Help! Is there any affordable place left in California? (Oakland: real estate, low crime)

[Wisteria]

I'm not sure why everyone is saying the High Desert has such awful weather.I live in the High Desert area, 45 minutes from Palm Springs.

Where around Palm Springs are you? I'm in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but am considering retiring in the Palm Springs area....my land is too much, and it's much too difficult to maintain, although it's still cheap up where I am. I lived in Phoenix, and like the desert nights. I heard that Twentynine Palms was not a good area. What direction from Palm Springs are you, and any other towns nearby you'd recommend? Thanks.

[fritzjanine]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Where around Palm Springs are you? I'm in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but am considering retiring in the Palm Springs area....my land is too much, and it's much too difficult to maintain, although it's still cheap up where I am. I lived in Phoenix, and like the desert nights. I heard that Twentynine Palms was not a good area. What direction from Palm Springs are you, and any other towns nearby you'd recommend? Thanks.

I live in the Banning/Beaumont area. I guess we'd be considered the low desert. The weather here isn't harsh, except the summers can be hot. We actually have a change of seasons, we get snow on our surrounding mountains in the wintertime. Palm Springs is 20 minutes east and Riverside is 20 minutes west,so we're not to far from major cities and shopping. This community is growing,though. My house is up for sale...3 bedroom plus with inground pool on .38 acre lot,for 319,000. I think that's pretty low for California.

[cdrobert]

if you want more affordable areas with out the urban crime in the bay area, look to the inland outskirt area's. Places like Pittsburg, antioch, oakley, brentwood and tracy all offer homes in that range.

[notmeofficer]

I disagree, strongly, with your description of these areas

New Homes at Baypoint exit off the 4 are 935k... houses in the "upper class " ( i.e. on the north side of the 4 as opposed to the south)places in Antioch are also in the 900k range.. 6-10 year old tract homes just north of the 4 are 600k and up.. many residents keeping trading up .. which only gets them a mile or two further away towards the hills,, which have been built out
Crime is absolutely rampant.. ghetto fools are everywhere... spanglish is spoken.. a mass of humanity unimaginable for people from other states or nice suburban areas
350k would get you a 1200 foot ghetto house south of the 4... living amongst those trapped by crime and poverty... and toxic fumes from the chemical plants in martinez
Google Realtor.com to see what you can buy for what you want to spend

People who work in the Bay area (because of salaries) end up doing hurculean commutes for HOURS to find places barely acceptable for good quality of life... this is not a sustainable practice and eventually catches up to most people... 350k might buy new cheaply built freeway tract homes off the 5 somewhere north of Sacramento.. hours from the Bay....

I might be the wrong person to ask about California

I was an Los Angeles Policceman...
My wife was a high school teacher in Anotich.. and Pittsburg... the system of education is HORRIBLE.. totally broken.. no child left behind is a joke... non english speakers still get diplomas

We moved to Redding... the other California

[dusesean1986]

Originally Posted by fritzjanine

I live in the Banning/Beaumont area. I guess we'd be considered the low desert. The weather here isn't harsh, except the summers can be hot. We actually have a change of seasons, we get snow on our surrounding mountains in the wintertime. Palm Springs is 20 minutes east and Riverside is 20 minutes west,so we're not to far from major cities and shopping. This community is growing,though. My house is up for sale...3 bedroom plus with inground pool on .38 acre lot,for 319,000. I think that's pretty low for California.

Whewy, girlfriend you got yourself a whale of a deal.

[lainie]

If you are willing to live in a condo or townhome, there are affordable places in the nicer areas of the San Francisco Bay Area. Of course, affordable is a relative term. We live in a townhouse in Walnut Creek, which is a great place to live...good schools, low crime, access to BART, topnotch restaurants and shopping, and lots of open space for hiking. It does get hot here in the summer, but cool San Francisco is just a BART ride away.
Some of the smaller units in our complex sold for under $400,000 this summer but the larger units go from $460,000 to over $500,000. We are fortunate in that we have a very good homeowners association. Finding an affordable house in a decent area of the Bay Area is not possible. Good luck to you in your search.

[fritzjanine]

Originally Posted by dusesean1986

Whewy, girlfriend you got yourself a whale of a deal.

LOL, I didn't buy it for that price.....I'm SELLING it for that! But your right, it was a whale of a deal when I bought it.

[MotleyCrew]

We left Chico/ Paradise areas for Arizona two years ago. I am still a little homesick. If you are looking for inexpensive (todays prices) I would look in Magalia for a home. Prices there dropped this year and a newer 3b 2ba around 1,500 s.q ft. was selling for under $300. It is in the pines and gets snow, but a very short drive to town and Chico State. Good luck.

[lookingfortheperfectplace]

Originally Posted by fritzjanine

I live in the Banning/Beaumont area. I guess we'd be considered the low desert. The weather here isn't harsh, except the summers can be hot. We actually have a change of seasons, we get snow on our surrounding mountains in the wintertime. Palm Springs is 20 minutes east and Riverside is 20 minutes west,so we're not to far from major cities and shopping. This community is growing,though. My house is up for sale...3 bedroom plus with inground pool on .38 acre lot,for 319,000. I think that's pretty low for California.

Hi, do you have kids in school or know how the schools are there?
We have already decided to move out of CA, but Cherry Valley and Calimesa was where we were going to move untill the house prices went up. Just curious. Parts of Banning and Beaumont scared me off just by some of the houses so I never checked out the schools there. I know in Calimesa they are building I think 6 new schools within the next few years. Thanks, and yes that is a good price for your house.

[fritzjanine]

I guess by Statistics and data,Banning and Beaumont schools wouldn't rate as high as some in California but my children both excelled in Banning Schools. I've always been a firm believer in being "involved" in your kids education so I was an active parent withing the school district. My son graduated with honors and went on to a local college and decided to become a paramedic of which he just has a couple of months of schooling left. My daughter was valedictorian of her class and recieved a scholarship to attend the University of San Diego at which point she is in her last semester towards earning her Liberal Arts degree.
I guess it depends on your priorities. We originally lived in the Marina Del Rey area,yet I wanted to raise my kids in a small town environment. This area isn't as affluent as some,but it was the perfect place for us.Now that we are on the verge of becoming empty nesters,we've decided to sell to downsize.

Originally Posted by lookingfortheperfectplace

Hi, do you have kids in school or know how the schools are there?
We have already decided to move out of CA, but Cherry Valley and Calimesa was where we were going to move untill the house prices went up. Just curious. Parts of Banning and Beaumont scared me off just by some of the houses so I never checked out the schools there. I know in Calimesa they are building I think 6 new schools within the next few years. Thanks, and yes that is a good price for your house.