We're transferring to Tulare co.-cost of utilities? land taxes?

[cruelkat]

I don't mind driving to Visalia for shopping needs...right now we drive 30 minutes for grocery shopping and up to two hours for clothing or anything else... and when we want to stock up on veganaise or bamboo or anything that isn't balogna, essentially, we have to drive over an hour away...I'm okay with that. Annnnd I'll look into Exeter.

We have a place like Three Rivers here called Yellow Springs...it's soo beautiful but you're lucky to find an apartment under 500,000 and as far as shopping goes, coffee shops are plentiful, so are dance/art studios and little hipster thrift stores...but if you need some bread that's NOT raw and doesn't cost 10 bucks a loaf you'll have to drive 40 minutes out of town. Dave Chappelle lives there...I saw him eating an ice cream cone on a skateboard.

[cruelkat]

Originally Posted by hyerutko

you are right, I think it is great

agreed.

[Des-Lab]

Wife and I moved to Tulare from Orange County last year. Yes. On purpose. Having been there just over a year now, let me tell you what I've observed to be the pros and cons.

First, the air quality does admittedly leave a lot to be desired at times. The haze and dust and smells from the myriads of cattle ranches can be a bit stifling on some days. That's not to say that you need to wear a respirator or gas mask just when venturing outside (it isn't anywhere near being that bad). But when we get the winds (fairly common), winter rain, or the occassional rogue Sierra/Mojave Desert thunderstorm-rare-but it does happen-it cleans things out quite well.

Tulare-the city-I don't see what all the fuss is about. Yes, it has some suspect areas filled with shady characters-mainly on the far south and west sides of town it seems-but there's also plenty of clean and charming old town type neighborhoods along with plenty of modern "big box" suburbia. Considering the relative small size of that town, it has quite a bit of variety and something for just about everyone and every budget. Most of the roads are well maintained. And there is a former rail line that has been converted into a bike/hiking trail. I've ridden it end to end and had no problems or worries of problems (although the route itself isn't the best design; it crosses all streets at grade and is truncated at the railroad tracks and therefore is not a continuous path.)

Traffic doesn't seem to be much of an issue, though some of the signals appear to be mistimed thus creating a bit of an unnatural impediment to travel. Being that it's almost near the geographic center of the state, there are few major cities and attractions that cannot be reached within 4 hours or less drive time. LA and Orange County, Yosemite, Pismo, Fresno, Sacramento, and most of the Bay area are all within that radius.

Tule fog is a nuisance and a major hazard when driving. But if I'm home and don't have to work or leave the house, I kind of dig it. Gives the area a certain 'Casablanca' feel.

Hwy 65 is indeed a fun and scenic route-albeit a busy one. Esp-as noted-in the springtime, which unfortunately, only lasts about six hours before we transition straight into summer from winter. Speaking of which, summer seems to last a lot longer. First 100+ degree days can come as early as April and last as late as Halloween. But the winters are chilly! But no snow. Just cold.

If you like scenic little drives (which I do), there are lots of cool little back roads in and around the area that skirt through the orchards, fields, and vineyards as well as along the foothills. Scenery-when located-is pretty much exclusively east of the 99 freeway. The west side of the Valley is topographically featureless. Flat as a pancake and absolutely no scenery of any kind except maybe a little bit off 198 between Visalia an Hanford.

Now let me give you my opinions on some of the other adjacent areas:

Lindsay: A few nice areas-mostly on the periphery. Otherwise pretty much a has-been with the worst roads I've ever seen in my life. A few sections in "downtown" have been resurfaced recently, but most of the rest of them are like land mines have been detonated. Even at a glacial 5 mph speed, it still felt more like offroading than ONroading.

Visalia: Pretty much the same story as Tulare, but at roughly three times the size. That town likewise cannot be summed up in just one or two sentences; it contains quite the mulptiplicity of socioeconomic classes and appertunances ranging from the old money/old town wealthy to the Target shopper middle class suburban starter family to a college age friendly downtown (with one way streets) to 2000's era McMansion cookie cutter developments to demilitarized zones that are best avoided even in daylight. In other words: just an average city.

