Least racist northern CA city/town? North coast? (Eureka, Arcata: real estate market, 2015)

[caesura]

My fiance and I are looking for a place to settle down, for at least a few years if not long term.

I have two small children. Basically the only reason we want to stay in CA for a couple of years is so he can adopt them after we get married (CA laws for terminating parental rights when a parent abandons their kids is a lot more relaxed here than other states we're interested in).

That said, our budget for buying a house is around $300,000. We'd like to find something that might be a 3 bedroom or so, on a half acre or more. If a place with less bedrooms and more yard comes up that would probably work too because we could put on an addition.

He prefers a cooler summer climate with a mild winter. He's also interested in a town that has a university or community college in it, and sort of near a major airport. I'm pretty happy either way.

While doing research, it looked like the Eureka/Crescent City parts of the state would fit well for cost and climate. And there are colleges there.

Then my neighbor said that the forests in Humboldt County are really dangerous because of the drug cartels/illegal pot growers working on public lands, and people get shot at while hiking (I love hiking ). Also, that those areas are super racist and conservative.

Any insights on those points? We're mixed race (asian/white/hispanic/Canadian first nations) and it's kind of obvious that we're mixed. I don't want my kids growing up in a community where people will shun them and treat them like crap.

Also, I work in the medical field and he's a writer so we have some flexibility with employment, if any cities have not great economies. There are typically a lot of job opportunities for me in retiree communities and where hospitals exist.

Thanks!

[boulder2015]

1. No major airport anywhere near eureka/crescent city.

2. Define "mild winter". The north coast doesnt get snow, but is cloudy much of the year.

3. I think your kids would be accepted in eureka or arcata, and arcata has a college. But still if airport is necessary, you wouldnt be near one. And yes it is a little rednecky up there, though lots of good people as well.

As for the "cooler summer climate" the only places with that are a)expensive spots on the coast that are way out of your budget b) the north coast which is cheap, but far from an airport or c) the high sierras like tahoe...which does not have mild winters.

So in a nutshell, you are looking for a place that really doesnt exist in your budget. If the adoption laws are that important to you, then you will have to scratch some wants off your list or radically up your budget by at least 50-60%. Ca really doesnt seem like the state for you, to be honest. Maybe talk to a lawyer about your options regarding adoption laws if you havent already?

[caesura]

Airports aren't necessary, just kind of nice. He's willing to drive 6 hours or so if he needs to get to Oregon or somewhere else with a major airport. Rednecky is okay, as long as they are nice rednecky. We both like smaller towns. Right now am in the bay area and it's too hot in the summer for both of us. He doesn't like driving in snow.

Honestly we'd both like either Washington or Oregon, but neither one of those states would work until the adoption stuff is done. So, we're willing to compromise on some things in the meantime until that's accomplished. Unfortunately both of those states will only terminate parental rights if the parent in question has murdered one of the children, or the children are in state custody/foster care for a certain period of time. California will consider cases where one parent has abandoned the kids and "non functioning" as a parent, and another adult wants to adopt them. Which applies in our case.

We'll have that much in cash to buy a place outright, which is why we set that as our budget because it just makes things simpler if there's not a mortgage to worry about.

Which brings up another point. Is there any areas in the north coast that might be better to invest in real estate wise? Because if we buy, we'll likely be selling again in about 5 years or less.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by caesura

Airports aren't necessary, just kind of nice. He's willing to drive 6 hours or so if he needs to get to Oregon or somewhere else with a major airport. Rednecky is okay, as long as they are nice rednecky. We both like smaller towns. Right now am in the bay area and it's too hot in the summer for both of us. He doesn't like driving in snow.

Honestly we'd both like either Washington or Oregon, but neither one of those states would work until the adoption stuff is done. So, we're willing to compromise on some things in the meantime until that's accomplished. Unfortunately both of those states will only terminate parental rights if the parent in question has murdered one of the children, or the children are in state custody/foster care for a certain period of time. California will consider cases where one parent has abandoned the kids and "non functioning" as a parent, and another adult wants to adopt them. Which applies in our case.

We'll have that much in cash to buy a place outright, which is why we set that as our budget because it just makes things simpler if there's not a mortgage to worry about.

