Retiring to So Cal (Los Angeles, San Diego: real estate, condos, homes)

[lewb]

My wife and I are ready to retire in San Diego. We now live in Washington, D.C. in a neighborhood not far from downtown. We've visited SD a number of times and love the weather (who doesn't). However we're thinking of checking out a few places in LA area-namely Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey and Pasadena. We're looking for urban environment (neighborhood feel) with restaurants and shops in walking distance and some public transportation so we don't always have to drive. Price range 600-900K for a condo. Anyone out there who can provide some insights/comparisons/other suggestions?

[LuckyGem]

You should check out Playa Vista I think that would be an ideal area for you to live in. It's adjacent to Marina del Rey.

West Los Angeles Homes and Condos, West Side LA Luxury Homes : Playa Vista Real Estate

No... I don't work for them I live across the street, looks great to me, if I could afford it I would move in immediately.

Not long ago I took the tour, it has a library (small one), coffee bean, bank, fire department, and elementary school.

Very very city within a city living... protected, and safe. Check it out.

Oh.. there are some environmental things you should check out.. just google the same... Playa Vista los angeles and news links will load, I still think it's a great place to live.

Happy hunting.

[CESpeed]

Public transportation in L.A. sucks. Not reliable and not senior-friendly. If you can find a place in Santa Monica close to the Promenade, you'll be in walkng distance of a variety of restaurants and entertainment. The same with Pasadena. If you are near Old Town you'll be walking distance of a variety of restaurants and shopping. Between these two the decision is city or sea. Marina del Rey isn't very good for shopping or variety, definitely not walking anywhere. There a small alcove at the Venice Beach pier other than that, everything is pretty spread out.

[goodbyehollywood]

Marina Del Rey is excellent for walking! It's close to the beach, the canals, wonderful little cafes and the trendy shopping of Abbot Kinney. It's a walker's and biker's paradise. It's above your price range, however, as is Venice, since these are million-dollar neighborhoods. You might find a tiny, not very nice studio in PDR or SM for close to $1000, but I doubt it would be anything two people would want to share. $1K in beach-close L.A. just isn't very doable. Sad, but that's the reality.

[lewb]

Originally Posted by LuckyGem

You should check out Playa Vista I think that would be an ideal area for you to live in. It's adjacent to Marina del Rey.

West Los Angeles Homes and Condos, West Side LA Luxury Homes : Playa Vista Real Estate

No... I don't work for them I live across the street, looks great to me, if I could afford it I would move in immediately.

Not long ago I took the tour, it has a library (small one), coffee bean, bank, fire department, and elementary school.

Very very city within a city living... protected, and safe. Check it out.

Oh.. there are some environmental things you should check out.. just google the same... Playa Vista los angeles and news links will load, I still think it's a great place to live.

Happy hunting.

Thanks-checked out the webisite. Will visit So Cal in a few weeks and stop by there.

[King0fthehill]

Redondo Beach might be a shoe-in fit for you, except it's a bit further from DTLA.

And public transportation is a joke here, although Pasadena does have some neighborhoods cluttered around the Gold Line light rail.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by lewb

We now live in Washington, D.C.....

.. ....Anyone out there who can provide some insights/comparisons/other suggestions?

Why Santa Monica, San Diego? Kind of hectic for retirees. But there are some advantages. Do you have family in SoCal?

One of the biggest advantages to retiring in an urban environment is the accessibility of a wide range of medical facilities. A lot of people would avoid retiring in a rat race environment. (They don't have to work so why live in a place that suffers from traffic and crowding?) Of course, a lot of retired people find second jobs - retirement jobs, and an urban, high density environment would be advantageous there too.

To the original poster, I often travel to NoVA and believe it or not, traffic in Southern California is worse, not by much, but it is worse. If you don't have to drive anywhere then it's OK for you.

If it is weather and access to semi-urban amenities, maybe consider a coastal town not embedded within a high density urban area like SD or LA. What about a smaller town like Carlsbad, Carpenteria, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Ventura, Oxnard, Grover Beach, Avila Beach, Cambria, Oceanside, Encintas, Del Mar, San Clemente, etc? You can't beat the weather, there is much less if any traffic, most of these towns have either a full range medical establishment or are within 30 minutes of one, and they have most but not all amenities of the bigger towns mentioned.

[CESpeed]

Originally Posted by goodbyehollywood

Marina Del Rey is excellent for walking! It's close to the beach, the canals, wonderful little cafes and the trendy shopping of Abbot Kinney. It's a walker's and biker's paradise. It's above your price range, however, as is Venice, since these are million-dollar neighborhoods. You might find a tiny, not very nice studio in PDR or SM for close to $1000, but I doubt it would be anything two people would want to share. $1K in beach-close L.A. just isn't very doable. Sad, but that's the reality.

You are talking about the alcove. There is much more to the Marina than Washington Blvd. The part of the Marina that goes down Lincoln to the 90 is not walkable. The shopping on Abbot Kinney is technically Venice.

[goodbyehollywood]

No, I'm talking about the entire Marina. I lived there for a decade... and I have walked every mile of it. It's one of the more walkable parts of L.A.-- which is what many people love about it. And, yes, I know that Abbot Kinney is Venice. That's why I said "close to..."

But whatever. Some walk. Some don't.