What can you tell me about Victorville (Los Angeles, Riverside: for sale, foreclosures)

[Thunderbird]

Barefootgirly, I sent you a PM of links to things to do and the local paper here.

Originally Posted by ftgolfer

Right now the San Bernardino Sheriff Dept. handles the police work. My guess is they'll get their own Police Dept. in the near future, as will Apple Valley.

I haven't heard a word that this will ever happen.

This area is SO ran, not PD ran. Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley all have sheriff stations ran by the sheriff of San Bernardino County and funded by the San Bernardino County.

[kkcolt4]

Originally Posted by bAREFOOTgIRLY

We may possibly be moving to CA in the near future for work related reasons. We currently live in CO, and i see the housing in Victorville/$$wise is comparable to where we currently live.

What can you tell me about Victorville? Crime? Education? Things to do?

Also, how long is the commute from Victorville to Hollywood?

And, if anyone reading this does construction, on average, what does an independent contractor (framing) make in the area?

Thank you all!

Victorville was once a really decent place to live. One thing going for the area are the very blue and beautiful skies, it is noticeably different from the skies of Los Angeles or anywhere in the San Bernardino valley area. The negatives about the city are high crime, the cost of living is very low and because the city is so close to poverty stricken areas, a lot of people that live a different lifestyle and have a different mentality ( ghetto mentality, dog eat dog ) are moving to the area. There are a lot of gang members up here now from a lot of different cities.

I have lived in a neighboring city ( Hesperia ) for about 12 years, it too is changing for the worst. Not as bad as Victorville, but not a whole lot better. If you can afford it , you should look at places like RAncho Cucamonga, Upland, maybe Ontario. It's closer to LA and you can find some decent areas to live in. Stay out of Rialto, San Bernardino, Fontana, Bloomington, and Colton ( very high crime and a lot of gang activity in those areas) If you don't mind a drive, look at Redlands, Loma Linda, and Grand Terrace. I would move to Colorado if I had a job lined up out there, I have been there a few times and loved it. Where ever you decide to move, I wish you luck.

[ftgolfer]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

Barefootgirly, I sent you a PM of links to things to do and the local paper here.

I haven't heard a word that this will ever happen.

This area is SO ran, not PD ran. Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley all have sheriff stations ran by the sheriff of San Bernardino County and funded by the San Bernardino County.

I'm betting that as soon as the economy gets to where it is obviously headed, Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia will all pick up Police Departments. All out of the way areas start out with SO coverage. This is mostly because the cost involved in having a municipal police agency outways the economy in the area. But the way the high desert is blowing up, that won't be the case for long. Up there is going to be as crowded as down the hill pretty soon. With all the new population, comes commerce, contstruction, etc. That's just my opinion, I guess we'll see how it goes.

[country pride]

I used to live there as a kid but took a drive through there not long ago, wow, it has changed. Its not dirt roads and an occaisional house, here and there anymore. My old school is still there, the old house I used to live in was still there but its surrounded by a subdivision now. Ive heard from several sources in so-cal that its very high in crime rate now too.

[jaycee777]

When I first moved to Victorville about 15 years ago, it had a somewhat small town/community feeling to it, the sky was much clearer, and there was hardly any graffitti. Unfortuneatly, all of that has changed within the last five years for the same reasons that everyone here has talked about.

I've lived the past year just outside of Charlotte, N.C. and love it. That should speak volumes.

There were a few good communites, Eagle Ranch, Brentwood, and Spring Valley Lake. Sadly, Spring Valley Lake is the only community in Victorville that I would live in anymore. There is an HOA there, but that's a good thing. It keeps your next door neighbor from storing their junk cars and old refrigerators in front of their house next door while you keep lowering the price of your own house just to get out of Dodge. (That happened to me in Brentwood).

Anyhow, while I was a Realtor there, the only place that I would take my buying Clients to house hunt was in Apple Valley, particularly the Desert Knolls and the Sycamore Rocks area. There were a lot of Victorvillians who escaped from the LA invasion moving to that area.

My best advise would be to visit the area. You might notice some great housing areas (and there are quite a few of them) but take notice of how close they may be to less desireable areas. Also keep in mind the school districting (if that applies). Some of the districts cover a large geographical area that throw together the nice kids with a lot of the gangsta-wanna-be types.

With all of it's drawbacks, it's still not a bad place to live. You are about 2 hours and 45 minutes from Vegas, an hour from the mountains, and a couple of hours from the beach.

