Please let me know the pros and cons of moving to Caldwell, Idaho (Boise: home, neighborhoods)

[litz]

Originally Posted by boi2socal

Hi Nancy! I grew up in the Treasure Valley and have been trying to get by here in California for four years.

Arcadia is a beautiful city...but I understand affordability is a main factor in leaving California....although prices are falling like a rock they will NEVER be as low as the Caldwell area. Moving to Boise would be far less of a "culture shock" compared to moving to Caldwell. Caldwell is a rather small community with rather high crime and is semi-rural. A far cry from the area of the San Gabriel Valley you live in now. If you were coming from the Inland Empire or similar area I would say you'd probably be ok with Meridian or Nampa. But if you really love your area I would definitely advise Boise as it has a functional and lively downtown area comparable to Pasadena and the city has a lot of trees like the Pasadena Area while Meridian and Nampa are rather sparse in the foliage department. As I remember it the older "nicer" neighborhoods in Caldwell have heavy foliage too. I remember there being nice old homes near College of Idaho. Check with a current local Caldwell resident to verify that.

If you want something simular Meridian is the town. Its like being in Southern California :-) My sister lives in Glendale. But there is a lot of traffic. Boise is a great small city and has much to offer, but does have the same city problems as they all do.

I got to add again Crime is not higher in Caldwell! Bosie, Meridian and Nampa have higher crime rates.

But compared to any community the whole of Treasure Valley has low crime rate so really shouldn't be a issue.

[litz]

Originally Posted by yourshadow

Nothing there, 30 minutes to 1+ hour to Boise depending on traffic, per capita violent crimes are higher in Caldwell,...

Where do you live in Caldwell that you think this? It doesn't have the crime that the other towns have. All of them really do not have much crime anyway.
We have lived in Caldwell for 3 years now and it is a wonderful place. Our neighbors are nice, friendly and helpful. Its quiet and the air is cleaner and smells better then other areas. It is a small town, but nothing is far away. In fact in daily life everything is about 5-10 minutes drive (Groceries, retail stores) Its a very easy-going place to live.

[Greensleeves]

You don't need my advice, but you might as well take it. Lord knows I'm not using it!

Come out and visit before you commit to anything!! I moved Idaho to be with my fiance and have pretty much regretted it ever since, for a variety of reasons. He's still the most wonderful human being I have ever met and the absolute love of my life, but it's hard to reconcile all I've given up.

There's no undoing it once you've uprooted yourself. Going back is awkward. Trust me.

[boi2socal]

Originally Posted by litz

If you want something simular Meridian is the town. Its like being in Southern California :-) My sister lives in Glendale. But there is a lot of traffic. Boise is a great small city and has much to offer, but does have the same city problems as they all do.

I got to add again Crime is not higher in Caldwell! Bosie, Meridian and Nampa have higher crime rates.

But compared to any community the whole of Treasure Valley has low crime rate so really shouldn't be a issue.

Meridian is not similar to the Arcadia-Pasadena Area. As I noted Boise is a better option if looking for something more similar.

Meridian is VERY similar to the area I currently live near (Rancho Cucamonga). Besides palm trees I wouldn't know the difference between here and Meridian.

[zedd]

Caldwell is less desirable than most of the other places in the Treasure Valley. It is kind of far from Boise, doesn't have a lot of jobs, and has higher crime than other comparable cities in the area. Perhaps more than anything, it has a stigma. However, compared to many areas in southern California I would still consider it a decent place to be.

In summary, I wouldn't consider Caldwell a bad place to be. But other areas in the Treasure Valley are nicer; is there a compelling reason to choose Caldwell over them? In my opinion, no, unless perhaps you have ties to the area.

[imthinkingoutloud]

I really like Cadlwell because it is rural and has a small town feel. Yet, everything you need is a short hop away. Even the drive to Boise isn't that bad, way better than any drive on any california freeway. Plus just about every main road leads to it, so there are plenty of backway options.

