Moving From New York to Orange County, California: What to Know Before You Buy.

Photo: Jeffrey Clayton on Unsplash

Guest post by Dar Mardan, CPA, MBA, REALTOR® with Real Broker, Vidar Group Real Estate, Orange County, California

Thinking about leaving New York for Southern California? Orange County, California, between Los Angeles and San Diego, draws New Yorkers with its coastline, mild weather and major job centers. Buying there works differently than in New York, from escrow to property taxes.

Steve asked me to write this for his readers because we hear the same question from both coasts. His New York clients ask what it is really like to buy in California, and my Orange County buyers who come from New York ask why everything works differently here. I am a CPA and a Realtor in Irvine, and I help people make exactly this move. Here is what I tell them.

Why New Yorkers Look at Orange County

Orange County sits on the Pacific between Los Angeles and San Diego. It includes coastal cities like Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach, and inland, master-planned communities like Irvine and Mission Viejo.

The reasons people give me for moving are consistent:

• Weather you can plan around. The City of Newport Beach lists average highs from 62°F in January to 73°F in August, with about 10.8 inches of rain a year. There is no snow to shovel and no humid August.
• The outdoors, all year. Beaches, harbors, bike paths, hiking trails and golf are part of ordinary weekends, not vacation.
• Work without a Manhattan commute. Irvine, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach form a large employment hub, and many buyers choose a home within a short drive of the office.
• An airport close to home. John Wayne Airport, next to Irvine, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, served 11,369,865 passengers in 2025. Trips back east to see family are easier than many people expect.

The trade-off is price. The California Association of REALTORS® reported an Orange County median single-family price of $1,452,500 in August 2026. That is a high number, but many New Yorkers find it buys more space, a yard and a garage than the same budget buys at home.

How Buying a Home Is Different in California

This is where New York buyers get the biggest surprises. The goal is the same, but the process is not.

Escrow instead of an attorney-led closing

In New York, attorneys usually draft the contract and run the closing. In California, the purchase contract is usually written by the agents on standard California Association of REALTORS® forms, and a neutral escrow company holds the money and documents until closing. Escrow companies are licensed and regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. You can still hire a California real estate attorney, but most transactions close without one.

The pace is different too. Under the standard California purchase agreement, your good-faith deposit is due within 3 business days of acceptance, and your inspection and other contingencies run on a timeline that defaults to 17 days. Once you remove contingencies, your deposit is at risk if you back out.

No co-op boards

If you have bought a co-op in New York, you know the board package, the interview and the financial disclosures. Orange County has almost no co-ops. Instead, you will find condos, townhomes and single-family homes, many of them in a homeowners association (HOA). HOAs set rules and collect monthly dues, but they do not approve you as a buyer the way a co-op board does.

If you are deciding between a condo and a house for your move, I wrote a detailed comparison of buying a condo or a single-family home in Orange County from an investment point of view.

Much lower transfer taxes

New York’s transfer taxes add up quickly. The state charges a real estate transfer tax of $2 for each $500 of price, plus a 1% mansion tax on residential purchases of $1 million or more. In New York City, the city transfer tax on residential property is 1% up to $500,000 and 1.425% above that.

Orange County’s documentary transfer tax is $1.10 for each $1,000 of price, and California has no mansion tax. On a $1,500,000 home, that is $1,650 in county transfer tax. The same purchase in New York State would trigger a $15,000 mansion tax on its own.

Property Taxes: Prop 13 Changes the Math

California’s property tax system is one of the biggest differences, and it rewards long-term owners.

Under Proposition 13, the base property tax is limited to 1% of your assessed value, and your assessed value is set at your purchase price. After that, the assessed value can rise by no more than 2% a year while you own the home, no matter how much the market climbs.

On top of the 1% base, your bill includes voter-approved bonds and any special assessments. In many newer Orange County neighborhoods, that includes Mello-Roos, a special tax that funds local infrastructure. When you compare homes, always ask for the full tax bill, not just the 1%.

A Word About Income Taxes

Many people assume that leaving New York means a lower income tax bill. It depends. California taxes residents on all of their income, and its top rates are among the highest in the country. Depending on your income, where you live in New York today and how you earn it, your state tax could go up, down or stay about the same.

As a CPA, my advice is simple: run the numbers for your own situation before you set your budget, and plan the year you move carefully, because part-year residency rules apply in both states.

Timing the New York Sale and the California Purchase

Most of our New York clients are selling one home and buying another across the country. There are 3 common ways to handle it:

1. Sell first, then buy. You know exactly what you have to spend, and you can make a clean, non-contingent offer in Orange County. Many families rent for a few months while they shop.
2. Buy first, then sell. This works if you can carry 2 homes for a while or qualify for a bridge loan. It lets you move once.
3. Make an offer contingent on your sale. It is possible, but in a competitive Orange County market, sellers usually prefer offers that do not depend on another sale.

Whichever path you choose, the most important step is coordination between your 2 agents so the closing dates, the move and your financing line up.

How Steve and I Work Together

Steve and I are both agents with Real Broker, so a coast-to-coast move does not mean starting over with strangers. Steve can help you price, prepare and sell your New York home, and my team and I can help you choose an Orange County neighborhood, compete for the right home and close. You get a local expert on each end and a single conversation between us.

If you are considering the move, start with a call. We can talk through neighborhoods, prices, property taxes and timing, so you arrive in Orange County with a plan instead of a guess.

 

About the author: Dar Mardan is a CPA, MBA, and REALTOR® with Real Broker and the co-founder of Vidar Group Real Estate in Orange County, California. He helps buyers and sellers in Newport Beach, Irvine, Corona del Mar, Newport Coast and Mission Viejo, including families relocating from out of state. Learn more at Vidar Group Real Estate.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.