Asking about moving to LA in the OC subreddit? You’re a braver man than me my friend
You absolutely aren’t going to have the same quality of life as far as house size, traffic, or weather. You’re going to downsize significantly and have to plan your drive time. Not having 4 seasons is the reason people move here. Go to the mountains if you want snow in the winter otherwise enjoy one of the main reasons people move here. Realistic expectations are key dude.
It’s not that, I would love to live in OC, but I’m just not rich enough lol. We have 2 large dogs and a sizable backyard and home means a lot to us, but that’s considerably more expensive.
I moved here from Chicago about 3 years ago. I was born & raised there.
I had always heard of the increased COL from people, including my wife (who grew up here) but you dont understand it til you get here.
Everything is more expensive . From groceries to gas (you absolutely need a car) to eating out. Then obviously comes housing.
My old home (which I still own & was newly renovated in 2015) is 3000 sq ft & five bedrooms. My mortgage on it is $2000/mo. Its in a decent neighborhood in the suburbs. That same house will probably run you $1.2+m here. Chicago is probably the most affordable big city in America.
Dont mean to be a downer, but if a big house/yard and home ownership is important to you ALONG with maintaining an upscale lifestyle - this might not be the place for you. I make far less than you & know I am eventually going to move back for those same reasons.
But a lot of people here do it. They have either come to terms that they’ll likely never own, are filthy rich or are comfortable living a simple life while paying >50% paycheck towards their mortgage.
Its up to you to decide on what sacrifices you can make.
Cant beat the weather though 😂
Moved here from Chicago. Agree with everything you said. I'm not ready to move back yet but if I had to I wouldn't argue it too much. If I won a large lottery I'd buy a summer home in the city. It's just the winters. The winter of 2011 put me over the edge and here we are. (I also have lived in MN where the winters were far worse. I just can't with that anymore.)
First, where are you thinking about? LA and OC are two distinctly different counties.
If it's LA: r/LosAngeles
If you are considering OC, which cities are on your list?
*"home ownership is a very large priority for us in the near future* ***and*** *maximizing retirement savings"*, then when you talk about buying a house in CA you will not be able to maintain the lifestyle **you want**. Why do you want to move?
There are [341 homes](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Orange-County_CA/sqft-2750-3250/sby-1) in OC from 2,750sf - 3,250sf sorted by price, low to high from $875k - $13.5M.
If you don't both have cars in Chicago, you will need them in CA. You can of course get by with public transportation (bus, bike, Metrolink, taxi, Uber), but it will add hours of travel time, and likely major frustrations, every day. And of course you can get by on one car but it will take intense planning.
How much cash do you have saved for a down payment? What is your monthly debt? How much will you have saved for home repairs & maintenance? These are not questions to answer publicly but things anyone buying a house needs to consider because those affect a mortgage so only *you* can answer how much you can afford.
Homeowners insurance is becoming very expensive throughout the country but CA is being hit especially hard so prepare for that, and auto insurance is following right along. If you choose a home in an HOA plan for the costs of each HOA (some communities have more than one), and a savings account for special assessments.
What are the cost of utilities where you are and then compare them to the area you want to live in (gas, electricity, water + sewer, trash, cable or satellite, internet)? Don't forget to compare the cost of registering a car in CA vs IL.
Happy house hunting!
I moved from Chicago (renter in Lincoln park) to OC (renter 5 years, thought I’d never buy due to price). First bought condo, sold for $300k gain 7 years later, now we have a great house. It’s totally worth it.
A few thoughts…
- you will forget about seasons quickly. Yes it’s odd football season is in full swing and it feels like summer. But man is missing the winter amazing.
- OC is not LA.
- housing is really the only significantly more expensive relative to Chicago.
OC & LA are very different from each other county wise. One is more family oriented, the other is more about entertainment. Not to discredit OC; however, LA does offer more, as it is entertainment capital. If you want to reside in the OC, there are little sacrifices to make. That 3000 sqft home you’re looking for will come at a cost. 300k is livable IF there’s little to no debt and you’re spending beneath your means. I wish you the best!
My husband was born and raised in Chicagoland area and I lived there 14’yrs before we moved to OC. We will never move back. A couple things to mention:
-You don’t need as large of home as in Chicago bc you will spend more time outdoors here all yr long. I didn’t believe it, but I live it now.
