I feel like all of Cali is unattainable , but I don't want it to be! (San Francisco: short sales, real estate)

[TrueDat]

If the OP decides California isn't right for them, they might try looking at some place like Albuquerque, New Mexico. Great climate that's very dry. Gets cold in winter but not as much snow as, say, Denver. Gorgeous mountains. Decent-sized city of just over 500,000. And relatively cheap, by coastal California and South Florida standards. Though the one downside is that wages tend to be low.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

Once you start getting into affordable places to raise a family and have some more living space, most of the time you're not looking at 73-degree days and easy jaunts to the beach. My last location was still in Los Angeles county and enjoyed 110+ summers as the norm.

Great post with one minor quibble. I don't know of anywhere in L.A. county where it's 110 every day in the Summer. Even Palm Springs has some Summer days cooler than that. I have a friend who lives in Pomona and it's typically in the high 80s and low 90s there in Summer, although they can get 100 degree spells.

But it is true the weather isn't as good in the places that are more affordable, although probably still better than in most parts of the US if you don't mind some heat (usually a dry heat). And you are right, there are no easy jaunts to the beach from Pomona or Riverside.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

If the OP decides California isn't right for them, they might try looking at some place like Albuquerque, New Mexico. Great climate that's very dry. Gets cold in winter but not as much snow as, say, Denver. Gorgeous mountains. Decent-sized city of just over 500,000. And relatively cheap, by coastal California and South Florida standards. Though the one downside is that wages tend to be low.

ABQ could be a good alternative assuming they could get decent employment there. I've heard the wages there are low and that the job market is kind of limited.

I've visited myself and it seems like a nice area if you can find a decent job.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Great post with one minor quibble. I don't know of anywhere in L.A. county where it's 110 every day in the Summer. Even Palm Springs has some Summer days cooler than that. I have a friend who lives in Pomona and it's typically in the high 80s and low 90s there in Summer, although they can get 100 degree spells.

But it is true the weather isn't as good in the places that are more affordable, although probably still better than in most parts of the US if you don't mind some heat (usually a dry heat). And you are right, there are no easy jaunts to the beach from Pomona or Riverside.

The post you are responding to never said "110 every day in the summer", just that they "enjoyed 110+ summers as the norm."

But I agree with both of you, and am glad people are finally speaking sensibly on this tread.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by SunnyTXsmile

The post you are responding to never said "110 every day in the summer", just that they "enjoyed 110+ summers as the norm."

Ok, they didn't say it but it sure seems like it was implied or that someone could take it that way. I don't want to quibble too much because I think the 3 of us are pretty much in agreement. I just don't like it when people exaggerate.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Ok, they didn't say it but it sure seems like it was implied or that someone could take it that way. I don't want to quibble too much because I think the 3 of us are pretty much in agreement. I just don't like it when people exaggerate.

I get that.

[spotlesseden]

you can find a good house in Sacramento/Sacramento County for around 250k. Sacramento is like the 6th largest city in CA. But Summer is very hot in Sacramento.

[zenjenn]

Great post with one minor quibble. I don't know of anywhere in L.A. county where it's 110 every day in the Summer

Yeah, I did not mean (or even mean to imply) every day. We lived in Claremont (just bordering Pomona, which you mentioned) and every year we were there we had stretches of 110 in the late summer/early fall. And regardless it was very uncomfortably hot virtually all summer. I do honestly think the heat on balance was far less pleasant in Claremont than it is where I live now.

And BTW, there was a lot we enjoyed about Claremont. Cute college town and no doubt Jewish community there in Pomona was superior to what I have here in Alabama (something that is important to me.) So we did make some sacrifices by moving here but.. I think overall it was a good trade. If all else was equal and I could live in Laguna Beach without any drawbacks, sure, I'd live in California! I'm just saying there are drawbacks in reality - and they are severe - and that according to the OP's criteria, there may be other locations that fit what she is looking for with less severe drawbacks. (If I really had my rathers, I'd live in the Pacific Northwest, but then there's the employment situation too. We ultimately chose our location because of job security while still maintaining a moderate climate and reasonably living costs.)

[Sweetbottoms]

Thanks for all the help/comments. After further eval and gathering more info we've we were informed my husband alone would be making about 80-90k and myself about 40-50K but with most of the info I've gathered here it seems that we'd still be probably lower middle class without any chance of buying a decent house thats not interior and in an extremely hot area of cali it seems. So we will be looking elsewhere probably back to New England. Dissapointing to find it is as unattainable as I thought.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

Yeah, I did not mean (or even mean to imply) every day. We lived in Claremont (just bordering Pomona, which you mentioned) and every year we were there we had stretches of 110 in the late summer/early fall. And regardless it was very uncomfortably hot virtually all summer. I do honestly think the heat on balance was far less pleasant in Claremont than it is where I live now.

And BTW, there was a lot we enjoyed about Claremont. Cute college town and no doubt Jewish community there in Pomona was superior to what I have here in Alabama (something that is important to me.) So we did make some sacrifices by moving here but.. I think overall it was a good trade. If all else was equal and I could live in Laguna Beach without any drawbacks, sure, I'd live in California! I'm just saying there are drawbacks in reality - and they are severe - and that according to the OP's criteria, there may be other locations that fit what she is looking for with less severe drawbacks. (If I really had my rathers, I'd live in the Pacific Northwest, but then there's the employment situation too. We ultimately chose our location because of job security while still maintaining a moderate climate and reasonably living costs.)

Thank you for clarifying . Interestingly enough, the last 2 summers (and this summer so far) have not been as hot in CA as in previous years.

And BTW, I totally know what you're saying re Laguna Beach. My folks from Pennsylvania came out to visit me in San Jose last year and my mom was recently saying how if money were no object, she'd be in San Jose in a heartbeat (especially this one neighborhood not far from downtown SJ). My parents are fairly comfortable, but alas, money (or lack thereof) is part of the equation for them. They wouldn't be able to afford 700K and up for a cute 3BR house as they'd have almost no retirement nest egg left, LOL.