Any local Santa Cruz, Boulder Creek, Felton, surrounding area resident advice?

[Lovin Life]

Hi everyone my family and I are looking to move to the boulder creek or surrounding areas my husband is getting transfered to Salinas but his territory is going to cover between Hollister and the Pebble Beach area maybe even a little further were not sure yet and I'm not sure what towns around those areas are good our son is going to be 2 in MAY so were looking for a good nice place to raise a family good schools lots of activity's low crime reasonable housing etc. We love the small town feel and thats what were looking for but we also want to be close enough to civilization lol so thats why I was looking at boulder creek and the surrounding areas I've never been out there so I was wondering how bad the crime is? since we will be renting a house I was also wondering what the rent was out there? also is it a nice place to raise a family? Thats my number one priority we are coming from Merced ca and I can't wait to get out of here I do not want to raise my son in this area what so ever so if anyone can help me out and give my some ideas on a nice area I would apperciate it

thank you!

[Wisteria]

I live near Boulder Creek, and I think that is a far drive to Hollister/Pebble Beach. Why don't you look in Carmel Valley?

By the way, Boulder Creek has very low crime and very good schools (San Lorenzo Valley District). It's just pretty far from where you said your husband will be working.

I'm sure others in Monterey County can help you more. It just sounds like an awful long drive for work.

Good luck to you.

[rubyskye]

The summer brings the fog and it comes and goes through late September - mid-October. But there are many beautiful sunny days and evenings when there is no fog. Sometimes it's frustrating if you live just a few miles inland and you wake up and it's fogless and head for the ocean and then get into the fog and realize you won't have that sunny walk on the beach.
On the other hand the foggy beach is beautiful in it's own way and quite magical. I love the fog and love the sun too and we have both. And the fog and moistness is great for your skin and hair
People come over the hill from San Jose to escape the hot, hot, hot in the summer.
Scotts Valley, Felton, Boulder Creek, etc. are hot and dry in the summer. Too hot for me and i like to be close to the bay.
The winters are rainy and often quite cool but it's the damp cold that you'll need to adjust to. And if you live right in the redwoods it's even more damp and cool and depending on where you live, it can be quite dark. Be aware of that when you're searching for a home. The redwoods are amazing but if you live right in them, it can be a challenge if the cold, damp and dark are an issue for you. But in the summer they can be a great shelter and refuge from the heat if you're further up into the mountains and away from the coast.
And in the winter there can be long stretches of beautiful sunny and relatively warm days. I've had many beautiful warm beach days this winter wearing only a t-shirt at times.
Some winters are less rainy than others. Last winter it hardly rained at all which is great if the rain is a drag for you but not good for the growers and the redwoods and drought follows.
It's a mediteranean <sp>. climate. The trees are flowering now.
If you like it here, it won't take you long to get into the flow of the area. It's much more mellow than the east coast. People rarely honk their horns in traffic here (it's not like southern ca.) and folks are much more friendly to pedestrians and bikers.
You'll never have one of those hot, humid New England nights when it's so stifling you can't even sleep. And the air is much, much cleaner!
It's a rich, diverse place with diverse eco-systems.
There are seasons but they are more subtle than what you're used to.
It's a wonderful place to be if it's for you!

[Petrala]

Originally Posted by phree_spirit

I've been getting some pretty good responses on other threads, but I need some advice from a local!
So in the beach area of Santa Cruz, foggy weather most of the time? Or is that further north on the coast? As for the surrounding mountain areas of Boulder Creek, Felton, Scotts Valley, Los Gatos Mountains, what could I expect for a typical summer day? Winter? I'm from Connecticut, so I can handle a pretty chilling winter, the thing is, I don't want to have to. How cold does it get? The city-data info on these areas is only getting me so far, I need a local! Thanks.

Something to remember about the Monterey bay area, Santa cruz is part of, has many microclimates. You really have to get specific about areas. People will say Santa Cruz is cooler or foggier, but if you live in the banana belt part of Santa Cruz, you get lots of sun and much warmer than a part of town, not far away.

