYC public school but I?m quite certain Irvine wins hands down. The smiles on my child?s face says it all.
Housing? Yes it?s not cheap but it is trending south.
I find these comments really valuable to compare with the lifestyle of the midwest.
<a href="http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2008/07/11/best-places-to-live-2008-no-4-town/">What people are saying about Living in Irvine</a>
http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2008/07/11/best-places-to-live-2008-no-4-town/
What do you think of the No. 4 town on this year?s Best Places to Live list? What makes it a great American town? Are real estate prices reasonable? How are the schools? What activities and events does it offer? Is it a place where you can live a low-stress life? If you don?t live there now, would you consider moving there? Tell us what you think. The best replies will be published here, and possibly in a future story on CNNMoney.com.
Irvine Ca is just one big strip mall. Like most of Southern Ca (sans San Giego), Irvine lacks any character. It is clean, the area is prosperous, and the weather is great but the materialistic nature of southern cal is exemplified in Irvine.
Posted By Mark, Santa Rosa, Ca: November 25, 2008 9:11 pm
we lived in irvine for 11 years and moved to fairfax, va a few years back. Main reasons?.the irvine bubble?the children were too sheltered and grew up with a sense of upper middle class entitlement that was getting in the way of basic objectivity??the school system has taken a massive tanking?though the elementary schools are still good the middle and high school have a lot of good teachers that left and the replacements are not of the same caliber?. the school system has cut so many corners over the past years that the quality is not the same?a lot of our friends have left irvine?.
the multiethnic mix is no longer a mix?everyone clusters about in their own little ethnic groups and refuses to acknowledge people not from their cliques?the PTAs? are no longer harmonious and petty frustrations abound?.the swim teams have become positively poisonous?.it is not what the irvine it used to be?.the new immigration mix is too rife with pettiness of all kinds?.
but?the restuarants are great, shopping fabulous and the beaches not too far away?but how much money will you have left over after the high mortgages?..
Posted By irvine, ca: October 7, 2008 11:10 am
Irvine is the place to be if you have a child with Autism. they have the resources, therapy, and schools.
Posted By Sylvia, Fontana, CA: September 25, 2008 10:47 am
As a native orange county person, Irvine has always be a joke among us. It was developed by one big company, The Irvine Company so of course, it is safe and clean and very boring?as of schools, it may be good but how many actually are well known musicians or doctors ..the same percentage as any other good school system in U.S. so in the end, it doesnt matter where one lives but how one lives. I now live in England where my children are doing very well.
Posted By Lynn Hnat, Kenilworth, England: September 23, 2008 7:25 am
serious? im looking to leave the area?great if you like a starter home for 700k, packed freeways, rude people, strip malls, tourist.
Posted By scott, irvine, ca: September 14, 2008 10:49 pm
I too say look at Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Orange Park Acres, Villa Park. Brea, in north Orange County, is a nice blend of bang for your buck- great schools, nice neighborhoods, safe, low crime and very ?with-it? city although smaller at 38,000. Brea has been rated one of the best small cities in country.
Posted By Robert, Brea, CA: September 10, 2008 11:52 am
Many of the statements here are complaining of things that you should be looking for in a city. Bottom line, any place you would call your home town should be safe, clean, and why not ?Perfect?.
I live 50 miles from Irvine and commute there to play hockey at
The 949 Roller Hockey Center. This facility is truely one of the perks of the city as it is one the best roller hockey facilties in the nation.
The city is also centralized with a short commute to beaches, mountains, city life, and amusement parks in any direction.
Posted By EJ, Upland California: September 10, 2008 1:48 am
nice place for now, with kids enjoying excellent schools and outdoors. but, we ARE MOVING OUT WHEN OUR KIDS HAVE GROWN - boring place, no soul, sometimes i wish there were some ?chaos? on these streets..
Posted By bob, irvine, ca: September 9, 2008 2:36 pm
My family moved away from Irvine 14 years ago because of the terrible traffic. I love being out of Irvine!
Posted By Kathy Cannon, Atascadero, Ca: September 8, 2008 9:18 pm
I find it very immature that the people who live in Irvine and love it claim that those who criticize it are people trying to get ?in?. That just goes to show the type of mentality that brews there.
