Not everyone wants to live next to the ocean (Sacramento: house, income)

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by Snort

Me gusta el oceano.

Yo tambien, pero esta muy caro, excepto en el extremo norte en California, como Crescent City.

[Vic Romano]

I do prefer my cars to be rust free...

[That_One_Girl]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Tidal waves?????? Where?

Eh, just in general. The vastness of the ocean kind of freaks me out. It's not that I think a huge tidal wave is going to happen, but just the feeling of being next to all that wide open vastness is uncomfortable for me.

[BeauCharles]

I think most people who say they don't want to live on the ocean can't afford to. I was raised in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills. My job transferred me to Monterey and I lived there for 11 years. I moved back inland to be able to afford a home, but I will never get over living within sight of Monterey Bay from my window. Never. If someone were to drop a million or two in my lap I'd be back there tomorrow.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

I think most people who say they don't want to live on the ocean can't afford to. I was raised in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills. My job transferred me to Monterey and I lived there for 11 years. I moved back inland to be able to afford a home, but I will never get over living within sight of Monterey Bay from my window. Never. If someone were to drop a million or two in my lap I'd be back there tomorrow.

Amen to that, brotha!

Even though we're moving soon for the same reasons of affordable housing while preparing to send kids to college and save for retirement, we'll never forget the wonders of living on the Monterey Peninsula next to the Big Sur coast. If $$ were no object, we'd stay for sure. Here's how I just celebrated my birthday in the best way possible. Mountains, rivers and ocean all in one place... right in our backyard.


















Derek

[Winston Smith]

Close proximity to the ocean, with the fog, mist, cool weather and all, suits me. But I lived for three years just three blocks from the beach. I noticed that things quickly got dusty being downwind of sand from onshore breezes. The salt air mixed with sand leaves a film on surfaces, and the corrosiveness is rough on cars and metal. That said, I loved living there.

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

If you've never lived next to the ocean, I recommend against it. Otherwise, you may grow to like it too much and be spoiled for life.

Having been raised at the coast, listening waves crashing outside my window and being able to walk to the sand makes it hard to live anywhere else. Although I've done it several times and about to give it a go again!

Otherwise, there's nothing special to see here folks, not even tidal waves. So move along, move along. lol

Derek

I love your photos!

[TacoSoup]

Being an avid surfer it was tough for me leaving the beach (never more than 2 blocks from the water) after 20+ years to buy a house inland. After an adjustment period it was the best decision for us. We could’ve bought a fixer/tear down, or a condo, but we didn’t want to overextend ourselves with the house, and my wife did not want to live in a condo.

I’m 30 +/- minutes to 5 different beach towns, and also not too much further from the marina, downtown, and the airport than I was before time wise. Yes it’s definitely warmer in the summer, but it’s not like so many will make it out to be where they use the half dozen days that it may hit triple digits to judge an entire season. The average summer high is mid to upper 80’s. I did grow up inland so it’s not as much as a shock to me as it might be to someone not from here moving from the beach inland. Besides that you can make the argument the weather is better 8-9 months a year. And like the OP mentioned, you can always take a quick drive to escape it, something most warm places don’t have an option of doing.

I miss the smells and sound of the water, and obviously being able to walk to the surf in a couple of minutes, but I don’t miss the headaches that come with living there. The homeless, traffic, and congestion (especially in summer) being some of them. If all things were equal financially would I move back, yes, but my wife wouldn’t. She doesn’t surf, and she likes the breathing room, seeing the mountains from our windows, not dealing with traffic and parking if we want to run errands on a weekend, and the homeless everywhere. So it looks like I’ve come full circle. Like I said earlier I got over 20 years in at beach and fulfilled a childhood dream/goal of living there when I grew up so I’ll always have that.

Personally being able to keep our cabin in the mountains, giving our future kid(s) a stable neighborhood where they can ride their bikes and play basketball in the street, having more room (both inside and outside the house), and having more money at the end of the month is worth having to put up with some extra heat in the summer, and me having to drive 1/2 hour to go surfing.

[ryanst530]

I love the ocean, and definitely wouldn't be opposed to a house on or near the beach, but the value simply isn't there based on market prices, IMO. Least attractive aspects of beach living: contending with crowds, excessive regulations/restrictions, PITA parking situations, bums, and the cold marine layer.

Obviously many others think the price is worth it for all of that.

Personally, I'd rather live inland a ways, close enough to the beach to drive to on the weekends, and far enough away to enjoy some space, fewer crowds, better value for real estate, and sunny skies more often.

[BGS91762]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

I think most people who say they don't want to live on the ocean can't afford to. I was raised in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills. My job transferred me to Monterey and I lived there for 11 years. I moved back inland to be able to afford a home, but I will never get over living within sight of Monterey Bay from my window. Never. If someone were to drop a million or two in my lap I'd be back there tomorrow.

I could afford to live by the beach but choose not to. Can’t stand the humidity and everything being damp all the time. It’s fine for me to visit the beach from time to time but love the dry air we have inland.