[drycounty3]

Victorville is in the High desert. Expect Hot summers. Houses are affordable, but air conditioning will cost you! It is windy EVERY DAY! The weather is inpredictable. I've woken up to a foot of snow, only to put on shorts by noon. A drive to Hollywood could take 2 hours, but it's really a guess because too many things could start traffic. In Victorville, many have to commute to find work. If the pass closes for commuters, good luck getting home! It's been closed for fires, snow, and my favorite, a train derailment. Jobs are hard to find. Crime is bad. In my opinion, the schools are bad; I attended K through community college. Half my teachers moved away mid year. And the hospitals... makes my stomach turn. I guess this is a negative post, but I was fortunate to move out of Victorville recently, and my life is much better. Victorville isn't all bad, but it's not a city I would recommend going to on purpose. The U.S.A is a big place.

[SCgirl04]

jayc777,
i was wondering if you happen to know about challenger school of sports and fitness elementary school? its on hopland street. its a fairly new school. we are from los angeles area moving up to victorville. we are purchasing our house about two blocks from the school. anyways as a realtor do you think that in about a couple of years the equity in my house will go up? Considering that this is my first house i do not plan to live there for no more than 5 years. My husband and i just are using this purchase to build equity and sell in the hopes of moving back down. I'm sure this is just wishful thinking

[3pac]

I used to live in Victorville for 26 years and I can't believe how bad it's gotten over the years. I still visit my family there, but I hate going back everytime. Sure the weather is nice most of the time and the housing is reasonable, but that's it! The city workers have to be the worst ever! When I go back home to visit, how do you hit the same potholes in the road as I did when I was 18 years old and I'm 40 now! I can't believe how bad the roads are and the whole city for that matter! The gang violence was bad back then and it's worse now. I would never raise a family there and I don't recomend anyone moving there either. This is coming from a person who went to Irwin elementary, SDA private school, and Victor Valley high school. Yeah, I was a Jackrabbit. I'm so glad I moved for my own familys sake. Sure Victorville has new housing popping up all over, but clean the city while you're at it! Apple Valley has always tried to improve it's city, Victorville catch up! Just one more thing I have to say, I play softball tourneys all year long and I would love to bring my team down here to play (NO. NV.), but when is the city going to build a decent softball complex and I'm not talking about Hook recreation either. Get with it Victorville! You're my hometown and it's embarassing everytime I go down there to visit my family! I do have to admit my old church (SDA) looks pretty good these days and it looks like it's growing. Good Job! O.K., That's two things I had to say! I'm out!!!

[booz30]

Originally Posted by 3pac

I used to live in Victorville for 26 years and I can't believe how bad it's gotten over the years. I still visit my family there, but I hate going back everytime. Sure the weather is nice most of the time and the housing is reasonable, but that's it! The city workers have to be the worst ever! When I go back home to visit, how do you hit the same potholes in the road as I did when I was 18 years old and I'm 40 now! I can't believe how bad the roads are and the whole city for that matter! The gang violence was bad back then and it's worse now. I would never raise a family there and I don't recomend anyone moving there either. This is coming from a person who went to Irwin elementary, SDA private school, and Victor Valley high school. Yeah, I was a Jackrabbit. I'm so glad I moved for my own familys sake. Sure Victorville has new housing popping up all over, but clean the city while you're at it! Apple Valley has always tried to improve it's city, Victorville catch up! Just one more thing I have to say, I play softball tourneys all year long and I would love to bring my team down here to play (NO. NV.), but when is the city going to build a decent softball complex and I'm not talking about Hook recreation either. Get with it Victorville! You're my hometown and it's embarassing everytime I go down there to visit my family! I do have to admit my old church (SDA) looks pretty good these days and it looks like it's growing. Good Job! O.K., That's two things I had to say! I'm out!!!

yep the city workers in adelanto get paid 10 bucks wow and also you have to think of property taxes is only 1 percent so theres no money going to the communinty or streets

[redcoff]

Though I'd add some info. I've lived in Inland Empire for 27 Years and Victorville has always been a poor area. I used to do payroll for companies in the area and 5 of the 6 businesses I did payroll for were battered women's shelters; if that tells you anything about the population.

I attended Cal State San Bernardino with some people from Victorville and they tended to be white trash, not always, just usually. And those were the college bound ones.

In general, as others say, the land/homes are cheap for a reason.