Crime is like anywhere else. It seems there is more here because it is a small town and not much happens in Idaho(which is a good thing) that is newsworthy so local newspapers and stations talk about such things over and over. Most seems to be petty crimes, I am sure that can quickly change with economic problems. If you have ever been to the central valley of California, Caldwell is similar...minus the blazing heat of summer, and we have trees and lots of things nature related. Ya arent far from the mountains and you get to enjoy the laid back relaxed lifestyle we have here. Instead of the fast paced, cant keep up, god forbid if you greet your neighbor with a smile lifestyle of california. Here in Caldwell (and just about everywhere in idaho) you can start a conversation with a total stranger and it feels like you've known each other for years instead of minutes. The mass majority of folks are friendly, helpful, and polite. Even at the risk of missing a green light, they let more than one car go in front of them! It's definitely a "Treat others the way you want to be treated" place.
I love that we share our harvest with our neighbors and they do the same. I also love that people mind their own but are there for ya when you need them. You can count on the community to pull together to take care of business and that is the same in most neighborhoods too. Lots of family events to attend, lots of kid friendly programs, and instead of 7-11's and starbucks on every corner, we have trees...and dentists and chiropractors and doctors. IF ya get sick here there are lots of options Caldwell also seems willing to help people start small businesses, encourages it. New zoning kinda puts a damper on some choices, but storefront rent is cheap. Anyhow, I really like it here and am glad we chose Caldwell to call home. There are better areas of course, just like in any state, but you asked about Caldwell specifically.

[Kimberly50]

I am from california too. In fact a lot of people in idaho came from California. I live in Caldwell and I love it here. Caldwell is a quiet little country town, just realize that its only about 5 minutes from Caldwell to nampa another 5 minutes to Meridian and from caldwell to boise about 30 minutes. I love caldwell, people here do not appreciate what they have. If you like entertainment Boise is nice but more expensive. There's the Boise Mall, Idaho Center with plays and concerts Theater and Bogus Basin for Skiing, Payette River for River rafting McCall, for Camping or just enjoying the forest.

Work is very hard to get here though, the economy has hit Caldwell pretty hard a lot of familys are moving due to lack of work. We personally may have to move to Texas just to find work. You may want to check out the work situation first. Good Luck!!!

[Hometown Josie]

In my opinion, there are areas that are just fine and areas that I would not consider. You will just need to be cautious and do your homework. Are you placing children in school? Lifestyle? What vicinity of Caldwell? I would agree that it is primarily rural and entertainment and shopping will be more limited than Boise area.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Idaholisa

Boise appreciates more and has more to offer you! I am a realtor and can tell you just looking at what you can currently buy and what is selling right now in both places your investment is going to appreciate better in Boise.

People think that they have to drive to Caldwell or Nampa to afford a house but they don't. Because of the drop in the market there are some really affordable houses now in Boise. It is a great time for people who weren't able to afford to live in Boise proper before to buy in Boise.

That's why Caldwell grew so quickly. People weren't able to afford the prices in Boise, so they went further out and bought then drove into Boise. Now they don't have to...I am not sure how much longer these prices will stay down but while they are down people should definitely take advantage of them.

Boise, has the downtown, the University, entertainment,...

It's 13 years later. Interest rates continue to rise as the Fed continue to raise interest rates. It has all changed as Boise has gone up$$$$ and up $$$$. The affordability is down, down, down. You MUST go further out and the further away from Boise. You are better off being further away from Boise from the traffic and on home purchasing and affordability. They are building new tracts homes in Caldwell which are more affordable. As for shopping Costco is not far way if you like to buy in bulk.

[IdahoBroker]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

You MUST go further out and the further away from Boise.

I refer to this as "Drive till you qualify." However, buyers need to make sure to value the expense of commuting in terms of wear and tear on their vehicles and time value while commuting. The more you make per hour, the less you can justify a longer commute. Buyers should factor in where they like to dine and play after work as well.

As they build the Highway 16 extension onto I-84, that will alleviate some of the traffic in Eagle and Star.