No part of Santa Cruz county is as cold as CT, there is rarely snow, so you don't have to worry about that.

I really like to remind people who are contemplating the mountain areas of Santa Cruz county is that the areas are often attractive, have more space, trees and the like. The downside is that some of the areas can be terribly isolated, limited road access (one main road in, one road out). You need to always be careful that you aren't in an area prone to winter flooding or slides, and you want to consider whether you are prepared to live in a fire zone. Santa Cruz is lucky in that it hasn't been hit as hard as So. California in terms of wildfires, but recent droughts make it very prone to very very bad wildfires. People who move from the midwest or back East, often have NO IDEA what being a wildfire is like.

One last thing....there is a belief that the mountain areas are low crime. The truth is that there are pockets of crime that depend a lot on whether you live in an area close to gang or drug activity. There are definitely meth labs up in the Santa Cruz and Soquel mountains.

[Wisteria]

Petrala makes good points, but keep in mind that if cost is any consideration, it will be cheaper in those smaller towns (except Los Gatos).

I'm from back east, originally, (Western New York), so the winters are rainy here -- like a Spring back there. The rains are heavier in the mountains, and less by the ocean, but it's definitely a rainy season -- it's considered a Mediterranean climate.

I remember being frightened about earthquakes when I moved here. I haven't been through a "big" one, but I've been in those that knocked me out of bed! The windchimes ring, and sometimes the chairs move, and the floors shake, but I haven't been in any that has caused damage. At least most buildings are built to earthquake code, so I feel safer in those than in a tornado.

Mudslides happen, and trees do fall -- it is a hazard of living in the mountains in California. Redwoods rarely fall, as they have a different root system, but trees that are not indigenous to the area, will fall -- especially Eucalyptus. I'd never live near a Eucalyptus grove.

There is a wildfire now in the areas more around Corralitos. It is scary.

The reality is, there are dangers everywhere and we take our chances. As for crime, I know there's this whole idea that the Santa Cruz Mountains are filled with drug dealers and meth labs -- that's just not true. I understand that about 30 years ago, that was the case. The old timers died or moved out, and now younger families and professionals have taken their place.

As prices have risen, and the population has changed, it is quite safe. I work in an agency that has access to that information, and I also know that many people live in those areas precisely because crime is lower -- no gang activity, crime could be some teens taking mail from mailboxes; there are good schools and neighbors who actually know each other. People I work with make a conscious choice to live in the San Lorenzo Valley for safety reasons. Besides, crime is everywhere, but I have never felt nervous or unsafe where I am in Felton. These are small towns, and people really do get to know you, and that is an advantage.

Summers are beautiful in the mountain areas -- warm, sunny, no fog or humidity. Just beautiful. The beach areas vary -- as Petrala said. There are many micro-climates, and certain parts will be foggier than others. I have a friend in Monterey who loves to tell the newcomers when they ask why it's so foggy and misty in the summer...."This IS summer." Monterey is like San Francisco in that way. The Santa Cruz area is kind of in-between those two climates. The mountains are warmer and sunnier, but wetter in the winter.

Coming from a place that sometimes would have twenty feet of snow piled up, this is quite different. Oh, the catch, though, is that many houses do not have good insulation. It took me about three years to adjust to what I considered "the cold." It seems that most people just put a little heater on in the morning to take the chill off -- me, I was freezing! Now, I've adapted, and it doesn't seem cold, but when you're used to buildings being super insulated like back east, it's a surprise to not have that. The key is to dress in layers -- the mornings are usually colder, the afternoons can be very warm, and the evenings cool off. As you drive around, you might want to keep various kinds of jackets in the car -- from Felton, it could be 95 and by the time you get to the beach, it is chilly and windy from the ocean, so you need a good warm coat. It's very strange to see how it varies within just a few miles.

Basically, I think it just depends on whether or not you like the area. There are pros and cons to anything, and sometimes you might end up in a place you've never been before or even heard of, and it will seem like "home." Just take a visit and check it out. Your own intuition will be your best guide (aside from "just the facts, m'am"). Good luck to you!

