Quote:
Originally Posted by mcbee
How do you afford living in Socal on a teacher's salary and pension? Aren't houses there about 700K for a 2000 sq foot?
How do you like it? The weather is nice but how about the smog and crime and illegals?
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I own two condos in Laguna Woods. I purchased them in 1998 for a total of $140,000 for both. My mom lived in one, and the bride and I lived in the other. My mom died in 2001, and we rent that condo. We don't have children, so we have been able to save...my wife works part-time about 24 hours a week, and I substitute about 60 days a year. The two could now be sold for around $500k. Once they decided not to make the old El Toro MCAS into an airport, property values skyrocketed. My taxes on the two properties total about $1550 a year...bless Prop 13.
But, you are correct. This area is expensive, and the lifestyle of most people involves commutes, long work weeks, and an incredibly competitive lifestyle. If the jobs in this area go south, people who have huge mortgages...and there are a lot...take baths when they sell their homes, and usually have to leave the state. We are fortunate..not having mortgages and receiving rental income in addition to pensions, part-time work, interest income,and a small social security check each month make life out here sweet. I definitely would not want to live like many others in the area...huge debt.
Orange County is crowded, and the freeways can be a hassle, but we don't have to use them a great deal. We love California and especially south Orange County. The sports are the best in the world from high school through the pros..Lakers, Angels, Clippers, Dodgers, Padres, Chargers, Ducks, Kings, USC, UCLA all within the immediate area. If you like high school football, OC competes with some of the rabid HS football areas in Texas for superior talent.
The weather is the best it can get, and the smog is practically non-existant where we are. Crime as well is pretty low in south OC. Illegals fill a huge labor void in the area....landscaping, agriculture, hotel and restaurant industry, home care and caregiving, and casual labor are all areas that the local economy can't fill..."others" can.
We like to hike deserts and climb mountains..we both run five miles a day in the hills, and we love 3-4 day road trips. The West and the Southwest can't be beat for those endeavors, and California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado are terrific places to play. Here is our WEBSHOTS site. There are dozens of photo albums that document our activities here on the west coast if you are interested in great scenery and activities.
http://community.webshots.com/user/mountainmaster2003
I seriously doubt if we will ever return to the northeast. All our family now lives out here. My wife is from Westbury, N.Y., and her mom lives about a half mile from us, and we have family in San Diego and LA.
If there is anything I miss about New England, it is the seafood...it is the best in the world.
Re: Game #2 The Chargers Come To Foxboro
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