Where's the country living in Cali? (San Diego, Sacramento: real estate market, mortgage, home)

[brocksmom]

Hello,
We are wanting to move to california but are just not sure where to begin the search. We would love to live in a country type setting like a lot of trees, maybe some mountains and still enjoy the mild weather. we would not mind a little snow as long as it's not like New England snow and temps. We want great school system and very nice community with mortgage under 400,000. I'm a nurse, husband is a master mechanic so we can pretty much find work anywhere. If possible no more than 3 hours from San Diego. Any ideas would be great. Remember, NO flat dessert type areas for us. We want to see a lot of green. Thanks in advance.

[Charles]

Idyllwild CA

[Inthesierras]

If you want to head North there are plenty of areas that would suit your needs. Mt. Shasta, Burney, Susanville, Yreka, etc etc.

[Summertime]

Fallbrook, CA
(avocado country)

north of San Diego, maybe 50 miles.

Great school system.
I do not know the real estate market
now. It is high, I know that.

There is an excellent hospital there,
Fallbrook Hospital.

It is a small town, lots of country
acreage, used to be a village
that grew and grew to be a town.

[TheDragonslayer]

All of your wish's cannot be full filled in the southern part of the state. Finding a home under $400 K is not going to be easy, nor will be finding a rural piece of property that will not cost at least twice if not four times what you would like to pay. Now, here in Humboldt county, rural is how nearly half of us live, snow is not too far away, there are three hospitals in the area and you can currently get a brand new, never lived in home for well under $400 K. The schools are great here in McKinleyville and Arcata , Eureka has some problems, Fortuna has a good school system and also has a hospital. Google Humboldt county California and check out the links. It is also not as foggy as every one says.

[MtnSurfer]

Check out Grass Valley, Sonora, Mariposa and Oakhurst.

These are all in some of the most beautiful country locations in California, the foothills to the High Sierras.

Of these four Grass Valley is probably closest to a big city - Sacramento. But it is still far enough out to be removed from the crouds.

If you want to be near the coast and beautiful redwoods check out Arcata/McKinleyville.

** I just noticed your comment about San Diego. My recommendation in agreement with DragonSalyer is to widen your net and 'go north.' SoCal is overpriced and overcrouded IMO. I lived there 40+ years before moving to Colorado.

- Derek

[Kingsnkali]

Sounds like you want rural Northern California moved to San Diego.

It's going to be hard to find.

Hard to get a lot of green without rain.

[ttessmann]

The only place I can think of is around Yosemite which is in the central valley. That is about 5 hours from San Diego, but it is affordable, and it is close to big towns, a few hours from the coast, and it is beautiful. There is also Three Rivers which is really nice, and affordable. Good Luck.

[humboldtrat]

There isn't much in the way of "green" areas within 3 hours of San Diego. Like the others have said, go north. Check out Amador, Calavares, El Dorado and other counties in the Sierra Nevada foothills (also called the "gold country"). Lots of nice small towns with affordable housing.

[smeeCC]

Pine Valley, Julian, Alpine.