Antioch, CA -- 94531- Opinions? (San Francisco, Oakland: housing, rent, job)

[muimi07]

My husband and I are expecting our first baby any moment now. With 4BR/2BA affordable (ie. hovering around $250 ~ 325k) in Antioch, we're thinking about moving there. I've heard two different things about the place. People either think it sucks or is a slum waiting to happen/happening already.

We looked at houses about two weeks ago with an agent in the 94531 area code, the newer area near Prewett Park, bordered by Lone Tree / Deer Valley / Hillcrest. Honestly, we really liked it as our first impression. I think it's the closeness to Brentwood that appeals to us.

There's tons of foreclosures in that area right now but the houses themselves are really nice and the neighborhood looks decent. But what's the real scoop? I'm hoping that the fact that it's a Mello-Roos district will keep out the slums but I wanted other opinions.

[City Boy]

Antioch sucks. It has turned and is still turning into a ghetto. I could tolerate it if it were not so far from everything but why live way out in the middle of nowhere and STILL have to deal with BS? The cheap housing attracted a lot of the inner city blacks of San Francisco, Oakland and Richmond. Not to mention it's next to Pittsburg another not so great city. Antioch has become Pittsburg. It used to be that Pittsburg was the ghetto of Central Contra Costa now Antioch is apart of that.

[humboldtrat]

I don't live there, but I visit the area often and I think the area you mentioned around Deer Valley, Balfour Rd, Lone Tree and east towards Walnut Blvd (and getting into Brentwood) seems very nice. It's all fairly new including newer shopping and schools and I have driven past a nice golf course out that way.

However, I think the area along the Hwy 4 corridor in both Antioch and Pittsburg leave a bit to be desired.

[sonarrat]

That area is probably similar to the part of Morgan Hill where I grew up. Poor access to shopping and major job centers, but secluded, upscale, beautiful scenery.

[moochdawgg]

city boy sumed it up best, i'd stay clear of antioch. Check local newspapers crime sections and call antioch police for stat's. Antioch at one time was a good city to live in. Good luck.

[Crazykasim]

Antioch was nothing until the house prices started rising the last five years or so, the developers wanted to increase their profits, but had no room, so they built in Antioch's fields. Now, all of those people who got questionable loans to buy homes, which is a lrge precentage of Antioch can't afford those homes they are foreclosing. I dont think Antioch has any kind of crime problem, just a lot of forecloser problems. The schools are decent and it's a close distance to the main parts of the Bay Area.

Antioch might actually end up being a good investment in the long run considering that they have just widnend highway 4 and plan to build a BART station to Antioch and Beyond. I can see a lot of San Francisco area residents leaving the high prices to fill into Antioch once BART is around for a easy commute. If you look at Pittsburg / Bay Point area especially next to the BART station there you can see the large development they have there next to Highway 4, and they still sell and a pretty good rate.

Synopsis- Antioch's only major problem is foreclouser, but there is a huge investment opportunity if your willing to wait the years it will take to build the BART station.

(I was born and raised, moved away 8 years ago, but still come back all the time for family and friends)

[Crazykasim]

Oh, and if people think Antioch will become a slum, I don't think that would be possible considering most people in say Pittsburg can't afford it there. There are a lot of none slum families that will be willing to move down from Brentwood and fill in those houses once the prices get to the low 200s. There are enough business around Antioch which can sustain it, it's not like say, Stockton. Traffic does suck at the present moment

[GreenGirl]

I have relatives who have lived and raised families in Pittsburg/Antioch since the early '70s and they like it just fine. There is, and always has been, a lot of ethnic diversity for a suburban area and to some people, not white = ghetto. Use your own judgment.

[Alisande]

Originally Posted by Crazykasim

Oh, and if people think Antioch will become a slum, I don't think that would be possible considering most people in say Pittsburg can't afford it there. There are a lot of none slum families that will be willing to move down from Brentwood and fill in those houses once the prices get to the low 200s. There are enough business around Antioch which can sustain it, it's not like say, Stockton. Traffic does suck at the present moment

Section 8 has totally made any area unsafe. No matter how much you spend for your home the feds can and will put a family with 20 cars but no lawn mower right next door to your million dollar home. Antioch is horrible.

[Alisande]

Originally Posted by muimi07

My husband and I are expecting our first baby any moment now. With 4BR/2BA affordable (ie. hovering around $250 ~ 325k) in Antioch, we're thinking about moving there. I've heard two different things about the place. People either think it sucks or is a slum waiting to happen/happening already.

We looked at houses about two weeks ago with an agent in the 94531 area code, the newer area near Prewett Park, bordered by Lone Tree / Deer Valley / Hillcrest. Honestly, we really liked it as our first impression. I think it's the closeness to Brentwood that appeals to us.

There's tons of foreclosures in that area right now but the houses themselves are really nice and the neighborhood looks decent. But what's the real scoop? I'm hoping that the fact that it's a Mello-Roos district will keep out the slums but I wanted other opinions.

Sorry, mello roo's doesn't keep out anything. The Feds just pay the bill for the section 8ers.