Which part of Irvine to move to?

[bones]

If one?s works from home, where would buy? Where would you wanna live? This is for everyone to answer and voice your dream location.

Pshhhh right here man:https://www.redfin.com/HI/Koloa/3047-Kahalawai-St-96756/home/88640417

Haha. I love Hawaii. But I?m not sure I could live there full time especially on a sleepy island like Kauai. 

It?s like living in the hills of Laguna Beach. The views are amazing but the day to day inconvenience would drive me mad!

This is exactly where I am getting at. While I do sometimes complain and rants about the taxes and mello roos high, if I sell my house today, I am not sure where I can live outside of Irvine. You can call me narrow minded. And I won't be upset.

Naaa wouldn?t call that narrow mindedness. Maybe complacent? 
Irvine?s a great place to live but there?s also many options besides a Hawaiian island, the hills of Laguna Beach and Irvine.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

Wouldn't you say Laguna Altura is a good location, having a close access to freeways and being closer to the beach with a cooler weather?

I also like University Park for the location and their floor plans, but they are kind of too old, need to fix a lot overall.

West Park is good except you want to avoid being too close to the freeways and the huge power lines.

I also like Quail Hill. But they too are too close to the huge power lines for those houses on the hill top.

Woodbury is a pretty good location with the town center nearby and also being a pretty new community with well managed curb appeals, but it's hard to find the good floor plans.

Cypress Village, Stonegate and Eastwood are almost the same. They are the newest and freshest towns, but the homes are all the same.

Portola Springs will be the best bang for you buck. Almost $100k cheaper than CV, SG, and EW. But it's far and hot.

Most of these village are nice and well maintained. Except some how I have always find that they are tightly packed. Almost feel too unbearable, for me. Maybe because I looked at < 1 mil price range, hence the lack of privacy.

 

[Mety]

Wouldn't you say Laguna Altura is a good location, having a close access to freeways and being closer to the beach with a cooler weather?

I also like University Park for the location and their floor plans, but they are kind of too old, need to fix a lot overall.

West Park is good except you want to avoid being too close to the freeways and the huge power lines.

I also like Quail Hill. But they too are too close to the huge power lines for those houses on the hill top.

Woodbury is a pretty good location with the town center nearby and also being a pretty new community with well managed curb appeals, but it's hard to find the good floor plans.

Cypress Village, Stonegate and Eastwood are almost the same. They are the newest and freshest towns, but the homes are all the same.

Portola Springs will be the best bang for you buck. Almost $100k cheaper than CV, SG, and EW. But it's far and hot.

Most of these village are nice and well maintained. Except some how I have always find that they are tightly packed. Almost feel too unbearable, for me. Maybe because I looked at < 1 mil price range, hence the lack of privacy.

Yeah, even with above $1m, the privacy is hard to find these days. I think older homes provide more privacy with less density.

 

[fortune11]

The beach access from laguna altura is actually quite decent except for the summer months ? then that entire freeway becomes a parking lot and more parking madness once you actually get there

But I agree w compressed v , not many options with all the conveniences outside Irvine . There is always a nicer view and location (parts of San Clemente ?) but once you factor in the all round convenience , Irvine wins out . Of course this is true only to the extent  you have kids or are expecting to have kids . 

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I couldn?t live in Hawaii.

I?d get island fever... and to go on vacation is expensive.

 

[Kenkoko]

But of course, that is mind blowing, house and the location. Let me be a little bit more restrictive, it has to be attainable with your budget. What I mean is if I sell my 1.75 million house in Irvine, and have any choice to live any where because I work from home where would that be?

Maui the best of all the Hawaiian islands. It's more laid back than Oahu but busier than Kauai and the big island.
I love the town Kula. You get incredible view of the whole Maui island and it's much cooler than the beach due to higher elevation. It's far enough to enjoy peace and quiet but not too far from store ( 20 mins to town, 30 mins to Costco)
https://www.redfin.com/HI/Kula/1511-Polipoli-Rd-96790/home/71680706

 

[irvinebullhousing]

But of course, that is mind blowing, house and the location. Let me be a little bit more restrictive, it has to be attainable with your budget. What I mean is if I sell my 1.75 million house in Irvine, and have any choice to live any where because I work from home where would that be?

Maui the best of all the Hawaiian islands. It's more laid back than Oahu but busier than Kauai and the big island.
I love the town Kula. You get incredible view of the whole Maui island and it's much cooler than the beach due to higher elevation. It's far enough to enjoy peace and quiet but not too far from store ( 20 mins to town, 30 mins to Costco)
https://www.redfin.com/HI/Kula/1511-Polipoli-Rd-96790/home/71680706

Been to Maui 3 times, each time was a week long. After the trip, I swear I circled the entire island, and I do mean the entire drive able on the map and not designated as drive able for cars at least 5 times. Each time driving on the non designated roads for car, it breath taking. Partly because the road is so narrow that you can not making a turn around and if you steer just a few inch off, you and your car could plunge a few hundred feet down, that's why it is designated not for cars. But no body there to stop you. Occasionally, you meet a few local on horse back riding and they smile at you, bet they thinking, hey gringo, you not suppose to be here.

The island life is great for vaca, but no bueno for living day in day out despite all the beauties of it for me.

