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living in CA?

Arutha

Arutha

Monkey
Nov 26, 2002
113
0
Western PA
Hey guys. I am currently in PA and am looking for a change of scenery. Have a wife and little baby and am thinking about CA. I am a network engineer and I know it costs more to live out there but I am trying to get a better understanding of life and costs. I see a similar house in the San Diego area would be around 500k compared to 200k here. I assume it is no different in other areas of CA? What is a typical commute? Certain areas of CA better? Many people commute 30 miles a day and how viable is that?

Most jobs I see that I'd like are around San Jose. :( But I do see some around LA, San Diego and Sacramento. Anywhere to stay away from?

If anyone can point me to some info I can look for myself I will, but wanted to get some ideas from some :monkey: s
 
EBasil

EBasil

Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
367
0
Hiding in the bushes with a sharpened McCleod and
Well, San Jose and San Diego have some of the highest cost of living and cost of real estate in all of California... and San Diego salaries don't compensate for that fact (statistically lower for same jobs).

"Los Angeles" is a term applied to a really, really big place, and there are many very different areas within it, including many that are way more affordable than San Jose or Diego.
 
dhjill

dhjill

Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
205
0
SD Cali
EBasil said:
Well, San Jose and San Diego have some of the highest cost of living and cost of real estate in all of California... and San Diego salaries don't compensate for that fact (statistically lower for same jobs).

"Los Angeles" is a term applied to a really, really big place, and there are many very different areas within it, including many that are way more affordable than San Jose or Diego.
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Yeah, what he said. :)

Yes, we can pretty much ride 300+ days a year in most all of CA. Our weather (especially So Cal) pretty much rocks. But the real estate prices and related cost of living blows; so we pay for it. I keep toying with taking my equity and running far away...somewhere where the cost of living is lower and the traffic doesn't suck.

Sacramento's real estate prices are quite a bit lower and I've heard the job market is pretty good. And like EBasil said, there are some areas of LA that are more affordable...you might also consider some of the outlying counties of LA like Riverside and San Bernardino. The real estate there is much cheaper and people do commute from there into LA. Not saying it's fun, but I do know people who do it.

Good luck! :)
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
Arutha said:
How long of a commute would Riverside or San Bernardino be to LA?
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I would say about 2 hours into Downtown L.A. Traffc is really bad. I am hopin to get out of L.A. myself. But for the mean time, Pasadena is a pretty cool place to live. IF you can, I would say live as close to work as possible.
 
EBasil

EBasil

Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
367
0
Hiding in the bushes with a sharpened McCleod and
Arutha said:
How long of a commute would Riverside or San Bernardino be to LA?
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Disastrous. No, no, no.... I-10 into LA is hideous.

If you're going to commute into the LA Basin, then you can rent/own affordably right in Culver City, Mar Vista, Venice, El Segundo, Watts, lots of places. Or, you can commute in from the San Fernando Valley (also Los Angeles) which is 25 miles/1 hour in traffic away and live in a multitude of places ranging from the flatlands in the center of the valley to various foothills around the periphery. I know some very affordable apartments across the street from an old friends horseranch in the West Valley...10 minutes from secret DH trails.

Or, maybe your job would be in the tech centers in the Valley or up along the 101 toward Camarillo. Both of those open up a lot of alternatives to live and ride mtb.

Similarly, in Orange County there are many outlying areas that are near undeveloped land/trails and that aren't as expensive to live at as others are. Your job might by in Irvine or City of Industry, but you could live in Chino Hills.
 
Orvan

Orvan

....................
Mar 5, 2002
1,492
2
Califor-N.I.A.
If you can suck it up, Burbank is pretty "cheap" to live in and still pretty "close" to LA. Lots of riding in Pasadena area as well which is really close. I used to live in Burbank and it's ok except for the 14 gazillion freeways that seem to intersect this godforsaken place.

Bellflower and Gardenia are one of the best places to live in LA County.
 
Kornphlake

Kornphlake

Turbo Monkey
Oct 8, 2002
2,632
1
Portland, OR
You really have to be careful when you start looking at where you can live that's affordable and close to where you work because you can pretty easily end up in slums.

I don't know if I'll get much support from others in my thoughts but I really feel like california has so much ethnic and econmic diversity you can literally drive though a neighborhood where everybody's selling crack, a neighborhood where all the stores have asian lettering on the signs, a neighborhood where all the stores have spanish names in about 5 miles. I think the majority of the suburbs are pretty nice, but I've seen a lot of San Bernardino go from a nice suburb to a neighborhood where everybody is selling crack in about 15 years. You might buy a home in what seems to be a nice neighborhood but by the time your kids are in highschool you'll really want to be moving again. The established areas tend to be the most expensive to rent/own in.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
EBasil said:
Disastrous. No, no, no.... I-10 into LA is hideous.

If you're going to commute into the LA Basin, then you can rent/own affordably right in Culver City, Mar Vista, Venice, El Segundo, Watts, lots of places.
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You didn't really just suggest that he move to WATTS did you? That's like one of the worst areas in L.A. Even ghettos call Watts a ghetto.
 
dump

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,236
4,498
Sacramento will probably have a more familiar feel to western PA than any of the areas you listed... housing can be found for less & the traffic is far better.

- dump
 
chicodude

chicodude

The Spooninator
Mar 28, 2004
1,054
2
Paradise
dump said:
Sacramento will probably have a more familiar feel to western PA than any of the areas you listed... housing can be found for less & the traffic is far better.

- dump
Click to expand...

WERD.


I would vote Sacramento over LA any day of the week..........
 
S

spookydave

Monkey
Sep 6, 2001
518
0
Orange County, CA
ibismojo said:
housing prices aren't all that bad.
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If 415K for a 1,500 sq. ft house in downtown Anaheim is not bad then I guess your right. lol I think housing is pretty much at it's peak or had maybe cooled off just slightly myself. It's way up there no matter what though. I'm glad I'm in already.

Arutha, I moved out here in '85. All I can say is figure out where you want to be as in Sac, S.D. or the LA/OC area. Then just pony up and come on out. You'll move around a bit before you settle on YOUR spot in the grass. You'll know what areas to stay away from pretty easy.
Just be ready for sticker shock (housing and even your car insurance maybe) and be ready to hurry up and wait. (seems like we do that alot in So Cal)
 
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