Relocating to Irvine, CA from UK

[yakisoba]

Looking for some advice about what it's like to live as a Brit with a baby in Irvine? My husbands company are offering relocation and he is there currently on a fact-finding trip. We have a 7 mth old DS. I am a doctor in the Uk (currently on mat leave) but realise am unlikely to have a visa to be able to work at all, and even so would have to sit US exams/retraining etc.. So the plan would be for me to be a SAHM. Is Irvine family friendly? We are not yet sure of our rental budget but would probably be around $2,000 a month for a 2 bed apt. Is this realistic?

I liked the sound of a development like Anacapa in West Irvine, but the idea of Irvine being a 'master-planned balance of urban living' (quoted from Destination Irvine website) does terrify me somewhat. Is it so sterile? Will I feel like I'm living in the Truman Show? Any advice gratefully received.

Thank you

Hello Yakisoba. We are about 45 mins north of Irvine and I just checked the rental prices for you.

You could definitely get a nice 2 bed apt (or even a 3 bed house) in Irvine for between $2000-$3,500 which is around your budget of 2000 pounds a month so very realistic.

check out www.trulia.com for details

I have an acquaintance (brother of a friend) who lives there and he and his wife love it. Anywhere on the West coast requires some driving, but its a safe town with good schools (if you're there long enough for that).

You can't beat the Southern California weather.

Irvine is pretty sterile - but then again there's a good university (Univ of California at Irvine), it's not far from some great beaches, the weather is wonderful and it will be an easy place to live as a family. There is culture in Orange County - ballet, museums, art festivals, etc - and LA is near enough for 'edgier' stuff if you like that.

Do you have to live in Irvine itself? There are plenty of communities around that area - have a look around and see what fits.

But more to the point: do you want to move to another country where your hard-won professional qualifications won't be valid? You should ask yourself if you want to be a SAHM at all, not if you want to be one in Irvine.

Irvine is totally sterile. Scarily so imo. Check out Newport, Huntingdon Beach, Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa instead - each has way more to offer and is a really easy drive to Irvine.

You will need to have a car and drive. I can't even recall seeing a bus in Irvine.

Yes irvine very safe and surburban.....but that may be what you want if kids are hitting school age. LA schools terrible.
Laguna beach not far and you may get a lovely place up behind in the hills...I would choose that over irvine myself and get the husband to drive to work.....living there would be like being on holiday.
Think carefully about losing your doctor qualification....if you want to be a sahm all well and good....my friend is a doctor...moved here but now the retraining is so expensive she will have to retrain....my neighbor,s husband was out for 5 years being a sahd. And now he cannot get back in.
So yes that is a very big potential sacrifice and I am a happy sahm but my career should be a it easier to get back into.having said that doctors get paid more here.
2 k is fine for 2 bed.....but remember you will have health insurance each month and dental insurance and no free preschool...school starts between 5 and 6 here.
Push for a green card clause in your husband,s contract so you leave it open for you to work. I love California but not everyone does.

For rentals in Irvine and surrounding areas, you can check www.rental-living.com, it's the website of The Irvine Company, which owns most of the apartment communities. We came 2 years ago to live in Irvine, but then chose to rent in Newport Beach. I love it here!