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Old 01-13-2008, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,174 posts, read 16,562,313 times
Reputation: 9397

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LOL...

Yes, you get 'a' house. But of course you are not going to a get large new house like in Co, Or, Texas, etc... BTW, I think you picked the least desirable house possible in Ben Lomond;-P Here is a little better listing:
$473,850
3 Bed, 2 Bath
1,400 Sq. Ft.
0.16 Acres
Single Family Home - 385 WOODLAND DR, San Lorenzo Valley, CA, 95005 - Realtor.com

And if a newer, larger home with more land is the goal then Grass Valley is more affordable as well as some of the other areas mentioned.

Here is one example from realtor.com:
$399,000
3 Bed, 3 Bath
1,620 Sq. Ft.
0.48 Acres
Single Family Home - 11535 Tammy Way, Grass Valley, CA, 95949 - Realtor.com

We are actually considering Oregon and select parts of N. Cal. because I really miss the coast sometimes. But everything is a tradeoff with its own set of pros/cons. If you don't mind snow and living in the Mid West, Colorado is hard to beat. If we could only move CS to the coast it would be perfect! ;-P But then the RE prices would sky rocket!

Last edited by MtnSurfer; 01-13-2008 at 02:19 PM..
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Old 01-13-2008, 07:17 PM
 
28 posts, read 187,336 times
Reputation: 23
Charles,
You sound like a “smart ass”. My question is obviously hypothetical, research type, and therefore may have nothing to do with real me.
I hear a lot of good comments about life in Colorado, but I’m not sure if I like an idea of snowy winter anymore… I’d lived in my life in places with –35C for two months strait and one day was –42C… I have enough of it in my life! Sorry, spoiled now.
MtnSurfer,
Thank you for sharing. I like Sonoma myself.
I found several small places myself, but not sure if they qualify:
Healdsburg,
St Helena;
Ojai;
Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton;
From the larger places I can think about only several towns in 1 hr drive from Sac.
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:01 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,174 posts, read 16,562,313 times
Reputation: 9397
Quote:
Originally Posted by etozion View Post
MtnSurfer,
Thank you for sharing. I like Sonoma myself.
I found several small places myself, but not sure if they qualify:
Healdsburg,
St Helena;
Ojai;
Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton;
From the larger places I can think about only several towns in 1 hr drive from Sac.
Of those you mentioned it looks like Healdsburg is the closest to your price range in Sonoma. I have relatives that live there and really like it. Most of the more affordable areas in wine country start around $550K

For central Cal. the others you mentioned are quite a bit above your range. Paso Robles is probably the most affordable in that general area.

Last edited by MtnSurfer; 01-13-2008 at 09:40 PM..
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:18 PM
 
Location: Ventura, CA
12 posts, read 45,132 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by etozion View Post
Are any AFFORDABLE places left in California to raise a family?
Please name me at list one.
By affordable I mean:
- one good income job would be sufficient and such jobs are available;
- you can afford to buy a house .

Good luck. Ventura county is being scared into a remission, wouldn't recommend moving there. The only places that you can afford a house are the places where there is no work and you have to drive anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours (Lancaster, Bakersfield) or the places where there is great work but it's too expensive to live anywhere near (Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley).

You have to be willing to make a drive. I lived in Lancaster and drove to Thousand Oaks every day. Not a bad drive if you like the 14 and the 5 freeways (ick). Then I moved to Oxnard and drove the Thousand Oaks every day and everybody knows the 101 is a horrendous drive during prime traffic hours (especially coming up or down the grade). Eventually I started getting work in Ventura, but it's real difficult to get a good job out here. Hence why I'm moving.

You want to be comfortable, right? Rent for a small two bedroom apartment at it's lowest is $1200.00/month. Can you spell ridiculous? When you're getting paid twice a month and one whole paycheck goes to rent alone? Lames.

