Nice place to live, but expensive & heavy traffic
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10/27/2017
We have lived in Orange County since the 70’s and moved to Laguna Hills in 1999. Since then our 1800 square foot house purchased for $300K has appreciated to over $700K. We have upgraded it, but it still has a small kitchen and a very small yard, as do most homes in this price range in Southern California.
The good things about this area are the weather, many things to do, and proximity to the ocean (we are about a 15-minute drive from the ocean). There are many places to eat or buy take-out. You can spend anywhere from $5 for an In n Out Burger and drink to $100+ for a great seafood or steak dinner. There are many churches, shopping malls, and movie theaters. You will find a lot of people wherever you go.
Our housing tract has an ethnically diverse group of residents, and we are friendly with most people on our block. Our HOA is poorly run and inconsistent; we have been in mediation with them, which was expensive and made us targets. Most people in CA are tolerant of others; I have seen no cases of neighborhood conflict due to ethnic differences, but people who let their property run down and drag down the neighborhood are not appreciated. Californians have a lot invested in their homes!
Laguna Hills has “poor” neighborhoods with many immigrants and higher crime and extremely wealthy neighborhoods, all within a small city. If someone were considering moving here to retire, I would recommend Laguna Niguel or Monarch Beach—close by and nearer the ocean. Gated communities are some protection against rising crime in the area.
There is a large retirement community nearby—Laguna Woods—and a number of assisted living communities and nursing homes. The quality varies greatly. I know this from visiting people and from neighbors who work in the industry. There are many health clubs, golf courses, and classes for seniors offered in the area. The YMCA in Laguna Niguel offers a variety of classes for seniors.
As we settle into retirement, we find ourself researching areas with a lower cost of living, less expenisve housing, and lower taxes. Taxes keep going up here. The lack of a real two party political system running the state has led to extremely high taxation and apparent corruption in state government. The state has self-identified as a “sanctuary state,” so we are seeing evidence of this every day. Hence the rise in property crime and many homeless encampments throughout SoCal. There is currently a Hepatitis A epidemic that is quite serious. CA has the highest poverty rate of any state, and the most people on welfare.
Medical care is everywhere, but doctors often have fairly long wait times, especially at larger medical centers & complexes. Emergency rooms have become nightmares due to overcrowding. If u walk into an emergency room, it will be many hours before you are seen. This was not true a few years ago.
Few places in the United States offer the weather and natural beauty that you will find in Southern California. Unfortunately, it’s not quite paradise.
Mary | Aliso Viejo, CA