need advice on moving to Santa Cruz (San Jose, Fremont: apartment, crime)

[Wisteria]

So Santa Cruz is Berkley by the sea? I had a friend that lived in Aptos and liked it. That city is close enough to Santa Cruz and I hear its much nicer when it comes to the neighborhoods? I could be wrong.. but usually nicer comes with a higher price too.

Well, sort of, except not as political. It's more Boulder (CO) by the Sea. Having lived in all three places, it's more like Boulder than Berkeley -- although I supposed it's moot because they're all pretty similar. Aptos and Santa Cruz aren't much different in price. You can always shop around and find something.

I live in the mountains now (Felton), which is cheaper but there is more rain in the winter.....so coming from the eastcoast, it would seem like a cold Spring.

My commute to Santa Cruz is only 15 minutes from Felton -- from Aptos it can actually be longer because there's more traffic.

Santa Cruz or any of the surrounding towns like Scotts Valley, Felton, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Capitola, Soquel or Aptos will give you lots of choices (and lots of non-cookie cutter homes), and quick access to the beach and the redwoods. It's not the eastcoast, and it will be different -- so just embrace the differences, enjoy the beauty here, and have fun!

If you really feel strongly about coming here, then do it. Often our instinct is stronger than what anyone can tell us. Good luck to you!

[AA702]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Well, sort of, except not as political. It's more Boulder (CO) by the Sea. Having lived in all three places, it's more like Boulder than Berkeley -- although I supposed it's moot because they're all pretty similar. Aptos and Santa Cruz aren't much different in price. You can always shop around and find something.

I live in the mountains now (Felton), which is cheaper but there is more rain in the winter.....so coming from the eastcoast, it would seem like a cold Spring.

My commute to Santa Cruz is only 15 minutes from Felton -- from Aptos it can actually be longer because there's more traffic.

Santa Cruz or any of the surrounding towns like Scotts Valley, Felton, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Capitola, Soquel or Aptos will give you lots of choices (and lots of non-cookie cutter homes), and quick access to the beach and the redwoods. It's not the eastcoast, and it will be different -- so just embrace the differences, enjoy the beauty here, and have fun!

If you really feel strongly about coming here, then do it. Often our instinct is stronger than what anyone can tell us. Good luck to you!

I remembered one rainy day back in the early 90's, my friend's family moved to Ben Lomond. I dont remember the road, but its off 9 and there was a bridge and you had to turn right. I went up the wrong road and it became a dirt road. Well, it was pouring rain and the U-haul got stuck in mud. It took 2 tow trucks to get it out It does rain a lot in the mountains but it sure was very green!

[jmhunter]

Ya.... Lompico et al is quite back woods. My in laws live "in-town" in boulder creek. Most people find the mountain towns (Most especially lompico) TWANGY, to say the least.. As of recent there is enclaves of Silicon Valley execs who have moved up, driving home prices especially towards los gatos up quite a bit!

When I say twangy... I mean lompico is very much in the spirit of Deliverance.

Boulder creek, ben lomond, felton, definitely not as much that way... but it's still there.

mysticaltyger pretty much hit the nail right on the head... santa cruz is a delapetated, crappy town, who hates their "oppressive" (in their view) law enforcement services, yet cries when they take two minutes to respond to a noise complaint.

As a liberal myself I agree again with mysticaltyger... The liberal politics are very self serving and snooty...

There is also is quite a bit of psychosis in santa cruz, and tends to be a magnet for sufferers of such ailments....

[Wisteria]

JMHunter: Ya.... Lompico et al is quite back woods. My in laws live "in-town" in boulder creek. Most people find the mountain towns (Most especially lompico) TWANGY, to say the least.. As of recent there is enclaves of Silicon Valley execs who have moved up, driving home prices especially towards los gatos up quite a bit!

When I say twangy... I mean lompico is very much in the spirit of Deliverance.

Boulder creek, ben lomond, felton, definitely not as much that way... but it's still there.

mysticaltyger pretty much hit the nail right on the head... santa cruz is a delapetated, crappy town, who hates their "oppressive" (in their view) law enforcement services, yet cries when they take two minutes to respond to a noise complaint.

As a liberal myself I agree again with mysticaltyger... The liberal politics are very self serving and snooty...

There is also is quite a bit of psychosis in santa cruz, and tends to be a magnet for sufferers of such ailments....

My, my, the anti-Santa Cruz person. I have a feeling your stay here was not good, and your feelings are based on your past experiences. However, since you live in the Salinas area, I wouldn't snub my nose at the Santa Cruz Mountains.

And, yes, prices have gone up a lot there, and as a result, almost all the homes are owner-occupied -- quite a contrast to what it was in the past. Same buildings, very different people. Many professionals, many wealthy, and many hard-working people.

Since this has now turned into a Santa Cruz bashing thread, and I don't think it is helpful to those trying to make decisions about a move, I will retreat from here. Negative insults based on personal bad experiences, are not necessary. I refuse to continue when it spirals into bashing.

