""nothing personal, but poor and moderate income people need hsg. advice too (San Jose: rent, health insurance)

[suzie02]

Originally Posted by ElectroPlumber

I actually do know. The cost of living here is a big deal. It's not just housing, it's utilities, groceries, gas for your car, fees, etc., etc. People who retire and have a paid-off home may have an incentive to stay after they retire, but I don't know why anyone on a "meager" fixed income would move here. I would think about it and research it more before you decide you are "goin no matter what".

I agree. We are still in shock over our sewer and water bill. About $150 bimonthly when we were used to paying $50-$60 elsewhere. Property taxes are double what we paid elsewhere for larger homes. Lets not forget the 8.75% sales tax either. Florida has to be cheaper for retirees.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by suzie02

I agree. We are still in shock over our sewer and water bill. About $150 bimonthly when we were used to paying $50-$60 elsewhere. Property taxes are double what we paid elsewhere for larger homes. Lets not forget the 8.75% sales tax either. Florida has to be cheaper for retirees.

All valid points...


Even if not a single drop of water is used... the 60 day "Water" bill in my city is more than $60 The bill is front loaded with fees and charges to the point where the actual water usage appears like an afterthought.

People keep saying CA needs to repeal Prop 13 because the State needs the revenue... even with Prop 13... I pay much more than friends in other States with their larger homes.

I know quite a few Californians that retired to Florida... for the most part they like it... although one couple moved back because they were hit with several Hurricanes during the 3 years they lived there and said never again.

[Rhenzanite]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

All valid points...


Even if not a single drop of water is used... the 60 day "Water" bill in my city is more than $60 The bill is front loaded with fees and charges to the point where the actual water usage appears like an afterthought.

People keep saying CA needs to repeal Prop 13 because the State needs the revenue... even with Prop 13... I pay much more than friends in other States with their larger homes.

I know quite a few Californians that retired to Florida... for the most part they like it... although one couple moved back because they were hit with several Hurricanes during the 3 years they lived there and said never again.

Wow! Our water bill (2 people, 3 bedroom house PLUS an attached studio with one person renting) has never been above $75 for a 2 month bill. In the spring/summer it goes up to 70-75 because of our garden, but during the winter it's about 40.

[suzie02]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

Wow! Our water bill (2 people, 3 bedroom house PLUS an attached studio with one person renting) has never been above $75 for a 2 month bill. In the spring/summer it goes up to 70-75 because of our garden, but during the winter it's about 40.

Where do you live? We are in Sacramento co and we pay 3 different sewer charges. County, local and impact fees. The actual water usage is not that bad. With our trash we pay something called run off or something like that.

Edit: Here is a sample bill. This one includes trash ours is separate. http://www.msa2.saccounty.net/cubs/Pages/ReadingYourBill.aspx (broken link)

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I did notice recently some very affordable trailer homes in Sonora. I've never been to Sonora, but it looks great on paper.

Just looking at the numbers and posts on the Sonora page indicates that this town may not be that great. Extremely high crime rate, more than double the national average. Could be that the reasons for a number of affordable mobiles for sale is that the owners are tired of being broken into and their parks filled with dopers. Sorry, it was a good thought, but often small towns that look good at first glance have problems like this that turn up when you do a little digging. Research, research.

[natalie456]

Thanks to everyone who responded and enlarged my knowledge.
natalie456

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

Agreed. I usually don't get involved in threads like these because apparently moving to California means LA area or Bay Area ONLY for some of the responders. They don't think to recommend places that aren't quite Barstow but aren't quite San Diego.

Wouldn't the recommending of such places be up to the people familiar with them? I'm certainly not going to be recommending anywhere along the central coast or the Northern counties, mainly because I'm completely clueless about those areas.

We share what we know.

[Rhenzanite]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Wouldn't the recommending of such places be up to the people familiar with them? I'm certainly not going to be recommending anywhere along the central coast or the Northern counties, mainly because I'm completely clueless about those areas.

We share what we know.

Of course, but instead of saying 'You can't afford California' it should be 'You can't afford Long Beach, or Sonoma, or the Bay Area'.

I see a lot of people saying that it's impossible to afford the entire state when they only have experience with a certain area.

[Fontucky]

I see what you mean, and agree with you 100%.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

Just looking at the numbers and posts on the Sonora page indicates that this town may not be that great. Extremely high crime rate, more than double the national average. Could be that the reasons for a number of affordable mobiles for sale is that the owners are tired of being broken into and their parks filled with dopers. Sorry, it was a good thought, but often small towns that look good at first glance have problems like this that turn up when you do a little digging. Research, research.

I was only throwing it out there because I know some people with Sonora connections who like it there, although admittedly they don't live in the trailer parks. For Sonora specifically, I see that their violent crime rate aren't extremely high, but their property crime rate is very high, which when you combine them launches them into a very high crime bracket. They also have an extremely large daytime population vs actual residents; I have no idea if the high property crime rate includes that (i.e. breaking into cars of tourists?), or if it's local criminals -- lots of drug issues in a lot of small CA towns, including Sonora -- preying on their neighbors. I don't know if that much matters, but I guess the bigger point here is that while you can't go on paper alone, you also can't go on statistics alone, and if no regular posters have any useful suggestions the OP might be best finding places that sound like they might work, then asking for feedback on those locations specifically.

I think the issue here is that most small towns that are affordable are going to have some problems. Some of that just comes with the territory. Often affordable areas also have high poverty, which in turn translates to higher crime; maybe I'm totally wrong, but I have a hard time believing that there is any low-cost, really safe, convenient town in California. If there was, wouldn't it be overrun with people who wanted to live there? (running up the prices in the process?) (the people I know in Sonora, by the way, are retirees) I think people are going to have to pick and choose what is most important to them and what they are willing to compromise on, and those compromises are probably going to be greater in California for even the non-urban or coastal areas than they are in many states.

I do think the reason many people here aren't recommending the affordable places is because we're not familiar with the areas.

Even the places that do have problems and yet are "affordable" are still not affordable when compared against similar places in other states.

That said, I don't think people should make blanket statements like "you can't afford California;" most people can afford somewhere in California. Still, if someone comes on here wanting to buy a house within walking distance of the beach in a very low-crime area with great schools, jobs, decent medical facilities, and not completely remote, for $100k, then yes, maybe it's safe to say they can't afford California. (unless I'm wrong and there is somewhere along the coast with all of that and at that price...) It would be more accurate to say that they can't afford to live the lifestyle they want to live in California.