Soquel-Corralitos-SV-Aptos??? (San Jose, Fremont, Santa Clara: low crime, homes, employment)

[OperationRelocation]

Let me start by saying I sure hope I'm posting this in the right place!

Hi everyone!
I am a young wife and mother from the Central (San Joaquin) Valley and I have big hopes and determination to move away from here! I do not want to raise my children here- for reasons from the crime rate to the percentage of people abusing welfare...to the filth that is this valley. I have wanted to move since I was a teenager! I even had the luxury of living in Capitola as a nanny to some relatives for a short time...but I was young and homesick and came back to marry the love of my life and have 2 beautiful children.

I've searched these forums on and off for a couple of years now trying to get an idea of where to go, and I've decided it's finally time to just ask. (I am crossing my fingers a few of the very wise and knowledgable members I see frequently posting will reply, jaijai to name one that comes to mind!)

My husband is from the country, grew up on a ranch and I've trapped him in the city for a few too many years. He needs space and a sense of outdoorsy country living, while I myself grew up in the city, love both country and city life, but need a happy medium. I don't want to feel like we live in the boondocks, and I want to have relatively close access to city ammenities. He would ideally love a little bit of outdoors space, a place to have a small garden at least, and if his dreams came true a few farm animals or to at least live near farms, ranches, etc. My heart is on the coast. I could live in a shoe box if it meant we had ocean and a great community.

My utmost requirements are SAFETY. I want to live somewhere where there's a sense of security (I'm not being unrealistic and I know there's no place that's completely safe) but I also know there are plenty of places with great communities that are not made up of welfare-dwellers, drug abusers, parolees, ruthless criminals that range in ages from young tweens to whatever age. I want to find a place that prides itself on having a great well-rounded community where parks, farmers markets and community events are safe and fun and enjoyable. I want to feel safe taking my kids outside to play, I want to feel safe going to the grocery store after sunset. I want to feel good about my children participating in city league sports and not worry about what ghetto park games and practices will be and what kind of low-life parents we'll have to deal with. I want to live somewhere where jobs are treasured and sought after and the unemployment rate is low and only due to lack of jobs and not lack of people willing or wanting to work. I want to live somewhere I feel comfortable going out on a date with my husband to have drinks or watch a movie and not worry what's going to happen when we go to our car at 10-11 pm. I'm not racist, I have no issues with mixtures of cultures, and I welcome positive diversity. I just firmly believe there is a better place to raise my children than in the crime/gang/drug infested valley that we're in now.

I'm ready for a change and the only way to begin this process is to start educating myself and finding assistance and guidance from others!

I will need to be within a reasonable distance of a hospital (or if anyone knows of any birthing centers). My husband is in upper management in the casino industry (think non-indian res), however I know his windows of opportunity can be endless and that's not going to be the biggest issue or deal breaker. Neither of us can or want to live in a ritzy, too-upscale, keep up with the joneses kind of place, but at the same time we need a place where the people who live there strive to make it a great place to live. At the same time, we need to be within a reasonable distance to his and my family here in the valley that driving to them or them to us wouldn't take more than a half a day.

I would love opinions on any place at all (preferably in this vicinity to Northern Ca) that might be a fit for us or a starting point as far as where to look. Not limiting to the places I listed in the subject. I am so sorry for this being so long and I thank anyone for taking the time to read this and give any input!

Consider this a plea!

[ippi76]

Wow, that's a long post, but here's something quick:

Nowhere in CA is there LOW unemployment. Even in the Bay Area, it is still 8+ percent. There are more jobs than the valley, yes, but there is fierce competition unless you are an engineer or highly-skilled technical-science worker.

What you're asking for is WAY more expensive than the valley, but I'm guessing you already know that.

Honestly, Scotts Valley and Aptos are great, but I can't imagine there'd be that many jobs and both towns are super small.

Bigger places which are safe, have more employment options, family-oriented are Cupertino, Campbell, Fremont, Milpitas Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Mountain View to name a few. Lots of people will say these are all bland suburbia though.

[OperationRelocation]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. Sorry for such a long-winded post. I guess that's the reason for the lack of replies. I'll try again.

[jaypee]

So, um, what's your budget? Where/What industry are you planning to find employment? Hospitals are common, casinos aren't.

[gracieanna]

Scotts Valley and Aptos are very safe, a bit pricey and definitely have some of that "keep-up-with-the-Joneses" feel at times. Scotts Valley is a great commute location for employment in San Jose/Santa Clara area or beyond.
Corralitos is much more rural with farm/ranch type properties, spread far from each other. Also very safe, I'm sure and possibly the most affordable. Soquel is probably your happy medium. Not too upscale, low crime and I think there are some more rural properties on the outskirts. None of these locations are cheap by any means, even by California standards.
For a very small town feel, you might like Felton, Ben Lomond or Boulder Creek (in the San Lorenzo Valley-Santa Cruz Mountains.)