Los Angeles vs. Orange County vs. Henderson??

[Alex Stewart]

I am a real estate investor interested in LA, OC, and even Henderson, NV. I know this sounds like quite the variance but there are elements of all these cities that my family really enjoys. I have never bought a home in any of these cities and have just visited them many times due to my work. I need the help of anyone with intimate knowledge of these areas to determine which pocket should (hopefully) be the best long-term investment.

Currently my situation is this, we have been very blessed and are able to afford a very nice home in any of these areas (up to 4M). Here are the things we feel are a priority:

1. Long term appreciation

2. Walkability

3. Nice modern construction (possibly even a new build)

4. Close proximity to a cute uptown

5. Space

What pockets within these cities do you think best fits the bill?

Thank you for any wisdom you have!

[Nabil Suleiman]

@Alex Stewart 

Hi Alex. Since you are on Bigger Pockets I would assume buying something at retail would not be your go to option. For Appreciation, I have a lot of clients buying smaller, older homes on larger lots and building new. Keeping their tax bill lower and having the new construction fit their criteria.  When it comes to LA and Orange County the neighborhoods are very different and may or may not fit the profile or lifestyle you are looking for. If you like the beach lifestyle and walkability anything in the proximity of Culver City is becoming more and more popular. There is a lot of new construction and large developments so the area will be providing you both easy access to the beach and things like Cumulus, Culver Steps, and Culver Public Market (feel free to google those projects). This will also be central to getting to Hollywood, Inglewood (especially when the stadium is up) and a lot more. 

If you like to be closer to the Mountains and want to see some incredible homes and architecture, Pasadena, South Pasadena, La Canada, San Marino would be some of the place I would look up. Old Town Pasadena is a favorite of many, and there are a lot of local hiking trails and mountains to complement many of the neighborhoods that will fit your needs. 

Anyways, there are many great neighborhoods between the ones I have described, but those are some of my favorites you can look into. Good Luck with your hunt and let me know if you have any questions about those areas or LA in general. Always enjoy sharing it.