[LostinNH]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Hi, I'm the one who lives in Lompico, which is technically in the town of Felton -- Lompico is a neighborhood in the redwoods but is part of Felton, California -- I hope that helps.

Wisteria --
I have a dumb Northern New England question: What about gangs? I know, I know....every dumb*ss who comes to New York thinks they're going to be mugged, and every dumb*ss who comes to New Hampshire thinks they're going to see a moose, but I do have an 8-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl who will be going to school wherever we settle, and we hear about the "California gang problem" even waaaaay up here in the White Mountains.

Sorry if the question's offensive, but I'm getting pretty sold on the whole Boulder Creek/Felton/Lompico area, and I need to know.
Warmly,
Bridget

[LostinNH]

I am going to be in Santa Cruz in March, and I can't seem to find any realtors in the Felton/Lompico area. Can you recommend a name? I'd like to take a look around...
Thanks,
B

[Wisteria]

LostinNH:
Wisteria --
I have a dumb Northern New England question: What about gangs? I know, I know....every dumb*ss who comes to New York thinks they're going to be mugged, and every dumb*ss who comes to New Hampshire thinks they're going to see a moose, but I do have an 8-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl who will be going to school wherever we settle, and we hear about the "California gang problem" even waaaaay up here in the White Mountains.

No offense taken. The White Mountains are beautiful, too!

Let me put it this way -- I work in Law Enforcement and many people in our department LIVE in the MOUNTAINS for a reason: safety! Seriously. It is rural, quiet, and really no gang activity that I am aware of. The most serious offense one generally hears of up here is some kid smoking pot in the woods. Or....a teenager might steal mail from a mailbox on the street! Whoaaaaa....intense!

One of the good things about living up here is that you can't walk from the beach to here, there is less bus service here, and the gangs tend to congregate in the more populated areas -- mostly Salinas (which is actually Monterey County) and Watsonville (south Santa Cruz County). There are small pockets of gang kids in an area of Santa Cruz called "Beach Flats." But the mountains....no, we treasure our little haven up here.

Now, you would have to drive to the beach (you can't walk to it from here), but quite honestly, I prefer it up here than in Santa Cruz. Being smaller towns, many of us know each other, and the schools are better and safer. If you come up here, please let me know -- perhaps we could meet up for a couple of hours in Felton/Boulder Creek, etc.

There is only one realtor right now whom I would recommend -- only because she is very thorough and seems very competent. Her name is Chris Clayton, and in the future I hope to work with her. I don't know if I can actually put her link in here, but she can be googled under her name and "S.V., SLV. and Santa Cruz real estate" I hope that helps. She also lives in the area, has a daughter, and horses. So, she knows this part of Santa Cruz well, and actually lives here, too! She also works for one of the century's top 21 real estate agencies --

Lompico, California - Santa Cruz & Silicon Valley Rural Living - Live Among the Coastal Redwoods, Loch Lomond Lake and Lompico Creek Can't remember if this link is on this thread someplace, but here it is for Lompico. It's funky -- not suburban, not city -- but safe, and beautiful, and near so much for so much less (no kidding!). I would not suggest that suburbanites look here! We are mountain people, love nature, and are happy we are so close to so much. Plus...it IS safer up here! You can check the local police reports and see that it's true. My daughter loved her high school here (San Lorenzo Valley High) in Felton/Ben Lomond (on the border of both towns). SLVHS Home page

Take it from someone who works in law enforcement that many of us with children live up here! Santa Cruz isn't "dangerous," but we prefer to raise our children in a more rural, natural environment, and we already know the crime stats, which is why some of us have chosen to live here. Crime is everywhere, but here, it's less.

Good luck on your adventure!

[LostinNH]

Wisteria -
I will definitely give you a shout-out when we come out in March. Thanks for your kindness, knowledge, and hospitality....we've just had the ice storm from hell, no power for four days, and I'm humming under my breath: "California, here I come....."