Where to move? Modesto or Riverside, CA? (Los Angeles, San Diego: section 8, real estate)

[Reignman]

I'm facing a choice between taking a job in Modesto, CA or Riverside, CA. I like Modesto because it is close enough to a nice big city (San Francisco), great mountains (Shasta, Yosemite, etc.) and housing prices have collapsed. However, the cities around Modesto, including Modesto itself, only have houses 200k to 300k range. In fact, the houses in the 500k range is no different than the 200 to 300k range houses. I'm looking to buy a house in the 600k to 650k range.

I like Riverside because it has a lot of hills. Modesto area is a flat, farming land. This gives the terrain sufficient variations for views. Moreover, there are lots of houses in the 600k range that are really gorgeous. The negatives are that the outdoors are not as nice as Modesto area (Mt. Shasta, Yosemite, etc.) and the smog is a concern. It also sounds like Southern Cal has a much bigger problem with gangs (correct?).

Would anyone be so kind to share their thoughts on this matter of Modesto Vs Riverside? Thank you so much in advance for constructive advice or information. Oh, btw, I'm moving from the Pacific Northwest (Seattle area).

[yukiko11]

I would choose Modesto.
Riverside is an hour's drive to LA but also suffers from the hot weather and pollution.
In addition, there are a lot of ares in Riverside that have section 8 housing (welfare) which increases the crime rate and decreases the school quality. There are also some very nice ares in Riverside where you could avoid all of the unpleasant ares.
Please research the weather patterns, crime, and demographics of these two areas. If you don't know how, try looking up housing sites on the main Century 21 real estate web site. They have all kinds of local neighborhood statistics and you don't have to sign up to use the site.

[Majin]

Neither.

[David Aguilar]

Riverside is much closer to Los Angeles than Modesto is to San Francisco, and Riverside is about as close to San Diego as Modesto is to San Francisco.

In Riverside, the San Gabriels, San Bernardinos and San Jacintos will be nearby. I know, they don't compare to the Sierra Nevada, but each mountain range has recreation available. BTW, Modesto is over 300 miles from Mount Shasta, not exactly a quick trip.

I would think Modesto would be cheaper than Riverside right now, but there really isn't a need to spend $650K to get into a nice neighborhood in either city.

Smog will be a concern in either Modesto or Riverside, if you choose to be concerned about it.

If you buy a home even remotely close to $650K, you won't have to worry about gangs. Worrying about gangs is a waste of time.

Either way, be prepared to live in a much uglier place -- you'll see what I mean when you get to CA.

[FresnoFacts]

Ultimately it depends upon how you see your lifestyle. It doesn't matter how close a location is to LA or SF, or to mountains etc if you rarely get to use them.

Personally I like Modesto over Riverside. I was just in the Inland Empire a few weeks ago and still saw no reason to think different.

For smog Modesto has much cleaner air:
Modesto violated the federal ozone standard an average of 14 days per year from 2006 to 2008
Riverside violated the federal ozone standard an average of 55 days per year from 2006 to 2008

For crime they both have about the same violent crime rate.

[Reignman]

I appreciate the quick and thoughtful responses. My wife and I drove to Modesto for my interview in October and, I must say, it was likely at the best time of the year. The air quality was more than fine. The city was relatively quiet and small, and not unpleasant -- particularly in light of what the authors said in Wikipedia.

I've never been to the Inland Empire area. I like the hills and mountains.

Fresnofacts, you are quite right about the difference between a person's actual daily life style vs what's around in the vicinity. You sound like you've been to Modesto as well. What was your general "feel" of the city compared to the Inland Empire area?

David, you are definitely on the money about the three mountains you mentioned being much more accessible than Mt. Shasta on a practical level.

In Modesto, there really aren't any houses that I'd want to live in. The choice there is to go live in a much smaller town north of Modesto by the name of Ripon. Ripon is a very small suburb -- the most crime-free, "white bread" sort of place. Boring but safe. Not my cup of tea but if I must, I'll adjust.

What are the cities of the Inland Empire like? I know they are all different. I'll be working in San Bernardino. Where would be the most safe, pleasant place to live that is within 30 minute drive from SB?

