Help! Is there any affordable place left in California? (Sacramento: crime, mortgage)

[digdug]

Originally Posted by WillitsCA

Someone also mentioned Clearlake. The lake is very beautiful and homes can be cheap. But some areas look like a 3rd world country. Lots of drugs, very dirty and some call it drop-off for ex-cons. (But if you're a dirty ex-con with a drug addiction - it's perfect!)

I'm down in Windsor, and tend to agree about Clearlake. What an armpit. I've never liked going up to Lake County for anything. Sure it has some natural beauty, but the drugs, the crime and the trash it seems to attract have always turned me off. So much so that I can't stand going up there.

[darylhallfan]

Thank you for all of your responses. I just cannot believe all the changes. I wish I would have just stayed there. My GG Grandparents were one of the first farming families to live in Pleasanton. I cannot imagine what that property is worth now.

Porterville was a great idea. Just anywhere to get in and then maybe later on move along to another place. I know it wont be easy.

Thanks again to everyone......

[Azrider]

Originally Posted by darylhallfan

Thank you for all of your responses. I just cannot believe all the changes. I wish I would have just stayed there. My GG Grandparents were one of the first farming families to live in Pleasanton. I cannot imagine what that property is worth now.

Porterville was a great idea. Just anywhere to get in and then maybe later on move along to another place. I know it wont be easy.

Thanks again to everyone......

Just a quick question. Im from AZ, (previously the midwest), and always wondered what made your average house in most areas of CA cost so frickin much? I originally considered a move to CA, but the high costs of housing killed that. Do the wages reflect the cost of housing? Or do you generally have to be a millionaire to buy a house in CA?

[Perdu]

No, wages reflect neither cost of living nor cost of housing here. (Another post mentioned L.A. is a 2-tiered economy now, some rich, lotsa poor, fewer middle class than all other US cities.) Yes, you have to be a millionaire or earn $100K a year to qualify for a home loan here. Or combine incomes and have 3 families piled together per house.
The old cliche was that you're paying for the weather here. Now you're paying for the assorted political mistakes here.

[digdug]

Originally Posted by Azrider

Just a quick question. Im from AZ, (previously the midwest), and always wondered what made your average house in most areas of CA cost so frickin much? I originally considered a move to CA, but the high costs of housing killed that. Do the wages reflect the cost of housing? Or do you generally have to be a millionaire to buy a house in CA?

I live in the Bay Area, Windsor to be exact. Windsor is in Sonoma County and is about 70 miles north of SF. We're smack in the middle of wine country and all the tourism that generates.

I don't make chump change for a living, but I have to work in SF to make the money that I do. That's the nature of the software industry. Without my wife's income as a school teacher, we'd never have been able to qualify for a home loan. That's the nature of the housing market in CA and in particular, Sonoma County.

Our house is 1,600 sq. feet on a 7,000 sq. ft. lot. 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. It's 19 years old. In 2004 we purchased it for 550K. It's worth a lot more now, but the houses are not selling......

[Nic]

Where in CA? There are affordable homes and properties north of Sack-a-tomatoes. Yuba Cuty, Marysville, Redding, and mostly the small towns in between. You won't be getting a mansion, though.

And the high desert stuff in the corner up by Idaho is dirt cheap... if you want to live very remotely

[holycowgirl]

I grew up in Santa Barbara and spent alot of time in LA. My parents used to take us to Oregon for fall so we could enjoy the colors and if youve lived in S. Cal for a while you know it gets pretty boring with no change in the weather. Especially around the Holidays it never feels like it in S. Cal. BUT! I found a place that is going vey fast as far as people finding out about it. It's the Siskiyou Co. From Mt Shasta to the south approx. 35 mis. to S. Oregon (Mt. Ashland) to the North approx. 10 mins. 30 mins to town of Ashland( if you like theatre the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is in Ashland and it's a great town to shop in alot like S.B.. We here in Hornbrook still only have about 400 people, but the Siskiyou Co. has been building and selling like crazy since 2000. We have 2 lakes east @ 8mins. tops, we have Mt Shasta ski resort and golf club 30 mins away, several golf/resorts in and around approx. 10-15 mins in either direction. Mt Ashland ski park is 10 mins to North. Klamath River rafting/fishing,kyaking etc. across the road. we bought here back in 2000. 27 acres with a 100yr old farm house for 100K. it is now worth $450K and soon to go up. in Scott Valley to the west is Fort Jones and Etna. voted greenest place in california this past spring. the ocean is approx 1 1/2 hrs to the west along the Trinity river. You have the Marble Mts, Cascades/Siskiyou's, Mt shasta, mt ashland. All around here is wildlife, fishing, hiking, anything you can think of we have it. If you want shopping, Medford Oregon is 35 mins to north, Potland is 5 hrs north. Redding is 2 hrs south (w/a MACY"S), Tons of Shopping north and south. We are only 5 mins off I-5, but feel like in the middle of no where. Best of both worlds. You can still buy "lake property" here from under 10K to 20K. , but its going fast. Last year that same property was in the hundreds, now its in the thousands. Quite a find if you know where to go. Its the last place in Cali you can have it all for a very low price and still get in on the bottom and watch your property fly month after month. Everyones property has tripled since 2000. Absolutely gorgeous year after year. Since its so expensive where I came from, this was quite nice to know I could still own a home and not have to live in a city. Yreka ca, is the nearest city, 15 mi south for groceries, we have fishing /takle stores, restaurant up river (guy is from bay area) everyone from bay area moved here and to Medford, Or. Much easier to live and much cleaner. Everyone still waves to eachother. You cant get good people in big cities anymore, theyve had to adjust to being frantic and in traffic constantly and I just think the quality of life around here is so satisfying. Alot of people from down in Santa BArabra area have move up here too, their selling off their expensive property and cashing out up here. Nice way to retire early. Hope you go online and check out Siskiyou County.
You'll love it!!!

[huntman58]

Originally Posted by digdug

I'm down in Windsor, and tend to agree about Clearlake. What an armpit. I've never liked going up to Lake County for anything. Sure it has some natural beauty, but the drugs, the crime and the trash it seems to attract have always turned me off. So much so that I can't stand going up there.

I have found this to be true almost any were in the state. Things have changed big time over the years.
I have lived in SF area, Fresno, Chico. I have also lived in Texas, Idaho and North Dakota and would chouse any of them over calif. Could this be the reason I am planning to move again to the mid west. I have had to come back for deferent reasons last was health but now that is taken care of and I want out the faster the better

[Need_affordable_home]

Someone in this thread suggested a mobile home. I too have been checking out mobile homes in California and they are affordable. A nice one can be had for $100k plus lot fees. There are modular/manufactored homes for around 1/4 million. You may be able to get a tiny old house or 1 bedroom condominium in your price range as well.

[grimstuff]

I live in the Bay Area, Windsor to be exact. Windsor is in Sonoma County and is about 70 miles north of SF. We're smack in the middle of wine country and all the tourism that generates.

I don't make chump change for a living, but I have to work in SF to make the money that I do.

Its almost comical, but mostly sad, that Windsor is now considered a part of the Bay Area. I grew up in Mendocino County and know the North Bay Area pretty well. I couldn't imagine doing your commute on 101 every day, what a nightmare! Even worse than that, is people moving to Cloverdale to buy a house and still commuting as you do. Makes me glad I left the area, as I probably would have had to move to the SR area to start my career and be forced to spend 1/4 of my life on 101 with everyone else.