I feel like all of Cali is unattainable , but I don't want it to be! (San Diego: home, buy)

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by SunnyTXsmile

We are not on different pages, however, I was answering the OP's question. The OP is married, does have a child, and is looking for specific things in the new place they call home on a certain budget. Given what the OP is looking for and given the OP's budget, something has to give. Since money doesn't grow on trees, the OP likely needs to decide between the wish list or the location. It's as simple as that, really. I gave in on my wish list so I didn't have to give in on location. Others feel the opposite. Neither is wrong. It's really what works for the OP.

Oops, sorry! I kind of only scanned through the post, I apparently only first saw the married part, I must have looked over the child part. I read it again, and saw that they do have a child, it was hidden there. Yes, that does change everything.

For some reason I only focused on the second part of the post. I thought they MADE $250,000. My bad.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Oops, sorry! I kind of only scanned through the post, I apparently only first saw the married part, I must have looked over the child part. I read it again, and saw that they do have a child, it was hidden there. Yes, that does change everything.

For some reason I only focused on the second part of the post. I thought they MADE $250,000. My bad.

No worries. It happens to the best of us, especially pre-coffee (that we quit a year ago lol).

[9162]

So what's wrong with New Hampshire? It has a great economy, and not nearly the budget problems of other states. Also, progressive, but not too progressive.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

MWe would like to buy a home eventually and with a budget of $250,000 make I can't seem to find anything that does t require bars on the windows. Any suggestions on where to look? Help me narrow down some places maybe please

Yes, instead of looking at the 20% of homes that costs $250K in slightly sketchy neighborhoods why don't you look for $250K homes in the remaining 80% of California that isn't sketchy?

Stockton
Sacramento
Fresno
Bakersfield
Salinas
Redding
Oxnard
San Juan Capistrano
Perris
Murietta

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Gosh. $250K for a house is very doable for 80% of CA (area-wise). The secret is to avoid the coastal areas and the urban areas such as SF bay area, Greater LA and San Diego.

Auburn comes to mind for 30K sized town. I also think the Placerville area is very nice.

And bear in mind that inland CA summers, while hot are also dry and things tend to cool off at night. We don't get the stiffling-sticky heat that one experiences back east

I posted before I read this post but this is essentially what I wrote.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Charles

Yes, instead of looking at the 20% of homes that costs $250K in slightly sketchy neighborhoods why don't you look for $250K homes in the remaining 80% of California that isn't sketchy?

Stockton
Sacramento
Fresno
Bakersfield
Salinas
Redding
Oxnard
San Juan Capistrano
Perris
Murietta

I'd check the average weather and job market of each of those prior to adding them to the short list.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by SunnyTXsmile

I'd check the average weather and job market of each of those prior to adding them to the short list.

It is California, the weather is fine, whether desert or whether mountain or whether valley.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

It is California, the weather is fine, whether desert or whether mountain or whether valley.

The weather varies widely in California, both west to east, and north to south. To assert that the weather is fine for someone else anywhere they might go in CA is a large assumption, since you're not them.

For me and my dogs, due to health restrictions, there are only certain parts of CA we can physically live in due to the difference in weather inland vs. on the coast, in the mountains vs near the beach, in SoCal vs NorCal, in NorCal downtown vs NorCal in the valley, etc.

So, like I said, since the OP is clearly not from CA, I was just reminding them to check the weather and job market to make sure it works for them. No harm in that.

While the changes in CA weather depending on what part you're in may not seem huge to you, they're huge to others with limitations. They're also huge to someone moving all the way to CA for a certain expectation only to end up somewhere that is pretty much like what they just left, only with less jobs and a higher COL.

[.highnlite]

Sure, the weather varies, but, like I said, it is fine, the only notfine, might be parts of the Central Valley in Summer. What makes the weather fine? What makes 110 in the desert or 20 below in the mountains in winter fine? Lack of humidity. You can visit parts of this country where 90 in the summer, Washington DC or Atlanta for instance, feels far worse than 110 in the summer in Palm Springs, or Baker.

In addition, 20 above to 20 below in Truckee is a doable temp, the sun generally shines and the warmth from the sun is noticeable even though the thermometer says it is darned cold. 20 above to 20 below in much of the country sucks, damp, gray, cold.

And then there are the many areas where the difference between winter highs and summer highs are scarcely 20 degrees apart.

There is no where in CA, except perhaps the Central Valley in Summer, which has heat and humidity where weather should be a relocation concern. Especially in comparison with, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Boston. Atlanta etc.

Just curious, what sort of limitation would limit one's climate zone possibilities? I can understand a dislike of shoveling snow, but what else?

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

It is California, the weather is fine, whether desert or whether mountain or whether valley.