Which brings up another point. Is there any areas in the north coast that might be better to invest in real estate wise? Because if we buy, we'll likely be selling again in about 5 years or less.

Eureka is a good fit for you then

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by caesura

Airports aren't necessary, just kind of nice. He's willing to drive 6 hours or so if he needs to get to Oregon or somewhere else with a major airport. Rednecky is okay, as long as they are nice rednecky. We both like smaller towns. Right now am in the bay area and it's too hot in the summer for both of us. He doesn't like driving in snow.

Honestly we'd both like either Washington or Oregon, but neither one of those states would work until the adoption stuff is done. So, we're willing to compromise on some things in the meantime until that's accomplished. Unfortunately both of those states will only terminate parental rights if the parent in question has murdered one of the children, or the children are in state custody/foster care for a certain period of time. California will consider cases where one parent has abandoned the kids and "non functioning" as a parent, and another adult wants to adopt them. Which applies in our case.

We'll have that much in cash to buy a place outright, which is why we set that as our budget because it just makes things simpler if there's not a mortgage to worry about.

Which brings up another point. Is there any areas in the north coast that might be better to invest in real estate wise? Because if we buy, we'll likely be selling again in about 5 years or less.

One area i forgot about: oxnard ventura camarillo in socal. You could get a decent townhome for 300k probably and it would fit most of the rest of your needs. Weather is nice, diverse, hospitals, airports within a couple hours, colleges in camarillo and up the road in santa barbara. Not ideal place in other ways, but for what you describe it fits most of the bill. And eureka, sadly, is a homeless magnet. Lots of potential but still seems like a depressing area. Just bleak.... arcata has gone dowhhill,too.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

And eureka, sadly, is a homeless magnet.

I defy you to find a town in California that's remotely nice looking or in a pretty locale that isn't. Hobos are rampant almost everywhere.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

I defy you to find a town in California that's remotely nice looking or in a pretty locale that isn't. Hobos are rampant almost everywhere.

Yeah but not all are at the level of eureka. It has that walking dead feel to it.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Yeah but not all are at the level of eureka. It has that walking dead feel to it.

So it's an hour of Melodrama?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by caesura

Which brings up another point. Is there any areas in the north coast that might be better to invest in real estate wise? Because if we buy, we'll likely be selling again in about 5 years or less.

Yes. McKinleyville, in the Humboldt area. It's been experiencing strong growth, the only town on the north coast that has. That would be a good choice for you, perhaps the only choice, considering the real estate market. There's Humboldt State University nearby in Arcata. It would be the best fit for you, especially from an RE investment standpoint, but also more generally. And the Arcata/Eureka airport borders McKinleyville to the north.

If you're interested in First Nations connections, the Humboldt area is a good place for that. The Yurok and Hoopa Valley tribes are in the general vicinity, and the Blue Lake Rancheria is doing innovative work in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation, and received federal recognition for their innovative work in that field. They're powering their own transit system with biodiesel produced from their own commercial kitchen waste, and are moving toward 100% sustainable energy sources for the entire community, installing electric vehicle charging stations, and working with engineering students and Humboldt State U to develop all possible renewable energy resources. You could have a fascinating time exploring the local cultures and tribal initiatives.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Yes. McKinleyville, in the Humboldt area. It's been experiencing strong growth, the only town on the north coast that has. That would be a good choice for you, perhaps the only choice, considering the real estate market. There's Humboldt State University nearby in Arcata. It would be the best fit for you, especially from an RE investment standpoint, but also more generally. And the Arcata/Eureka airport borders McKinleyville to the north.

If you're interested in First Nations connections, the Humboldt area is a good place for that. The Yurok and Hoopa Valley tribes are in the general vicinity, and the Blue Lake Rancheria is doing innovative work in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation, and received federal recognition for their innovative work in that field. They're powering their own transit system with biodiesel produced from their own commercial kitchen waste, and are moving toward 100% sustainable energy sources for the entire community, installing electric vehicle charging stations, and working with engineering students and Humboldt State U to develop all possible renewable energy resources. You could have a fascinating time exploring the local cultures and tribal initiatives.

Is there a major hospital nearby? That was one of their needs.