Did I miss the nice parts of Ventura? (Los Angeles, San Diego: middle-class, rentals)

[user_id]

Originally Posted by rgb123

In terms of crime, I see more action from Oxnard than I do from Ventura, which is what I'm currently looking for. Overall, I do not have enough information or knowledge of the are to judge the city governments of each. In terms of short term living, a gang injunction is more valuable to me than subsidized housing for artists.

I'm not even sure why a city would dim housing subsidies for artists to be important. How exactly does that help the local economy?

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by user_id

Also, in terms of "things getting worse", I'm sure some of that has to do with the recession. Vacancy rates in the area started to decline between 2008~2010 and I think the management of large complexes started to lower their standards a bit. Vacancy rates are starting to improve though as people finally get kicked out of their homes that they haven't paid for in 1-2 years and the economy starts to improve.

Also, I should add, though its less of a factor today than a couple years ago you have to be a careful when renting from private landlords in California. Many are accidental landlords that are renting out their investments that went sour and are just a few hairs from not paying their mortgage. I'd suggest going through an established real estate agent, won't cost you anything and they have relationships with the landlords.

Thanks, useful information. the situation IS much different there in terms of apartments there than most places and this provides some explanation. Generally didn't have to be so careful in Texas or anywhere I have lived, and I lived in Florida in 2004 when these thigns were not issues. I paid a paltry $400 for an awesome shared apartment with my best friend in Naples, FL. It was so nice. I lived in Rocklin, CA in 2008 and paid $795 for a one bedroom, it too was quite nice.

I am weary of renting homes for reasons stated. I've managed to avoid being hurt by the housing situation (other than indirectly) it annoys me to think of inheriting other people's problems while I've been living as a renter the whole time since college.

[HSP1161]

Originally Posted by user_id

The average highs are in the mid 80's:

Thousand Oaks, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wait, the source for Wikipedia's data is... WEATHER.COM! Someone's head is going to explode, and it ain't mine!

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by user_id

I'm not even sure why a city would dim housing subsidies for artists to be important. How exactly does that help the local economy?

It may help the economy in terms of beautification, or having that 'artsy' vibe....HOWEVER. It doesn't appear to be good timing.

If decent relativly high income single people like me can only afford to rent ghetto like apartments in Ventura while the artists get to live basically free in what appear to be awesome apartments it is just infuriating!

I drove by those apartments with extreme interest wondering how to get in...only to read about them later...frustrating.

I wouldn't mind if I could at least rent something comparable there, but as someone who works 5 days a week at a highly stressful job, I can't expect to do that there. The artists would probably have more disposable income at the end of the day than myself.

[Pedro2000]

Everybody has opinions. Sometimes people
refuse to believe any other opinions or facts that don't support their own beliefs.
I think South Florida is s dump. Ghettos everywhere. Naples is a bit cleaner, but it's
Nothingville. People move to Florida to retire. Except now the older folk are dying off and
Younger poor islanders are moving in. The west coast of Florida is starting to feel the same issues as
Miami-dade and broward counties.

So you can visit Ventura for a few days and do some
Research and have your opinion. There are issues. There are gangs.
There are poor areas. There are areas to avoid.
But overall, Ventura County is pretty safe compared to many other places.

I lived in South Florida for over a year and
Have family members who have lived there for over 40 years.
Dont spit out nonsense you really have no
Clue about. And it's not recent that Florida has had drug
And gang problems.

And your perspective is Kind of skewed.
I'd love to live in some million dollar home in a
Milion dollar neighborhood In Malibu or thousand Oaks or Laguna Beach or
Mercer Island or the Hamptons. But i can't. So I shouldn't expect an apartment complex to
Give me the same safety as those kinds of places.

Some apartments are better than others. But it's an apartment. And if
It's a complex with 500 units of various shapes and sizes, you really have no control over who lives near you. I Dont think you really get it. People who own million dollar homes in
Places like thousand oaks want to keep people out of their neighborhoods. They don't want renters like you or I near them. They don't want tons of
Apartment complexes near them. Like it or not apartment complexes are things most homeowners don't want around them. It brings neighborhoods down. If I had a million dollar home I sure wouldn't want to live near some 500 unit apartment complex.

Ventura isn't LA. It's not San Diego or San Fran or the Silicon Valley. It is not the OC and it's not
Santa Barbara. It's not Seattle or Miami or San Antonio.
Some of The nicer well to do areas and neighborhoods are populated with celebrities, wealthy individuals,
Etc. If you can afford to live in these communities, good for you. It's safe and clean.
If you can afford a nice 500k home, it'll probably be in a good area.
But if you're a renter, you really don't have as many choices. Unless you want to overpay for crap.

