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06-28-2008, 03:23 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Chicago area
18 posts, read 9,544 times
Reputation: 11
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Looking to move to California paradise
We are looking to move to paradise. But our definition of paradise is pretty specific. Where should we look in California for this place?:
1. Mid to Upper middle class
2. Excellent schools
3. Near a bigger city, 30-40 minutes is ok. (theatre, arts, culture)
4. Liberal leaning
5. Awesome weather
6. Community feeling
Tall order? Maybe. But this place must exist in CA.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff
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06-28-2008, 04:29 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hampton Cove, Huntsville, AL
9,143 posts, read 7,127,142 times
Reputation: 2211
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forcestream
We are looking to move to paradise. But our definition of paradise is pretty specific. Where should we look in California for this place?:
1. Mid to Upper middle class
2. Excellent schools
3. Near a bigger city, 30-40 minutes is ok. (theatre, arts, culture)
4. Liberal leaning
5. Awesome weather
6. Community feeling
Tall order? Maybe. But this place must exist in CA.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff
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Where are you now? (your profile isn't populated)
What line of work are you in?
What is your budget for rent or purchase?
Where are you going to work?
Are schools important too? (Do you have kids?)
If you found the "perfect place", would you still buy tomorrow if you felt there was a better than 50% chance your home would go down in value in the next two years?
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06-28-2008, 06:41 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Chicago area
18 posts, read 9,544 times
Reputation: 11
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Good questions. We are in Chicago. So we have all of that stuff but the awesome weather. People here are very friendly.
I am an internet marketing whiz. So I can work most anywhere.
We would be looking to purchase in the range of $750k-950k.
Schools are extremely important. 4 kids
We would probably look to move within the next 2 years.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff
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06-28-2008, 06:58 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hampton Cove, Huntsville, AL
9,143 posts, read 7,127,142 times
Reputation: 2211
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forcestream
Good questions. We are in Chicago. So we have all of that stuff but the awesome weather. People here are very friendly.
I am an internet marketing whiz. So I can work most anywhere.
We would be looking to purchase in the range of $750k-950k.
Schools are extremely important. 4 kids
We would probably look to move within the next 2 years.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff
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Here's a popular tool to help find better schools:
http://schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/...22911%2C11%2C1
I would have suggested Thousand Oaks/Westlake but not sure it is liberal leaning (not sure where that is actually) and while TO has a cultural arts center it is not within a "normal" 40 minutes drive to major cultural things in Los Angeles.
Thousand Oaks meets the remainder of your requirements.
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06-28-2008, 07:35 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: The Powerhouse That Is California
139 posts, read 99,000 times
Reputation: 37
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Campbell, CA
San Jose,CA(not as "tight knit" in all of the city but the place is huge so your bound to find a neighborhood you like)
Santa Clara, CA
San Mateo,CA
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06-28-2008, 08:44 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2008
253 posts, read 200,673 times
Reputation: 69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forcestream
We are looking to move to paradise. But our definition of paradise is pretty specific. Where should we look in California for this place?:
1. Mid to Upper middle class
2. Excellent schools
3. Near a bigger city, 30-40 minutes is ok. (theatre, arts, culture)
4. Liberal leaning
5. Awesome weather
6. Community feeling
Tall order? Maybe. But this place must exist in CA.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff
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You were smart enough to leave out "affordable" - housing in California communities with all of the above attributes starts at around a million dollars. Look at any upscale community like Palo Alto, Tiburon, La Jolla, or Santa Barbara. There are still genuine paradises all over the state if you can afford the price of admission.
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06-28-2008, 09:30 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
433 posts, read 470,206 times
Reputation: 194
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You might look at Mill Valley (Marin County).
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06-28-2008, 09:37 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: South Denver Metro
2,574 posts, read 811,270 times
Reputation: 691
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Bay Area
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06-29-2008, 04:54 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2008
109 posts, read 72,067 times
Reputation: 46
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Turtle Rock
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06-29-2008, 05:13 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
75 posts, read 51,302 times
Reputation: 29
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My old neighborhood, Palos Verdes peninsula, specifically Rolling Hills.
I would move back in a heartbeat.
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