What can you tell me about Victorville (San Bernardino, Orange: environment, smog)

[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!

[rcandelaria]

Hello bAREFOOTgIRLY,
I came across you posting and was reading what other are saying about Victorville. I currently live here in Victorville. I could tell you its Hot!! it gets around 100-110. Then the winters get cold 30's. I guess its nothing compared to Colorado winters. The people are different you have great young families with good morals trying to raise a family with what they have and then you have those who are up here because it was cheap and they could buy a house unfortunately they were problems from else where. I have lived here for 3 years and bought a new home here. I personally have not had any troubles our neighborhood is nice and everyone takes care of there house BUT due to the heat it is hard to keep your grass green all the time and the when you finally get the sprinklers times set just right and your grass is greener …the weather changes and you end up over watering hahahaha.
I was traveling to Beverly Hills for work which is a little past Hollywood, thinking I was making great money and the drive would not be to bad. Let me tell you I did it for 1 year I drove 3 different routes I it took me 3 hours ONE WAY!!!! it was 96 miles to work and 96 miles home. I would leave around 4:30am and there was still traffic. And if there is an accident forget it every one has to stop to look. Traffic on the 15 freeway coming home is very slow and on Fridays it the worst because everyone going to Vegas is heading that way too. Needless to say I recently quite my job the money was not worth the drive. Back to Victorville. I have heard that there is a problem with Meth freaks up here. I have seen a few tweeters running around by the old parts of the city but no more then any other cities around. You are going to get good and bad anywhere. I believe that in the future as the house prices move upward that the bad apples will turn there house for drug money or they will lose it and they will not be able to afford another one here and they will move on. Please don’t misunderstand me its not like there are low life in every house but there are some and you will be able to tell. There is a row of restaurants up here that are nice / clean / and the people are friendly there is a new movie theater and a nice size mall. I think that the city is really trying to change the perception of what “Victorville” was. Back in the day Victorville and the surrounding cities were crappy houses were dirt lots with a trailer or small house set on it surrounded by chain link fence with 30 dogs in the yard all with something wrong with them, 10 cars and only one barley worked, and dirt roads. It was just an all around place were nobody wanted to go unless they were passing though. Now a lot has changed. There are some big housing developers building beautiful homes, The roads are paved and we are starting to get new commercial building popping up everywhere. There are still a lot of dirt lots but it but if you ride dirt bikes it perfect. If you are a church goers there is a large church called High desert church that is awesome they always have family activities going and it’s a great environment for the family

[Jonah1979]

You will absolutely hate the drive from Victorville to Hollywood. I personally would never live there...it's brown, ugly and just track homes with no character. It's a town in the middle of nowhere!

The prices are low for a reason...also forclosures are rising rapidly there not the place I would buy a house.

[Kathleenh54]

Hot, dry, dusty and depressing.

[PureHapa]

It's pretty crappy. (Sorry to those who live there.) It's what's called "low-rent" for lack of a better term, I'll agree with that. It's ugly to boot.

[booz30]

weather is great 300 sunny days a year no storms no smog blue blue skys

[SCgirl04]

my family and i are moving to victorville come the end of this month. I'm curious to know about childcare centers in or around victorville. it's for my one year old son. anyways i currently live in el monte and i can't say all miss it here, other than my family.

[ftgolfer]

My father lives in Apple Valley about 10 years now, and I lived there for about 5 years, up until 10/05'. Victorville is right next door. We'll start with the good stuff. The housing is very affordable. I liked having such a big plot. I had huge yards(front & back). If you buy now your property value is going to sky rocket due to the expansion of the area, it's growing fast. There is a lot of work for construction people due to the rapid expansion. There will probably be a lot of other oppurtunities in the near future due to the expansion as well. There's construction going on everywhere. If I were to advise you on the general location, I would tell you go out towards the fringes. Buy a good size lot and watch it gain value big time. Don't get caught right in the middle of Victorville.....OK, now the bad side of things. Victorville is about 75 sq. miles, with a population of about 100,000. About 200 registered sex offenders. The crime rate is well over the US Ave. It's a desert, Most yards are dirt or rocks. Lot's of dopers everywhere(meth heads).
A lot of less than desireable people in the area, due to it being inexpensive. 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 wish you the best in the future, good luck.

[robi528]

I currently live in Apple Valley and are planning a move. We need to sell our 3 bedroom home. I would look in Apple Valley verses Victorville. Alot of people have moved to the area but more to Victorville and the crime and undiserables are more in Victorville then Apple Valley. From Apple Valley to Victorville will take you about 10 mins. Apple Valley is moving up on the commercial market. Many shopping center are here and coming. They just opened the first southern California super Target in Apple Valley. They just built a new olympic size pool here and you have to pay to get in so not as many unsupervised children can go. You need to look into Apple Valley, but I would stay away from Victorville.

[Victorville Resident]

BarefootGirly,

[Re the Decision] Specific to your question of the amount of home you could get for the money, please carefully adapt your preferences (demographics, local vs. nationwide crime levels, commute, etc.).

[Re Crime] L.A. and Chicago are the most gang-riddlen places in America. And although most of the "gang-culture" had more/less been contained in pockets throughout southern calfornia (esp. along the coast), the gang-members and the gang-culture have metastasized; spreading to all but rural communities. Gangs are indeed a growing problem in Victorville, as nearly everywhere else in S. California. Gangs will be especially unsettling to you if you have never experienced its menace.

[Re Value] 300k may get you a mobile home (without the land, of course) in Orange or Ventura County. Both of those counties are along the coast and are generally more desirable places to live than the Inland Empire. You may also be able to buy a condo (< 1000 sq. ft.) with 300k. In either case, it's likely you'll end up in an area that has a crime rate comparable to Victorville. Yet in Victorville, 300k can buy a 3000 sq.ft. 6 bedroom home with a 3 car garage.

[Re the commute] Your husband can drive 45 minutes to the train station in San Bernadino. From there, he can take the train to L.A. and take the light-rail/subway within LA. The train ride may around an hour. Driving to and from is not recommended, but if he must, he should drive across the high desert from Victorville to Palmdale and then head south from there. That drive is much more reliable IN TERMS OF TIME but also more dangerous since the road across the desert is an undivided highway -- mitigate the risk of that route by staying behind a big rig). Anyhow that drive should be about 1.5 hours (4AM - 5AM into L.A., AM - 3PM back to the high desert).