Relocating to Edwards Air Force Base Area (Santa Clarita, Lancaster: real estate, rent)

[bumzhabum]

I am a 24 year old with a possible job opportunity at Edwards Air Force Base and need help regarding where to live... I do not want to live in a bad area and will have the salary to get a fairly nice house. What areas are nice around there? I will consider up to 45-60 min commute (at the most). Also, what is there to do there? I am young so I still like to be active and have fun. Bars? Malls? Movie theaters? I've never been there and I kind of have the impression that that area is out in the middle of nowhere. PLEASE EDUCATE ME! I would appreciate any help.

Thanks!

[elousv]

Go to the california forum then click search this forum then try Edwards, EAFB, Lancaster, Palmdale, Rosamond, California City, Tehachapi and you will get more than you want to know. You are correct it is in the middle of nowhere as are most air bases. Where else can you have a 20 mile long runway?

[bamba_boy]

I'd buy a place in Palmdale area near a train depot. You'd have a relatively short car commute to work but an easy commute into LA for cultural and sporting events and fly past the traffic.

[bamba_boy]

For sure lovliness (3 or 4 thousand feet up into the mountains) Tehachapi is great too. Even has snow in the winter! However, not as easy a trip into LA basin for fun.

[bumzhabum]

...but which parts of palmdale/lancaster are good to buy? I hear there are a lot of bad parts.. :/ ....and so there isnt anything to do in that area? I wouldn't want to have to drive to LA all the time for entertainment...

[streetscenes]

There have been several recent threads about people relocating to Edwards AFB with some good information, you can find them with a quick search. I'm still wondering what new project is going on up there. Basic options in order of distance from EAFB are Rosamond, Palmdale/Lancaster, Acton, Agua Dulce and then Santa Clarita. From what you describe it sounds like somewhere in Santa Clarita would be your best bet. They are all bedroom or commuter towns but Santa Clarita has the most activities and would put you closer to other things in the general LA area.

[jkanderson521]

Do not BUY anything!!!!!! The market is not only terrible out there, you might very well be stuck in an area that you hate. Rent for a while. That way you try out an area and decide if it is for you. There are some ok pockets, but nothing spectacular. Commuting from Palmdale might be ok, but overall the high desert is really an acquired taste that many never find paletable. The only thing to be wary of is that the crime rate in Lancaster and Palmdale is quite high and recent real estate collapse has turned many new housing developments into ghettos.

[sms1967]

Edwards is in the desert and middle of nowhere. Palmdale and Landcaster both suck... they're commuter towns for people unable to afford nice areas in L.A. Specifically high in crime, too. On a brighter note, if the market can get any lower there it can't be much. I still wouldn't buy... I doubt you're going to like the area that well. Tehachapi is an acquired taste, too, but it's nice compared to the afore mentioned areas. If you can afford Santa Clarita (aka Valencia and/or Stevenson Ranch), those are better areas.

[bumzhabum]

its beginning to look like the location is a major drawback...if i could find a nice community in lancaster or palmdale that would be ideal....living in santa clarita would just be too far....i cant justify driving 1-2 hours to and from work everyday...

[Wurzig]

Seems like a teenager started a recent thread about the area because her dad was transferring there, so there is more info on city data, just do a search....

At least the Palmdale/Lancaster area has a Costco with a gas station.....and they are a pit stop for folks going to Mammoth to ski, fish, vacation, etc....

It's definitely a high desert area and they get an inch or two of snow here and there...(very dry and hot during the summer when I have passed through)....and from what I read in The Times, yes, the crime rate is fairly high....even serious trouble at the high school but I can't remember what it was....and seems like they are always busting meth labs in that area...but sometimes they are not discovered until lone trailer houses sitting on dusty acreage explode....

Valencia has all the mall kind-of-stuff, Magic Mountain, regular chain restaurants.....but yes, it would be a commute for sure...

On the upside, Edwards has a lot of shuttle landings and they are always fun to see in person....

Good luck.