Housing around Irvine

[UmneyDurak]

Hello.
I will be going to UC Irvine in Fall, but will be moving there during summer. Can anyone recommend good places near it to rent or maybe even buy? Also I was looking at some apartments in Laguna Woods, seems much cheaper then in other areas. Is it a bad neighborhood or something? It is located near Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, can you ride a road bike there?

thanks.

[BCIpam]

We just had this discussion some time back - try researching living in Irvine or Newport Beach.

Laguna Woods: Is attached to Leisure World. Generally housing is geared towards 55+. As with most South County (Laguna Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, Alisa Viejo, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dana Point etc) it's a very nice area. If you are thinking of buying you must have some money as average home prices in OC are $650K. A one bedroom or studio condo runs around $250- 400K

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park: Great place if you are into mountain biking. I have seen folks riding up Willow on a road or cyclocross bike, but it is rough dirt trail. There is however lots of good riding all around the area on the streets. Orange County is filled with great roadie bike rides as well as great mountain bike areas.

Finding inexpensive rents is difficult in any part of Orange County. Cheapest areas are Orange, Anaheim, parts of Tustin, Santa Ana. As with any place where it is cheaper to live, there generally is a reason.

[cjbruin]

If I could, I would try to live near campus but as you pointed out, it can be pricey. They might have good summer rates in the apts in Columbia Court or Oxford Court...or even Harvard Court for that matter.

Lots of good places to ride a road bike around here.

PM me if you want.

...and don't listen to BCIpam or you'll end up slumming in Tustin :)

EDIT - DOH! Pam beat me to the post.

[VMC]

Here is a good website for apts
http://www.rental-living.com/
They also offer small discounts for students

[UmneyDurak]

We just had this discussion some time back - try researching living in Irvine or Newport Beach.

Laguna Woods: Is attached to Leisure World. Generally housing is geared towards 55+. As with most South County (Laguna Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, Alisa Viejo, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dana Point etc) it's a very nice area. If you are thinking of buying you must have some money as average home prices in OC are $650K. A one bedroom or studio condo runs around $250- 400K

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park: Great place if you are into mountain biking. I have seen folks riding up Willow on a road or cyclocross bike, but it is rough dirt trail. There is however lots of good riding all around the area on the streets. Orange County is filled with great roadie bike rides as well as great mountain bike areas.

Finding inexpensive rents is difficult in any part of Orange County. Cheapest areas are Orange, Anaheim, parts of Tustin, Santa Ana. As with any place where it is cheaper to live, there generally is a reason.
I wish I had so much money. I guess I found some kind of freak deal or something. Small one bedroom for 150k.

[BCIpam]

WOW! Where!?!??! $150K is bargain basement. Are you sure it's not senior's only?

[cjbruin]

WOW! Where!?!??! $150K is bargain basement. Are you sure it's not senior's only?

It must be.

[Grumpy Pig]

I wish I had so much money. I guess I found some kind of freak deal or something. Small one bedroom for 150k.
Make sure the tires are inflated before you take possesion.

[heresy]

There are a lot of apartments near the campus. Although all are owned by the same company, rents seem to vary a lot.

I lived in Stanford Court for three years while I was at UCI. Right across the street from campus and In-n-Out (if you like that). It was not too bad and I did not have to buy a school parking permit.

I took a job in Irvine about two years ago and looked at apartments near the campus (for old time's sake). Rents were pretty high. My old Stanford Court apartment was about $1,400 for a 1 bedroom. I ended up renting a 1 bedroom in Mission Viejo for about $1,000.

There is a lot of good riding in the area, and riding from Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest, etc. to campus is doable.

[cjbruin]

Stanford Court! That was the one I was thinking of. Great location. Walk to Steelhead Brewery, In-N-Out, Cha for Tea, Z Pizza...oh, and the campus :)

[BCIpam]

OK CJ so here's the difference - Stanford Court (OK arguably in a fun location near everything!) 1 bedroom - $1400. I have a 2 bedroom, with large yard and a garage in a nice area/part of Tustin (Redhill and Irvine Blvd) - $1535.

Something to be said about living in a slum!!! ;) .

[cjbruin]

OK CJ so here's the difference - Stanford Court (OK arguably in a fun location near everything!) 1 bedroom - $1400. I have a 2 bedroom, with large yard and a garage in a nice area/part of Tustin (Redhill and Irvine Blvd) - $1535.

Something to be said about living in a slum!!! ;) .

Yeah, yeah...I'm not doing this again.

[voltman]

OK CJ so here's the difference - Stanford Court (OK arguably in a fun location near everything!) 1 bedroom - $1400. I have a 2 bedroom, with large yard and a garage in a nice area/part of Tustin (Redhill and Irvine Blvd) - $1535.

Something to be said about living in a slum!!! ;) .

So, basically, it's cheaper and nicer to live in Irvine?

[LCI_Brian]

About 15 years ago I lived in the Park West apartment complex on Michelson, between Culver and Harvard in Irvine. They were the cheapest in the area at the time, although I've heard the complex isn't as nice nowadays.....

[heresy]

Park West was pretty crummy when I graduated (1998), but it looked like they did some work to it when I was looking for a place a few years ago.

Simply put, while "affordable" is relative, there is nothing "cheap" in Irvine.

[jamlo21]

About 15 years ago I lived in the Park West apartment complex on Michelson, between Culver and Harvard in Irvine. They were the cheapest in the area at the time, although I've heard the complex isn't as nice nowadays.....

You mean Park Watts? Hey, Will Ferrell lived there growing up in Irvine!

I always lived in Campus Village. Rent was $323 a month for a furnished place (per person that is). They have year round housing there too. They aint luxurious, but it did the job.

[Drew12]

get a beach front rental in Newport.
At least the view is good.....

[UmneyDurak]

Thanks for advice everyone. Yeah buying was probably a pipe dream. Looking around Craigslist, found something promising for 750 a month. Probably will end up with some roomates. Should be interesting. Specially since my bike is not really "outside lockable". Prices are definetly higher then in Bay Area.

[LCI_Brian]

You mean Park Watts? Hey, Will Ferrell lived there growing up in Irvine!
Yup, Park Watts, I guess I'm not the only one who called it that. I didn't know Will Ferrell lived there. At least at the time it was $800 for a 2 BR apartment that I shared with a coworker, and it was walking distance from work. Then after that it was slumming it in Tustin for a little bit :D before buying a house in Orange.