FreedomCM:
<em>It seems to me that for RE values, it is the elementary school nearby that determines perception most, no? </em>
If you don't have children or your children are young, this would seem to make sense. But the bigger picture is that each level of school is important in the education of neighborhood children. You cannot go wrong at the elementary level, in Irvine. There are many many "California Distinguished Schools" awards at the elementary level. In Irvine, you have a fairly well-off level of income, parents tend to be educated and there are healthy activity choices for young school aged children after school and during the summers. This kind of environment equates to productive, healthy, intelligent expectations of how to spend time. In Irvine, the drama in elementary schools is minimal, outside of special classes for students who have significant emotional needs.
Middle School/Junior high is a troubled, critical time for many young people. You want a school with a disciplinary plan. You want teachers who are firm, fair and creative in dealing with emerging personalities of these pre-teen/teen groups of students. You want a school district that has a helpful campus police presence and decent counseling figures to help this age group navigate good choices. It is very important that sports, music, drama, and other extra curricular programs be funded and in place for students to participate in. Irvine has all this. Middle school is still a pain, but at least good structure is in place to deal with problems.
I agree, fully, with hs_teacher: <em> I have a theory that high school age kids are mostly likely to get in trouble. And thus, the ?niceness? or quality of a neighborhood is affected by the local high schools. What?s the point of living in a million dollar home when your child has to deal with gangbangers at school? </em>
Who your kids hang around with is important at EVERY LEVEL. If they have "good" friends, you are less likely to have police contact or other issues with school and community. Having your kid involved in a variety of activities to fill their time is an excellent strategy to set them right from the beginning. We all take the parks, libraries, sports teams, excellent schooling, safe community and excellent city planning for granted sometimes. Santa Ana lacks these things and the community functions well below the Irvine expectations. In the declining RE market, parents would do well to hold out for entry prices in Irvine, rather than taking the "cheap" route and buying in SA.
If you are going to live in Irvine and attend schools in Santa Ana, you need to be forewarned if you have school aged children.
