Bike-friendly, New Agey, liberal, beachy/foresty town with $400/month rooms? (San Diego: transplants, home)

[MtnSurfer]

Woof, 'room' for rent, not own apt. Make sense now?

[Woof]

No, it still doesn't make sense. You won't find $300 rooms in 3 bedroom houses, for example. The numbers would have to be pushed up to commune levels in a huge house to get rooms that low.

[TrueTimbers]

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

Wow. Okay, oh my gosh. I am not here for career advice and am not even complaining about my income.

Like I said, I can afford Santa Cruz, just also really like the thought of saving money for at least a few months by paying cheaper rent. Saving money is a nice thing. I'm not dependent on massage for my income right now....I do freelance/long-distance computer stuff, as many, many people do, which gives me plenty of income. I just happen to enjoy doing some of it at home instead of only at coffee shops and libraries. This is a pretty common thing, as are home-based massage practices (and legal by the way). Zero desire to be a nurse or chiropractic assistant or whatnot. Have had nurse friends and trust me it's not for me. I love my jobs - all of them. There is tons of freedom in them. Of the many landlords and housemates I've spoken to through the months about renting from them, most haven't minded at all about home massages, or if they do it's no problem cause I could rent a cheap massage studio (as I have in the past) instead. Again, if I have the option of saving money though I will, cause that's frugal.

Anyway this is all getting a little too personal and intrusive, and people who even hint at massage as being shady or impractical do tend to rub me the wrong way, as we deal with rude stigmas already sometimes like "Are you a prostitute?" from people who just don't get the wonderful honor it is to therapeutically help people with Parkinson's or who have been in car accidents or who have chronic anxiety to deeply relax for 90 minutes.

Okay, think I'm done with this thread.... but I so, as in SO do appreciate all the help with my moving decision. It was really valuable and I really appreciate everyone who contributed. Bye!

I was the one that mentioned the in home thing.... Many older people want to stay at home and could use a little help, it is also best for second homes to be occupied...

As you can tell from this forum, many in the world are very jaded.... So, again my biggest suggestion is to go to places that interest you and find a place face to face....

Not everyone can see the nature of your character in typed words..

Be well

[alexxiz]

I'm afraid that for $400/month, anywhere in the current Banana Republic of Calfiornia, one will live in the ghetto--facing crime, drugs, violent people with mental issues, etc. There's more and more division between people who "have money" and live in "nice neighborhoods" and people who "serve them" and live in ghetto rathole housing. It can be seen pretty clear in South Lake Tahoe, where I am now....this is just sickening. All the "3-rd homes" and vacation homes littering around the gorgeous lake, and the population of servants for these rich who're using their lake playground, living in disgusting ghetto holes. Bleh... My point is you can't be "non-materialistic" and "poor" (well John Muir said if one had seen Sierra Nevada once, they're rich forever pretty much, but not in this sense obviously) you can't just peacefully live your life separately from vice and crime, in most parts of California.

[NatureYogi]

Okay, hi again. Yeah, no more career advice, thanks. But I appreciate the good intentions. Moving on.

$600-650/month for California coastal living is feeling like a more realistic goal than $400-500 I see now.

Got a promising offer in Arcata I may just go with ($550, very private room in nice married couple's house; they don't mind me working from home). But still intrigued with Ojai, Encinitas and West Marin too.

Ojai seems to be $600-1,000 for studio/1-bedroom or room in shared home. Someone said Meiners Oaks is bikeable to Ojai but cheaper rent...but Craigslist shows $875-1,100. Heard Casitas Springs is 25 min. bike ride from Ojai; a bit far but not too bad. Guess Ventura wouldn't work for me cause I'd wanna visit Ojai tons and I think that's a crazy long bike ride between the two. Met someone who affords those areas, and Santa Barbara, by living in Yurts or tents or boats or off-the-grid but that probably wouldn't work for me right now.

Looks like Encinitas has plenty of $575-750 rooms in shared homes. $800+ for studios.

West Marin: Found two 1-bedrooms $2,500+... and no rooms in shared homes.

There are so many other California coastal cities... for all I know there are others that'd fit my criteria for under $650/month.

