Hi there,
I also live in Irvine, and in general it is pretty nice. Since it is a little inland, it is always warm and sunny and doesn’t have as much of a marine layer. Everthing is clean, and the streets are wide an comfortable. Only during rush-hour is it painful to drive, especially on I-5 and I-405. I had some trouble finding an apartment close to work. There are either industrial areas or residential areas, but they are far apart. In the past I rented a 1-bedroom from the Irvine Company across the freeway of Quail Hill. It was noisy from the freeway and too expensive ($1650/mo when I moved out). Now I rent in Westpark. Buying is of course out of the question. The 2-BR/2-BA rents for $1700, and apparently goes for >$500,000. That’s a factor two in the mortgage/rent ratio. They are building a ton of developments just north of me. All stacked tight, and I wouldn’t even want to buy anything like that.
Hey, btw, if you are interested to meet in that area, I just opened a meetup page yesterday. It’s not housing related, but piggingtonians are smart and always welcome.
Hi – I grew up in Irvine and lived there up until last year (that would be 30 years). I now live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and I can tell you this: Irvine’s a great place, and you don’t really realize that until you end up somewhere else.
Yes, it’s homogenous. Yes, some neighborhoods require too much conformity. I once heard a joke about Irvine that went: a kid got lost and went to the police, and the police asked him to describe his house; kid said stucco, beige, with white accents. Kid never got home. 😉
That being said, I miss Irvine quite a bit. The schools are unbelieveable, something everyone takes for granted; crime is almost nil, something everyone takes for granted; and there is so much to do like biking, outdoor basketball courts and outdoor pools. You don’t get that out here in the Dallas area.
I’d rent for now, though. Prices are dropping in the area.
homeless,
You will own a nice house one day! God bless you.
irvinerealtor,
Thanks for the input. I agree with you that Irvine always holds the value due to the location, opportunity and environment. However, Irvine will have bargain as soon as the market crashes. I’m well prepared for the bargain. Irvine is always a good investment if you can get the bargains. I like Quail Hills because it’s a new and nice community, not because it’s the best school. It’s almost the most expensive, but I feel happier to live in a nicer neighborhood. Westpark and Woodbury are nice also!
rseiser,
Thanks for the web site! One thing I like about OC or even LA is that there are so many activities and things going on there.
housingwire,
Yes, Irvine offers excellent recreations and facilities.
