Relocating to Vallejo (Martinez, Benicia, American Canyon: renting, crime, new home)

[galloplove]

I recently have been offered a job in Vallejo and I was just wondering if anyone can give me some advise. I am just wondering if it is a safe area. This will be my first move away from a town of 25,000 population. I am a little scared.

[Boompa]

Try Mare Island, 94592. It's a former Naval Base which is slightly isolated from the rest of Vallejo. Five years ago houses there were going over $700K then fell to $200K and are back up around $400K now.
It would allow you to retain your small town feel

[PeixeGato]

Originally Posted by Boompa

Try Mare Island, 94592. It's a former Naval Base which is slightly isolated from the rest of Vallejo. Five years ago houses there were going over $700K then fell to $200K and are back up around $400K now.
It would allow you to retain your small town feel

Mare Island is nice and has beautiful new homes, but be aware that you will be completely car dependent. It has a walkability score of just 29 out of 100 on walkscore.com. I don't believe there is any retail of any kind on the island itself.

You might want to look at a town like Benicia instead. Also, I'd suggest renting for a year so you can get familiar with the area and decide for yourself where you might want to buy a house.

[ibayiish]

Vallejo it's an okay area, i moved back here from san fran - big diffrence. wow 25,000 that's small but the best area in vallejo is East Vallejo the houses are nicer and it's just better I live in college park which is nice too, very quiet but it's in north east vallejo over by mini dr.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Check out American Canyon.

[Boompa]

Originally Posted by PeixeGato

Mare Island is nice and has beautiful new homes, but be aware that you will be completely car dependent. It has a walkability score of just 29 out of 100 on walkscore.com. I don't believe there is any retail of any kind on the island itself.

You might want to look at a town like Benicia instead. Also, I'd suggest renting for a year so you can get familiar with the area and decide for yourself where you might want to buy a house.

Walkscores are bogus, mine is 42 I am a bllock from the biggest mall in town.
I can't think of many neighborhoods around Vallejo that aren't car dependent.
Mare Island recently got a MAJOR industrial boost by a French Company that is refurbishing all of Caltrains Cars there. So it may be the booming place in the area

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Boompa

Walkscores are bogus, mine is 42 I am a bllock from the biggest mall in town.
I can't think of many neighborhoods around Vallejo that aren't car dependent.
Mare Island recently got a MAJOR industrial boost by a French Company that is refurbishing all of Caltrains Cars there. So it may be the booming place in the area

Houston has a Walk Score of 91 out of 100... but NOBODY walks here! The algorithm they use to calculate the score needs some tweaking!

[sav858]

If you're scared of moving away from a town of 25k then move to Benicia, American Canyon, or Martinez instead of Vallejo. Vallejo is a bankrupt, crime ridden dump with horrible schools and public services. It is just not a nice town or anyplace I'd recommend someone from a small town to move to. I know I'm being harsh but I truly hate that city for various personal reasons. Pretty much all of my family was born there and most have moved away by now and it was one of best things my parents ever did for my family. If you're not from there I highly doubt you'll be able to adjust to all the BS that goes on there.

[andlw2004]

I live in Vallejo and it is ok. If you are looking for more of a small town feel I would look at Benicia. You won't have any big retail stores there but it is very nice and quaint. Vallejo does have some problems and hopefully we'll get some new people in there who can turn things around. I don't mind living in Vallejo as it was more affordable than other cities we were looking at but doesn't have the small town feel. Good luck.

[flypnay704]

Originally Posted by sav858

Vallejo is a bankrupt, crime ridden dump with horrible schools and public services. It is just not a nice town or anyplace I'd recommend someone from a small town to move to. I know I'm being harsh but I truly hate that city for various personal reasons. Pretty much all of my family was born there and most have moved away by now and it was one of best things my parents ever did for my family. If you're not from there I highly doubt you'll be able to adjust to all the BS that goes on there.

yes...keep it real, sav858 - tell it like it is. I lived in Vallejo for 2 years after I graduated high school. It's hard to find a job in Vallejo, and if you don't live in a GOOD neighborhood (notice, I didn't even use the word "DECENT"), you will have problems - whether it be your neighbors or people that just roll into your neighborhood visiting friends. If you want to live in a nicer part, you may want to check out Hiddenbrooke (near a golf course) - it's considered Vallejo, however it is so far from Vallejo, it's almost a stand alone city. Mare Island is nice, yes - however I hear (and correct me if I'm wrong) that there's a lot of traffic in & out of there b/c there's only one way in & out (entrance wise), but the housing is affordable. Yes Vallejo DID go bankrupt, and because of that, many places have closed down (businesses & shops). Ghetto has spilled over into many of the surrounding areas & I have heard people complain that there are now more car break ins and thefts than ever before.

I suggest finding a good part of Vallejo and renting to see if you want to purchase there. Housing prices are great in Vallejo now because the housing market is crappy & because V-town is bankrupt. You probably may also want to look into American Canyon (most parts, not all are nicer than Vallejo) and Benicia.