Even if I go for Arcata for awhile, am still interested in exploring other places in the future, so this is all very helpful research

[Woof]

Arcata is a cool place to live, very hippy-ish. Not hipsterish! Huge gorgeous redwood park. Vibrant downtown. It's a college town, so some times of the year are better for finding housing than other times. Make sure you contact the manager of an apartment rather than buy a "list".

Of the coastal communities, only Eureka (10 mi to the south)and Mckinleyville (to the north a bit) are slightly less expensive, but also not as nice to live in (I spent time living in a van in Arcata).

[NatureYogi]

Originally Posted by Woof

Arcata is a cool place to live, very hippy-ish. Not hipsterish! Huge gorgeous redwood park. Vibrant downtown. It's a college town, so some times of the year are better for finding housing than other times. Make sure you contact the manager of an apartment rather than buy a "list".

Of the coastal communities, only Eureka (10 mi to the south)and Mckinleyville (to the north a bit) are slightly less expensive, but also not as nice to live in (I spent time living in a van in Arcata).

Thanks! Yep, think it might just have my name written all over it. I even have a friend there already and there's ecstatic dance (I only will live in cities with ecstatic dance!). Was worried it'd feel too full of 21 year-olds but statistically it has plenty of 25-35 year-olds and apparently not everyone uses pot daily.

Rain has been my main concern, but an Arcata guy whose job is in geography/weather said lately it rains like once a week, sometimes more. That 60% of the rain is in December to early January, then March is quite rainy. Nice summer, September prettiest, some fog in August. Whatever, sounds beautiful

[TrueTimbers]

Go for it.... It will give you a break from the SC scene for sure... Plenty of real folks up that way..

[Manzanita2012]

Based on your original post you might try to visit before moving to Arcata. Its cold! The temperature rarely goes over 62 even on sunny days and it's foggier than Santa Cruz.

As far as 'beachy' the nearest nice beach (that I know of) is Trinidad and Patrick's Point. That area is so beautiful, and due to it's layout on the coast it seems like the sun comes out there a little more. But it would be quite a bike ride from Arcata.

Arcata isn't that bike friendly either. The downtown area is walkable and small and you could do without a car there but I never see very many people riding bikes in that area.

Also you mentioned being tired of the homeless/druggy/shady stuff in Santa Cruz, but that is more pronounced in Arcata, proportional to it's size. I don't think it's dangerous - I feel fairly safe there - just saying that you're not going to avoid it there.

On the good side, great fresh produce & healthy food (wildberries, coop, and farmers market). Cheaper rent. Nice forests to hike. And you can make friends to drive you 20 minutes inland to get some warmth in summer. But if it were me I'd try for Ojai or Encinitas, for sun and color and warmer ocean.

On a side note - I rented a room in a shared house with 5 others, in Santa Cruz, about 200 yards from Natural Bridges Beach while I was finishing school for $300/month! But (I am so old) that was 1993.

[NatureYogi]

Originally Posted by Manzanita2012

Based on your original post you might try to visit before moving to Arcata. Its cold! The temperature rarely goes over 62 even on sunny days and it's foggier than Santa Cruz.

As far as 'beachy' the nearest nice beach (that I know of) is Trinidad and Patrick's Point. That area is so beautiful, and due to it's layout on the coast it seems like the sun comes out there a little more. But it would be quite a bike ride from Arcata....

But if it were me I'd try for Ojai or Encinitas, for sun and color and warmer ocean.

Thank you for this extra info! Heard buses run frequently daily between Arcata and Trinidad.

Am confused about how close Ojai is to beach or not. On map it seems not very close to a beach..?? Still concerned there's not many 25-35 year-olds there either. Don't wanna have to visit Ventura constantly to find them (bus fares add up and riding the bus isn't the funnest thing to do often).

Been asking around but having a hard time getting a feel for Encinitas' culture. New Agey and crunchy just compared to really conservative San Diego? Or New Agey and crunchy as in on par with Santa Cruz? I'm looking for that Santa Cruz feeling of most people not blinking an eye when I mention crystals, manifestation, kirtans, channeling, Reiki and earth ships. That sorta vibe. Strong so-called "conscious"/"spiritual" community.