From SoCal to NorCal (Los Angeles, San Diego: apartment, buying a home, buying)

[uncertain25]

So after much talk my husband and I have decided to move from SoCal to NorCal. My husband previously lived in San Diego, and I previously lived in Los Angeles. Now we currently live in Orange County. Although I love how safe I feel here in OC there are many reasons to go North. We both have always lived in SoCal and would like a change. My husband also has family in NorCal and WA and by moving we would be closer to them. Although most people love the SoCal sunny warm weather it's just too hot for my taste, as I prefer cooler climate, fog, rain (more OR like weather). Also in several years we would like to upgrade from apartment living to buying a home and dont want to pay the average $1 million dollars for a Newport Beach home. We would like to find something near the coast, but more affordable than that. I also love the beauty and wild/costal life in NorCal.

My husband wants to move to San Francisco and I want Monterey. I like a more small town feel and think San Francisco would be too much like LA (where I hated living). But my husband, who is a plumber, who would eventually like to start his own business, argues that Monterey might be too small of a town to start a business in. So....I was thinking what if we compromised and moved to Santa Cruz? That's in between Monterey and San Francisco.

Let me just ask your opinion, if you were leaving SoCal for NorCal, would you pick:
San Francisco
Monterey
Santa Cruz

If you could just tell me where you would pick out of those places and why, I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

[jeffredo]

I'd vote for Monterey (having lived there and being a San Francisco native). Its a lot saner, cleaner and greener. The physical beauty of the Monterey Peninsula is unmatched in most of the country and its really not that small in population (about 200,000). There are many expensive homes and they don't skimp on their maintenance so if you're husband wants to start a business I think it would be about as good a place as any. I do hate to disappoint you about home prices though - they're quite high. I think the average in Monterey itself is still about $750,000 . That's for a 2,000 sq ft 3/2 in an O.K. area. It can be much higher depending on location (water view). Basically, with any of the three cities you listed you aren't going to get away from OC's high home prices.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by uncertain25

My husband wants to move to San Francisco and I want Monterey. I like a more small town feel

Pacifica has a small town feel and is only a 20 minute drive to San Francisco. The southern part of Pacifica is the nicest,especially the Park Pacifica area.

//www.city-data.com/forum/17835460-post8.html

Santa Cruz is too isolated and you would have to deal with a lot of weekend traffic on 17 and Highway 1,the only ways in and out of Santa Cruz.

Originally Posted by uncertain25

Also in several years we would like to upgrade from apartment living to buying a home and dont want to pay the average $1 million dollars for a Newport Beach home.

In general homes are less expensive in Southern California than the Bay area. You can find a decent home in a place like Tustin for under 500K and be less than 20 minutes from the beach. Equivalent homes in SF,the peninsula,Monterey or Santa Cruz will be much more expensive.

[Curmudgeon]

Put me down for Monterey as well. I was stationed at Fort Ord for awhile in the 60s - timing that still, among other things, makes me despise San Francisco - and my lasting regret is that I didn't buy there then. If I had, that's where I would have retired.

Santa Cruz is interesting but far too "progressive" for my tastes and it decidedly has its rough edges. It's also a college town and that I can easily live without.

Monterey is historic and gorgeous. It caters to tourism but that element can be easily avoided in season. I never fail to be inspired and calmed by the Monterey Bay and the sea life so readily apparent there.

[.highnlite]

Put me down for Monterey as well. I was stationed at Fort Ord for awhile in the 60

....

[X_travelbug_X]

Monterey. I love San Francisco but it will probably be just as expensive as Newport Beach.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

....

Pi$$ off, Fauntleroy!

[tireeskye]

I say the Monterey Bay .... either Monterey County or Santa Cruz county (don't limit yourself to Santa Cruz proper ... explore the entire county).
But good luck finding an inexpensive home in Santa Cruz county .... prices are ridiculously expensive.
And areas that you'd probably like in Monterey County (let's say, Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel) are also very, very expensive.

But, setting aside prices, i prefer it down here ... as much as i love San Francisco, it's just way too congested for my liking in the whole S.F. bay area.
But it's nice that it's close enough when i want some city.

[BRinSM]

FYI, the coastal areas of norcal are just as expensive as socal, if not moreso.

[sacramento916]

Originally Posted by uncertain25

So after much talk my husband and I have decided to move from SoCal to NorCal. My husband previously lived in San Diego, and I previously lived in Los Angeles. Now we currently live in Orange County. Although I love how safe I feel here in OC there are many reasons to go North. We both have always lived in SoCal and would like a change. My husband also has family in NorCal and WA and by moving we would be closer to them. Although most people love the SoCal sunny warm weather it's just too hot for my taste, as I prefer cooler climate, fog, rain (more OR like weather). Also in several years we would like to upgrade from apartment living to buying a home and dont want to pay the average $1 million dollars for a Newport Beach home. We would like to find something near the coast, but more affordable than that. I also love the beauty and wild/costal life in NorCal.

My husband wants to move to San Francisco and I want Monterey. I like a more small town feel and think San Francisco would be too much like LA (where I hated living). But my husband, who is a plumber, who would eventually like to start his own business, argues that Monterey might be too small of a town to start a business in. So....I was thinking what if we compromised and moved to Santa Cruz? That's in between Monterey and San Francisco.

Let me just ask your opinion, if you were leaving SoCal for NorCal, would you pick:
San Francisco
Monterey
Santa Cruz

If you could just tell me where you would pick out of those places and why, I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

As a native San Franciscan, I can assure you that SF is NOTHING, let me repeat, NOTHING, like LA.

Monterrey is a tiny place. Your husband would be struggling.