Help! Is there any affordable place left in California? (San Diego: condos, loan)

[Screenial]

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.

That was my quote, under a different username. I live in Joshua Tree, and commute down to Palm Springs everyday, about 45-55 minutes each way. I hate the commute, but we live so cheaply here. The whole Morongo, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree area is growing rapidly. It is a mixture of military , meth desert rats, artists, and people like us that love the beauty of the desert and want to live cheaply. Many people cannot see through the dry terrain to the real beauty the higher desert can hold. Being a lover of Mid-Century Modern Architecture, I love Palm Springs also, but compared to the high desert the area is very humid and much more pricey. I think if I were to choose a town it would be Morongo Valley. Nice view land is still cheap, it has the low-humidity benefits of the high desert, and it's 25-30 minutes from Palm Springs. Right now the town has only a few stores, but it has lots of potential and could develop into a really nice community.

[Phanay]

Lake Isabella, CA is 39 miles up from Bakersfield,CA. Altitude is 2,460 feet.
Many small towns in the area including ski area, camping, hiking, river rafting, too many to post here.
It is in the Sequoia National Park area. In your browser, type in Lake Isabella, CA and it'll bring up anything you would want to find out.
I used to come up here for camping/fishing. Never realized people lived here. See what you miss when your eyes are only on what you are in to!
It is a small quiet town. Vons market is the largest grocery store. Donut shop, several restaurants, motels, well. . . you know the usual. High school, middle school etc.. Clinics, hospital and doctor's offices.
No graffiti, no gang-bangers!
On your browser address, type in www.clickrealty.com . That is the best realty site I had found when I wanted to come back to California. It has maps of all the towns around here. Some of the towns are at the lake, along the San Joaquin River, or inland.
[mod cut - real estate website] has a lot of homes and acreage to look at too.
Realestate is made up of either 'stick homes,' which are regular houses or mobile homes on your own private land. Ranches and just acrage. Mobile homes range from single, double or triple-wides. They start out below 1k, (I don't think you'd want) up to 600k and over. There's a lot of realty offices here.
We are 2 miles from Lake Isabella. My gas tank lasts more than a month!
Walmart, etc., is down the mountain in Bakersfield. Many of the people here work in Bakersfield also.
Sure hope I helped. I know we were at out 'wits end,' trying to find a home we could afford.
There are many seasons here. Kernville has a lot of snow, where I live,we get snow dust a couple times in winter. Homes are on flat-lands, mountains or in between.

[CaliforniaGal]

My husband and I plan on retiring in Kernville, CA. I'd like to move there sooner. I have been looking at newer homes in Kernville and Lake Isabella. Beautiful & reasonably priced.

Both of us grew up in Southern California near the beach. Tired of fighting traffic and people.

[relocated46]

I lived in Hanford for 9 years, I thought it was a fine place to raise my kids, I never had any gang problems etc.. it was there but not in my end of town. The town has grown to about 48,000 and the people were great. I recently sold by 3.200 sq ft. ranch style house with a big pool and spa in one of the nicest neighborhoods and school districts for $487,000. The smaller homes are very reasonable for California. It does get hot in the summer, but it is only a little over an hour to several lakes, and about 2 hours to Yosemite. Just a thought. $350,000 would buy you a fairly new 2000 sq ft. with a pool in a desirable area.

[Phanay]

