Hi
Well, I’m looking at schools and housing in Southern California, around La Verne, Irvine, and Riverside. Are there any Dopers in that area, or close by, who can offer me suggestions about where would be a good place to rent? Or how much rent is on average? I’m going to fly down to La Verne the first weekend in Feb, to have a look-see myself.
You know what? I would like any info about Southern CA that you are willing to give. I’ve never been down there before, and I don’t know what to expect!
Thanx
First- brace yourself for some of the highest rents in the nation. I am not kidding, it is a landlord’s market here.
Irvine is a lovely place, but very vanilla- it is preplanned to the nth degree. Very little originality, but very little crime. Many schools in Irvine besides UCI, so lots of apartments, but again beware of high rent.
Riverside is another world, mostly. Inland, very hot & smoggy in the summer, some would say significantly more crime. Be wary of neighborhoods that go from neighbor to hood very quickly. May not be a great place for a young woman living alone, if that’s what you’re planning.
Don’t know La Verne.
SoCal is very nice but expensive. More diversity around the colleges than in other areas, but pretty laid back. A little commercial, but who’s counting Starbucks?
What schools are you thinking about? I may be able to help you with specific areas.
Well, I was mainly looking at University of La Verne, UCI, and UC Riverside.
I’m prepared for high rent. I live in the Bay Area, after all. It’ll be nothing new to me.
I’m relieved to find that out about Riverside. I kinda was leary of it anyway, but it doesn’t sound like the place for me.
pepperlandgirl: We’ve had our differences, but I’ll throw in my two cents.
Riverside. Hot and smoggy in the summer. I used to work in San Bernardino, and I don’t like the area at all. There are much better deserts.
Irvine. A little too conservative for my tastes. I don’t much care for the rest of Orange County for the same reason (although there are pockets of hipness, and the Vietnamese food is plentiful and cheap).
La Verne. No idea.
Generally, the closer to the water you are, the more comfortable it is in the summer. It can be agonizingly hot here sometimes (remember, I’m the one who wants to move to Seattle where it’s cold and wet “all the time” ;)). Of course, rents get higher near the beach too. My best friend lived in Costa Mesa (near the water in Orange Co.) back in the 80s. I’m sure the rents were similar (adjusted for inflation) to what they are now, but he managed okay with a roommate. And they had direct access to a pub called Pierce Street Annex, which was great.
I live in a one-bedroom apartment on the west side of L.A. that rents for $711/month. I’ve been there a while, so that’s probably why it’s not over $800/month.
UCI is a great school, my brother got his Poli Sci degree there. I would never tell anyone not to go to UCR, as it might be a good school, but hubby was a prosecutor out that way, and the crime is nasty.
There are a lot of apartments and condos around the Irvine campus itself, as well as the surrounding areas like Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Tustin, and others. I have a friend who just moved out of a nice apt in Irvine, I will try & find out what the name of the complex is.
Gotta jet, I will see what I can find & let you know.
I live in Redlands. Which is near San Bernardino, and a short drive from Riverside.
Either Redlands or the neighboring city of East Highlands might be a place to look into. But it’s -dull-. The most exciting thing going for us is the street-market every Thursday.
But it’s a calm area. With very low crime. I’ve never felt unsafe while taking a nightly walk.
On the low end, I’ve seen rent in Redlands and East Highlands for about $400-500 a month. and around $600-800 for the classier joints.
Redlands is about halfway from Palm Springs to Irvine. It’s a good hour drive, longer if there’s heavy traffic, to either ends. Riverside is about a half hour away.
