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Thread summary:

Moving to California: traffic, real estate prices, housing, great schools, buy a home.

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Old 10-04-2007, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Not where I wanna be...
25 posts, read 119,810 times
Reputation: 18

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I wanna move to Southern CA, but it seems that everywhere I'd like to move I hear so many negative things about...

I'm a 22 yr old marine with a wife and 2 kids (almost 2 yr old and 4 mo old). When/If I get out in a year we'd like to move to CA.

Only prob is, seems like if you get 1 or 2 good things about a city, then you get a list of bad things... It'd be nice to be close (or somewhat close) to the ocean. Not have a crazy traffic prob. Not have low-medium class houses cost $1m. Low crime. Good schools. Good weather. Things to do. And whatever else I forgot...

I know to have everything on that list probably isn't possible...well if you had everything except traffic and house costs then you'd probably end up having those 2 anyways because everyone would want it...

Can someone make a list of cities or something..and have the pro's and con's to them... I'm having trouble figuring out where would be nice, and I don't live in CA at the moment so I can't go check it all out. Just been to San Diego County couple of times.
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Old 10-04-2007, 07:35 PM
 
124 posts, read 732,496 times
Reputation: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatty Jay View Post
I wanna move to Southern CA, but it seems that everywhere I'd like to move I hear so many negative things about...

I'm a 22 yr old marine with a wife and 2 kids (almost 2 yr old and 4 mo old). When/If I get out in a year we'd like to move to CA.

Only prob is, seems like if you get 1 or 2 good things about a city, then you get a list of bad things... It'd be nice to be close (or somewhat close) to the ocean. Not have a crazy traffic prob. Not have low-medium class houses cost $1m. Low crime. Good schools. Good weather. Things to do. And whatever else I forgot...

I know to have everything on that list probably isn't possible...well if you had everything except traffic and house costs then you'd probably end up having those 2 anyways because everyone would want it...

Can someone make a list of cities or something..and have the pro's and con's to them... I'm having trouble figuring out where would be nice, and I don't live in CA at the moment so I can't go check it all out. Just been to San Diego County couple of times.
Avoid L.A.- bad schools, tons of crime... not good for families

Look at :
Simi Valley
Thousand Oaks
Pretty much anywhere in Orange County (except Santa Ana/ Anaheim)...Huntington , Laguna, Newport, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, etc etc..
Carlsbad(SD County)
Encinitas (SD)
Newbury Park(LA County)
Poway (SD County)
Rancho Bernardo(SD)
4S Ranch(SD)


Concentrate on the cities I marked "SD" for the cheaper real estate prices.. GOOD LUCK!
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Old 10-04-2007, 08:09 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,338 posts, read 93,537,811 times
Reputation: 17829
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatty Jay View Post
I wanna move to Southern CA, but it seems that everywhere I'd like to move I hear so many negative things about...

I'm a 22 yr old marine with a wife and 2 kids (almost 2 yr old and 4 mo old). When/If I get out in a year we'd like to move to CA.

Only prob is, seems like if you get 1 or 2 good things about a city, then you get a list of bad things... It'd be nice to be close (or somewhat close) to the ocean. Not have a crazy traffic prob. Not have low-medium class houses cost $1m. Low crime. Good schools. Good weather. Things to do. And whatever else I forgot...

I know to have everything on that list probably isn't possible...well if you had everything except traffic and house costs then you'd probably end up having those 2 anyways because everyone would want it...

Can someone make a list of cities or something..and have the pro's and con's to them... I'm having trouble figuring out where would be nice, and I don't live in CA at the moment so I can't go check it all out. Just been to San Diego County couple of times.

Why do you want to live in California?
What is your housing price range or monthly rental budget?
What do you expect to do for work if you move to California?

There are plenty of places that you can live near an ocean and have good weather and good schools and low crime and things do to and average traffic problems and low-medium class houses that cost much less than $1M.