Originally Posted by Phanay

Lake Isabella, CA is 39 miles up from Bakersfield,CA. Altitude is 2,460 feet.
Many small towns in the area including ski area, camping, hiking, river rafting, too many to post here.
It is in the Sequoia National Park area. In your browser, type in Lake Isabella, CA and it'll bring up anything you would want to find out.
I used to come up here for camping/fishing. Never realized people lived here. See what you miss when your eyes are only on what you are in to!
It is a small quiet town. Vons market is the largest grocery store. Donut shop, several restaurants, motels, well. . . you know the usual. High school, middle school etc.. Clinics, hospital and doctor's offices.
No graffiti, no gang-bangers!
On your browser address, type in www.clickrealty.com . That is the best realty site I had found when I wanted to come back to California. It has maps of all the towns around here. Some of the towns are at the lake, along the San Joaquin River, or inland.
[mod cut - real estate website] has a lot of homes and acreage to look at too.
Realestate is made up of either 'stick homes,' which are regular houses or mobile homes on your own private land. Ranches and just acrage. Mobile homes range from single, double or triple-wides. They start out below 1k, (I don't think you'd want) up to 600k and over. There's a lot of realty offices here.
We are 2 miles from Lake Isabella. My gas tank lasts more than a month!
Walmart, etc., is down the mountain in Bakersfield. Many of the people here work in Bakersfield also.
Sure hope I helped. I know we were at out 'wits end,' trying to find a home we could afford.
There are many seasons here. Kernville has a lot of snow, where I live,we get snow dust a couple times in winter. Homes are on flat-lands, mountains or in between.

So sorry about the error. I said San Joaquin River. I meant the Kern River.

[TheDragonslayer]

I live in McKinleyville California , we are 12 miles north of Eureka and 145 miles east of Redding and 69 south of Crescent City and 350 from the bay area. The population of McKinleyville is about 16,000 and Eureka is 28,000 with Arcata between at 17,000, there are 130,000 or so in Humboldt county. We have low crime rates here in McKinleyville and new homes go for $289,000 as a low and one can buy a nice older home with and ocean view on an acre or greater for $400,000 easy, in some of the nice neighborhoods with large 3500 sf homes within 10 years old for $350,000 and in the very nice neighborhoods you can find 5000 sf estates on an acre or better for $500,000 to $700,000. There is still a large dairy industry here and with our clear skies, clean flowing rivers and forested mountains with snow and more stars than I had ever seen growing up in Pittsburg California, it is the home of the Happy Cows. We have a state University in Arcata and a local college called College of the Redwoods in Fortuna. There is plenty of shopping and Malls. McKinleyville is unincorporated yet has a 9plex theater, a bigK, 2 large grocery stores, 2 large hardware/lumber yards, library, sports facilities for little league games with more fields for other sports in the process of planning, parks and open areas, the beach, inter city trails and bikeways [ we are on the Pacific coast bicycle route ], highway 101 , low traffic and much more. We bought our home 1500 sf, 3 bed, 3 bath on 1/2 acre for $112,000 six years ago. After home price increase in the area and the addition of a 2 car garage and exterior remodel it is worth $350,000 and up. We have an ocean view and can see the breakers and hear the waves crash on the dunes. If one loves to have and exquisite view one can go to Trinidad 6 miles north and live in a small town with the views comparable to Carmel and Monterey. I moved up here when I lost nine yards in the Oakland/Berkeley hills fire in 91 and resurected my garden career when I moved here.

Here are some pictures one looks south from Trinidad across Moonstone and Clam beach to McKinleyville, next is north to Trinidad head from the beach on the Arcata bottoms farmlands, a 5000 sf tudor on 2 acres in an exclusive neighborhood, I have been maintaining the yard or over a year and take care of the house next door too, it just sold for $769.000 . last is the happy cows on the bottoms.

[TheDragonslayer]

I went to manage attachments as I have on other forums and the pictures did not come up , Oh well , you can always go to google earth and look up my town and download picture of the area, Sorry they did not show up , they are some of my finer pictures.

Martin

[gypsychic]

Dragonslayer - your post is very interesting, thanks for posting all the info on your area, it really sounds lovely. I usually only post on Florida or NC forums, because that is where my homes are, but read the California thread with interest because a few years ago, I had an intense desire to get out of Florida (my home state) and move, and since I was a little girl I thought I was in love with Cal.

A few years ago, we took a couple vacations to the Central Coast area (SLO) and fell madly in love with the place. For years I researched real estate, getting new listings daily. But the price was so far out of reach for us that I finally just closed the door on that dream. After that I found a different "paradise" in Asheville, NC, which I love and was very affordable for us. My hubby works in Fla. while I spend part of the year in Asheville and he visits. This will be our retirement home in a few years, but I feel like it might not be our "forever" place.

