If Money was no object, would you build a Mansion in SoCal or NY and why?

City -Beverly Hills, Bel Aire, Holmby Hills, San Morino (would likely have to buy something and tear it down) not much undeveloped land in these communities.

Beach – South of LA, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, La Jolla – North of LA, Malibu, Montecito (Santa Barbara County). If you want to be "on the sand" then the way the beach is facing if very important - winter storms/storm surge, afternoon sun, afternoon on shore breeze. Check out Google Earth for beach position relative to direction the beach is facing. Again much of the “on the sand” is already developed close to LA. North Malibu I believe has some undeveloped “sand” properties although I have only slightly looked for properties but mainly in the hills above the beach in North Malibu.

 

I'm taking into account buying out the current residence on a ridge That win't gonna be cheap

 

Beverly Hills is some flat below/South of Sunset Blvd and hilly the further North of Sunset Blvd. Holmby Hills is a more exclusive part of BH and mainly in the hills. I don't know much about West Hollywood. I think it is a bit more "spotty", the hills are where you would want to be here for sure not in the flat. West Hollywood is in the city of LA. Beverly Hills is a separately incorporated city surrounded by LA.

 

I assume there is undeveloped land on the ridges available for sale although I have not really looked for property there.

 

I have been to CA as a visitor a few times and I have to say Beverly Hills is not as impressive in real life as it seems on TV. I liked it but I would rather prefer to live in a place such as Laguna Beach.

 

Full disclaimer. I have never been to N.Y. in my life so I am not really qualified to answer but I do know that it has snow (which I have lived in, and except for skiing I wouldn't want anything to do with the white crap anymore) and that alone would make me choose So. Cal. For all the problems that Cal has it also has phenomenal weather, great looking women (not saying NY doesn't have them), amazing roads, and you can both ski and surf the same day within a matter of hours.

Ive seen Malibu mentioned and you couldn't pay me to live there. During the summer weekends PCH (the main road) can be completely packed, if you aren't riding a motorcycle you are not getting anywhere quickly, the bum problem is off the chart and getting worse every day, also you will spend half your time going over the hill to do your shopping. Personally I love San Diego.

 

Pretty much agree, I would not Want to live anywhere in LA.

 

Yeah, spot on but I prefer Ventura County with a population less than 900k. I live in a very rural part of the county. SD is way to populated for me, but it does a lot going for it.

 

I didn't live in NYC but used to go there once a month when I was doing graduate school. I think that in terms of beautiful women NYC is underrated and it's very easy to go on a date with a +7 girl. The supply outstrips demand there. But during winters there, as in Boston, it sucks badly.

 

Downtown LA is ugly and dirty.

 

One thing to keep in mind is building in California will probably take at least three years. This is the main reason prices of existing homes are so high. There is no supply and existing homeowners like it this way.


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I never lived there to give an opinion, just visited a couple of times a few of those boroughs. However, I would much prefer to live in a less crowded area and with nature around. Laguna Beach & Dana Point would be my choice.

 

Absolutely not especially downtown!. Just driving through LA is a negative experience for me. Even the best communities are surrounded by far less desirable areas, as you would expect from any large city. Too much traffic, aggressive driving for no reason, road rage, vagrants, graffiti, dirty conditions. The better beach areas are much less objectional, They have their own micro community which are usually nice. The rural areas outside of LA are waaaaaaay better. If you must you can always drive into LA for particular events which I occasionally do assuming I think the event worth the hassle.

 

Three years is spot on. The whole building permit process is a real experience, highly frustrating. The city wants one type of housing - low cost affordable but often those projects don't "pencil out" for the developers. The projects which do make economic sense are usually middle income or higher end of developments. The city has no motivation to approve very high end personal residences because they don't solve any social problems and politicians get no political credit for high end developments.

 

Those areas/cities are surrounded by LA City so I have included those in my comments.

 

Don't really know as I spend so little time in LA. But Beverly Hills - Rodeo Drive would come to mind. But when shopping for my Ferrari at Beverly Hills Ferrari they were not hanging out there.

 

Not at all. Miami is way more crowded and full of ungly +30-floor apartment buildings. Laguna Beach has mostly houses and low-rise condos.