need liberal, CHEAP, destination in California (San Jose, Chico: apartment, homes, construction)

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by movingawayfromtherain

Hey, I'm just finishing up college, and now live in Olympia Wa, which is a couple hours south of seattle-it's also the rainiest city in the country, which says something.

I need to move some place cheap and funky, artsy, walkable and beach would be nice too. I know such places exist somewhere. The real catch is I need to find a room for like 400 a month. (at least at first).

I'm kindof shocked to see how much more expensive rent is in cali than here. Here you can easilly find a room for 350-500, and same in seattle. So I'm hoping there's an equivalent somewhere in cali. Any adivice is appretiated.

That's a no brain'er any College or University Town or City
away from the "Coast and Mountains".....

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by movingawayfromtherain

Hey, I'm just finishing up college, and now live in Olympia Wa, which is a couple hours south of seattle-it's also the rainiest city in the country, which says something.

I need to move some place cheap and funky, artsy, walkable and beach would be nice too. I know such places exist somewhere. The real catch is I need to find a room for like 400 a month. (at least at first).

I'm kindof shocked to see how much more expensive rent is in cali than here. Here you can easilly find a room for 350-500, and same in seattle. So I'm hoping there's an equivalent somewhere in cali. Any adivice is appretiated.

You're going to need to live like a starving student for a while until you figure out what you want to do with your life. It's pretty hard to start with all the things you want/are looking for, then decide upon a profession later or as you go. It's like putting the cart before the horse.

The areas you descibe definately exist. But they are not cheap. And finding a job in CA is not that easy right now. Best bet would probably be to go to work in the restaurants or super markets just to put food on the table.

Given your (somewhat dreamy) criteria I'd recommend the South Bay (Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan beaches) if you can find a deal on a room like this one: ROOM FOR RENT (http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/roo/2200909921.html - broken link). You'll need to pick up your game though and maybe go back to school at Long Beach State. It's a good state school near the beach.

San Diego County also comes to mind. Look through craiglist and you'll find something most likely near San Diego State.

San Diego, LA and Orange Counties are larger economic hubs. So at least if you land somewhere near there you'll have a fighting chance to get up and running in a career. Though you'll also be competing with more hungry graduates as well. And some of them have clear, well defined goals.

While Chico might be a nice place to live, it's not really the place I would want to start the type of career(s) you are describing. You'll be living in a college town on college kid wages which might appeal to you for a time. But then what?... At some point you'll need to follow the work once you get serious about a profession rather than the ideal location. Then once you establish yourself on a professional level at whatever you do you can pick and choose more. But sometimes the school of hard knocks will be your best motivator/instructor.

My 2c,

Derek

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by movingawayfromtherain

Hey, I'm just finishing up college, and now live in Olympia Wa, which is a couple hours south of seattle-it's also the rainiest city in the country, which says something.

I need to move some place cheap and funky, artsy, walkable and beach would be nice too. I know such places exist somewhere. The real catch is I need to find a room for like 400 a month. (at least at first).

I'm kindof shocked to see how much more expensive rent is in cali than here. Here you can easilly find a room for 350-500, and same in seattle. So I'm hoping there's an equivalent somewhere in cali. Any adivice is appretiated.

i think you need to consentrate on another state. You won't get anything, including a decent job for what you can afford. Well you don't have to buy the job, just find it but rents are slightly more than $400 a month, even a single room.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by movingawayfromtherain

A friend of mine mentioned Chico, pictures look really nice and rooms look really cheap-albeit no beach..anyone have any firsthand experience of the place?

get the job first; your degree isn't exactly going to be the type that will draw a lot of job offers. Concenstrate on job fairs and see what comes up. You might find a place that comes close to matching your requirements. Chico is nice, but the job market will not exactly be jumping.

Nita

[randian]

Isn't "need liberal destination in California" rather redundant? It's like posting "need hot weather city" on the Arizona forum

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by randian

Isn't "need liberal destination in California" rather redundant? It's like posting "need hot weather city" on the Arizona forum

No, because you have Orange County and pretty much all of inland CA that isn't necessarily "liberal".

I'm not too familiar with Arizona, but aren't places like Flagstaff cooler in temps?

[RCCCB]

Originally Posted by movingawayfromtherain

I need to move some place cheap and funky, artsy, walkable and beach would be nice too.).

I'm kindof shocked to see how much more expensive rent is in cali than here. Here you can easilly find a room for 350-500, and same in seattle. So I'm hoping there's an equivalent somewhere in cali. Any adivice is appretiated.

Your so cheap, funky, artsy and walkable right? You can live on the beach out of your car for a while. There are whole populations doing that now.

[italiangirl]

Santa Rosa is in northern CA, not too inexpensive, but there's a lot of liberals here and it is about 40 minutes to the beach (although too cold for me to swim in).
That was funny about liberals in Ca and hot weather in Arizona, but I don't think you got the joke.

[movingawayfromtherain]

thanks mtn surfer, good suggestions.. I may just spring for chico though at least for a while. I feel like I need some time where I can just work at x, and roam the hills for a while. (rooms are also like 300) I've seen pictures of chico creek, and it looks amazing. (anyone know any other places that look like that in california?)..just need to escape the world of abstract concepts, for some cold hard reality-without the cold..

Rccb, keep working on that humor, that was almost funny..

[movingawayfromtherain]

Yeah I looked at santaRosa, looks beautiful..and don't worry, all the fine humor that has been directed at me doesn't escape me..