Why buy a Porsche when (it sounds like) you would be perfectly happy with a Camry?
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Old 10-04-2007, 10:50 PM
 
124 posts, read 732,496 times
Reputation: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
Why buy a Porsche when (it sounds like) you would be perfectly happy with a Camry?
Oooo.. Excellent saying.
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Old 10-05-2007, 01:15 AM
 
Location: Not where I wanna be...
25 posts, read 119,810 times
Reputation: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
Why do you want to live in California?
What is your housing price range or monthly rental budget?
What do you expect to do for work if you move to California?

There are plenty of places that you can live near an ocean and have good weather and good schools and low crime and things do to and average traffic problems and low-medium class houses that cost much less than $1M.

Why buy a Porsche when (it sounds like) you would be perfectly happy with a Camry?
Yes Porsche would be nice...actually I'll take a Ferrari, but I AM happy with my Trailblazer...

We'd like to buy a home, and not sure on price range yet because we'd be moving there if I get outta the Marine Corps. I'm thinking of becoming a cop or doing something in the field of real estate... Really don't know yet where we're gonna be in a year, but I got about a year to figure out I guess...

We've always like Cali. Other than the traffic it's an enjoyable place where we think we could really start our family...
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Old 10-05-2007, 06:24 AM
 
16 posts, read 73,666 times
Reputation: 17
Smile Check it out

Let me say up front, traffic in So Cal is bad, however there are places where it is not too bad, I live in Hermosa Beach, it has everything you asked for, however, the rents are high, but, you can go a bit inland and they drop alot. You might want to try Torrance, it is very close to the beach, schools are good, and the rent is not terrible. Very low crime and a good police force. You don't have to go into traffic unless you are going to LA, we do that only to see a play, otherwise no need to go. Please take a trip and check it out, you'll love it.
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Old 10-06-2007, 04:01 PM
 
11 posts, read 71,861 times
Reputation: 15
Fatty Jay--

My advice: do not go south of Thousand Oaks/Simi Valley. I've never lived in So Cal but used to travel there in the summer. Huge difference once you cross that line.
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Old 10-06-2007, 05:24 PM
 
Location: So Cal
320 posts, read 1,729,917 times
Reputation: 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by RenaissanceGirl View Post
Fatty Jay--

My advice: do not go south of Thousand Oaks/Simi Valley. I've never lived in So Cal but used to travel there in the summer. Huge difference once you cross that line.
thats bad advice. OC is South as are the beach cities. T.O and Simi VERY hot congested expensive places to live, though safe also.

theres lots of great cities in So Cal if you want to be near the water SD would be agood choice bt still very expensive. Seal Beach Huntington areras also good area and not as expensive as the OC beach cities. Anywhere near the water is going to be expensive compared to most areas inland.
Alos job location SHOULD play a big aprt in the decision you don't want a 2 hr commute
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Old 10-06-2007, 08:04 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,361,816 times
Reputation: 7585
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatty Jay View Post
We'd like to buy a home, and not sure on price range yet because we'd be moving there if I get outta the Marine Corps. I'm thinking of becoming a cop or doing something in the field of real estate...

Well assuming you can bring home $150k/yr, you'll be able to afford a nice little house in California and be able to support a family. Make that $200k if you want crazy things like retirement/college savings or a little money left over every month. What do cops make? Real estate has unlimited income potential in a good market (this isn't) if you have the drive, skills, and personality for it.
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Old 10-07-2007, 03:45 PM
 
392 posts, read 1,855,829 times
Reputation: 297
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia View Post
Well assuming you can bring home $150k/yr, you'll be able to afford a nice little house in California and be able to support a family. Make that $200k if you want crazy things like retirement/college savings or a little money left over every month. What do cops make? Real estate has unlimited income potential in a good market (this isn't) if you have the drive, skills, and personality for it.

I agree. Last I heard starting salary for cops was somewhere around $50,000. Unless your wife is going to be bringing in at least twice that you don't get the schools, type of house and location in SoCal you would like.
Most 22 year olds just don't make the money it takes to get those things here. With a family to support it is even more out of reach.
If you want to live here maybe you could stay in the marines and get stationed out here?
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