Gay Couple considering relocation-Jobs, Area, NEED INFO PLEASE! (Los Angeles, Glendale: rent, house)

[BGSRJN]

Thanks for the information Sandiegan. This is a big move for us. We live in Richford Vermont, near Canadian border. You are correct about Vermont. Even where we are being gay is a non-issue. We just want gay marriage, of which Vermont doesn't offer. We are also checking out Massachusetts.

[caligurltotx]

First I think CA is very liberal and open minded, even in the IE. With that said I definitely would look into Long Beach like another poster stated. I am straight but have been in the area for over 20 yrs. Very great GAY community (we have the Gay Pride parade/event annually). Downtown Long Beach is doing great to attract tourism. They have revitalized the area with The Pike, lots of restaurants, great night life, great hospitality industry.

Some of the nicest and safest areas of Long Beach would be Belmont Shores, Bixby Knolls, most parts of downtown, Belmont Heights, and Signal Hill, better yet here are zips:
90802, 90803, 90807, 90808, 90755. You can definitely find a 2 bdrm within yr price range in some parts of Bixby and downtown. In Belmont Shores it may be a bit higher.
But on avg one bdrms go for $1300 out here in the really nice areas.

Now if you really want to be in the IE then I would say Palm Springs is a good choice for the line of work you do. There are casinos out that way also.

And welcome to the best weather in the country (excl FL)!

P.S. Also try www.westsiderentals.com to find a great place. I lot of private owners of condos/townhomes place vacancies there. Rentals you wont find in apt guides, etc.

[Chasndari03]

And while it's true that there are some areas that I would definitely not consider safe there are just as many areas that are perfectly fine. If you guys are interested you can get some information about a subdivision in Victorville called "Spring Valley Lake". This is a city within the city of sorts and it's got all the self-sustaining amenities, i.e. private golf course, lake, stores, shopping, restaurants, etc. It's very safe, clean, and private. I would look into this for sure because you can rent a nice 3bd/2ba custom home or more for $1500. Also the Desert Knolls area where my relatives live (technically in the city of Apple Valley) is a very nice area as well.

The cons of moving to this area is that the hospitality industry here is not currently thriving like the major urban cities, however we are seeming a plethora of hotels popping up left and right because we are the midpoint between the LA cities and Vegas so it is in the process of growing.

And also, even though you get way less for your money, the Hillcrest area of San Diego is VERY gay friendly. The homes there will be more expensive. For $1500 you will more than likely get a decent 2bd apt. or cottage-like home. That area is "quaint" and the homes there are older but nevertheless it is relatively clean with no serious crime problems. If a gay-friendly community is priority I would definitely go the Hillcrest route but Victorville will give 10x more bang for your buck. PLUS, San Diego is a hot tourist spot so if you're in the F&B industry, you should have a relatively easy time getting a decent career started there.

Have you considered Las Vegas?? The price of living is comparable to here in Victorville and you'd be hard pressed to find cities that are more liberal than Las Vegas. Worth considering.......

Good luck guys and if you need more info. on either of these areas please don't be afraid to msg me!

[David Aguilar]

I just wanted to let the OP know to not write off Riverside, as others have said to do. There are plenty of gay folks in Riverside, and from what I can tell they are pretty accepted in the area.

[Salcan]

Dont come to SOCAL!!!, Vote out Gay's in November... Dont Come PLZ

[Diane Hancharik]

I am from Pennsylvainia and do u want to live in california still , PA approves of gay married. Where i live there are houses up for sale, there are alot of jobs like marketing jobs out there. I would even help u find a place out here. Let me know

[highdesertseniors.lgbt]

Stop hiding and start voicing yourself. Those with issues with color, race, sexual orientation we need to educate. Hi, I too am doing my homework regarding the need for a community that is friendly. I have villas that I currently rent and I would like to offer you a welcome. You can email me for further information. Apple Valley is a beautiful place.

[highdesertseniors.lgbt]

You sound afraid

[highdesertseniors.lgbt]

Hi
You must remember unless you move to cape cod as the last I visited that seemed to be the most friendly community you will always find some persons that hate. For whatever reason it is hate. Stand up for your beliefs. Educate when and where you can. Come Visit Apple Valley.

Originally Posted by BGSRJN

I did a general post earlier to get information aout California as a whole. We are a gay couple of 25 years and want to move to a state that recognizes gay marriage. I am doing my home work now. Our house is for sale in Vermont. Not alot of traffic due to the economy. I want to start research as this is a big move. Even if the house sells we probably would not move until after November, ensuring gay marriage is not voted out. After getting advice from the first post it looks like we cannot afford coastal areas. Palm Springs may be in our reach. We would need to purchase a condo for under $200000 or rent for under $1500 month. What areas would you recommend? What areas should we stay away from? I am in Hospitality Management, what employers should I research? Are there any large resorts that I may want to research for F&B jobs? Any restaurant concepts that you would recommend? Anyone know the salary range for Food & Beverage General Mangers in PS area. Are there other affordable towns in Riverside County that you would recommend? Living in Vermont we have gotten spoiled with low crime so also would look for a safe area.

[Jengrimm]

My partner and I live in San Diego and about the least you could get a decent condo for here is around $250,000. We have had a condo in Palm Springs for the last 5 years (as a second home). We live in a great complex in a great part of town and you can get one there for about $240,000 for a 2 bedroom/2 bath. check out pics of ours at www.pscondorental.com (not for sale but will give you an idea of the units there). If you have any other questions you can write to me at jennifergrimm@kw.com

Originally Posted by BGSRJN

I did a general post earlier to get information aout California as a whole. We are a gay couple of 25 years and want to move to a state that recognizes gay marriage. I am doing my home work now. Our house is for sale in Vermont. Not alot of traffic due to the economy. I want to start research as this is a big move. Even if the house sells we probably would not move until after November, ensuring gay marriage is not voted out. After getting advice from the first post it looks like we cannot afford coastal areas. Palm Springs may be in our reach. We would need to purchase a condo for under $200000 or rent for under $1500 month. What areas would you recommend? What areas should we stay away from? I am in Hospitality Management, what employers should I research? Are there any large resorts that I may want to research for F&B jobs? Any restaurant concepts that you would recommend? Anyone know the salary range for Food & Beverage General Mangers in PS area. Are there other affordable towns in Riverside County that you would recommend? Living in Vermont we have gotten spoiled with low crime so also would look for a safe area.