LESS expensive in California?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

OF the towns you listed which one is mostly nice neighborhoods? That is no scrappy ones?
Also, why not add Camarillo to you list? It is in a nice area?

I don't have intimate knowledge at the street level of those two towns. I just knew people who lived there, and I visited them occasionally when I worked at Point Mugu. This is in the 1990s too so, of course things may have changed for both the better and the worse. Still, it would be worth the original poster's time to check these out. That's where excellent tools like School Performance Maps and Find All the Homes for Sale & Experienced Real Estate Agents | Redfin and Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed come in.


Yes, Camarillo too; might be more expensive though. Also, not quite as close to the beach (but neither are Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula).

[Ludachris]

Would any SoCalers recommend Oceanside in this discussion? From what I've heard from a good friend of mine who owns a home down there, it seems like it would be a good choice here... though not sure what the job market would be for the OP.

As for NorCal options, I can't think of many areas under $300k near the coast that meet the criteria. You'd have to look a little more inland. Maybe Gilroy/Hollister?

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by Ludachris

Would any SoCalers recommend Oceanside in this discussion?

Not from SoCal, but I have looked into it. I think the answer is a qualified "yes." For the right kind of person, Oceanside/Vista might be the relatively affordable end of coastal San Diego County. In particular, those who enjoy gardening or need more elbow room than what a 4,000 sq. ft. lot provides, will have an easier time finding suitable housing in SD North County than almost anywhere else in SoCal. Drought and wildfire liability are some of the concerns there.

I would perform my due diligence on aircraft training missions out of Camp Pendleton, though. I know there have been a lot of complaints about low-flying helicopters, both day and night, in some parts of Oceanside. I think Oceanside/Vista is probably an up-and-coming area. 20 years from now, it too, will be unaffordable.

[ArielE]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

The average price for a home in Santa Cruz, for example, is between 8 and 9K!
Here's a link to a post that provides "heat maps" for CA real estate.
Good "heat maps" re: home prices

Hey thanks -- the heat map sounds very helpful but I can't figure out where it is after going into the link. Please help!

[ArielE]

Originally Posted by impala666

I second Oxnard but north Oxnard the area near to Oxnard High school is OK.

I looked into Oxnard and Ventura and liked both of them. Do you know anything about Santa Maria? It seems to have the cheapest prices in the area while still being a nice place to live. Are the statistics correct on this or are there other things to consider when comparing prices of Santa Maria, Oxnard, and Ventura?
Thanks,
Ariel

[sms1967]

I'd avoid Santa Maria... it's right next to the San Luis Obispo (5 cities) area and there's a reason why the real estate is so much cheaper than its neighbors.