Northern California isn't as bad, but my knowledge is only for Southern California. Again, I stress, good luck.
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:37 PM
 
Location: The State Of California
10,399 posts, read 15,480,729 times
Reputation: 4283
Quote:
Originally Posted by etozion View Post
Are any AFFORDABLE places left in California to raise a family?
Please name me at list one.
By affordable I mean:
- one good income job would be sufficient and such jobs are available;
- you can afford to buy a house .
Northern CA List
Redding 200 Miles Fro San Francisco
Winters-Off I-80 & I-505 between Bay Area And Sacramento
Rio Vista-between Metro Bay Area And Metro Sacramento Off I-80 & HY 12
Sacramento-35 Miles From Bay Area
Stockton-35 Miles South Of Sacramento
Modesto-35 Miles South Of Stockton 70 East Oakland
Merced-35 Miles South Modesto
Visailia-35 Miles South Of Meced
Fresno-50 Miles South Of Visalia
Bakersfield-100 Miles South Of Fresno And 100 Miles North Of L.A.
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:43 PM
 
Location: The State Of California
10,399 posts, read 15,480,729 times
Reputation: 4283
Quote:
Originally Posted by etozion View Post
Are any AFFORDABLE places left in California to raise a family?
Please name me at list one.
By affordable I mean:
- one good income job would be sufficient and such jobs are available;
- you can afford to buy a house .
Southern CA List
Perris CA
Lancaster CA
Palmdale CA
Redwood CA
Riverside CA
San Bernadino CA
Victorville CA
Moreno CA
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Old 01-13-2008, 10:35 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,174 posts, read 16,562,313 times
Reputation: 9397
Quote:
Originally Posted by Howest2008 View Post
Southern CA List
Perris CA
Lancaster CA
Palmdale CA
Redwood CA
Riverside CA
San Bernadino CA
Victorville CA
Moreno CA
This list almost humorous when you compare it to the options in N. Cal., especially if you you like clean air, low crime, good schools systems, and green open spaces. I know for some it is home. But I went to college in San Bernadino. I had heard at the time it was the meth lab capital of the world and people behave and drive like it too. I considered it the 'armpit' of S. Cal. I think gangs, crime, oppressive heat, poor air quality, etc... are a pretty common thing for almost 'all' those areas. Some of the police for those areas don't even want to live there.

Now I'm not saying N. Cal. doesn't have its fair share of less desirable places to live, Modesto and Stockton come to mind. But I can think of many better places to raise a family that is for sure.
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Old 01-14-2008, 03:07 AM
 
Location: Ventura, CA
12 posts, read 45,132 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnSurfer View Post
This list almost humorous when you compare it to the options in N. Cal., especially if you you like clean air, low crime, good schools systems, and green open spaces. I know for some it is home. But I went to college in San Bernadino. I had heard at the time it was the meth lab capital of the world and people behave and drive like it too. I considered it the 'armpit' of S. Cal. I think gangs, crime, oppressive heat, poor air quality, etc... are a pretty common thing for almost 'all' those areas. Some of the police for those areas don't even want to live there.

Now I'm not saying N. Cal. doesn't have its fair share of less desirable places to live, Modesto and Stockton come to mind. But I can think of many better places to raise a family that is for sure.
Let's see some stats here. All provided by Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

Lancaster Versus Portland, Oregon
Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed


Now to put it in retrospect, here's Portland versus Denver, Colorado

Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed


I would have never thought...interesting, huh? I suggest getting some actual #s before taking any heat on the amount of crime in the neighborhood you are wanting to raise your family in.

Last edited by Yac; 02-14-2008 at 08:03 AM..
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Old 01-14-2008, 08:35 AM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,174 posts, read 16,562,313 times
Reputation: 9397
Interesting charts, but I don't think they tell the real story especially with regards to Lancaster. Portland and Denver are their state capitals. They have more of everything including many nicer 'safer' suburbs. Now if you put LA in this comparison I think you will see different stats. Or you could put Sherwood or Hillsboro or Broomfield in the comparison and arrive at totally different results.

All I'm saying is you could get charts to do anything you want depending on what set of stats are actually being used. These don't even tell us if they are just gross totals or is based on averages per number of residents in those areas, etc...

That is why it is good to talk with residents, realtors and law enforement is particial areas/neighborhoods one is considering. In LA for example you have Palos Verdes and Compton with a whole set of different stats.
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Old 01-14-2008, 12:11 PM
 
28 posts, read 187,336 times
Reputation: 23
Quote:
Healdsburg,
St Helena;
Ojai;
Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton;
Wine Country
My hope that all those small places will go down in price with current real estate downturn and eventually will qualify.

Don’t you agree all these places have charm and character? Not like Lancaster or Fresno, or …
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