Central Valley: Climate and Real Estate Affordability (Los Angeles, San Diego: rental, house)

[2ner]

The Central Valley is huge. It looks like average annual rainfall drops a bit once one goes to Modesto and points to the south. Winter temperatures appear uniform pretty much across the Central Valley. Are there places in the Central Valley north of Modesto that are a cooler than points southward in the summer (I know Redding bakes in the summer), where one could buy a property (modest house with around 5 acres) for $500,000 or (preferably) less, and where there is low risk of fire? Rurality is not an issue. Thanks in advance for any help.

[2ner]

Originally Posted by MammothLove

I'm just curious but why does the central valley of CA appeal to you?

Weather (?... not sure about this... as it is dry heat in the summer, but it still gets hot), mild winters, proximity (relatively speaking) to both the Sierra Nevada and the coast.

My guess is that since you are asking, the Central Valley is not very appealing to a lot of people.

[2ner]

Originally Posted by MammothLove

Well, for one, i like clean air. Much of the central valley is very problematic in that regard.
I'm assuming that you want to avoid cold winters and snow and that you cannot afford to live on the coast of California?

Thank you for the feedback on valley air quality. Yes, the coast is very expensive, especially if acreage is included. Not all the coast... the Crescent City area is more affordable, but the very wet winters are a turn off. There are some places in San Diego County, like Ramona, that have some of the moderating effects of the ocean (I think), but are not super expensive. I've also been looking at some high desert communities like Anza and Tehachapi. They are cooler in the winter at night, but still warm up nicely during the day. After a visit to Mariposa, it was also on the list, but with recent fires in Paradise, it is off... a map of fire risk by county in CA put Mariposa in a high risk area, even though they have not had much problem with fires historically.

[2ner]

Thank you for sharing the links and information. Your part of California is stunning. Two California visits ago I took a drive from San Jose to Yosemite and then to Carson City and Lake Tahoe. It is a very beautiful part of the country... and the air up there is pristine, clean, and humidity-free from what I remember.

[BeauCharles]

San Joaquin County is generally cooler in the summer than points south. As ratty as Stockton is the climate is pretty decent. Warm to hot summer days and a cooling delta breeze at night. Generally speaking, if you stay south of Butte County and north of Madera County is not too bad. Yeah, the days will be hot in the summer, but its not like its Phoenix or something. Generally low 90s to low 100s through the summer months. The air quality isn't great - its about like Los Angeles. It has improved significantly in the last 30 years though.

[kettlepot]

Good points being made here. I've lived in the DC area so I completely understand your desire to escape the humid heat.

ALL of the Central Valley bakes in the summer, not just Redding. Your only relief will be in the Sacto-Stockton-Davis area.

All of the Central Valley will have problematic air quality, but you get used to it. Just tell yourself that it's toughening up your lungs.

Air quality can also be affected by the tilling of the soil, of which there is a lot of in the southern San Joaquin Valley. There is less dust pollution in the northern Sacramento Valley. Better water quality too.

Have you considered the Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon? It gets less rainfall than is typical for western Oregon, and it doesn't bake in the summer.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by MammothLove

"..... but you get used to it. Just tell yourself that it's toughening up you lungs"?!
You are joking right?
Human beings are not getting used to toxins, bad air quality, etc.. They're getting sick.
And just because a person is not manifesting overt / obvious symptoms doesn't mean that the body is not being harmed. Just sayin'.

The Mammoth Lakes area had pretty bad air quality much of the cooler months - wood smoke from thousands of wood stoves and fireplaces. Same goes for most mountain locations during the winter that have a fairly substantial population.

[dontbelievehim]

Nice, small cities are Chico, Tracy, and Clovis.
Sac has some nice suburbs, too(Carmichael, Folsom)


Here's how to deal with bad air quality.in the valley
Google a cities aqi
If it's worse than moderate, don't spend a lot of time outside. That's all you gotta do unless you have really weak lungs. Remember, aqi changes every hour and the worst air is usually in the afternoon. Cheers

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by dontbelievehim

Nice, small cities are Chico, Tracy, and Clovis.
Sac has some nice suburbs, too(Carmichael, Folsom)


Here's how to deal with bad air quality.in the valley
Google a cities aqi
If it's worse than moderate, don't spend a lot of time outside. That's all you gotta do unless you have really weak lungs. Remember, aqi changes every hour and the worst air is usually in the afternoon. Cheers

I'm doing my part by driving a zero emissions car!

California, overall, could easily improve its air quality if just 1/3 of us drove zero emissions cars.

Sacramento would improve the most from zero emissions cars because 95% of our lower air quality days come from automobile/ozone type of pollution.

Sacramento has convenient cheap electric rental bikes located throughout the Central City, West Sacramento, and Davis. Similar to the bikes, Sacramento also has electric cars that can be rented cheaply by the minute, hour, day throughout the City. In addition, Sac State has an autonomous driving electric bus on campus which connects with light rail.

The San Joaquin Valley(Fresno/Bakersfield) would improve the least unless they did something about improving big agriculture pollution as well. Still yet the SJ Valley should promote zero emissions car usage.

[Mr5150]

Air quality is only an issue to someone with breathing issues. I’ve never been bothered when I go to Modesto.