From palmdale to east bay martinez pitsburg concord or pinole (Lancaster: rental market, crime)

[brc8238]

I am in the process of applying for a job in a treatment plant in martinez. What areas are affordable and safe around martinez. We currently pay about 1800 in rent in palmdale for a 4bedroom 2800sf home on the nicer side of town. Has anyone lived in the high desert and bay area. If so how does it compare. I will be getting a significant pay raise if i get the job .

[kttam186290]

The Bay Area cities of Antioch/Pittsburgh are the equivalent of Lancaster/Palmdale. Actually, there are things about Lancaster/Palmdale that give them an edge over Antioch/Pittsburgh, but I digress.

Demographically, they are carbon copies of each other.

You will need that pay raise because everything in Northern California is significantly more expensive than in So Cal, despite the demographics of both places being the same.

[brc8238]

We really like the areas of concord martinez area but not sure if it affordable. Pittsburg has nice homes but i am worried why the prices are so much lower

[sav858]

What is your budget? If it's only $1800 then Pittsburg is pretty much the only place you'll find a 4-br house for that price unless you go to Antioch. Prices are lower because the commute, Hwy 4 has a lot of traffic, and it's generally a lower class town. Crime isn't as bad as Antioch but I would make sure you stay south of Hwy 4 in the new developments.

[brc8238]

My budget would be about 2500 to 2700 and about 3000 in about a year

[brc8238]

We first want to rent somewhere between 2000 to 2500 until we are ready to buy in about a year and 6 months then our mortgage budget would be about 3000 a month

[ccm123]

I would pick Martinez itself, Concord, Pinole, Hercules, or Pleasant Hill. As others have said, Palmdale is similar to Antioch or Pittsburg (lower cost housing, for a good reason).

[brc8238]

As far as a rental where would be a good area to rent. We eventually want to but in an area like Martinez

[isanyonethere]

Look in Martinez. It is a very nice area and is right off the water. The home prices for a 5 bed, 2000-2300 sq ft home (buy, anyway, is about $450-500K.

Compare it: //www.city-data.com/city/Martinez-California.html to Antioch: //www.city-data.com/city/Antioch-California.html

Also, living in Pittsburg/Antioch you would be traveling commute direction to Martinez for work and then back on Hwy 4 to the East.

[brc8238]

How is the rental market in martinez