Three Rivers: Total cheesy tourist trap. It is to "mountain village" what Disneyand is to "the jungle cruise". -nuff said.

Exeter: charming small town. Probably a better place to retire. Not much there for young/single folks.

Porterville: Haven't explored it in enough detail to get a definitive answer, but my impression is that it's like Visalia but perhaps a notch or two lower on the overall "social class" ladder.

Hanford: see Porterville.

Ducor: Little more than a gas station and a McDonalds. The railroad through there was abandoned and so most (if not all) the industry has packed up and left. Lots of boarded up and shuttered warehouses and packing houses.

I'd steer clear of the really small towns including Farmersville, Tipton, Earlimart, and Pixley. All are pretty rough around the edges and contain little more than farm worker families and gangs of unemployed. Many of which are in actual gangs. I hate to perpetuate negative stereotypes, but for these towns, the stigmas are generally earned and well deserving unfortunately.

And I've encountered "WASP" folks who were friendly as well as pompous and rude. Just as I have with Asians, Blacks, and the Hispanics. Some were the nicest, most friendly people I've met. And others, First Class jerks. Just stick to the Golden Rule and you will be fine. You ride into town on a high horse, holier-than-thou, walking-on-water attitude and yes. You can expect to be treated in kind. Just as "good morning" and "here-you are just buying a pack of gum, why don't you go ahead of me and my three overflowing carts in this line" karma will also come back.


So basically what it amounts to is that: most folks should have no trouble flourishing in and around the area. About the only people who would have a hard time here are A) the hard core young urbanites who are unable to function unless they're are surrounded on all sides by twenty stories of concrete and glass and live walking distance to a Mongolian art museum and a fish taco cart and have never seen a live farm animal except on Flickr. And B) those who place more stock in the prestige and reputation of an area more so than the area itself. Imagine the person who thinks in circular logic and wants to live in Orange County just because it's Orange County.

Good luck.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more input, suggestions, or observations.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

Wife and I moved to Tulare from Orange County last year. Yes. On purpose.

Same. How are you adjusting? I did the move three or four years ago, I can't really recall, it's like a void where time doesn't count.

Tulare-the city-I don't see what all the fuss is about. Yes, it has some suspect areas filled with shady characters-mainly on the far south and west sides of town it seems-but there's also plenty of clean and charming old town type neighborhoods along with plenty of modern "big box" suburbia. Considering the relative small size of that town, it has quite a bit of variety and something for just about everyone and every budget. Most of the roads are well maintained. And there is a former rail line that has been converted into a bike/hiking trail. I've ridden it end to end and had no problems or worries of problems (although the route itself isn't the best design; it crosses all streets at grade and is truncated at the railroad tracks and therefore is not a continuous path.)

I still wouldn't move there or recommend anyone does with half a brain.

Being that it's almost near the geographic center of the state, there are few major cities and attractions that cannot be reached within 4 hours or less drive time. LA and Orange County, Yosemite, Pismo, Fresno, Sacramento, and most of the Bay area are all within that radius.

Sorry, but those get to be long hours to drive to. I've done all of them several times, it gets really tiring, not to mention the wear and tear on one's car.

Tule fog is a nuisance and a major hazard when driving. But if I'm home and don't have to work or leave the house, I kind of dig it. Gives the area a certain 'Casablanca' feel.

Yes, the fog during the fall/winter months are scary at times, sometimes you can't see beyond a foot of your headlights, foglights do nothing as they only reflect light back to you, go figure.

Now let me give you my opinions on some of the other adjacent areas:

Lindsay: A few nice areas-mostly on the periphery. Otherwise pretty much a has-been with the worst roads I've ever seen in my life. A few sections in "downtown" have been resurfaced recently, but most of the rest of them are like land mines have been detonated. Even at a glacial 5 mph speed, it still felt more like offroading than ONroading.

Agreed, stay away.

