Family Moving to Cali but not sure where to go... (Fresno: low income, real estate)

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by GointoCali4Good

Ok when i say decent i mean as far as crime and Schools.

Honestly we live near and i work in Dallas TX which has a HUGE crime rate but i never see it because i do not go into those areas. We live in North Richland Hills a decent size city about 30 min from dallas. That is kind of what i am looking for in Cali.

Reason for moving is to have a new fresh start. there are alot of things going on in texas with family and stuff so we want to get out. Both of us have dreamed about living near a beach and raising the kids being able to go to the beach on the weekends and the Cali weather.

Have you looked at a map of California?
Living in Fresno or Bakersfield is not the California you're dreaming of!
Truly.
That dream is a very expensive one.
I live on the coast in a very expensive area but i'm single and live very simply.
I love California and don't like to discourage anyone from coming here but people tend to have quite distorted notions of the state and much of it is not that ever so enticing paradisiacal dream.

[shadow91]

I too may be relocating to California as an RN. I want to be close to the beachs as I have a child. I don't live beyond my means and feel that if you truly want to pursue your dream of moving to California, you will. You may have to work a 2nd job or give up the hopes of a beautiful home, but if that is truly what you want, I say go for it. It can happen, after all, how many people live in California--they are not all rich.

[Hadley831]

I used to own a travel trailer and there is a little RV park in Santa Cruz right across the street from the beach you can live at for $700/month. Best deal around the coast I've seen. It was fine for my son and I, but your family of 5 would be crowded.

You could find something for your price maybe in Crescent City, which is near the coast. A mobile home maybe. Then work your way down the coast as the economy gets better, which I hope it will do but I don't feel confident about it.

What people are saying about jobs being scarce is not exaggerating, especially in the areas where rent is cheaper.

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by GointoCali4Good

We are coming from Texas and there will be a 6yo 3yo and a 1yo, my wife and I. I am a bartender and have worked in sales. She works at a medical clinic as a referral clerk. We are going to Rent a house or apt and are just looking for somewhere decent. Like a suburb area close enough to a city where i can bartend. The rent we pay now for a 2 bedroom 850sqft is 750.00 a month so we are looking for something around 2-3 bedrooms 850-1200 sqft for 700-900.00. If you could help us out with any info we would appreciate it.

So far we have looked a little into...

Fresno
Bakersfield
Island Empire

San Fransisco
San Bernardino

Thanks in advance for the help.

I would not recommend moving to Bakersfield without a job lined up. I don't think there are many bar clubs around here....

[MtnSurfer]

Of those places you mentioned I'd pick Fresno or Clovis which is right next door. We live at the coast in Monterey but enjoy visiting Fresno with our kiddos in the Spring for the beautiful wildflowers in the Sierra Foothills just outside the city. They also have the Blossom Trail Festival every year which is quite nice as well.







We have friends who grew up in Fresno and now live in Monterey. And while they prefer living at the coast now, they do miss living in such close proximity to the Sierras. I was so impressed with our last visit in fact I told my wife if I had to choose between living in Denver or Fresno I'd pick Fresno. After living in CO and thoroughly enjoying the Rockies with our family the one thing we really missed was having some access to the coast, even if a few hours away. Fresno lies at the base of the beautiful Sierras. Plus you can be at the coast in ~ 3 hours. Of course its not perfect, no place is. But its not all that bad either.

As far as other places to consider I would look at the Central Coast to see if anywhere along there might be an option. Much depends on where you two can land decent jobs. Just cast a wide net. It doesn't hurt to at least give it a try. So take a look at Paso Robles and any of the towns south to Lompoc. They are all located in a beautiful part of the state with some towns being more affordable mainly in terms of rents than others. Here are some places in your price range just to get an idea - San Luis Obispo County.

Then there is the more northern part of the state up around Chico and Paradise. Thats also in a nice part of the state near the Sierras as well.

While I don't discount all the advice and stories about the tough job situation, you will never know until you at least give it a look. And of course you are already aware with little ones you want to make sure to have some jobs lined up before making any moves. So it sounds like you are doing the right thing in doing your research first. Yes, California is an expensive state. BUt there are many who wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Even if that means giving up the big house in TX, AZ, CO, OK, etc... to live California lifestyle. For others its not worth it and they are escaping, fleeing, etc... to greener pastures. But CA still remains the most popular state to live in in the nation for a number of reasons. So you never know, you may find it the right combination of things for your family. And if not you can at the very least compare it to your other options like FL, NC, etc...

