Best Place to Live in CA? (San Diego, San Francisco: real estate, new home, high school)

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Roundtruck

I am surprized cre8 didn't suggest Oxnard. Ventura County is considered very safe. Ojai Valley is inland a lttle, warm, and rural. Ventura is not exaclty rural, but far from "city living".

Agreed. Based on teklanika's description of what she's looking for, I'd put west Ventura County second to SLO. Perhaps south-coast Santa Barbara third since cost is a factor. Fourth and fifth maybe somewhere along the south Orange County or north San Diego County coasts. The south counties (Orange/SD) are warmer than the north (VTA/SB/SLO), but they're also more populated. South ranks higher for warmth; north higher for rural living. What's more important for you teklanika? All of the areas discussed here are outside of greater L.A. and San Diego, BTW.

[bythesea]

Originally Posted by teklanika

Hi there all,

I'm in the midst of searching for a new place to live, and I've narrowed it down to either CA or FL. I was raised on the east coast and am pretty familiar with Florida, but I'm stumped when it comes to picking a place in California to even research. My primary concerns are safety (as in small town safety, not "it's relatively safe for a large-city"), sunshine and warmth (got to get away from the nor'easters), and availability of houses (not apartments/condos/townhouses) for rent. I know I can get what I'm looking for in certain parts of Florida, and still live near or on the ocean.

Any ideas on which places I should focus on in CA, or should I just scratch the idea all together and go on ahead to Florida?

Look into Pacific Grove California. Weather is like San Francisco, they do get fog though. If you like warm summers you won't find them there. Safety and beauty abound however.

[sayfrog]

I have to put in my two cents about San Luis Obispo. We moved there from Maine over three years ago, also wanting to escape the Nor'easters and months of wet gray weather. We found SLO by accident, while traveling with family through California and liked it so much that within 6 months we had packed up our life and moved there!

The weather is amazing, warm days with cool nights (like early fall in New England!), NO humidity - during the rainy season the hills are bright green and lush. It is so different from anything on the east coast weather wise that we lived in a state of amazement for months. While most of the other coastal town that border SLO are blanketed in fog through the summer, SLO is sunny ALL THE TIME! It's great if you want the sun to recharge your life!!

One of the things that attracted us was the idea of being able to live close to the down town area - it is very pedestrian friendly, like all cities should be! We were able to find an apartment very close to down town and we both walked to our jobs, even coming home for lunch! We eventually moved across town to a house, but were still able to walk to work.

If your looking to buy a house, be ready to pay what you would for beachfront property in New England, but if you're looking to rent, it's about the same as housing in Massachusetts and Maine along the coast. Our 2 bedroom, one bath, totally renovated bungalow, in a great, quiet neighborhood was $1400/month.

We'd still be there but we had the opportunity to live in Mexico for a while and so we left . . . but it was hard to leave!! One of the things I like about where we are now is that the weather is almost exactly the same as SLO.

[davewrenn85]

I lived in the Bay Area for 25 years and really loved it. Very urban, great food, people and I think, the best climate in California (never too hot or too cold). Also lived in Moss Beach (22 miles So. of SF) which was also really nice. Very rural, you would never know you were so close to a major us city if you didnt know better. I love the central California cost (near the Bay Area).

Then, 6 years ago, I gave up my ocean view (mistake) and moved to the So. California Desert area of Palm Springs. I was over "the city" its traffic bla bla bla....just needed a change to a smaller, quieter way of life. Even though I hated it here for the first year, just couldnt take the heat, but you know what, Ive done a complete 180 and now I cant imagine living anywhere else. FABULOUS weather fall, winter and spring and YES, it can get hot in the summer but thats what AC and pools are for. You really do get used to the heat, I actually look forward to it come about April every year. Housing in all of California has gotten expensive, but its much less here in the desert. They have over-built in parts of the eastern valley (La Quinta, Indio) so one can buy a new house for 350-400K which, in CA, is CHEAP. Palm Springs is more expensive, but in my opinion, the best city in the valley to live.

The San Bernardino mountains are only an hour away (skiing at Big Bear, the lake, Lake Arrowhead) so there are plenty of get aways for weekend. San Diego and LA are only 2 hours away also. You can get your "city fix" if needed easily.


Anyway, good luck..its a hard choice. If you have the luxury of time, take a road trip and just discover the state.

Let me know!

[golompico]

Check out the Santa Cruz Mountain area. Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale and Boulder Creek. Very scenic and small mountain communities. Beautiful area and only a hop, skip and a jump from the central coast gem of Santa Cruz.