As I usually state, those who are looking to relocate, please do your own thorough research -- and visit a place first -- your own experience is your best guide.

Good luck to you.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

My, my, the anti-Santa Cruz person.
[... ]
Negative insults based on personal bad experiences, are not necessary.

Shoot, this is nothing. You ought to see all the hate threads on Kingman that I have to put up with.

Santa Cruz is a charming seaside town, with world-class sailing and surfing, along the most beautiful coastline in the country, backed by the gorgeous Santa Cruz mountain range, within a stones throw of Silicon Valley, and striking distance to SF, Napa Valley and Tahoe, and so many other cool places. It's paradise if you want it to be!

[ElenaF]

I grew up and live in Santa Cruz. I'm moving out because I can no longer afford to live in my own home town. Can't afford to buy the house I grew up in.

The whole hispanic gangs thing is bull. That's almost all down south in Watsonville and Salinas. We get an occasional banger coming up to go to the Boardwalk, but for the most part the hispanics here are the maids and nannies and gardeners of the well-heeled.

This town is basically a bedroom community for the Silicon Valley, a retirement and vacation community for very rich people, and a layover for liberal arts majors at UCSC.

The cost of living is ridiculous. Take the medain US cost of living and double it. To rent a decent room with a bunch of other college students here will run you around $800/month. Affordable housing (a relative term) cannot be found in town - one must go waaaaay up in the woods, or down south to the commercial ag fields to find it. If driving down 20 miles of narrow winding mountain road to get to town is your thing, then you will find a lovely romantic cabin-in-the-woods deal waiting here for you.

There's not much to do unless you enjoy surfing in 55 degree shark-infested water, or going to the same tired college bars over and over. Oh yeah, there's always some quasi-spiritual newagey class or another going on, usually at a pretty hefty cost. Learn how to navelgaze from a fourth-level breathetarian master for only $75 a session, that kind of junk.

On the plus side, the area is absolutely dropdead gorgeous, and there's great hiking/biking trails. That's why all the rich folks have moved here and run up the real estate prices. Buying a home? Median is now somewhere around $800,000. There is no actual middle class anymore.

The economy is almost completely tourist and service-driven, and most jobs in town are low paying, hiring either college kids or immigrants to fill them (there's a growing number of eastern europeans right now). There is no real industry or jobs per say. Most everyone with a decent job has to commute "over the hill" out of town to Silicon Valley. There is a very VERY high percentage of luxury cars here. For every Toyota on a lot, you will count at least one BMW, a Lexus, and a Mercedez parked next to it.

If you want world-class anything (arts, cuisine, shopping etc), you will have to drive up to The City (that would be San Francisco). San Fran is about 1-1/2 hours away to the north. The only exception would be world-class golf, with the famous Pebble Beach club an hour away south in Carmel.

Upscale, gorgeous, and the kind of tight-assed liberal that only real money can buy - that's what Santa Cruz is. If you want to live here, it's visually beautiful, the mindset is fairly relaxed, the weather very mediterranean, and you need plenty of money. So plan on either bringing it, or commuting to get it.

[girlbard11]

It's nice to hear of an east coaster who is thriving in the area in and around Santa Cruz. As a Mainer who plans to move to the area via New Mexico, I feel encouraged but really do wonder about the housing situiation. I will be a renter for a while once there so I am hoping for that "deal" that would make of affordable for me and my daughter. I would actually prefer the outskirts to the town proper.
Any thoughts?

[Capt. Dan]

Dont! Santa Cruz is overpriced, full of people who seem to have forgotten that the 60's are over and have ruled and regulated themselves to death!

[mikeo1210]

Ask anyone in the Bay area where they'd live if they could afford it and they'd tell you Santa Cruz. Call it ghetto.. while you're packing you're brown bags to come sit on our beaches and eat lunch. These people only know how to go Ocean St. to Beach St. to the boardwalk and straight back again. Of course these aren't the desirable areas they're full of Valley traffic.

Second thought.. it's totally true.. it's *all* ghetto.. *nothing* but hippies, mexican gangs and poor people. Don't come! Oh yea.. surfing sucks too.. don't try it. Stay where you are!

Listen to the guy from Tennessee.. he knows what he's talking about. LOL.

[Palindromed]

Santa Cruz is a laid back town mostly based on a tourist economy. Couple that with UC Santa Cruz and the beach Boardwalk and you get a sleepy ocean side community during offseasons. During summer time the place thrives as all the kids head to the beach to be seen, but for the most part, its an ocean side community circa 60's hippies :O)

The landscape is so-so to me - not exactly what I would invision to be the beautiful California coast. If you want that, drive down to Big Sur. Santa Cruz was nice back in the 60's-70's but it has aged quite a bit. Most of the buildings are not modern looking and the streets in some areas look dirty. As you drive from 880 into downtown towards the wharf, yeah, it looks like crackhouses.

If I had a choice, I would rather live in Aptos Seascape than Santa Cruz.