Relocating to the Santa Cruz Area? (Watsonville, San Luis Obispo: apartments, to rent, condo)

[KarmaPhx]

How's it going?

I am planning on relocating to the Santa Cruz area in the next year, and I had a few questions before we make the big move.

I have heard from many that Santa Cruz is a pretty laid back place? I am moving with my fiance, we plan to rent out a apartment for now and possibly buy a house once we learn the area a bit.

How's the weather? I love the beach, and I would like to spend most summer weekends at the beach. How cold does it get in the winter?

I am looking to live within 20-30 minutes of the beach, and spend around $900-$1200 on a apartment/condo, I know the area is pretty pricey, so do you think I would be able to find a reasonable place for this much?

Any other tips or anything would be great.

[Snort]

I think you're way under-budgeted at those rents. Have a look at craigslist and see what apartments are renting for. Trust me, the cheap places (your high end) are not habitable.
The weather here is much cooler than SoCal (where I'm used to). Yesterday, I was in Monterey/Pacific Grove and I don't think it cracked 60. In winter you'll see frost on occasion, but the days warm up a bit. Check on accuweather for averages.

[KarmaPhx]

Originally Posted by Snort

I think you're way under-budgeted at those rents. Have a look at craigslist and see what apartments are renting for. Trust me, the cheap places (your high end) are not habitable.
The weather here is much cooler than SoCal (where I'm used to). Yesterday, I was in Monterey/Pacific Grove and I don't think it cracked 60. In winter you'll see frost on occasion, but the days warm up a bit. Check on accuweather for averages.

Really? I checked weather.com and it said it was 86 yesterday in Santa Cruz?

I looked on CL, and the prices are a little high, its going to depend on my new job but I might be looking for another town.

[Snort]

I live in Capitola and got back in late afternoon yesterday. Trust me, it wasn't 86 even under some homeless guy's butt in downtown Santa Cruz.
I think you might find better options up Highways 17 or 9 that would still put you close to SC. The problems up there (Scotts Valley, Boulder Creek, Felton, etc...) appear to be the meth crowd. Watsonville (the other "cheap" place) will give you gangs to think about. Given that choice, I'd go with the meth-heads.

[KarmaPhx]

I don't want to deal with tweakers. I might have to go a little south or something, this blows.

[Capt. Dan]

Check out San Luis Obispo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just a few hours south of Santa Cruz!!!!!!!!

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by KarmaPhx

How's it going?

I am planning on relocating to the Santa Cruz area in the next year, and I had a few questions before we make the big move.

I have heard from many that Santa Cruz is a pretty laid back place? I am moving with my fiance, we plan to rent out a apartment for now and possibly buy a house once we learn the area a bit.

How's the weather? I love the beach, and I would like to spend most summer weekends at the beach. How cold does it get in the winter?

I am looking to live within 20-30 minutes of the beach, and spend around $900-$1200 on a apartment/condo, I know the area is pretty pricey, so do you think I would be able to find a reasonable place for this much?

Any other tips or anything would be great.

That's a link to a thread from just a couple of days ago with two long posts about Santa Cruz.
It answers your questions and a whole lot more regarding Santa Cruz and the whole county of S.C. (don't box yourself into one town in the county).
Maybe they will be helpful.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...ut-moving.html

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by KarmaPhx

I don't want to deal with tweakers. I might have to go a little south or something, this blows.

Oh please ... you can so easily live in Santa Cruz county and not have to have anything to do with this nonsense. Meth is everywhere ... "going south" isn't going to solve that problem.
Parts of Santa Cruz proper and parts of Capitola can be a bit frenetic but my god, that's such a little fragment of a beautiful place to be and live.
There are lots and lots of wonderful neighborhoods in both Capitola and S.C.!
Check out Aptos and Soquel as well.
Anywhere in the whole of S.C. county is less than 20 minutes (at the most) to a beach unless you're way out in Watsonville and you probably don't want to be way out in Watsonville.
Scotts Valley is not cheap and much of Boulder Creek, Felton, Ben Lomond, etc. are not cheap either. Snort may have less than an objective take on S.C. county and the surrounding area.