moving to cali (San Diego, Santa Barbara, Eureka: beach, apts, warm)

[FredRock]

I just wanted to let you know Katie that you are not alone in making a big move. My cousin and I are planning to move to Bakesfield, cali around Aug.1. Our grandparents live there and we plan start our new life in Bakersfield and see where we end up. I would definitely try to find someone to move with you if thats possible. I think it would be a lot more fun for you having someone you know and definitely cheaper, but thats just my take on it. Anyway good luck and stay in touch if you want because at least you might know someone else from boring Illinois out there!!!

[Brisuh]

i believe if you are trying to live 600$ a month near a beach then you should move to a ghetto. and there is a perfect place that is ghetto and its near the beach. Move to Eastside Long Beach, around downtown long beach area. that area not only is near the beach but it is also ghetto so you can live 600$a month with no problem. Although it is a ghetto, the long beach school system is really great. so you should live there.

if you dont mind about the beach and if you wanna live 600 dollars a month then i think it will be very easy to find a house in Watts. There is a housing project in Watts called Jordan Downs, and its very cheap. Move there if you dont mind helicopter sounds and hearing gunshots once a month. i dont recommend that you move to compton or Inglewood because not only it is more dangerous, its very hard to find a 600 dollar a month house because mostly compton and inglewood doesnt have apartments but its mostly family homes. I think you should looks for homes around the crenshaw district in southcentral, MacArthur Park area in Westlake, or East LA

[lookingfortheperfectplace]

Originally Posted by Hawaii-SantaBarbaraMom

Corona close to the beach?? I don't think so. I don't think Corona or anywhere in Riverside is a good place for a young person to live the "california life". I think he or she would be very disapointed, unless they simply wanted the sunshine. I'm thinking Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach (though a little big and "rough" to be alone), and other small beach communities with lots of tourism would be better spots in Ca. In MHO

I didn't say "walking distance"! some of us think a 45 minute drive is close enough. Besides the question was $600 a month rent and close to the shore. You can't get anywhere close to your Santa Babara for that amount. and I never said this area was a good place to live, I said it was cheap!

[backtocali]

Originally Posted by katiem2006

im from tcentral illinois...ive lived here all my life...im graduating in a month and getting out of here. im looking to move somewhere in california(somewhat close to the shore)...but i need the cost of living to be decent...i could only afford rent thats like $600/month...and i need somewhere that i could get a decent job to still afford to live...i waitress right now but its hard to find a good waitressing job sicne im only 18 and you have to be 19 to serve alcohol (and wont be 19 for almsot another year). i would love it if anyone had any good ideas as to where would be a good place to move to. thanks.

Hi,

I am also researching a move and have found that there are reasonably priced rooms for rent in the Monterey County area. As far as having your own apartment goes, you would be hard pressed to find anything under about $800/month in the area. I can't comment on jobs at the moment but I can imagine that a popular tourist area like that would have many job opportunities.

[Alec]

you could definitely move to Sonoma County or Marin County. First, its really beautiful, and you would love the scenery, unlike L.A. I live inland, and its pretty expensive, but Santa Rosa has some good housing, at pretty cheap prices. AND its close to the coast. Also think about Point Reyes Station, or Tomales.

[SoCalstuckinheehawhell]

Like lookingfortheperfectplace said no way you can find anything decent by the coast. You are young it sounds and more flexible. But for a 40 something adult like myself it was so impossible I moved recently yes, I miss it terribly I'm a native. And I did live in the inland empire near LA county border. The average rent was $900 average home 350k. Unless you are married with two incomes or are lucky enough to have an extremely high paying job(rare) California is not a good choice. Unfortunately we are also the barometer for the rest of the country. Scary!!

[chris_2006]

Originally Posted by Brisuh

i believe if you are trying to live 600$ a month near a beach then you should move to a ghetto. and there is a perfect place that is ghetto and its near the beach. Move to Eastside Long Beach, around downtown long beach area. that area not only is near the beach but it is also ghetto so you can live 600$a month with no problem. Although it is a ghetto, the long beach school system is really great. so you should live there.

if you dont mind about the beach and if you wanna live 600 dollars a month then i think it will be very easy to find a house in Watts. There is a housing project in Watts called Jordan Downs, and its very cheap. Move there if you dont mind helicopter sounds and hearing gunshots once a month. i dont recommend that you move to compton or Inglewood because not only it is more dangerous, its very hard to find a 600 dollar a month house because mostly compton and inglewood doesnt have apartments but its mostly family homes. I think you should looks for homes around the crenshaw district in southcentral, MacArthur Park area in Westlake, or East LA

I cant belive your telling him to look into jordan downs housing projects.HA. Thats grape st watts territory.He could look if he wants GOOD LUCK!

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by gmb

I hate to be negative, but it will be near impossible to find a nice room for $600 near the beach. It is so beyond expensive here. I live in Santa Barbara, so I am rather surprised that someone mentioned trying to live here. Please do not come here unless you have a close friend to share a place with otherwise you will be living with a stranger. When I was in college back in the early 90's my crappy apartment near Santa Barbara community college was $900 for a two bedroom. There are ways to make it work, it is just more challenging and a bit cramped. I also lived in Ventura which is 30 mileas south of Santa Barbara and it is a bit cheaper. It is on the coast and they have a number of places to waitress. I wouldn't consider L.A. or inland near there. San Diego is an awesome college town, so I am sure living with a stranger there wouldn't be bad at all. I would recommend San Diego first, then Ventura. There is a reason CA is so expensive, we do have great weather and no hurricanes! Good luck!!

California is expensive because of creative financing. Watch those prices plummet now!!

[tokyopapa]

600$/ month is going to be tough to find in California, especially along the coast. Perhaps further inland, you may find some less expensive homes, but have you thought about maybe continuing to live in Illinois for a year or two or at least long enough to have more money to invest in real estate?

[bitman]

Try Eureka. You can find apts for $600 here and be close to the beach. Its not southern cal but you will have the beach almost to yourself. Eureka is a great town.