[MegAsh]

Monterey is not overcrowded. There are enough jobs if you are in the hospitality, service, healthcare industry.
The nice areas are Pacific Grove, Carmel, All of monterey accept north of the Naval school. The rent here is $900 for a nice place with low crime right near the beach and includes water and gas hauling usually (like mine).
Basic residential line is $10.69/month.
My car insurance dropped by 50% when I moved here.
Most importantly there is no crime, perfect weather, lots of nature in its natural form and independent places to still visit. It is almost as if Monterey has left the rest of the world behind to live in its own world.
You will want to stay away from Seaside and marina for sure, for they are filled with military barricks (abandoned) and lots of broken dreams and poorer immigrants.
I will probably stay in Monterey until I can leave the country, hopefully before the disease spreads here.

[konijn]

If you like coastal living, AND sun, go to Orange COunty. Check out rental homes in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach. Your 10-15 minutes from the beach and you have weather from 75-85. So it's warm but not as sizzling as inland areas. Please don't go to Bakersfield. Also Los Angeles is gross! Nice homes , true, but you'll see this lingering brown layer in summer and spring. Really bad air. Are you sure you are commited to renting a home though? Renting a home is over $2300, really expensive in Irvine and nearby areas a little more south. Here are some towns that are within 20 minutes from the beach and also you have warm-hot weather and SAFE neighborhoods, lots of families that's not to ex-out singles either. Here they are: Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Orange, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Ladera Ranch, ALiso Viejo, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch. Brea is a little far from the beach, you need to take a freeway. It's a clear drive, it will take you 25 minutes, if it's traffic which is more likely, it will take you 50 minutes. We live in the Costa Mesa/Huntington Beach area and we LOVE it here. Climate is from 68-85 in the summer and we are right next to the beach. Lots of sunshine with out sizzling miserably like in other inland areas. Lots of convenient shops, cafe's, eateries everywhere. People are laid back and have live and let live attitude. We feel very safe. Your always going to have the small crimes/robberies anywhere you go! Florida has hurricanes and humidity, no no no -don't go there, come to California. The only thing we have are earthquakes and we haven't had a big one since 1986. In the Costa Mesa/Huntington beach area , we don't really feel them nearly as much as the people in the Los ANgeles area and the deserts. We may get a little ripple that dies off to our area but you don't even notice them sometimes......enjoy California and check out those towns first before you go to Florida! - GOOD LUCK!

[kansaslady]

I grew up on the coast, Ventura County. We left mainly due to the high crime rate in that area and the ridiculously high cost of living (housing, mianly).

What I did like about Vta Cty was the diversity of ocean/mountains/scenery, and of course the mild climate (especially in the winter months!).

I didn't like the chilly summer days due to the coastal fog - which some days did NOT burn off until 5 p.m.! 'Course one has to be careful what they wish for because I don't get the fog in the summer, but it is definitely HOT! LOL

Crime in Ventura had become unbearable. With a lot of gangs in the area, it was not safe in any part of town.

A poster talked about the fog in the Bakersfield area....seems like the worse of it (Tule Fog) was towards the end of the year. And it's true that you can't even seen the hood of your car! Traveling on the Grapevine in that fog is terrifying and treacherous! Bakersfield is too far inland for my taste though.

IF I were able to move back to CA, I'm not sure at this point where I'd choose to live. It's all too expensive for my budget. I do think that N CA has the most beautiful scenery.

There are many good people in CA; and lots of positive points about living there. There is good and bad everywhere, it's all relative to what you personally are looking for....we all know that no place is perfect....what's important is to find a place that's perfect for you and your family.

Good luck!

[wyldeflower]

I am a seattle girl...............looking for a small, rural california town. I've driven to many california cities and cannot live in city sprawl and stress. My oldest son lives in San diego...............aside from the ocean..............I see no other qualities that would get me there. I love Santa Barbara............but again............its pretty congested and very expensive. I am a nurse and all my nurse colleagues who have moved from california have told me its a nightmare down there............thats why they moved here. I'm not willing to give up yet. I love hot weather............I am a southern girl at heart............lived in Texas.........loved it, but too flat and dry. I love horses and animals..........I want simple........."little house on the prairie". I used to live in a "artsi" hippy community up here on an island...........got burned out on the liberal agenda/fighting for every cause under the sun...........left wing "stuff". Dont do that.
Does anyone know about northern california areas around sacramento............auburn..........rocklin..... ....shasta. I still want hot.............but dont mind real seasons. How about Grover beach or Fallbrook? How about farm areas and low crime areas? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[greatbasinguide]

Nearly impossible to cover all aspects, Grover City,,, I can't bring myself to call it by the silly name, since it is not on the beach. Is cool and foggy and low income. Fallbrook is south of Bakersfield SoCal has over 10 million people...

The north Californian areas you mention are expensive, Sacramento is flat and really boring as is most of the Central Valley. Mt Shasta city fits your parameters, however Ashland Oregon seems to be the place you want to be. Get a house on land grow blackberries. San Luis Obispo is a fine town also. Chico is a good town. Depending on what you want.... look at Bishop CA. or Alturas.