Finding a Creative Way to Live in Laguna Beach
When my husband Brian first told me he’s from Laguna Beach, it took everything in me to play it cool. "Oh, is that near Los Angeles?" I asked. Like most elder millennials, I knew exactly where Laguna Beach was. I’d seen every episode of the reality show (I was an LC with a Kristin haircut) and was a superfan of "The OC" to boot. (Seth and Summer forever!)
I don’t know why I pretended. Turns out, Brian’s a Seth-and-Summer stan, too.
I never imagined we’d end up living in the land of beachside cottages and sun-drenched ocean coves I’d seen on TV. But in 2021, we decided to leave the Bay Area and spend a couple months in Brian’s hometown. We both work remotely — I’m a writer and he’s in tech sales — so why not?
Finding a Creative Way to Live in Laguna Beach
The median home price in Laguna Beach hovers around $3 million, and the median monthly rent is over $8,000. Brian and I were paying $6,200 a month for our short-term rental, a steep price we could stomach for a couple of months but not something we could sustain.
Luckily, we discovered a quirky little neighborhood tucked away in a picturesque canyon across the street from the ritziest hotel in town. It’s filled with mobile homes that sell for as little as $150,000.
Our Mobile Home
We paid $212,500 for the trailer using money we’d saved up after negotiating a $5,000 credit from the sellers when the home inspection uncovered some necessary repairs. After living on a boat, we didn’t have much more than a TV and a mattress to start with. In order to rebuild the unstable back deck, fence the yard, re-do the landscaping, renovate the kitchen, and furnish the home, we took out a $150,000 home equity loan against the trailer.
Our Monthly Expenses
We’re currently paying about $5,148 a month, including:
- Land lease: $3,424
- Utilities: $394 (these fluctuate a bit every month, but this is what we paid in April 2024 for electricity, gas, water, sewer, and internet)
- Loan repayment: $1,330
We’re eager to repay the home equity loan to bring our monthly cost of living down even more and hope to do so within the next two years.
Take a Look Inside Our ‘Vintage’ Laguna Beach Trailer
Our two-bedroom, two-bathroom home was built in the 1960s. The exterior is original, and we love the vintage look. There’s no garage, just a carport, so we built a storage shed in the side yard for camping gear and holiday decorations.
Our Unconventional Home
We put our own stamp on the kitchen, adding butcher block counters, a tiled backsplash, a dishwasher, and a wine fridge. There are no closets — not one! — in this house, so we had to get creative with storage: My wardrobe is in the living room, our towels are stored in a buffet in my office area, and pots and pans go in the entertainment center.
A ‘Less Stressful’ Version of the California Dream
Living in a house on wheels doesn’t exempt us from the typical homeowner headaches. Since moving in, we’ve dealt with an ant infestation, tented for termites, and evicted a family of mice, and we’re currently grappling with a gopher problem.
But keeping our monthly housing costs low (for the area) makes tackling these issues less stressful.
Conclusion
In short, we couldn’t be happier here. We’ve been in this home for two years now, and we don’t plan on moving anytime soon.
FAQs
Q: How did you find the mobile home community in Laguna Beach?
A: We discovered it through online research and word of mouth.
Q: What was the process like buying a mobile home?
A: We worked with a real estate agent who specialized in mobile home sales, and the process was similar to buying a traditional home.
Q: How did you decide on the specific mobile home you purchased?
A: We looked at several options and chose one that fit our budget and met our needs.
Q: What are some pros and cons of living in a mobile home?
A: Pros: lower cost of living, unique character, and a sense of community. Cons: potential for maintenance issues, limited space, and the possibility of being relocated.
Q: How do you handle the lack of closets in your home?
A: We’ve had to get creative with storage and prioritize our belongings.
