moving to Barstow (Riverside, Victorville, Hesperia: real estate, rental, sex offender)

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by dusesean1986

With all due respect,

How would you know which Latinos are illegal in Barstow? Are those the ones who walk and bike to work? How would you know the city has a high crime rate because you visited for a week? Did you see old homes, spread out real-estate, blue collar workers, or maybe more restraunts than people? White trash?! Because their property value is lower than the average California home, I'm sure some of their homes have higher property value than a home in your current location of Idaho. Does this mean there's more white trash in Idaho? I don't want to be the politically correct police, but some of these statements have no factual evidence and are clueless based on a mandatory one to two week vacation. I had a friend in Compton, and he stated it wasn't that bad. He was a nice, hispanic kid of whom I worked with. He told me Compton receives a horrible rap, but he stated he doesn't feel threatened at all. You have to know a city, before you can claim what it's like.

Before you become too smug....

Barstow has a real problem with illegals. I know this because I lived in the high desert for 9 years, had many friends who worked in service jobs that included routes in Barstow, talked with the cops (I'm a retired cop) while on jury duty and heard that constant complaint, and dealt with it myself on our frequent stops there (good place to get gas and eat on the way to the river) over quite a few years.

I know it has a high crime rate because I checked the violent crime index and saw it was astronimically high....duh. This wasn't rocket science nor was it blind supposition or opinion.

I am able to make an opinion statement about white trash because of my experiences there, including dealing with so many friends of mine who had to work there, my law enforcement time dealing with all the parolees that wind up there (it has become the new "Lake Elsinore" in case you were ignorant of that information where a lot of repeat offenders get dumped by the system).

There's white trash in every state. If houses in Compton are worth $700K next year, are you going to tell me how wonderful Compton is? Near where I moved last year, houses are $200-250K for a decent place, so yeah it's probably less than homes in Barstow and thank God there are still places in the USA you can afford a nice place in a NICE area (as long as you love the cold weather and snow). Unless you're seriously delusional, you will not tie property values to an area's demographics and quality of life. Some friends of ours bought 60 acres with house in Arkansas recently for under $250K, and it's a gorgeous place in a wonderful community. Does that make them white trash because they bought for cheaper than in Barstow? Unless you're just being supercilious for kicks or intentionally misconstruing my statements, you can reasonably infer the broader definition of what most of us call "white trash", and Barstow is their capital city in MY personal opinion.

"based on a mandatory one to two week vacation"? What are you talking about here? You lost me completely....but if you feel that Compton and Barstow are getting bad raps, feel free to go live there. I'm sure the fine folks of either city will welcome your tolerant presence.

[stefW/anF]

Oh good Lord! I just wanna say.. Whew! Yea, Barstow sucks ya in and spits ya out!!! Its one of those typical small desert towns that everyone WANTS To leave but few ever do! Del Taco is the greatest thing that ever happened to Barstow! Walmart was actually the worst! It came it and ran out all the moms and pops buisnesses. I grew up there! Fought like hell to get out.. My family still lives there so I will always have roots and ties there.. I can appreciate it from 2500 miles away;} Its a simple way of life if thats what your looking for? And I guess we can all take lessons from the Disney movie Cars;} Hey, where Mator was from? Just like B-town! lol Again just a little old desert town ran by the railroad and walmart off of old route 66 just trying to make its way;} Anyway, if ya move there will ya send me some Del Taco!!!!! Please;}

[cassaka2]

I wish I could tell you better news, but the previous posters are totally correct. My Husband is Law Enforcement, working in the area. We lived in Barstow for all of 3 months.........until our neighbor was arrested for making and distributing Meth........we actually shared a wall with the guy which is extremely scary considering the explosive nature of cooking meth. We high-tailed it out of there. The entire town is run down. It is awful. Very high crime, and we did experience it. Our car was broken into several times. We were approached by drugged-out crazies, and I won't even tell you the job-related things my husband saw. I would never never never never recommend anyone---EVER---live there.

Good points of Barstow??? biggest In n Out in the world....they had an excellent boys Cross Country team at one time. The desert sky is amazing. The weather is consistent.........HOT.

If the job is there, have her consider commuting from Victorville (another place I really hate). A lot of newer developments, and definitely safer.

(as a side note to the previous indignant poster: trust me, all you have to do is walk around Barstow for 30 minutes, and you will know (not think, KNOW) the answers to the questions you posed. You can tell the crime rate is high because of the massive amount of graffiti, burnt out buildings, gangs and hookers on the corners, and the ricochet of gunfire. It doesn't take long to KNOW that a place like this is bad news. As for property values, you could easily purchase a home for 140k. For California that is LOW. I could come up with a ton more to discredit your rash, uninformed attack but I will leave it at that. I probably should have just let it alone, but ya know, I don't think that we should need foot-notes and a bibliography to comment on this thread.)

[canibeyou]

Originally Posted by dennismpat

I've always thought of Barstow as being one of those places you stopped in only if you were on your way to someplace else (usually Las Vegas). Someone else mentioned the outlet mall and the In-N-Out, and I've been to those places there. My impression of the general area was that it was kind of run down, and made me glad I didn't live there.

Gotta agree with this statement! It's a good place for a potty-break on the way to Vegas. We don't even stop there to eat. Hope your son & DIL can find a different place to live. Don't just move there 'cuz it's cheap!

[John23]

Is the McDonalds in the train still there?

I remember that really well from when I was a kid. That place and the Bun Boy in Baker are nice places to stop if you're going to Nevada and Las Vegas.

But besides that, I don't think I want to stay.

[JimC]

Originally Posted by John23

Is the McDonalds in the train still there?

I remember that really well from when I was a kid. That place and the Bun Boy in Baker are nice places to stop if you're going to Nevada and Las Vegas.

But besides that, I don't think I want to stay.

Yes the golden arches are still there. Thats Barstow station and I believe theres a few other fast food places in there now.
Bun Boy in Baker is gone. Bob's Big Boy took it over and I would avoid it if at all possible.

[canibeyou]

There's also a Bun Boy in Barstow. Just stopped there 3 weeks ago...... I'd never stop there again, as the place was filthy and the food, well, because of the filth everywhere, it was very unappealing.

[kansaslady]

As a former Cali, I have been to Barstow several times and was not impressed. Not as bad as Needles, but not a whole lot better.

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by cassaka2

<snipped>

(as a side note to the previous indignant poster: trust me, all you have to do is walk around Barstow for 30 minutes, and you will know (not think, KNOW) the answers to the questions you posed. You can tell the crime rate is high because of the massive amount of graffiti, burnt out buildings, gangs and hookers on the corners, and the ricochet of gunfire. It doesn't take long to KNOW that a place like this is bad news. As for property values, you could easily purchase a home for 140k. For California that is LOW. I could come up with a ton more to discredit your rash, uninformed attack but I will leave it at that. I probably should have just let it alone, but ya know, I don't think that we should need foot-notes and a bibliography to comment on this thread.)

I would imagine that someplace like Barstow would have really dirt cheap home prices. It's not exactly the most desirable place in the state! Makes me wonder if home prices in other sparsely-populated desert areas like El Centro or Calexico, or anyplace bordering the [smelly] Salton Sea are similar?

[GreggB]

As a truck driver, I have had the pleasure of seeing BARSTOW on several occasions. I've also seen GARY Indiana. And hundreds of towns between the two. BARSTOW and GARY are the nastiest towns I've ever seen. Towns so bad--ya don't even like going PAST them!!!