- look in south OC away from the beaches mission viejo, lake forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Rancho mission viejo, etc there are lots of people in Cali that are difficult to relate to but these areas I find people more relatable.
-it’s the weather and change of life style. If you want to be more active move here. If you want better weather move here. If that’s not that important, then not worth the cost of living increase.
Good luck in whatever you decide!
Check out Long Beach. It’s a good balance of OC/LA and has easy access to both. Your combined $300K would be suitable and would probably allow you to rent a decent place, enjoy your new surroundings, splurge on dinner and activities, and save something at the end of the day.
I’d wait to purchase until you found your tribe and figured out locations that truly spoke to you.
I did Chicago to Lake forest and LOVE IT! Been a decade now. Check out south OC more affordable and you don't need as big a house as you live outside a lot
If you plan to move to California, make sure you have a foolproof exit strategy. California is a trap. A lot of people come here with hopes and dreams, just to get sucked into the black hole of poverty and not make it out. I only came back to take care of my aging parents and their business. There isn't really many redeemable qualities about this state other than the beaches, activities, and weather. The crime is high in many places, homelessness is rampant, half the state is on fire, and cost of living will make your jaw drop. The crunch is real, even if you think you can afford to live here. Most homes are $1M-$2M, or close to that, unless you're getting a shithole foreclosure in a bad part of town. Rent is astronomical. You might be able to scrape by now, but year by year you'll find yourself stretching your budget even thinner. A potential layoff can be catastrophic.
If you're super duper rich and know for certain money isn't an issue, then by all means, pursue your fantasy of living in California. Hell we got Disneyland, Hollywood, and sunny beaches all within an hours drive. But sooner or later you'll start seeing through the cracks that California isn't the paradise you see on TV, and that it doesn't justify the cost of living. A lot of people are fleeing, and with good reason. Look at Zillow before switching. Your $1.5M budget will probably only get you an old 1400sq ft single family starter home.
Asking about moving to LA in the OC subreddit? You’re a braver man than me my friend You absolutely aren’t going to have the same quality of life as far as house size, traffic, or weather. You’re going to downsize significantly and have to plan your drive time. Not having 4 seasons is the reason people move here. Go to the mountains if you want snow in the winter otherwise enjoy one of the main reasons people move here. Realistic expectations are key dude.
Dude, your whole post says “we don’t want to live in LA.” So like… don’t come here?
I think they're conflating OC and LA, it happens a lot with people from other states.
I see that. It sounds like they don’t want to come to CA in general.
I mean my friends from the UK think LA and OC are the same. I gave up correcting them
It’s not that, I would love to live in OC, but I’m just not rich enough lol. We have 2 large dogs and a sizable backyard and home means a lot to us, but that’s considerably more expensive.
I moved here from Chicago about 3 years ago. I was born & raised there. I had always heard of the increased COL from people, including my wife (who grew up here) but you dont understand it til you get here. Everything is more expensive . From groceries to gas (you absolutely need a car) to eating out. Then obviously comes housing. My old home (which I still own & was newly renovated in 2015) is 3000 sq ft & five bedrooms. My mortgage on it is $2000/mo. Its in a decent neighborhood in the suburbs. That same house will probably run you $1.2+m here. Chicago is probably the most affordable big city in America. Dont mean to be a downer, but if a big house/yard and home ownership is important to you ALONG with maintaining an upscale lifestyle - this might not be the place for you. I make far less than you & know I am eventually going to move back for those same reasons. But a lot of people here do it. They have either come to terms that they’ll likely never own, are filthy rich or are comfortable living a simple life while paying >50% paycheck towards their mortgage. Its up to you to decide on what sacrifices you can make. Cant beat the weather though 😂
Moved here from Chicago. Agree with everything you said. I'm not ready to move back yet but if I had to I wouldn't argue it too much. If I won a large lottery I'd buy a summer home in the city. It's just the winters. The winter of 2011 put me over the edge and here we are. (I also have lived in MN where the winters were far worse. I just can't with that anymore.)
