Is the Bay Area right for us? (Los Angeles, San Diego: to rent, mortgage)

[Disquisitive]

Through a series of very odd circumstances, my husband I wound up in Lompoc. We are in our twenties, with no kids yet. He's from the greater London area, and has a graphic design degree. I'm from a predominately Asian area in Southern California, (I was very comfortable with the demographics there), and I have a degree in plant science. We never had any intention of staying in Lompoc, and now that my husband's immigration status has changed to allow him to move around freely and work wherever he likes, we are trying to find someplace better to go. Here is what we're looking for:

1. Employment which is relevant to our respective fields (You can't do much of anything here except work at Wal-Mart)
2. Diversity (Ethnicity and age)
3. A place to rent where we can do a little gardening. A very small house would be ideal.
4. Public transportation that is effective enough to get around without a car

We want to avoid bedroom communities, places where the sky is brown due to pollution levels, cities that are nothing but concrete, and vast expanses of unimaginative architecture.

I'd appreciate any input that you folks could provide.

[the city]

Sorry no has responded to your thread yet. Alot of the people on here are not for cities and all that.

The Bay area sounds pretty good for you. San Francisco is pricey, so if you want cheaper than I would say San Jose. San Jose will also make it so you can get more land and you can do some of your gardening.

Los Angeles and San Diego are the most concrete cities in California, so anything in southern california will give you the city life. except imperial county.

[clongirl]

Well, it doesn't sound like it wouldn't be a good place for you and your husband! It's very diverse here in the Bay Area so that wouldn't be a problem at all. It's a vast area and renting is what a lot of people do here. Jobs are much more plentiful than in Lompoc, I imagine. I think you need to ask yourself what type of community/feel you are after. City types, suburbs,exurbs, something in between? What kind of weather you like (San Francisco and anywhere near the coast is cool and often foggy, as you go farther inland, it gets warmer). Ask yourself how much can you afford. Different communities cost far more than others. Public transportation varies here. There is BART running through many cities here but not in others (South Bay/parts of the Peninsula). So ask yourself a few more specifics first, then maybe we can help you figure out which communities might suit you best.

[the city]

There isn't much public transportation in LA and San Diego. I forgot to mention that. However, I believe San Jose is the city you are looking for. It's the biggest city in Northern California, and is expected to be at 1million people in 2010. Los Angeles and San Jose, are considered the biggest cities in California. One in the north and south. Fresno is the biggest city in central california, san jose is the biggest in north, and LA and San Diego are the biggest in southern california.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by the city

Los Angeles and San Jose, are considered the biggest cities in California.

I wouldn't say that. The Bay Area is considered the biggest metro area (technically multiple metros) in the state, though.

[centralcali19]

Most of the time its defined as So.Cal and Bay Area metros. The 2 largest cities in Cali. are in So.Cal being L.A. and S.D. then San Jose. Kinda hard to believe San Jose is bigger than S.F., but S.F. is considered the regional hub of the Bay Area.

[Woof]

1. Employment which is relevant to our respective fields (You can't do much of anything here except work at Wal-Mart)
2. Diversity (Ethnicity and age)
3. A place to rent where we can do a little gardening. A very small house would be ideal.
4. Public transportation that is effective enough to get around without a car

We want to avoid bedroom communities, places where the sky is brown due to pollution levels, cities that are nothing but concrete, and vast expanses of unimaginative architecture.

It would be hard to satisfy all that. But I'd check out some of the "bedroom communities" along the farthest reaches of the BART line so that you can commute easily to where your jobs are. They're really cities in their own right, and some of them are attractive with possibilities for a small garden.

The area is well-mapped by Google Maps on the Street Level view, so you could actually wander down some streets checking things out.

[VerySavvy]

Originally Posted by Disquisitive

Through a series of very odd circumstances, my husband I wound up in Lompoc. We are in our twenties, with no kids yet. He's from the greater London area, and has a graphic design degree. I'm from a predominately Asian area in Southern California, (I was very comfortable with the demographics there), and I have a degree in plant science. We never had any intention of staying in Lompoc, and now that my husband's immigration status has changed to allow him to move around freely and work wherever he likes, we are trying to find someplace better to go. Here is what we're looking for:

1. Employment which is relevant to our respective fields (You can't do much of anything here except work at Wal-Mart)
2. Diversity (Ethnicity and age)
3. A place to rent where we can do a little gardening. A very small house would be ideal.
4. Public transportation that is effective enough to get around without a car

We want to avoid bedroom communities, places where the sky is brown due to pollution levels, cities that are nothing but concrete, and vast expanses of unimaginative architecture.

I'd appreciate any input that you folks could provide.

I have lived in the Bay area , lived in Indiana,Michigan, etc. Anyway, I'll get right at it, The Bay area has a "FANTASTIC" subway system which doesnt exist in much of the Midwest. Restaurants are fantastic. People for the most part are very well educated, and that to me is a very big plus by itself. The school systems are great, but a lot of Mexicans are moving in and making things worse. The Economoy is good and a job as a graphic designer, the guy is very lucky!!
Now what about the negatives . Well, you have Oakland which is a dump, and id say 8-10 more cities, but no worries about that . Traffic is nutts, but you will get used to it, just have an Ipod with 20 gb. Houses are INSANE!!!!! Rent !
Ok i am typing what im thinking so this isnt organized. I loved the Bay area but I would suggest you check out these two areas in Ca. You will thank me for this
Rocklin , California, Roseville,Ca . I lived there two years as well and its Near Sac.
Riverside ,Ca area. not in Riverside itself " ( Montclair,Ontario,Pomona, Temecula)
Good luck to you and rememember, you live one life , better Ca than wr im at right now in horrible Mi. I'll be moving myself soon.
ciao !

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by Disquisitive

We are in our twenties, with no kids yet.

The "yet" gives me pause as to how the response should be qualified. You need to decide which phase of life you want to be in:

1.) Life coasting: unencumbered by a mortgage or a family...and the financial responsibility those require...you want to spend your early adulthood just having fun for a few years. You have no real plans to start a family and your main criterion will be a place that offers lots of intellectual stimulation and entertainment, even if at a cost.

2.) Life building: whether or not you have kids at the moment, you see yourselves as wanting to start a family sometime in the next decade. Your main criterion right now will be to find someplace with a good wage-to-COL index so that you can build up your savings over the next five years or so you can buy a house to anchor the family that you dream of.


If you are solidly in phase #1 above, there are parts of the Bay Area that will undoubtedly meet your needs (as well as some that won't -- it's a huge and diverse area)
If you are in phase #2, don't waylay your plans by trying to have it all. You'll end up with stagnant solvency, perhaps even working more than one job just to break even. Life building requires some sacrifices. You want to either stay where you are for now if you're saving good money, or relocate to a part of the country where the COL is relatively low and the wages relatively high, preferably someplace with a wage-to-COL quotient below 3.0 (most Bay areas are over 5.0).

[Joe_Ryder]

Originally Posted by Disquisitive

Here is what we're looking for:

1. Employment which is relevant to our respective fields (You can't do much of anything here except work at Wal-Mart)
2. Diversity (Ethnicity and age)
3. A place to rent where we can do a little gardening. A very small house would be ideal.
4. Public transportation that is effective enough to get around without a car

We want to avoid bedroom communities, places where the sky is brown due to pollution levels, cities that are nothing but concrete, and vast expanses of unimaginative architecture.

You just described San Francisco. 1-3 could have described a lot of places but number 4 narrowed it to San Francisco. Mass transit on the West Coast is a joke with SF And Seattle being the exceptions.