Reviews & Comments
Santa Ana, CA
I grew up here. -
2/4/2007My parents moved to Santa Ana in the early 80's when I was 4 years old. Growing up in this City all my life I've seen the good and the bad. A large immigrant population, fairly good economy, an area with dozens of latino street gangs while surrounded by upper middle class and wealthy cities make Santa Ana a VERY unique place.
Crime was a fact of life. Especially in the early nineties, luckily the city police force and several other changes in state law helped put a huge clamp-down on crime. I was lucky not to become a victim of it, not something everyone can say in Santa Ana. But Despite the gangs and crime there are surprisingly a lot of upper class residents in the city. You'll find a lot 2nd and 3rd generation latinos that have established some of the best Mexican Restaurants I've ever been to.
Being the second most dencest city in the state of california (behind only to san fransisco) Traffic here is unbelieve from 2pm to 7pm Monday thru friday. But you will not go through the city without witnessing an array of fixed up lowriders and shinny crome 24"tires on Lincoln Escalades.
Orange County Real Estate has doubled and tripled here in the last 7 years and Santa Ana is no exception. An average single family home here is about 550,000 to 650,000. The city is rezoning some residential to high density, opening the gates to condominium skyscapers in several optimum locations, close to shopping and freeways. A new style of city living is in santa ana's horizon.
about 15 miles from the beach, a 1 and 1/2 hour drive from the snow-filled mountains, a great night life, 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, Great Shopping anywhere north or south of the city and the unbeatable Southern California weather makes Santa Ana a great place to live.
Phoenix, AZ
It's a coin toss -
2/4/2007Tolleson/volterra (83rd & Lower Buckeye) is still up in the air in what kind of a community it will develope to. Most residents take care of their homes but about 20% don't. I've been to the association meetings and because of the large recent-immigrant population (mostly latino) the meeting pertain to matters of explaining what an association even is! There are also some renters in the community that are culprits of dirty front yards, junky cars being parked in the street and shopping carts being left in front of their homes. I'll probably stay here 1 to 2 years MAX!