Visalia: Pretty much the same story as Tulare, but at roughly three times the size. That town likewise cannot be summed up in just one or two sentences; it contains quite the mulptiplicity of socioeconomic classes and appertunances ranging from the old money/old town wealthy to the Target shopper middle class suburban starter family to a college age friendly downtown (with one way streets) to 2000's era McMansion cookie cutter developments to demilitarized zones that are best avoided even in daylight. In other words: just an average city.

I agree with the description except I don't agree with the comparison to Tulare. Just isn't the same.

Three Rivers: Total cheesy tourist trap. It is to "mountain village" what Disneyand is to "the jungle cruise". -nuff said.

I heard about Disney building a resort in Sequoia National Park, burnt down in a fire and has been evacuated since. Don't know if there are plans to revive it. But, "cheesy"? I think Three Rivers hasn't even tried to become a tourist place aside from the bad dinky/artsy/crafty stores that dominate the area, it wasn't enough for me to stop and check out the shops. There are lots of hidden shops, I didn't care to look for them off the 198. It always seems to me a place you stop to reload before you take off into Sequoia National Park. Most of Three Rivers are recluse residents. I think there are a few celebs who have homes there. I asked long time residents if there were any plans to change the look of the city, you know, to make it not seem like a town in the boonies, he said that the residents like it the way it is and that nothing is going to change. He was speaking on behalf of the residents, I'm not sure if that's how all of them feel but seeing as how nothing much has changed since the first shed erected in that place, I'm incline to think he's right. Of course building private homes is welcomed, funny. I forgot to mention, the hotels/motels there, wow, c'mon now, fix it up a bit.

The handful of residents that I have spoken to up there have this slight southern accent, twang if you will. I have no f'ing clue how that came about, most of them came from Los Angeles too, born and raised. Anyone care to explain how these remote towns in CA where residents seem to have this southern twang accent?

Exeter: charming small town. Probably a better place to retire. Not much there for young/single folks.

Depends on what kind of person or couple you (guys) are.

Porterville: Haven't explored it in enough detail to get a definitive answer, but my impression is that it's like Visalia but perhaps a notch or two lower on the overall "social class" ladder.

I'd compare this city to Tulare minus the suspicious areas, smaller than Tulare as well.

Hanford: see Porterville.

Hanford is visually a prettier place than Porterville, also bigger if you include Armona. I tend to lump those two together.

Ducor: Little more than a gas station and a McDonalds. The railroad through there was abandoned and so most (if not all) the industry has packed up and left. Lots of boarded up and shuttered warehouses and packing houses.

I'd steer clear of the really small towns including Farmersville, Tipton, Earlimart, and Pixley. All are pretty rough around the edges and contain little more than farm worker families and gangs of unemployed. Many of which are in actual gangs. I hate to perpetuate negative stereotypes, but for these towns, the stigmas are generally earned and well deserving unfortunately.

And I've encountered "WASP" folks who were friendly as well as pompous and rude. Just as I have with Asians, Blacks, and the Hispanics. Some were the nicest, most friendly people I've met. And others, First Class jerks. Just stick to the Golden Rule and you will be fine. You ride into town on a high horse, holier-than-thou, walking-on-water attitude and yes. You can expect to be treated in kind. Just as "good morning" and "here-you are just buying a pack of gum, why don't you go ahead of me and my three overflowing carts in this line" karma will also come back.

Agreed with the first two paragraphs. I don't believe in Karma but usually if you treat others nicely they will return the favor, human nature yada yada, for the most part.

So basically what it amounts to is that: most folks should have no trouble flourishing in and around the area. About the only people who would have a hard time here are A) the hard core young urbanites who are unable to function unless they're are surrounded on all sides by twenty stories of concrete and glass and live walking distance to a Mongolian art museum and a fish taco cart and have never seen a live farm animal except on Flickr. And B) those who place more stock in the prestige and reputation of an area more so than the area itself. Imagine the person who thinks in circular logic and wants to live in Orange County just because it's Orange County.

Good luck.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more input, suggestions, or observations.

