Hesperia, Adelanto and Victorville, YOUR THOUGHTS? (Sacramento, Stockton: mortgage, relocating, real estate)

[jenrox81]

I grew up in hesperia while it was still a small town and we typically did things like back to school shopping for new clothes "down the hill". I left hesperia for sheesh like 6 years and was sooo happy being gone and I have come back temporarily as an inexpensive place to live while I save to buy a home, but I am actually considering moving now somewhere else and just trying to save in other ways.. It is so terrible here. I live right next to the freeway so I can escape at any moment quickly and that is the only way to bear it. All the section 8 from san bernardino is all getting sent up here to the high desert and although it is growing and there are so many more people than before it hasn't changed, the new growth is more taco bells and 99cent stores with a few starbucks drive throughs in there to pretend to be more upper class. If you MUST move to the high desert and have to commute to Barstow, the best place would for sure be hesperia, there is new housing right next to the freeway off main st. You will get a nice house, a loud neighborhood, and a teeny tiny yard for between $1300-$1600 a month.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Donn2390

Water seeks it's own level ....

This could be true to some extent because I just haven't had the same experience that people have described on this thread. Based on these posts, you'd think the desert is nothing but drug addicts.

When we moved to the high desert four years ago, I decided to switch careers and attend nursing school at Victor Valley College. Consequently, I met many college educated professionals who live here. Not just the teachers but many of the students in my class who were either switching careers, finishing college after their kids were old enough to attend school, etc. ... were married to college educated professionals as well ... engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc.

About 25-30 percent of the students who attend Victor Valley College are older students who are either finishing college or working on second careers so, obviously not everybody in the desert is operating a meth lab ... LOL. If these students aren't able finish their degrees at VVC then many of them take their preliminary courses at VVC and transfer to Cal State.

If there are a tons of drug addicts running around (and I'm not even sure how you can identify a drug addict by appearance alone) ... that just hasn't been my experience. Maybe it's because I met most of my friends through the college and, also, because I'm in the healthcare field where I work with a lot of college educated professionals.

If I worked at a convenience store in a bad neighborhood instead then, I'd probably share the same viewpoint as these other posters but ... I've personally met a lot of professional people who moved up here for the same reasons we did: more affordable housing with a reasonable commute to good paying jobs.

[jmd291]

I live in Apple Valley. If you're going to be working in Barstow, this town is a good choice.....lot's of new business' and centrally located......

[SCgirl04]

i live in victorville and i think apple valley is also a good choice. they are building left and right everywhere. i know that apple valley is building a outdoor shopping mall similar to victoria gardens.

[FalconRanch1]

Originally Posted by jzntx

I lived in South adelanto, right at the corner of bellflower and villa. Bought that house as a new construction for 185k sold 2 years later for 345k and ran with our money.

I just checked the victor vallley mls yesterday, and similar houses are now selling for 265k, I'm so glad we got out of there in time. I felt unsafe living there, in the year we lived there 2 people got killed, one kid got shot in the head and another guy got ran over or something.

We were first time home owners just like many others going to the desert to be able to afford a home. I feel bad for the people that purchased our home, it has devaluated so much.

Now I live in Houston, I wish the desert would have stayed the way it was. I loved sitting in my backyard looking at the stars at night. Sadly growth also brings problems.

I feel you, i lived in Hesperia for 5 years, bought my house in 1998 for 74K, nice big and less than 2 years old, then i sold it five years later for 140K, moved to the bay area ( San Fransisco ) was lucky to buy a house for 435K sold it 2 years later for 600K took the money and RAN!!! I ran to Houston, beautiful subdivision, top rated schools, paid off my house cash, leased it out 2 years later and bought another one!! I couldn't be happier!!

[mico5369]

Originally Posted by gypsyjena

I left Hesperia 10 years ago. The only regret I have is that I still don't own my house, which would be selling for about $400K about now. Sheesh.

I am so glad I left.

The gang problems have gotten better in the time I've been gone. Higher property values and a shortage of rentals drive the riff-raff out, however, I am still so glad I left.

The smog is so bad now that you can't see the mountains anymore. Yuck.

Did I mention I was glad I left

sure you are

[Ulysses61]

I lived in Victorville from 1991-2005. I detested it. The crime there is horrific. I left because gang bangers moved onto my cul de sac and destroyed it. The housing values there have plummeted because of the crime and demographic shifts there.

[Donn2390]

This is not your father's Victorville..! It is growing and major shopping centers and development are taking over. Same with Hesperia and all surrounding areas. When money comes in, it chases the poor crime element out. Property values have dropped, but not because of crime. They have droped because it's 2007, and values have dropped all across the nation. it's a great place to buy and live.
Those who have moved out and bad mouth the area, haven't been here lately. it's a great area. There is some crime, or so I read in the papers. I have never seen any. Stay away from it, and it stays away from you. I know of no place, large or small, that doesn't have crime. If you don't look for it, you won't find it..!

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by SCgirl04

i live in victorville and i think apple valley is also a good choice. they are building left and right everywhere. i know that apple valley is building a outdoor shopping mall similar to victoria gardens.

I also think Apple Valley is a good choice but, there is one major downside. If you need to get to the 15 to commute every morning, Apple Valley is the farthest away from interstate access. A friend of mine who has to commute to the 15 says that's the one big downside of living there ... it does take quite awhile to get to the interstate ... especially with morning traffic.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

The housing values there have plummeted because of the crime and demographic shifts there.

Prices are falling everywhere ... including ritzy areas along the coast. I guess you haven't been paying attention to all of the headlines about the nationwide real estate recession.