Advice on best high schools and neighborhoods (Anaheim, Irvine: renting, condos)

[Rajapishan]

We are planning to move from Portland to SCAL and looking for neighborhoods with the best high schools. Started with Cypress (Oxford Academy, Cypress High) and Cerritos neighborhoods due to their top rated schools but not much inventory of homes (our budget is $1.2M)

We are open to explore other neighborhoods with the below criteria-
If the housing is affordable (< $1M) send my kid to good private schools
If housing is insane ( > $1M) then public schools

Please suggest if there are schools/areas we should be exploring in SCAL, other than Cypress or Cerritos

Thanks!

[Gaylord_Focker]

Irvine

[Chava61]

Both of my nieces attended Mission Viejo High School and my nephew is now at Trabuco Hills High School. Both schools seem good and Mission Viejo is a nice area to live in.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by Chava61

Both of my nieces attended Mission Viejo High School and my nephew is now at Trabuco Hills High School. Both schools seem good and Mission Viejo is a nice area to live in.

Ha! My husband graduated from Mission Viejo (back in the day) and our son is a senior at Trabuco Hills.

I agree, it is a very nice area to live in. We're happy here.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by Rajapishan

We are planning to move from Portland to SCAL and looking for neighborhoods with the best high schools. Started with Cypress (Oxford Academy, Cypress High) and Cerritos neighborhoods due to their top rated schools but not much inventory of homes (our budget is $1.2M)

Oxford Academy is not a neighborhood school. You do not get in because you live close. You have to test in and most students start in 7th grade. There are a number of limited openings after that.

Irvine is the best school district in OC and I think University is the best high school, but Irvine is not cheap; nothing is in Orange County.

[Rajapishan]

That's what I'm finding out, definitely not cheap. I've reached out to Oxford academy to understand the admission process, whether where we are going to live matters at all if the admission is purely driven by tests.

Are there any other neighborhoods where home prices are comparatively cheaper compared to OC, but have good private school options? Plan is to save on home and invest in private school education if public schools aren't good.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[Gaylord_Focker]

You can find condos for under 1 mil in Irvine

[Norrov]

Irvine, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Mission Viejo, RSM, Brea all have great public schools.

If you want a bigger house for you budget Rancho Cucamonga (above the 210) and Chino Hills are nice areas with great schools in the IE.

[aalmanzar1]

looks like most people are recommending Irvine.

** random question here.**

I was born and raised in orange county

renting in Huntington beach.

middle class worker, houses are super expensive for me, thinking of moving out of state in the future.

how can you guys afford these, what sort of business are you guys involved in?

[bad debt]

Originally Posted by aalmanzar1

looks like most people are recommending Irvine.

** random question here.**

I was born and raised in orange county

renting in Huntington beach.

middle class worker, houses are super expensive for me, thinking of moving out of state in the future.

how can you guys afford these, what sort of business are you guys involved in?

finance/medicine.

At today's interest rates, to afford a $1.5M house your HH income should be about $315,000 and would then need $300,000 down.

Honestly, my childcare costs almost as much as my mortgage.