And really, if you've moved as many times as you claim, what is
The point of all this research and worry about great areas if you'll move in six months anyway?
Nice safe neighborhoods don't stay that way if everybody who lived there was a vagabond like you.
Short term tenants don't actually create an atmosphere that you're looking for.
And if, as you say, you don't make
Tons of Friends and would rather go hiking Alone, why care about artsy neighborhoods?
You really can't tell people how they should live in their communities if you just move in six
Months anyway.

I mean you said you moved to Spokane in October. It's May and you're planning to move again.
And in your short visit to Ventura you seemed to jump on up to Laguna Beach as well.
How much time did you really explore in Ventura if you were only there for a couple of days and one of those days you seemed to be up in South OC. Not exactly a short drive with no traffic.

If I were planning to move to an area, I'd spend my days in that area. I wouldn't spend 4+ hours in a car driving someplace else.

[rgb123]

Wow, talk about jumping to conclusions.

I really am not going to explain my career to you. But I have certainly stayed in most places longer than 2 years. Spokane was the exception not the rule. It's interesting being a DOD contractor, none of the glory of the military, yet we get paid well. Most people would love to have me as neighbor. I come with a free background check thanks to the security clearance.

Your post is mainly based on emotion and has nothing to do with anything really.

But since you asked, I went to Laguna Beach for vacation before I even had knowledge I'd have an interview in Ventura, just so happened to be 2 weeks apart.

Part of building wealth is building income. If I am not willing to move when good opportunities come up I'lll get stuck somewhere in a dead end job. I've been building up to finding a home, and I'm finally at a point carer wise that I'm close to where I wont have to move anywhere, and I'm sorry but it is important to me to want to go somewhere and to feel safe when I get there. I don't sacrifice everything for work.

And your attitude about 500 unit apartments is a bit outdated. The trend is building up not out, people are downsizing, and it is common in many areas for people to rent. People my age are moving around for careers and staying single longer and people do value urbanity over open space (though not always myself).

I am not bringing down anyone's property value. It's the people who have this attitude that 'rent is for low life's that seem to be perpetuating that stigma.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by OpenSky

Wait, the source for Wikipedia's data is... WEATHER.COM! Someone's head is going to explode, and it ain't mine!

Why? I pointed it out for a reason, namely, that its showing numbers wildly different than the numbers you are citing. The information on wiki isn't accurate either, but its much closer. The average highs in Thousand oaks are in the mid 80's, not low 80's.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by rgb123

And your attitude about 500 unit apartments is a bit outdated. The trend is building up not out, people are downsizing, and it is common in many areas for people to rent. People my age are moving around for careers and staying single longer and people do value urbanity over open space (though not always myself).

The attitude that only losers rent is very common in California, especially with people 40+. 20 years ago there was perhaps some truth to it, but today with inflated home prices, a more fluid employment market, etc the shoe is ironically often on the other foot.

I tried to get an older relative to rent instead of buy due to the overall lower costs, but they were only able to it for a short while before the emotions kicked in. So far the choice has cost them a good $50k....

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by user_id

The attitude that only losers rent is very common in California, especially with people 40+. 20 years ago there was perhaps some truth to it, but today with inflated home prices, a more fluid employment market, etc the shoe is ironically often on the other foot.

I tried to get an older relative to rent instead of buy due to the overall lower costs, but they were only able to it for a short while before the emotions kicked in. So far the choice has cost them a good $50k....

They should lose the attitude before they lose much more...It does seem a bit ironic considering the crisis, and similiar emotions probably helped lead to it in the first place.

I have never felt bad about renting or had a negative vibe about it until I researched Las Vegas (for an opportunity working with UNLV) and then now. I encounterered the same thing in Las Vegas around 2007. I turned that job down. Good thing I did, my income has gone up nearly $60,000 since then. If I'd taken the job at UNLV in 2007 I'd never be where I am now in terms of building wealth. I've also avoided some serious pitfalls in terms of buying a house, which there was some pressure to do when all my friends started buying condos out of college. I'm glad I made the choice to keep things relativley simple so I could move if need be. I'd have stopped by now if I had married or found the perfect job, but considering how much I've been able to increase my income in this economy it appears I've made good decisions.

Many (perhaps most) people in NYC rent forever.

[Pedro2000]

I've been a renter. I've moved for work too.
You act like you know it all. My feelings come
From my perspective. A person who buys a million dollar home
Doesn't want to live next to renters. It's that simple.
And you seem to change your mind way too much to be taken seriously.
You say you'd move again. You say you'd move back to the
Mid west. That doesn't sound like somebody interested in putting roots down anywhere.
And at this point, you don't seem to like Ventura all that much as
It is. Why would you put roots down in a place you don't even like ?

Or maybe your just bored at work and need something to do
During business hours.