Nice property.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

The beach access from laguna altura is actually quite decent except for the summer months ? then that entire freeway becomes a parking lot and more parking madness once you actually get there

But I agree w compressed v , not many options with all the conveniences outside Irvine . There is always a nicer view and location (parts of San Clemente ?) but once you factor in the all round convenience , Irvine wins out . Of course this is true only to the extent  you have kids or are expecting to have kids .

Right, so Hidden Canyon and Shady Canyon is primo premium. Big dogs lives there. Laguna Altura is nice and attainable. My neighbors a few around me have no kids, they dont hardly use the community amenities, and at home maybe half the times a year, but they bought and never an issues with them about paying taxes and fees. I figured they must like to park their money in Irvine. And they are not foreign buyers. Good USA Caucasian folks and Europeans. I do like the conveniences that Irvine has to offer.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

With a $2m budget, I recommend the west side of Quail Hill (away from the power lines and 133), or go in the middle and get a nice Vicara on a single loaded street with a view (do those still trade under $2m?).

I'm not a fan of Laguna Altura.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

With a $2m budget, I recommend the west side of Quail Hill (away from the power lines and 133), or go in the middle and get a nice Vicara on a single loaded street with a view (do those still trade under $2m?).

I'm not a fan of Laguna Altura.

A bit of memory lane for me when talking about Quail Hill. I remember the grand opening. It was in the summer of 2007 if I am not mistaken. A few of my old neighbors sold their WI homes and moved there. This was almost the top of the market then. I was thinking that I too would have bought if it was not for the price run up so far and so fast. Look where they are now.

 

[meccos12]

And they are not foreign buyers. Good USA Caucasian folks and Europeans. I do like the conveniences that Irvine has to offer.

No "good USA" asians or middle easterners or latinos or african americans?  Im sure you didnt mean to sound racist but man, that sounds pretty racist.  just being honest.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

And they are not foreign buyers. Good USA Caucasian folks and Europeans. I do like the conveniences that Irvine has to offer.

No "good USA" asians or middle easterners or latinos or african americans?  Im sure you didnt mean to sound racist but man, that sounds pretty racist.  just being honest.

I didn?t mean to sound racist. Thanks for correct my political incorrectness.

 

[johnstah]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

If you are young, those Village apartments are the hip/happening place to live from what I hear.

(Is "hip" even used anymore? At my age, that's a medical condition.)

 

[aquabliss]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

At first I was going to say yes Spectrum Area is far away but looking at the map it's actually pretty close geographically to the underground plume movement:http://i61.tinypic.com/1zcz2p5.jpg

If you're really concerned about it and want to stay far away, focus on Orchard Hills area.  There are some properties on the groves side for under $2M and you will have peace of mind.

 

[Mety]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

At first I was going to say yes Spectrum Area is far away but looking at the map it's actually pretty close geographically to the underground plume movement:http://i61.tinypic.com/1zcz2p5.jpg

If you're really concerned about it and want to stay far away, focus on Orchard Hills area.  There are some properties on the groves side for under $2M and you will have peace of mind.

Yeah, Spectrum is pretty close to the plume.

If you gonna rent and plan be livin' it up far from the plume, then go to Central Park West. True pimp status quo right there. Keep in mind though the school zone is not IUSD if you have kids and plan to have them go to Irvine school. Otherwise that area is the best location in my opinion especially for rent. It's so close to Costa Mesa, Newport, airport, and LA Country instead of boring South Orange County. Oops.

Orchard Hills is good, but I think they are too far from everything. Considering your $2m budget for buying later on, I assume you are looking at around $4000 rent? If you want to experience how the actual Irvine home owners are living in their hood then you should check out houses or detached condos instead of apartments. There should be pretty good houses available from Cypress Village, Woodbury and Stonegate within that budget. Try to avoid anything East villages.

 

[id_rather_be_racing]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

I used to live at the Centerpointe apartments right across the new Marriott hotel.  Loved it there, and we got such a great introductory rental rate (first tenants).  They typically push some sort of promo even if they don't advertise it (low security deposit, free application fees x2, etc.)

We used the amenities there literally everyday, and I would recommend Centerpointe over all the other apartments as it feels less crowded (still feels crowded though, just not LA crowded).

 

[Hugo Township]

And they are not foreign buyers. Good USA Caucasian folks and Europeans.

I like how you consider Europeans non-foreign. I know you said you didn't mean to come across as racist. This statement definitely prefers European ethnicities as more American than others.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

Well, they are from country of Eastern Europe, Romanian to be exact. How is that racist, I do not know.

 

[fortune11]

Thank you to everyone who has reply. I will be working a consultant working at various companies in Irvine and surrounding Irvine. Thus that is why I chose Irvine as the place to set roots in. How is the vibe if I were to rent right in the Irvine Spectrum Center area? Is that safe enough away from the plume/el toro?

At first I was going to say yes Spectrum Area is far away but looking at the map it's actually pretty close geographically to the underground plume movement:http://i61.tinypic.com/1zcz2p5.jpg

If you're really concerned about it and want to stay far away, focus on Orchard Hills area.  There are some properties on the groves side for under $2M and you will have peace of mind.

Isn?t there a city of Irvine water station right near laguna altura / hidden canyon ? 

Wonder what direction the plume would travel - I would have guessed more south east towards lake forest as opposed to straight down below spectrum / Los Olivos