My 2c,

Derek

[Dreams2Plans]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Of those places you mentioned I'd pick Fresno or Clovis which is right next door. We live at the coast in Monterey..

.....Yes, California is an expensive state. BUt there are many who wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Even if that means giving up the big house in TX, AZ, CO, OK, etc...

Thanks for mentioning Monterey and giving me an idea! (looks like median home price $229K)

I am one of those: lived in CA for 4 years and dreaming to come back. But not for the CA lifestyle or even beach as much as the CLIMATE!!!

So, I am now looking up small towns (not too far from the coast, for milder climate) for planning a few years ahead and hoping to come up. Any more suggestions?

[MtnSurfer]

Yes, if that is what you are looking for I would say anywhere along the central coast from Monterey south to Lompoc would be fine. You may even start at Santa Cruz. But RE prices are high there unless you look in Watsonville which has crime/gang issues.

The one thing you need to be careful about when looking at Monterey is the home prices. The number you posted is for the County not the city of Monterey. And there is a big difference. While I find Monterey to be one of the most beautiful places to live along the CA coast it has some higher crime cities right around it. So for reasonable priced homes near the coast I would recommend some of the nicer parts of Seaside and Marina which are right next to Monterey.

As a rule of thumb you need to watch for certain neighborhoods/towns in places like Salinas, Gonzales, Soledad, Castroville, Greenfield and King City. The crime and violence is largely gang on gang in those areas. But still a word of caution is needed when looking at home prices. There is a reason some of those areas have homes for sale in the $220K range. See this crime map to get an idea. And here is the 2010 Crime Map.

And take a look at this thread discussing these issues in more detail.

Another spot along the coast which may be to your liking is the Ventura and Oxnard areas. Oxnard used to be known for gang issues. But I've heard things have improved some there lately. These are in SoCal but north of LA at least.

Derek

[Dreams2Plans]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

The one thing you need to be careful about when looking at Monterey is the home prices. The number you posted is for the County not the city of Monterey.
....Another spot along the coast which may be to your liking is the Ventura and Oxnard areas. Oxnard used to be known for gang issues. But I've heard things have improved some there lately. These are in SoCal but north of LA at least.

Hmmm... I've got that number for Monterrey itself ...
Thanks for the helpful links!

Regarding Oxnard, I've lived there a little while and sort of liked it, but was now alarmed to see the school ratings & somewhat high crime rate... yet, perhaps, not too bad in reality? And Camarillo is pretty close for schools -with ratings twice as good (and houses twice as expensive)

(just opened a new thread to not take over this one, sorry)

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by elochka1118

Hmmm... I've got that number for Monterrey itself ...
Thanks for the helpful links!

Regarding Oxnard, I've lived there a little while and sort of liked it, but was now alarmed to see the school ratings & somewhat high crime rate... yet, perhaps, not too bad in reality? And Camarillo is pretty close for schools -with ratings twice as good (and houses twice as expensive)

(just opened a new thread to not take over this one, sorry)

Yeah, there's no free lunch thats for sure. But some places along the coast do offer a bit more value depending on where one can find work, etc... Take a look at this chart for a good breakdown of prices by city and county.

Derek

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by elochka1118

Thanks for mentioning Monterey and giving me an idea! (looks like median home price $229K)

I am one of those: lived in CA for 4 years and dreaming to come back. But not for the CA lifestyle or even beach as much as the CLIMATE!!!

So, I am now looking up small towns (not too far from the coast, for milder climate) for planning a few years ahead and hoping to come up. Any more suggestions?

I just met up with an old high school friend who has been living in Fresno for nearly 6 years after graduating from Fresno State. We were talking about how much more disposable income we had compared to our high school friends who have stayed behind in Monterey. We both own our own houses, have nice cars, able to travel around the country with some savings left in our bank account. We prefer our lives this way and get the chance to visit our relatives in Monterey whenever we can. This doesn't necessarily mean we are better off than our friends in Monterey. We just prefer this tradeoff.

You really have to weigh your options before committing to a town. Monterey is certainly a beautiful city to live in and one may find that their standard quality of life is measured by having easy access to the city's amenities, while others (like myself) may find living inland to meet their needs.

Different taste in lifestyle, I suppose.