Any thoughts on Grass Valley, Nevada City area? (Sacramento, Truckee: housing, condos)

[konamtnbiker]

We're looking for a place to relocate, wondering about Grass Valley or Nevada City. Would it be a good place to raise children? How are the schools? Crime? How's the cost of living? What are the people like there? We'd be moving from Hawaii so I'd think it's got to be cheaper than the islands. Is there decent shopping nearby? I'd be thrilled to have a Target nearby (we're shopping deprived on the Big Island!). Thanks for your input

[Nic]

Grass Valley is an old prospecting area and if you buy something out of town winters (depending on your elevation) can be brutal. Small town, semi-rural, but pretty near Sacramento and certainly not a backwater place. Target? I doubt it, but maybe -- sometimes the visitors don't get to see those sections of town.

Nevada County is not a bad place to live but very different than Hawaii.

[GregJ]

It's a pretty nice town but I think it's flooded with Bay Area retirees. You won't find any big chain stores there but down the road a few miles is Auburn. It's a really nice town much like Grass Valley and has all the essentials of life that Grass Valley doesn't. It's just up the freeway from Sacramento, too and below the snowline.

If living in the foothills is your thing, you might also check out Jackson, Sutter Creek, Mariposa, Murphys, Plymouth, Placerville, Volcano or Sonora. all really nice, quaint places. I'd personally enjoy moving to any one of those towns. If you like snow, Truckee is a great town. A few Sierra towns I don't really care for, Oakhurst (way too much traffic and on the main highway to Yosemite), and Angels Camp (seems a little down on it's luck), or Valley Center (sprawl and no planning at all).

Good luck!

[deeptrance]

I absolutely LOVE the Grass Valley - Nevada City area and am not fond of Auburn because it's too suburban for my tastes. But you pay a higher price to live in the smaller resort-type towns in the foothills. I personally think it's worth it, but it totally depends on your needs. You asked about schools and such, I have no idea because I've only been a visitor to the area. So GregJ's recommendation about considering a place like Auburn is probably more informed along those lines.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can't go wrong with a visit to the area. You'll enjoy it. If you want to escape the crowds, you've got the entire Sierra Nevada range at your doorstep. And the climate is actually quite mild other than hot dry summers.

I disagree about the "brutal winters" comment, given that it's on the west side of the Sierras. I lived more than half my life in CA and spent 2 years in Amherst, MA. After those two years, I'd say Californians don't know what a REAL winter is like!

[beanpod]

Grass Valley is an ugly giant trailer park full of rednecks, meth freaks and white trash. The Bay people and SoCalers stay out of things for the most hunkering around their thousands when they sold out their condos for half a million. The place is getting overdeveloped with one giant ugly hotel downtown that kills the whole "small town" thing and a nightmare RV Sales park to the east. The creek is totally polluted and the place is about as progressive in its politics as the Flintstones. And lets not forget the GOLD MINE opening near the center of town. This will be lovely. People hate nature here, cut down trees because of "fire" and are ignorant about it. There are FOUR subdivisions planned here of at least 1000 homes each. All it is now is an extension of the crap from the valley. Move somewhere else. This is our advice. We are.

[greatbasinguide]

Grass Valley is a very nice place, Not quite as nice as Nevada City, but you can't go wrong, a little place on acreage with black berry bushes, fruit trees and a garden. The Gold mine state park is pretty darned interesting. It is important to thin the woods and brush around your place or you won't have it. The previous poster does not reflect what others say, listen to them not him.

[renngrrl]

The area used to be great, like Sacramento was, but it's now over developed and too expensive. Lots of people moved there from the BA and drove up prices. Not a lot of jobs and if you want chain stores, you'll need to drive down into the Valley.

It's amazing how much all of CA has changed since the 2000 census. If you are basing affordablility on that, I'd suggest a visit and see what a difference 7 yrs can make.

[renngrrl]

Greatbasin,

I actually agree with Beanpod. The locals I know are leaving because it's not what it once was.

[greatbasinguide]

I never base anything on affordability, if you can't afford it, you didn't get a good enough job.

The west end of our county is a fine place, not as nice as the east end, but, where is a better place?

[JenniferLynn]

I like most all the towns in the Sierra foothills. Much nicer than being down in the Sacramento valley. You would need to visit them as the amenities vary from town to town. I do think a lot of the housing is overpriced probably due, as others have mentioned, to the influx of transplants from the Bay Area.

I have looked at lot of homes for sale in those towns and I think some of the best deals are in Placerville as opposed to Grass Valley/Nevada City. It all depends on what you're willing to spend.

Brutal winters?! Not at all. Some areas in the foothills get snow, others don't. I once lived in north-eastern Idaho. Now THAT'S brutal!