Logically, it isn?t for everybody. People are different and look for the type of environment that will best fit them and their families. As a person born in O.C. who was relocated to San Diego(but attended UC Irvine), I cannot believe this is the only California place that made it on the list! What were they thinking? Yes, safety and public schools are important, but so are raising your children having contact with real world California.
I would never move there again, even if you paid me a hundred thousand dollar salary. Irvine is so sterile a place it is scary. There is very little interaction with people, and everyone looks the same. Diversity? Hah! Don?t make me laugh.
For anyone considering moving to California, San Diego is the perfect place. You can get a small town feel in many areas, the schools are decent, and you actually have culture. The people are friendly and more down to earth too. None of this snooty stuff.
Also, SDSU and UCSD ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE BREATHING, LIVELY, COLLEGE CAMPUSES. I ended up transferring to UCSD, best decision I ever made.
Posted By LW, San Diego, CA.: September 8, 2008 12:06 pm
irvine is great if you hate back yards
Posted By P.B., Santa Ana, CA: August 29, 2008 5:46 pm
Oh, Irvine! I think I speak for a lot of Californians when I say that I have a love/hate relationship with Irvine. Many of you making comments are nailing it right on the head: Irvine is a very pleasant town for families, but pretty boring for young adults. The city just doesn?t have much personality. And I would question the ?diversity? statistics. From what I?ve seen, it?s all white and Asian. I have friends that live in the area who say they rarely see black or latino people.
The streets or Irvine are clean and well kept. But it?s just too boring. Too sterile. No personality. I?ve lived in Southern California all my life until a year ago, when I moved to San Francisco. I don?t know if I would want to settle down up here (expensive in the city, plus I?m far from my family) but I?ll take an afternoon at Dolores Park over an afternoon in Irvine ANY day.
But Irvine, again, is definitely well-kept, spacious, and temperate.
Posted By Brian, California: August 27, 2008 8:18 pm
How can you include Irvine, CA as a ?best place? when housing is so overpriced. A 3 bedroom for a$700,000 is not affordable to at least 95% of Americans. There are many other places in America that are nice places to raise a family and be able to afford a house.
Posted By Kim, Tustin, CA: August 1, 2008 10:10 am
Irvine is riduculously perfect. Its so perfect, that we occassionally need to go slumming in other cities. Everything here is almost exactly as it should be (whether we like it or not). There is no better place to raise a family.
Posted By Eric, Irvine, Ca: July 31, 2008 3:52 pm
What part of Irvine is a ?Small City?? It is a nice area if you don?t mind crowds, but I would more likely consider Ft Collins a small city than Irvine
Posted By Kyle, Houston, Texas: July 31, 2008 2:20 pm
Can Diane from Orange County please list more places to consider apart from Tustin, Yorba Linda etc. Good schools are important but a vibrant community is just as key ? I will be moving my family to OC from Asia next year.
Posted By Tina, Singapore, Singnapore: July 29, 2008 11:26 am
Irvine is an ideal city for a family. Singles by find themsselves bored and yearning for the ?big city life? as there isn?t much in the way of entertainment for singles- everything in Irvine is targeted at the family unit. That being said, it IS one of the safest, nicest, cleanest, and best places to live- It?s also overpriced.. But you get what you pay for. But it beats paying $1 mill in NYC, right?
Depending on your priorities, Irvine is a great place to live
Posted By Jim Laguna hills, CA: July 28, 2008 11:56 am
We moved to Irvine in ?03 with our child. I won?t say whether we like it here, that would be pointless. Just because we love it doesn?t mean you will, or vice versa.
As for the experience these words come to mind; pleasant, beautiful, civilized. Some say it?s perfect?the weather for sure. But that?s a problem. It never rains, that?s no exaggeration. We desparately need rain.
Without a doubt Irvine is for families with children. There are countless activities and programs for kids.
Location? Look at a map. LA to the north San Diego to the south, Inland Empire to the east and very nice beaches to the west within a minutes.
The school system if it is stellar relies on what parents are doing at home and their involvement in the system itself. Our child has never enrolled in a NYC public school but I?m quite certain Irvine wins hands down. The smiles on my child?s face says it all.
Housing? Yes it?s not cheap but it is trending south.