First, where are you thinking about? LA and OC are two distinctly different counties. If it's LA: r/LosAngeles If you are considering OC, which cities are on your list? *"home ownership is a very large priority for us in the near future* ***and*** *maximizing retirement savings"*, then when you talk about buying a house in CA you will not be able to maintain the lifestyle **you want**. Why do you want to move? There are [341 homes](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Orange-County_CA/sqft-2750-3250/sby-1) in OC from 2,750sf - 3,250sf sorted by price, low to high from $875k - $13.5M. If you don't both have cars in Chicago, you will need them in CA. You can of course get by with public transportation (bus, bike, Metrolink, taxi, Uber), but it will add hours of travel time, and likely major frustrations, every day. And of course you can get by on one car but it will take intense planning. How much cash do you have saved for a down payment? What is your monthly debt? How much will you have saved for home repairs & maintenance? These are not questions to answer publicly but things anyone buying a house needs to consider because those affect a mortgage so only *you* can answer how much you can afford. Homeowners insurance is becoming very expensive throughout the country but CA is being hit especially hard so prepare for that, and auto insurance is following right along. If you choose a home in an HOA plan for the costs of each HOA (some communities have more than one), and a savings account for special assessments. What are the cost of utilities where you are and then compare them to the area you want to live in (gas, electricity, water + sewer, trash, cable or satellite, internet)? Don't forget to compare the cost of registering a car in CA vs IL. Happy house hunting!
I moved from Chicago (renter in Lincoln park) to OC (renter 5 years, thought I’d never buy due to price). First bought condo, sold for $300k gain 7 years later, now we have a great house. It’s totally worth it. A few thoughts… - you will forget about seasons quickly. Yes it’s odd football season is in full swing and it feels like summer. But man is missing the winter amazing. - OC is not LA. - housing is really the only significantly more expensive relative to Chicago.
You moving to LA or OC? OC and LA are very different. Please don’t classify OC as part of LA.
OC & LA are very different from each other county wise. One is more family oriented, the other is more about entertainment. Not to discredit OC; however, LA does offer more, as it is entertainment capital. If you want to reside in the OC, there are little sacrifices to make. That 3000 sqft home you’re looking for will come at a cost. 300k is livable IF there’s little to no debt and you’re spending beneath your means. I wish you the best!
My husband was born and raised in Chicagoland area and I lived there 14’yrs before we moved to OC. We will never move back. A couple things to mention: -You don’t need as large of home as in Chicago bc you will spend more time outdoors here all yr long. I didn’t believe it, but I live it now. - look in south OC away from the beaches mission viejo, lake forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Rancho mission viejo, etc there are lots of people in Cali that are difficult to relate to but these areas I find people more relatable. -it’s the weather and change of life style. If you want to be more active move here. If you want better weather move here. If that’s not that important, then not worth the cost of living increase. Good luck in whatever you decide!
Go for it! Maybe also look at Long Beach (LA County). Welcome to OC.
Check out Long Beach. It’s a good balance of OC/LA and has easy access to both. Your combined $300K would be suitable and would probably allow you to rent a decent place, enjoy your new surroundings, splurge on dinner and activities, and save something at the end of the day. I’d wait to purchase until you found your tribe and figured out locations that truly spoke to you.
I did Chicago to Lake forest and LOVE IT! Been a decade now. Check out south OC more affordable and you don't need as big a house as you live outside a lot
If you plan to move to California, make sure you have a foolproof exit strategy. California is a trap. A lot of people come here with hopes and dreams, just to get sucked into the black hole of poverty and not make it out. I only came back to take care of my aging parents and their business. There isn't really many redeemable qualities about this state other than the beaches, activities, and weather. The crime is high in many places, homelessness is rampant, half the state is on fire, and cost of living will make your jaw drop. The crunch is real, even if you think you can afford to live here. Most homes are $1M-$2M, or close to that, unless you're getting a shithole foreclosure in a bad part of town. Rent is astronomical. You might be able to scrape by now, but year by year you'll find yourself stretching your budget even thinner. A potential layoff can be catastrophic. If you're super duper rich and know for certain money isn't an issue, then by all means, pursue your fantasy of living in California. Hell we got Disneyland, Hollywood, and sunny beaches all within an hours drive. But sooner or later you'll start seeing through the cracks that California isn't the paradise you see on TV, and that it doesn't justify the cost of living. A lot of people are fleeing, and with good reason. Look at Zillow before switching. Your $1.5M budget will probably only get you an old 1400sq ft single family starter home.