I don't know where you were getting at with the 'Mongolia art museum', despite being an art-museum-go-er I think I've adjusted fine. Besides, isn't he/she from Ohio? :\

[cruelkat]

holy ****. You guys are great, I can't express how much I appreciate the time you've taken to help paint a picture of the area. I seriously take everything into consideration, so it's really nice to hear straightforward opinions on the area. It's so rough trying to decide what the best course of action is when moving out of state. I don't want to waste time and money renting, but at the same time, I don't want to jump in and buy a house without getting a feel for the area...I also don't have the time to take a vacation and check things out beforehand because I don't want to postpone my visiting my granddad in Montana for yet another year. I was thinking about maybe renting in the general area if I can find a place that will lease for 6 months...I don't want to do the year lease thing.

Des-lab, I am niether a hardcore urbanite nor a country bumpkin. I've lived in apartment buildings amongst skyscrapers and cable buses, and I've lived in "the hills" where my nearest neighbor was miles away and whose house was hand built without indoor plumbing. I most appreciate something in the middle...Also, I'm more likely to appreciate an area despite its reputation as a "rough" area, however, having just had my 3rd child, I'm feeling more...domestic.

Er...what is a WASP? I think, judging by some of the context in other posts it's something like a desert hilljack?
Also, I've read some threads where there seem to be a lot of animosity towards government employees...I didn't ask on those threads because I don't care to get caught up in any of that drama...I just want information, not to get "yelled" at..ha. Sooo, is that true? Is that a common thing? If I were employed by the state would I suffer immediate "rejection" from others in my neighborhood? Not that I'm a socialite and need to be a part of some social club, but I don't know how I'd feel about living in an area populated by very many passionately angry people...

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by cruelkat

Des-lab, I am niether a hardcore urbanite nor a country bumpkin. I've lived in apartment buildings amongst skyscrapers and cable buses, and I've lived in "the hills" where my nearest neighbor was miles away and whose house was hand built without indoor plumbing. I most appreciate something in the middle...Also, I'm more likely to appreciate an area despite its reputation as a "rough" area, however, having just had my 3rd child, I'm feeling more...domestic.

I think Exeter would be good for you, it's between Visalia and Porterville.

Er...what is a WASP? I think, judging by some of the context in other posts it's something like a desert hilljack?

W.A.S.P. = White Anglo-Saxon Protestant

Also, I've read some threads where there seem to be a lot of animosity towards government employees...I didn't ask on those threads because I don't care to get caught up in any of that drama...I just want information, not to get "yelled" at..ha. Sooo, is that true? Is that a common thing? If I were employed by the state would I suffer immediate "rejection" from others in my neighborhood? Not that I'm a socialite and need to be a part of some social club, but I don't know how I'd feel about living in an area populated by very many passionately angry people...

No. Not from my experience. Although there are some animosity towards State officials from business owners around here. Seriously, some of the BOE agents get a high in scrutinizing every single detail to a T.

Also, Google is your friend. You can look up what you think you might want in a city, shopping, restaurants, etc.

[Highnlite]

I heard about Disney building a resort in Sequoia National Park, burnt down in a fire and has been evacuated since.

This story reminds me of the old game of Telephone. What actually happened with Disney has no resemblance to this story.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by Highnlite

This story reminds me of the old game of Telephone. What actually happened with Disney has no resemblance to this story.

Probably, I didn't care to look it up but I did now so here's a link.

Mineral King - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Roaddog]

When we talk air quality it is general but there is a big differance in the type of pollution found in the air, the valley will have higher levels of Particulate matters, dust and such from farming where as the big city's will have more car exhausts in the air, in the valley it can bother your allergies a lot more. In the valley I have no problems but in the big city's I actually can get sick, so there is a differance and everyone is affected but not all in the same way, before I moved from Woodland to the valley I had to take shots every week for allergies and I had asthma very bad, after a year in the valley I didn't need shots and the asthma was gone.
just my take on things

[FromRenee]

Just way until they shake the walnut and almond trees. A challenge to breath. If you have contact lenses you will want to scratch your eyes out, even in the winter.