I feel heartened to read that a beautiful place exists like you describe in California, a small but vibrant area that is still affordable. I feel that (hopefully) the prices in Asheville with keep pace with that area, and someday maybe we can spend our truly golden years in the golden state.

Once again, thanks for sharing your info, I would love to see more pix of the area. The Arcata area sounds very interesting, I love small towns with a college or university presence.

[Jenali]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

I live in McKinleyville California , we are 12 miles north of Eureka and 145 miles east of Redding and 69 south of Crescent City and 350 from the bay area. The population of McKinleyville is about 16,000 and Eureka is 28,000 with Arcata between at 17,000, there are 130,000 or so in Humboldt county. We have low crime rates here in McKinleyville and new homes go for $289,000 as a low and one can buy a nice older home with and ocean view on an acre or greater for $400,000 easy, in some of the nice neighborhoods with large 3500 sf homes within 10 years old for $350,000 and in the very nice neighborhoods you can find 5000 sf estates on an acre or better for $500,000 to $700,000. There is still a large dairy industry here and with our clear skies, clean flowing rivers and forested mountains with snow and more stars than I had ever seen growing up in Pittsburg California, it is the home of the Happy Cows. We have a state University in Arcata and a local college called College of the Redwoods in Fortuna. There is plenty of shopping and Malls. McKinleyville is unincorporated yet has a 9plex theater, a bigK, 2 large grocery stores, 2 large hardware/lumber yards, library, sports facilities for little league games with more fields for other sports in the process of planning, parks and open areas, the beach, inter city trails and bikeways [ we are on the Pacific coast bicycle route ], highway 101 , low traffic and much more. We bought our home 1500 sf, 3 bed, 3 bath on 1/2 acre for $112,000 six years ago. After home price increase in the area and the addition of a 2 car garage and exterior remodel it is worth $350,000 and up. We have an ocean view and can see the breakers and hear the waves crash on the dunes. If one loves to have and exquisite view one can go to Trinidad 6 miles north and live in a small town with the views comparable to Carmel and Monterey. I moved up here when I lost nine yards in the Oakland/Berkeley hills fire in 91 and resurected my garden career when I moved here.

Here are some pictures one looks south from Trinidad across Moonstone and Clam beach to McKinleyville, next is north to Trinidad head from the beach on the Arcata bottoms farmlands, a 5000 sf tudor on 2 acres in an exclusive neighborhood, I have been maintaining the yard or over a year and take care of the house next door too, it just sold for $769.000 . last is the happy cows on the bottoms.

I was there last summer ,and agree with everything u said about the beauty of this area (except Eureka ).McKinleyville is just beautiful with lot of open space ,and the weather is just perfect for me ,I don't like the heat ... it wasnt cold there,just pleasant .I loved Fortuna too ,very nice city especially the area around the college .
Wish I can move there ,but there are no jobs in this area .We took our kid to the cheese factory in Loleta ,and they show us how they make the cheese ,very friendly ppl there . If someone likes coastal living ,incorporated city,lots of rural areas ,summer temp in the 60s,and rainy days in winter ..then that's the best place .

[lindrix]

Hi DarylHallFan,

I'm in the same boat as you, born and raised in California, moved away, and now looking at coming back. I've been searching and pretty much agree with previous posters. If you don't mind being isolated, rural Mendocino County is good. A little more populated, Ukiah and Willits are wonderful towns although a little out of your price range. Mt. Shasta has cold winters but is also affordable. Some of the little towns outside of Yosemite are still cheap too.

Frankly, I haven't found anywhere else. Personally I do not want to live South in the desert (like Borrego Springs).

One thing I'm considering is buying land and putting up a prefab or other quick-to-build house. Examine fabprefab - modernist prefab dwellings (broken link). You can manage a 2400 sqft house for under $100K if you're conscientious. Because of the rural nature of much of NoCal, you can find construction lenders.

Personally I'm looking at Portland OR, Santa Fe and Taos NM, and Pittsboro area of NC outside of California.