Moving From NJ to Sunny California!!!!!!!!!! (Los Angeles, San Diego: apartment, rentals, neighborhoods)

[Luckynumero7]

Hello, my name is Jennifer. I’m a 21 year old college student and computer science major. I currently live with my aunt, work a part-time job as well and someday hope to acquire a full-time federal government job after I graduate. My aunt and I are interested in relocating from NJ to sunny California. To give some additional background, my aunt has a significant amount of experience working in the childcare and food service fields at U.S military installations (She’s currently a GS worker and has a number of certifications) and she’s interested in relocating to the following areas/counties (Rated in the order of her preference) 1. San Diego, 2. Los Angeles, 3. Ventura and 4. San Francisco.

Can someone please recommend some safe, clean, diverse and snake-free places in the following areas/counties? In terms of the snake part, (What I mean by this is... from reading other city data posts and other relocation stories online, I’ve heard that snakes are less likely to be in metropolitan areas and are more prevalent in rural areas. Regarding snakes, I do not have a problem with them. However, my aunt is absolutely terrified of them and I would rather her to be comfortable and secure within her environment. Also, from watching television and listening to friends who once lived in California, I've heard that there are yellow "Beware of snakes" signs in some parts of Cali. What are some areas where one is less likely to encounter snakes? Can someone please provide some valuable input and help us out? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a lot!!!

[WorldKlas]

Originally Posted by Luckynumero7

Hello, my name is Jennifer. I’m a 21 year old college student and computer science major. I currently live with my aunt, work a part-time job as well and someday hope to acquire a full-time federal government job after I graduate. My aunt and I are interested in relocating from NJ to sunny California. To give some additional background, my aunt has a significant amount of experience working in the childcare and food service fields at U.S military installations (She’s currently a GS worker and has a number of certifications) and she’s interested in relocating to the following areas/counties (Rated in the order of her preference) 1. San Diego, 2. Los Angeles, 3. Ventura and 4. San Francisco.

Can someone please recommend some safe, clean, diverse and snake-free places in the following areas/counties? In terms of the snake part, (What I mean by this is... from reading other city data posts and other relocation stories online, I’ve heard that snakes are less likely to be in metropolitan areas and are more prevalent in rural areas. Regarding snakes, I do not have a problem with them. However, my aunt is absolutely terrified of them and I would rather her to be comfortable and secure within her environment. Also, from watching television and listening to friends who once lived in California, I've heard that there are yellow "Beware of snakes" signs in some parts of Cali. What are some areas where one is less likely to encounter snakes? Can someone please provide some valuable input and help us out? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a lot!!!

You posted this in the Dallas, TX forum so we really can't respond

[Acntx]

Moderator Note: The thread has been moved to the appropriate forum.

[blueskywalker]

If you're going to be renting (which i assume since you certainly do not want to buy property anywhere that you have not spent a sufficient amount of time living in), what is your budget? That's a very important question because you may find that you cannot afford to live on the coast of California.
Also, look at the sub-forums. There's one for each of the places that you're interested in.
Do you know that San Francisco is the most expensive city in the country? More expensive than NYC now it seems. Way, way expensive and i doubt that you'll be able to afford to live there.
Do you know that the entire coast of California is extremely expensive? So what's your budget for a rental?
And "sunny"? Yes. But also drought stricken.
I'm not trying to discourage you but you have to be "real" about this California dream / illusion.

[RJ312]

I would stay in New Jersey if I were in your situation. Really no reason to move to California based upon what you describe.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Luckynumero7

H
Can someone please recommend some safe, clean, diverse and snake-free places in the following areas/counties? In terms of the snake part, (What I mean by this is... from reading other city data posts and other relocation stories online, I’ve heard that snakes are less likely to be in metropolitan areas and are more prevalent in rural areas. Regarding snakes, I do not have a problem with them. However, my aunt is absolutely terrified of them and I would rather her to be comfortable and secure within her environment. Also, from watching television and listening to friends who once lived in California, I've heard that there are yellow "Beware of snakes" signs in some parts of Cali. What are some areas where one is less likely to encounter snakes? Can someone please provide some valuable input and help us out? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a lot!!!

I'm only going to address the snake issue. I live in San Diego County, and snakes can be found anywhere here, even in more urban areas. In fact, one of the biggest rattlesnakes I've come across I saw while walking in a very developed area near downtown San Diego. We have other snakes too, but rattlesnakes are the only ones to worry about.

That said, it may help your aunt to know that rattlesnakes try to avoid encounters with humans, and she may never see a rattlesnake (or any other snake) while living in California, even in more rural areas. It's not like the side walks and roads are just crawling with snakes in California. Encounters with rattlesnakes are not all that common; most people who live here have never come across one, including people who have lived here their entire lives.

