Where to live in CA?

Hey there-
I'm considering moving out to Cali in the next few months, and I've been trying to find a decent online resource to compare and contrast the different area's. I really think that I'd like to live in the San Diego area, and I imagine that there are lots of people here who are from around there.

So if you don't mind - what area's would you suggest I look at? Please keep in mind that I will be looking for something lower cost (200k or below, for a condo), and would like to be as close to the shore as I can get with my budget. Any and all suggestions welcome

 

Los Angeles and San Francisco are cesspools.

I would recommend either San Jose (Silicon Valley), San Diego, or Santa Barbara.

Overall, San Diego is best. It's the cleanest of the big 3 in CA and the cheapest. LA and SF are just filled with weirdos, hippies, and crime.

 

That was the impression that I got (when I asked a few of my buddies). Is 200k unrealistic for a condo (I'm fine with a suburb)? Are there any that you guys would suggest (as far as suburbs are concerned)?

 

To be more specific, check out Irvine.. a big reason I like that place is its proximity to orange county airport..

 

You can get a decent condo for $200k yes. Don't expect granite countertops or indoor parking though.

Not sure what housing prices are like in the city you currently live in, but in CA, everyone spends a larger portion of their income on housing, that's the key to living there.

I would wait a year or two though, the CA real estate market is going to be hurting bigtime in 2007. 6 Months to a year from now there will be many deals to be had. The bubble is currently bursting for the US housing market.

 

Try this link for real estate in SD. Realtor.com is the best site around for real estate.

http://www.realtor.com/sandiego/nbregion.asp?st=ca&poe=realtor

 

By 'next few months', I ment at least 6 months out. I'm looking at the end of June, start of July to move out there.
I currently live in a 500 sq. foot apartment, so I'm not looking for anything fancy, and something about the same would be just fine (it would just be me)

 

La Jolla or Oceanside

 

San Diego & Santa Barbara are the best (for the price )
unless you want to spend $$$$ to buy a home/condo in SF / LA

 

I've lived in SF for a while. It's a great place to visit, but not to live IMO.

 

Torrance, California

 

San Diego's pretty nice. I've lived here since I was 2, so I can't exactly compare it with other places. Expensive, though. If you find a condo for $200k it's going to be pretty small, although it sounds like that is acceptable to you.

 

La Jolla... might be hard to find one for $200K

Oceanside... the prices are much.. much... much cheaper

 

What makes oceanside so much cheaper in your opinion?

I actually think I'm going to come visit at the end of December so I can get a feeling for what the city is like and where I'd like to live (in or around it). Anything you guys think I should definately see on my trip?

 

I live near los angeles right now, there are some great suburbs like chatsworth, woodlin hills, westlake village, thousand oaks, camarillo, ventura, those are some great areas.

I really like LA

sorry, I Was off-topic, but I like LA alot

 

San Diego's an awesome city, although I can't stand Oceanside. To each their own, though I've lived in San Diego my entire life and it is a pretty nice city.

 

I think the average home from the border up through Santa Barbara is around $600,000, condos might be around $400,000. Some of the place named like Irvine, LaJolla, and Santa Barbara are going to be a hundred grand more. You can buy 1100 sqft of detached home in Mission Viejo (near Irvine, a little more scenic and the third safest city in the nation) for $600,000.

Do you have work lined up? That's also a factor in where you will want to live, you should live near work here otherwise you will live in your car.

Another cool place to live would be Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead. Of course you'd have to be indepedently wealthy or cater to tourists and snowboarders.

 

The average income of its residents.

 

Impossible to get 200k house.. average house cost 550k in california..

i'm sorry, but not a place for you

I use to live in Irvine for 3 years.. <-- one of the safest place on earth

I think they cost around 800k average now


LA is like out of sight

 

LA and OC are great to live in (LA only in parts though).

San Fran is WAY to liberal for any normal thinking person that doesn't have a dire need to self emolate themselves.

San Diego is nice with great weather.. but for some reason, I just never enjoyed it that much.

I Live in San Pedro, which is the Port of Los Angeles ( SanPedro.com ) and enjoy living in the southbay. awesome weather, fine girls, good employment opportunities for virtually any industry.

But remember, unless you can ante up with a MINIMUM 5-600,000 for a house, you will be paying 1,000-2,000 rent a month...easily.