I've already read in some posts here that SB is the least nice place in the area -- poor, gang infested, and grafiti heaven. I've read that Temecula is a nice place in the path of San Diego wind that blows most of the smog away.

I've looked at the crime rates of the two cities and Riverside is definitely higher when it comes to serious crimes like murder or forceable rape.

Thanks all for the responses.

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by Reignman

I've never been to the Inland Empire area. I like the hills and mountains.

Fresnofacts, you are quite right about the difference between a person's actual daily life style vs what's around in the vicinity. You sound like you've been to Modesto as well. What was your general "feel" of the city compared to the Inland Empire area?

David, you are definitely on the money about the three mountains you mentioned being much more accessible than Mt. Shasta on a practical level.

In Modesto, there really aren't any houses that I'd want to live in. The choice there is to go live in a much smaller town north of Modesto by the name of Ripon. Ripon is a very small suburb -- the most crime-free, "white bread" sort of place. Boring but safe. Not my cup of tea but if I must, I'll adjust.

What are the cities of the Inland Empire like? I know they are all different. I'll be working in San Bernardino. Where would be the most safe, pleasant place to live that is within 30 minute drive from SB?

I've already read in some posts here that SB is the least nice place in the area -- poor, gang infested, and grafiti heaven. I've read that Temecula is a nice place in the path of San Diego wind that blows most of the smog away.

I've looked at the crime rates of the two cities and Riverside is definitely higher when it comes to serious crimes like murder or forceable rape.

Thanks all for the responses.

I would say that Modesto and Riverside would be pretty interchangeable. They are pretty similar, with the exception of Riverside being within a vast metro area.

If you are working in San Bernardino:
Redlands
Yucaipa
Loma Linda
San Bernardino (there are nice parts on the north side and further up the hills)

San Bernardino does deserve its reputation to an extent. Forget about Temecula. The drive alone will kill you, and is very unnecessary.

Like I inferred before, your price range will keep you from living in the more dangerous areas, but no amount of money will keep you completely immune.

[FresnoFacts]

I really don't feel much overall difference between the Inland Empire and Modesto (people, culture, etc).

Modesto does strike me as a community more than most of the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire for the most part just seems like a lot of suburbs linked together.

In the Inland Empire the thing I personally don't like compared to Modesto is the traffic. Too much reliance on freeways to go anywhere in the south.

A few weeks ago I did some shopping while in the Inland Empire. My own feeling was that the merchandise in stores like Macys was a step in quality below what I have seen in the same chains in Modesto. But it also could have been just the items I saw.

If you go toward the Inland Empire/San Bernardino you might look in the hills above Rancho Cucamonga, areas like Alta Loma.

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

If you go toward the Inland Empire/San Bernardino you might look in the hills above Rancho Cucamonga, areas like Alta Loma.

Great suggestion! I used to live in Alta Loma, and for whatever reason I didn't think to recommend it to the OP.

Good goin' FresnoFacts!

[rkb0305]

Originally Posted by Reignman

I'm facing a choice between taking a job in Modesto, CA or Riverside, CA. I like Modesto because it is close enough to a nice big city (San Francisco), great mountains (Shasta, Yosemite, etc.) and housing prices have collapsed. However, the cities around Modesto, including Modesto itself, only have houses 200k to 300k range. In fact, the houses in the 500k range is no different than the 200 to 300k range houses. I'm looking to buy a house in the 600k to 650k range.

I like Riverside because it has a lot of hills. Modesto area is a flat, farming land. This gives the terrain sufficient variations for views. Moreover, there are lots of houses in the 600k range that are really gorgeous. The negatives are that the outdoors are not as nice as Modesto area (Mt. Shasta, Yosemite, etc.) and the smog is a concern. It also sounds like Southern Cal has a much bigger problem with gangs (correct?).

Would anyone be so kind to share their thoughts on this matter of Modesto Vs Riverside? Thank you so much in advance for constructive advice or information. Oh, btw, I'm moving from the Pacific Northwest (Seattle area).

I don't know a ton about either place, but have been to both, and lived in Fresno for 34 years. They both have smog. They are both hot. I am not a big fan of LA, so I would choose Modesto. I'd rather be close to San Francisco than LA, and you can get more house for your money there. I find it hard to believe that there are NO houses in your price range, but who knows? I've never looked.