A few common sense measures will lessen your chances of encountering one even more, and keep you safe if you do see one. These measures include: be aware of the places that snakes like to hang out such as under rocks and in shady areas during the day. Don't put your hands or feet into places you can't see. Stay on trails when in public places (especially when you see signs warning you that snakes have been seen in the area) and wear appropriate footwear (no flipflops!). If you see a snake, just back slowly away and try to stay calm. Never pick up a snake (likely not something your aunt will do!) If you have pets who will spend time outdoors, err on the side of caution and get the rattlesnake vaccine for them.

In terms of suggestions for areas to live, I'd suggest that you post your question in each of the sub-forums for the areas you are considering, as you will get more responses that way then here in the general California forum.

Be sure to specify what you and your aunt's expected housing budget is, as that will make a HUGE difference in the recommendations people can offer. There is no sense people recommending areas that you and your aunt can't afford.

Also, it would be helpful if you could let people know whether you and/or your aunt have visited California or the counties/areas you are considering. The advice people give you here may be different if you have some familiarity with a general area than if you have never been to California.

(Unsolicited advice: but if you and/or your aunt have never visited California, I would make that my priority before deciding to move here. When you come, don't just do tourist things; spend time in the neighborhoods off the tourist trail, where you likely will end up living. You might even see a few rentals in your budget range, just to get an idea of what "living in California" is like for people who aren't tourists. )

[RosieSD]

A few more things: if you are majoring in computer science, you may want to look into the New Professionals hiring program at the Naval Research lab here in San Diego. Here is the link: SSC Pacific New Professional Program

I'm sure your aunt is already familiar with the USAjobs.gov website, which she can use to get a sense of what GS jobs might be available at different bases and facilities in the areas you've mentioned.

Finally, you and your aunt might want to use a site like Zillow.com to get a sense of what housing costs in the different areas you have mentioned. You can specify a rental budget, size of apartment and area. Crimemapping.com is a good site to see how safe different areas are -- type in an address, then set the dates to the last six months (the default is only a week). You might want to do the same for your current address before you begin, so that you have something for comparison purposes.

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by Luckynumero7

...she’s interested in relocating to the following areas/counties...Ventura

In Ventura County, she could apply at the Port Hueneme Naval Base and you could live in Port Hueneme, Oxnard, or Ventura or in the other west county cities.

[OwlKaMyst]

San Francisco is not sunny. Get down into San Mateo county or Santa Clara county and the weather is better. Santa Clara is where there will be a lot of computer jobs because of Silicon Valley....but is expensive. On the other hand, people are making oodles of money so they have the money to pay a nanny very well.
Snakes can be found everywhere. However, dangerous snakes tend to be in more rural areas like the desert where there are rattlesnakes.
With that said, LA and San Diego are coastal deserts.
My mother hates snakes. She has always lived in the city and encountered one snake.
But over all, from your four preferences, I would pick SD
It is probably the nicest of the areas, not as congested as LA. Ventura is likely the more affordable option but it has been a while since I have been down that way. I remember it being a bit more of a rural like setting.

[In2itive_1]

There have been some good recommendations here. As mentioned, look into what (assuming) rentals will cost in your preferred locations. It is expensive to live in Southern California, but if you guys can swing it, you may find it to be a great place to live. Housing does vary, but it is still higher no matter where, however you wouldn't want to live in a bad spot, either.

I don't like snakes either and have never seen one up close. As mentioned, they would more likely be out in dry, rural areas or if hiking in hills, not in heavily populated spots. I would research it besides info you have had here if you are concerned.

Just to mention, in my apartment building (in the outskirts of L. A. in the San Fernando Valley), there have begun being lizards in the courtyard and they move fast. It makes me nuts, because I fear having one enter the apartment (and I have a cat). When I brought it up to the manager, she said, "well, I wouldn't want to kill them.." Great. I suppose she'll come down here and remove it if it happens. We have a lot of foliage that gardeners maintain and think they began this because the lizards will eat insects, but I don't like it and have seen them - anywhere from a few inches long on the cement to one seemingly TWO FEET long on an outside wall! I just bring up, because this could occur elsewhere. Just ask when interested in a place, if they have lizards on the grounds. (I am going to research if I can deter them from my unit).

As said, it would be good to be aware of everything prior to moving. Overall, the weather is good. Just know, it can be HOT for about 5 months yearly and are having a drought. Many vicinities are great, people are diverse and friendly with many places to visit and should have work opportunities.

Good luck.