Relocating to Santa Cruz/Aptos Area (San Diego, San Jose: home, neighborhood, to buy)

[matnmiss]

I am looking for any feedback from anyone that has relocated to the Santa Cruz Area. I did read the other thread on "moving to Santa Cruz" but was hoping to hear from anyone that has actually relocated and is still living there. Good/bad points? We are a married couple with 3 kids elementary/junior high school age. We just got back from visiting the area and we really liked the Aptos/Rio Del Mar neighborhood and schools but we will most likely be commuting into Santa Cruz for work (it sounds like the commute is terrible?)

Any feedback will be appreciated!

[Xela4Now]

I relocated to Santa Cruz and lived there for six years. Like anyplace, it has its good and bad points. It is beautiful. There is a lot to do (especially if you like the outdoors). There are some great people who live in town and it is a very relaxed place to live. The downsides include an incredibly high cost of living and some often annoying politics. I left because I wanted to be back in a city. I suspect someone with kids would be more inclined to stay, as it seems like a good place for that. (There are some excellent schools in town.)

[matnmiss]

Thanks for you response. Where did you move from when you relocated to SC?

[Petrala]

The commute on Hwy 1 from aptos to Santa cruz isn't great but it's nothing compared to most city commutes. Schools in Santa Cruz public are basically okay, nothing stellar.

One thing to consider, if you or anyone in your family has chemical sensitivity is that the State of California is planning on starting aerial spraying again for the Apple Moth. It's not a big deal for most people, but apparently a number of people (those with compromised immune systems and some kids) suffered from some scary serious respiratory issues. LBAMspray.com http://www.LBAMspray.com/Reports/Haiden200805.pdf (broken link) and there's no studies on long term human exposure to the spraying.

I personally know someone whose lungs seem to have been damaged by contact with the spray and they moved from the area.

[AFBum]

We moved here in December of 06 with our two wonderful daughters, ages 7 and 6 now. Actually my wife was born and raised in Aptos, so for her it was a homecoming. I'm from Arizona, but we moved from Colorado where I was stationed for my enlistment in the Air Force.

We currently live in Aptos, but I work in Monterey so I'm not really familiar with the traffic going the other way during rush hour. The schools here are OK, but keep in mind that California as a whole is known for having pretty bad public schools. All I'm saying is a 10 of 10 public school in California, is not as a good as a 10 of 10 school elsewhere.

Our kids absolutely love it here, and there is always something to do. The food is excellent, the weather is nice, and jobs seem plentiful (I work in IT so YMMV).

As I'm sure you already know, Santa Cruz county is very expensive and has higher tax rates, but if you can swing it, it's an awesome lifestyle.

Let me know if you had any more specific questions.

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by matnmiss

I am looking for any feedback from anyone that has relocated to the Santa Cruz Area. I did read the other thread on "moving to Santa Cruz" but was hoping to hear from anyone that has actually relocated and is still living there. Good/bad points? We are a married couple with 3 kids elementary/junior high school age. We just got back from visiting the area and we really liked the Aptos/Rio Del Mar neighborhood and schools but we will most likely be commuting into Santa Cruz for work (it sounds like the commute is terrible?)

Any feedback will be appreciated!

Especially since you have a family, i'd focus on Soquel and Aptos.
From either, commuting to Santa Cruz will not be that bad. It's stop and go in the morning and evening rush hours but you're so close that you won't be sitting in traffic for too long. But yeah, it's a pain. At least you don't have to go over the hill to San Jose!
Also, there are some little tricks to avoid HW1 traffic and you'll get familiar with those .... problem is, other people are increasingly getting familiar with them.
I'm not sure who has a better school system, Aptos or Soquel but both are family friendly towns and Rio Del Mar is a very nice area.
And someone mentioned the aerial spraying for the light brown apple moth.
Victory is ours. It was announced yesterday that there will be no more spraying in populated / urban areas.
They may spray agricultural lands after the environmental impact report is completed but that won't be until next year and you can bet they'll be protest about that as well.
It's a great area. I love Santa Cruz and i can't imagine why a kid wouldn't like (love?) it. Lots to do with a wonderful combination of urban-ness and nature .... and if you end of in Rio Del Mar your just minutes from the best beaches in the county.
There will be more fog there in the summer than if you lived just a bit more inland in either Soquel or Aptos but on a day like today, i wish it was foggy. It's hot, hot, hot and dry here at the moment. And by October(ish) the fog isn't an issue and doesn't really return until summer. And it's not everyday but certainly there are many summer days when you'll be dealing with some fog. It's great for hair and skin though
Good luck.

[Petrala]

Originally Posted by rubyskye

Especially since you have a family, i'd focus on Soquel and Aptos.
From either, commuting to Santa Cruz will not be that bad. It's stop and go in the morning and evening rush hours but you're so close that you won't be sitting in traffic for too long. But yeah, it's a pain. At least you don't have to go over the hill to San Jose!
Also, there are some little tricks to avoid HW1 traffic and you'll get familiar with those .... problem is, other people are increasingly getting familiar with them.
I'm not sure who has a better school system, Aptos or Soquel but both are family friendly towns and Rio Del Mar is a very nice area.
And someone mentioned the aerial spraying for the light brown apple moth.
Victory is ours. It was announced yesterday that there will be no more spraying in populated / urban areas.
They may spray agricultural lands after the environmental impact report is completed but that won't be until next year and you can bet they'll be protest about that as well.
It's a great area. I love Santa Cruz and i can't imagine why a kid wouldn't like (love?) it. Lots to do with a wonderful combination of urban-ness and nature .... and if you end of in Rio Del Mar your just minutes from the best beaches in the county.
There will be more fog there in the summer than if you lived just a bit more inland in either Soquel or Aptos but on a day like today, i wish it was foggy. It's hot, hot, hot and dry here at the moment. And by October(ish) the fog isn't an issue and doesn't really return until summer. And it's not everyday but certainly there are many summer days when you'll be dealing with some fog. It's great for hair and skin though
Good luck.

YAY! NO more nasty aerial spraying!!!!!

[princesscaffeine]

I grew up in Santa Cruz but unfortunately had to move away because I couldn't afford to buy a house. I hope to move back in the future.
Since then I have lived in San Diego which was too hot and too crowded and then moved to Oregon which is way too rainy and gloomy in the winter.
It was a great place to live as a kid and as an adult.

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by princesscaffeine

I grew up in Santa Cruz but unfortunately had to move away because I couldn't afford to buy a house. I hope to move back in the future.
Since then I have lived in San Diego which was too hot and too crowded and then moved to Oregon which is way too rainy and gloomy in the winter.
It was a great place to live as a kid and as an adult.

Maybe you'll be able to move back and buy a home sooner than later.
I just read in the S.C. Sentinel last week that the average price of a home in the county decreased by 51K in one month. Could that be? I think i read that right.

[Petrala]

Originally Posted by rubyskye

Maybe you'll be able to move back and buy a home sooner than later.
I just read in the S.C. Sentinel last week that the average price of a home in the county decreased by 51K in one month. Could that be? I think i read that right.

The average home in Santa CRuz is still way overvalued for what it is. But from what it sounds like the economic news isn't going to be great anytime soon, so that leaves more times for the SC area to adjust itself to a somewhat more earthly pricing level.