Not sure where to live in CA. Want warm weather. (Los Angeles: rentals, crime rate) - California - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

BodegaHead · 09-15-2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valgal123

I'm not exactly sure what i want regarding city, big city, town, small town. I don't want to be in a small town. I like variety, that is very important to me. I need to live somewhere there are a bunch of meetup groups that I live close to. I need to live somewhere there is a church with groups for young singles. I need to live somewhere there are healthy restaurants. Then also the warm weather, cleanliness, beaches.

now to give more information on myself:

I'm a very extreme frugal person. I wear clothes with holes because I don't want to spend the money, I would rather save. I get by on $30 a week on groceries and I eat organic, unprocessed food. I don't get haircuts, I don't wear much makeup, I don't get manicures and only have a couple pairs of shoes. because of this and my willing to live with roommates I feel that I could live anywhere.

And the winner is................................................ . Santa Cruz

Thanks for playing

PS. It's not nearly as warm as SoCal. but from your info. I don't think you'd like SoCal nearly as much.

BodegaHead · 09-15-2011, 01:22 PM

LaJolla would be my #2 choice for you. The weather is definately better than Santa Cruz, but I think culturally you would like SC.
You can always live just inland too if you go a few miles inland from the coast the weather is much warmer & you can still get to the beaches in 10-20min.

mayorhaggar · 09-15-2011, 02:24 PM

Cupertino is one of the most expensive cities in the US to live in...La Jolla is not far off. You might get a job in either but you'd probably end up living somewhere cheaper that was nearby. San Francisco is expensive but Oakland is 20 minutes away on BART and yes, Oakland has really nice areas. And it's about 20-40% cheaper than SF.

Santa Cruz is nice though expensive and the problem is there aren't a ton of jobs and you'd be competing for anything with all the college students there.

jaijai · 09-15-2011, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodegaHead

And the winner is................................................ . Santa Cruz

Thanks for playing

PS. It's not nearly as warm as SoCal. but from your info. I don't think you'd like SoCal nearly as much.

Yes, i agree.
Santa Cruz county. (don't limit yourself to Santa Cruz proper - i'm thinking you'd prefer communities in Soquel or parts of Capitola).
There's a Whole Foods in Capitola and one in Santa Cruz.
The bus system is excellent if you're not into driving.
You will have to deal with rain in the winter (but that's true all along the CA coast) but it won't be like Seattle.
And if you live just far enough away from the coast and in the right spot, you can find a place that has little to no fog.
The fog is a summer phenomena ... not all year round.
I'm about 6 miles from the ocean and, when it's foggy (which isn't always), it usually burns off by mid - late morning and will return in the late afternoon or early evening or later at night ... or not at all.
From, generally speaking, May - October the weather is beautiful and there are some wonderful beaches and some not so wonderful beaches.
In the county, you have the choice to live in more urbany areas (like in much of S.C. itself for example), sub-urbany places and semi-rural and rural places.
The Monterey area is another option.
It's a bit more stayed than the Santa Cruz area which is (especially Santa Cruz itself) often a bit chaotic / frenetic.
If you work in Monterey at the Whole Foods, finding a place in Monterey, Pacific Grove or Carmel would be optimum imo.
Although there will be fog ... i don't know where the fog "line" is however.
Since you're so frugal and willing to live with room-mates, you should be able to find something that will suit you.
The Monterey Bay is a beautiful one.
You will have to deal with some rain in the winter but again, it won't be like Seattle and there are many stretches of beautiful days with no rain at all.

bouncethelight · 09-15-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valgal123

I'm a very extreme frugal person. I wear clothes with holes because I don't want to spend the money, I would rather save. I get by on $30 a week on groceries and I eat organic, unprocessed food. I don't get haircuts, I don't wear much makeup, I don't get manicures and only have a couple pairs of shoes. because of this and my willing to live with roommates I feel that I could live anywhere.

Then I might suggest working in La Jolla, but not living there - La Jolla is a combo of understated old money and exhibitionist new money - so not really the right spot for a frugal girl who eschews haircuts and manicures and new clothes. Encinitas and Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach would be a better fit for you, if you really want to live on the coast and work in La Jolla.

