CSU and the Housing Market (San Diego, San Francisco: real estate, apartments, houses)

[rjyayese]

I'm a lifer working for the California State University system, but in a relatively in demand job and I'm starting to look at finding a place to settle down and buy a house. Looking at the housing market near a handful of the schools shows some drastically different house markets. This seems like something I should take advantage of, as the university salaries are the same regardless of which school one works at.

Anybody have congregated info on the economy in communities around the CSU schools?

[Krispytopher]

I don't know if this will help you but it is something, I live near CSU Fresno, in a house I bought. December 2007, my house was bought for $190,000, the seller wanted $220k but they came down. Very soon after the housing market crashed and my house became worth 160kish. The house to my left sold a year after mine for $150k, the house to my right is listed for $230k and has been vacant since before I bought mine. Owner refuses to lower the price (he inherited it). Apartments near the college are rather cheap IMO and houses seem to fluctuate greatly, I can not speak for the southern California housing situation. But Fresno is the cheapest place in the whole state apparently too.

[Adriatica]

Since there are over 20 CSU campuses, that's a pretty tall order. Narrow down to the areas you know you'd want to live in, at least generally. And cross off the locations you know you would not enjoy. Does Humboldt sound desirable to you? Bakersfield/Fresno/Turlock? San Francisco/Bay Area? San Diego? Chico? L.A.? Maybe get it down to a top 5.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by Adriatica

Since there are over 20 CSU campuses, that's a pretty tall order. Narrow down to the areas you know you'd want to live in, at least generally. And cross off the locations you know you would not enjoy. Does Humboldt sound desirable to you? Bakersfield/Fresno/Turlock? San Francisco/Bay Area? San Diego? Chico? L.A.? Maybe get it down to a top 5.

^^^^^ Wouldn't know where to start.

[OwlKaMyst]

Idea of what sort of weather is preferred as well as type of entertainment/activities would narrow it down some.
Big city or more suburb/rural?

[timtemtym]

CSU San Bernardino has a campus in Palm Springs! That would be my choice or San Diego State and live out in El Cajon or somewhere cheaper and inland.

The areas around CSU's are so diverse! Do you want coastal like Long Beach? Hillside like CSU LA or Hayward? Inland like Fresno or Bakersfield or Chico or Sacto? I'm currently going to Northridge and I love the area and that part of the valley, but your money won't go as far anywhere near LA or the Bay Area.

[BeauCharles]

If your looking to make your set salary go further in a pleasant place I'd vote for Chico. Pretty, "classic" college town in a less populated area of the state. Chico's real estate didn't crash in 2008 like much of the rest of the state did. The university and general desirability of the city kept housing prices pretty steady. If you're willing to drive a half hour you can get houses/land quite a bit cheaper still in places like Oroville, Corning and Paradise/Magalia.

[ccm123]

Chico or Humboldt for me. Away from the big city and congestion, if I had the choice.

[felinius]

Sacramento. Cheap housing, but central in Northern California. You get a big enough city that's not out in the middle of nowhere...

[the city]

I'd look at one of the more coastal campuses.

San Luis Obispo, Long Beach, Camarillo, San Diego, San Marcos, Fullerton, San Francisco, Rohnert Park, (Sonoma State), etc...

Then you have to narrow it down to do you want to live in a suburban city, college town, or big city. Camarillo, Rohnert Park, San Marcos, and Fullerton are suburban cities. San Luis Obispo is a college town.

Also, I have heard Cal Poly SLO pays the highest if it's a business, engineering, or ag professor position.