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Old 04-07-2009, 05:57 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
42 posts, read 167,661 times
Reputation: 26

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Hi everyone. I was just hoping to get some advice on which parts of California might be a good fit for me. I am from Indianapolis and have become fed up with cold winters and the overall vibe of this city. I have wanted to move for years but California seems so expensive that I have been scared to make the move. I have a degree in telecomm from IU but have made my living working in the trades. Currently I am a electrician and my girlfriend is a waitress at a upscale restaurant.

I have visted California several times most recently around the bay area and northern California. I enjoy living close in or close to a major city though not suburb life(but 30 mins or so from city wouldn't be so bad). And from visiting San Francisco I like the mild weather but not so much the gloom that it seemed to have when I was there.(though I know this changes outside of the bay). I am looking for warmer winters and not super hot summers 70's 80's 90's. I plan on going to graduate school somewhere and I'd like to be near a university so my girlfriend could complete here undergrad. I know San Francisco is way out of my price range. And people say bad things about Oakland. Does anyone have any ideas for me? I have about 20 grand available for the move. And would like to put it toward a house thats I could work on myself maybe foreclosure's or just older property? We have alot of that here. I'd prefer my payments to be around 1500 a month.

Any advice would be great thanks!
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Old 04-07-2009, 07:10 PM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,462,837 times
Reputation: 29337
You might want to explore the Sacramento area. There's CA State University, Sacramento here as well as Univ. of CA, Davis nearby. Right now is the time to buy real estate but cruise through the threads and be careful of what area you consider.

Sacramento is chock-full of new, upper-scale restaurants, has developed a relatively vibrant night life and being the seat of state government, there are usually IT positions to be had. Right now the trades aren't so promising.

Hopefully others will jump in here with their suggestions. Good luck!
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Old 04-07-2009, 08:02 PM
 
5,324 posts, read 18,262,276 times
Reputation: 3855
The Sac area would work well in being not far from the coast, wine country and if you're missing it the snow

If you went a little south the Fresno/Clovis area is "affordable" by CA standards, still not too far from the coast or the mountains.

Weather issues in both areas are intense heat in summer and fog in the winter.
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Old 04-08-2009, 01:09 AM
 
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
42 posts, read 167,661 times
Reputation: 26
Thanks for the answers. Never visited Sacremento will have to put it on my list of places to check out when I go back out there. What is fresno like? I have heard mixed things but it seems like people keep saying that it is really full of gangs these days. But I also get the idea that alot of people on here expect 0 crime in a city when they look on here. Also does anyone have a good website for mls listings in central california or sacremento? Thanks for your replies!
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Old 04-09-2009, 11:21 AM
 
Location: United States
2,497 posts, read 7,474,533 times
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Well, I can only tell you where NOT to go...Los Angeles! Great place to visit but unless you want to sell your soul it will cost too much to live. When I head back to CA from Indiana (South Bend) I am going to Fresno most likely. Possibly Ventura County though also. It's a toss up. I know your winter pain, up here in South Bend we just had a few inches of snow, melted now, but it's crazy weather here. good luck to you!
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Baywood Park
1,634 posts, read 6,716,704 times
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Sacramento summer heat can get pretty brutal, it's just minus the humidity that I'm sure Indianapolis has. Same with the Central Valley, like Fresno, these places get hot during the summer and they don't cool off at night. Try realtor.com for your realty inquiries. If you want near perfect weather in a perfect place, it's San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly is one of the finest universities around and it's a state school. Top education at a good price. Cuesta College is also a fine 2-yr. school in SLO.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:50 PM
 
5,324 posts, read 18,262,276 times
Reputation: 3855
Quote:
Originally Posted by rastie View Post
Thanks for the answers. Never visited Sacremento will have to put it on my list of places to check out when I go back out there. What is fresno like? I have heard mixed things but it seems like people keep saying that it is really full of gangs these days. But I also get the idea that alot of people on here expect 0 crime in a city when they look on here. Also does anyone have a good website for mls listings in central california or sacremento? Thanks for your replies!
Gangs? Yes, but it's no Gary, IN You're correct, just like any city there is crime, you won't find a -0- crime level anywhere that has people. There are many great parts of Fresno and it's neighboring town of Clovis.

As stated you will have intense heat sans the humidity anywhere between the Bakersfield area on northward to beyond the Sac area.

Even though we moved away from there back in '91, family/friends find me heading back to visit, it simply wasn't for us. We wanted to live somewhere that offered four distinct seasons.
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Old 04-09-2009, 07:53 PM
 
Location: United States
2,497 posts, read 7,474,533 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cleosmom View Post
Gangs? Yes, but it's no Gary, IN You're correct, just like any city there is crime, you won't find a -0- crime level anywhere that has people. There are many great parts of Fresno and it's neighboring town of Clovis.

As stated you will have intense heat sans the humidity anywhere between the Bakersfield area on northward to beyond the Sac area.

Even though we moved away from there back in '91, family/friends find me heading back to visit, it simply wasn't for us. We wanted to live somewhere that offered four distinct seasons.
Gary,IN?! Hahahaha!!!!! Yeah, gangs are bad there, but the pollution is worse. Think LA 1982 but cold, gloomy, poor, oppressed. Hard to believe the Jacksons came outta there. Anyhow, Fresno is scorching HOT blazes in July and August, but there's not much humidity like here in Indiana, I don't think the Mosquito's are bad like here in the midwest either/\.
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Old 04-09-2009, 08:42 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
42 posts, read 167,661 times
Reputation: 26
Thanks everyone for your insightful replies..... Right now we are really looking at Oakland, Fresno, and parts of Sonoma County. Does anyone have any input on Santa Rosa? Neighborhoods? I hear Sebastobol is nice but out of our price range it seems. Also anyone from around Fresno have any suggestions on neighborhoods, zip codes or sides of town I should focus on? Like I said previously I am not looking to be isolated from the normal working people and I can deal with some crime. I have read many of the threads here about Oakland and it seems so many people just really like to put it down. And have read alot of mixed info on what neighborhoods are good or bad. Though I believe most people who say these things would consider my neighborhood here in Indianapolis to be "rough" to say the least.

I am hoping to get a good list of places/neighborhoods to check out here in the next month so I can fly out and start narrowing down a list. I am hoping to be moved in the fall. So any Oakland, Fresno, Sonoma County people please chime in! One final thing.....What is the real estate situation there? Do most of you think this is the year to buy? Or is it still gonna drop? Thanks!
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Old 04-09-2009, 08:48 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
42 posts, read 167,661 times
Reputation: 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleosmom View Post
Gangs? Yes, but it's no Gary, IN You're correct, just like any city there is crime, you won't find a -0- crime level anywhere that has people. There are many great parts of Fresno and it's neighboring town of Clovis.

As stated you will have intense heat sans the humidity anywhere between the Bakersfield area on northward to beyond the Sac area.

Even though we moved away from there back in '91, family/friends find me heading back to visit, it simply wasn't for us. We wanted to live somewhere that offered four distinct seasons.
The four season thing I am over. I feel like we spend all of winter waiting for summer...and by the time summer is half-way over we are already (thinking of) dreading winter. I seriously would be happy never seeing snow again. Or at the least only seeing it when visiting family once a year during the holidays! Plus being a avid motorcycle rider I would love being able to ride more then 1/4 of the year! I will check out Clovis thanks.
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