Or you could work in San Diego and live in Hillcrest, North Park, Kensington, or Normal Heights. None of them are beach communities, so you'd get a little more sun! And you'd find like-minded people in all of them.

Jess72 · 09-18-2011, 10:45 PM

I lived in Oceanside when my husband was stationed at Camp Pendelton and loved it. La Jolla is great but very expensive. Oceanside is about 30-40 min North of San Diego. There are several cities 30 min awaythat are more affordable east ward of San Diego. Good luck!

blauskies · 09-19-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valgal123

I will now look into Florida. I see it is cheaper. I have been there and the humidity was intense. Worse than Washington, worse than Hawaii.

Thank you everyone for the help!

$20,000/year is poverty in the Greater Miami metro that is SoBe won't be feasible unless you room with a bunch of people, still will be hard to afford much. In the parts if CA you are looking at, I would say it would be worse. South Florida is the best part of the state, best weather, lifestyle and job market but it is mainly feast or famine. You might want to look in the Broward/Palm Beach Area too opposed to Miami. Personally I'm looking to get out of Florida soon, not based on the weather but the job market which for my industry, Tech, sucks big time with little to nothing to fall back on or make what is here more competitive on the salary levels.

jade408 · 09-19-2011, 11:19 AM

FYI: Oakland Whole Foods is one of the first ones getting a Wellness Club. It is also located in an affordable and nice neighborhood in Oakland. There are cheaper, less safe areas (not horrible, just a little less safe) within 1-2 miles of the store.

Rents on the adjacent blocks to Whole Foods are about $700-800 for a studio. Those other neighborhoods are about $700 (or less).

Weather is great. Especially in the areas around Whole Foods. The warmest in Oakland. Summer is 70-75. Winter is pretty much the same in all of the Bay Area, rain (not as much in San Jose) and 50s. People over-exaggerate the amount of rain in the Bay Area. And the weather. It is far less rainy than Seattle. There is rarely more than 2-3 days in a row of rain. And even more rare to have a day with 100% rain. Usually it is 1-2 hours of rain then a break in the clouds with sun. And then more rain a couple hours later. Rainy season is generally from December to April. There are usually a few weeks in winter and spring with exceptional weather. 70s and maybe 80s. March is probably the worst month. It can feel rainier. But again, you generally don't get 3 days straight of rain. If you live away from the coast and SF it is sunny and pleasant in the summer.

I'd try the Oakland Whole Foods. Or the Berkeley one. I like the Oakland store more. And honestly, living near the Oakland one is a better choice. Cleaner apartments since it isn't student land (they are about 4 miles apart). I think the pay starts at $10 or $12 an hour.

valgal123 · 09-22-2011, 01:10 AM

thanks for this info!!!

I was talking to my co-workers about oakland. They have been. There first reaction was "oh yuck! why there?!" they love san diego, but think oakland is ugly and dirty.
hmmmm i guess i would just have to visit and decide for myself.

BodegaHead · 09-22-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valgal123

thanks for this info!!!

I was talking to my co-workers about oakland. They have been. There first reaction was "oh yuck! why there?!" they love san diego, but think Oakland is ugly and dirty.
hmmmm i guess i would just have to visit and decide for myself.

Yeah I was gonna chime in on this but didn't want to offend anyone. If I were to move to CA and could choose between a number of places Oakland wouldn't be ob the list.

East Bay advocates love to talk about the "culture" and "diversity" of the area, but really it has HIGH crime, a lot of murders and really it is very industrial, oil rigs, factories,etc. Also once again, the weather is far from "warm". They have less fog and wind than SF, but it is still a fairly chilly climate and not warm and beachy. It is on the bay not the ocean and is very built up. The East Bay also has it's good points, but I will do my best to steer you from living there and going to the San Diego/La Jolla area
or Santa Cruz like I said would fit you very well, but is not as warm. Also, you could consider Thousand Oaks, it is in Ventura county, you are within range of a lot of beaches/mountains and in warm weather.