Cali bound? I need some suggestions on neighborhoods.

[WasntMe]

Hey Everyone,

Looking at a possible move out there (Cali) early summer of 2011. So I need help narrowing my neighborhood to research based on my criteria below.
I'm just putting the feelers out there and trying to get opinions from anyone out in Cali about potential areas to move to.

My criteria:
1. within 15 to 20min drive tops to a Marina for my sailboat
2. Reasonable rental property costs compared to local cost of living
3. Can find rentals with backyard for a garden.
4. Relatively safe neighborhood
5. Hiking and camping fairly close by
6. Dog friendly. I have one small dog but want to get a lab too

I'm not so worried about job market as I can do my work remotely over the interwebz.
If you have any suggestions as to some areas that fit the above to research it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for any and all input
-WasntMe

 

[johnnyla]

you'll shoot yer eye out kid.

why don't you help us narrow it down to a city, or at least Norcal, Socal. CA is a big state.

 

[WasntMe]

you'll shoot yer eye out kid.

why don't you help us narrow it down to a city, or at least Norcal, Socal. CA is a big state.

because I don't know much about the different areas of cali and I have no regional preference other then coastal due to wanting to be near my sailboat since i spend a lot of time on it.

if you live in or know any areas that fit the above listed criteria above then please feel free to let me know so I have a starting point for a more detailed search of the area.

Thanks for any and all help
-WasntMe

 

[simos]

In the Bay Area, your best bets are Alameda and Emeryville, although neither would be good places for a backyard MJ garden. Honestly there really isn't an urban area in California that qualifies for your numbers 1&2 together (to say nothing of the others on the list) - it's probably going to be one or the other.

In Sonoma county you'd be within range of a marina if you were near Bodega Bay or Jenner. Much better area for outdoor (read: lower population density and better local enforcement philosophy).

Further south, the environs of San Luis Obispo would be worth a look.

If you don't have a strong source of legitimate income, it's going to be very hard to find anything "affordable" along the coast. I'm afraid the cost of living here (particularly anywhere near the water) is a lot higher than you'd expect, and housing is perhaps the most inflated cost of all. If you could settle for sailing on an inland lake, your plan would be more feasible. Bottom line is there aren't a lot of marinas/harbors near anything even remotely "affordable and safe" here. Space near the coast comes at an incredible premium. Perhaps you could make your sailing dream work if you changed the game plan to growing indoors.

 

[praisehim.]

so cal: mission bay san diego. great for sailing, and you could pull off some outdoor, just depends on the house, and where its situated. But no trees, just bushes. : )

 

[tequila_sunrise]

use craigslist to find rental properties if that is what you are looking for. That or call a rental or real estate agency over here and ask them about what they have in the area.


It is a big state with diversity in the landscape. I would suggest traveling out here and visiting different cities, maybe just start in san diego and drive up the coast all the way to Norcal.

Take the 1 all the way, beautiful ride for sure! I think that will give you a good idea of where you want to live

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LandArch/scenic_highways/route1.htm

 

[WasntMe]

Santa Monica was also suggested to me. (Thank you)

Praise him, tequila, simos thanks for taking the time for suggesting some areas to start my search.

Tequilla - Route 1, I think, maybe the plan once I have researched a bunch of areas to make legitimate stops in ... I would only have about a week, at most, to meander up or down the coast so I want to already have specific places in mind before I do that get out there. Thank you for your input.

Praisehim - thanks for the mission bay area suggestion. I am hearing a lot about the big sailing community there. I hear ya on the bushes ... not a problem for me as I like to mix them into my regular veggy garden.

Simos - Thank you for your input. As far as Sailing goes, I'm a blue water sailor ... oceans all the way. When I retire I will be spending the rest of my days circumnavigating this beautiful water filled planet of ours. So that's a priority for me. As far as income goes, I have an internet based business and a legit in demand day career so income is not so much of an issue. I haven't struck oil, so being a Beverly Hillbilly is out of my league but as long as the cost of living/rental costs aren't out of proportion to most marina areas I should be good. Where I am at now I pay about $1500 for rent.
I would like to have a backyard, if possible, because I do like to grow my own organic food too. Simos, I definitely haven't heard of any of the towns you mentioned (besides the bay areas ones), thanks for your input I will be adding these to my research list.


Thank you guys for your interest and taking the time to help me out.
If there are any further suggestions I am all ears ....

 

[simos]

Where I am at now I pay about $1500 for rent.
I would like to have a backyard, if possible, because I do like to grow my own organic food too. Simos, I definitely haven't heard of any of the towns you mentioned (besides the bay areas ones), thanks for your input I will be adding these to my research list.


Thank you guys for your interest and taking the time to help me out.
If there are any further suggestions I am all ears ....

I'm not as familiar with San Diego as I am with the Bay and LA, but there might be something under $2k a month around Mission Bay. This is as good a time as any to be looking as prices have fallen off quite a bit since the bubble burst.

Generally speaking 1500 - 2000 a month is apartment/townhouse pricing near the water in urban areas of the state, hence my suggestion to check out the central and north coasts.

Good luck.

 

[K1ndBudz]

Just get out to the delta, water for your boat and lots of space/privacy for your weed.

 

[johnnyla]

i would say either Santa Cruz area or Los Angeles area..... Marina Del Rey

 

[Calimed]

Check out Half Moon Bay and some of the towns between Monterrey and Santa Cruz. Lots of sailing around those parts if you are into the racing scene.

 

[cali2]

There are all kinds of marinas in the bay area. You can find two and three bedroom houses for rent all over the place for around the same as your payin now. Just saw you didn't wanna hear about the bay area, why?

 

[schwagg]

the channel islands are beautiful. search around Oxnard, CA.

 

[Chronic Future]

check out vallejo its one of the cheaper places that has a marina housing is cheap and there's some nicer area's there and around town there's some rif raf there but thats pretty much the whole bay area, berkley has a marina and so does marin but it cost some major coins to live out there. benica is a good area its right near vallejo and is more safe than vallejo it costs some bread to move there it's also right near mt diablo, hiking, camping, fishing all in the same area it if your looking a so cal near a marina you looking at some major bread you must be rich and you have to drive for awhile for the hiking,camping etc.nor cal is also more pot friendly I lived in vallejo for 17 yrs

 

[CreQ]

check out Ocean Beach, San Diego. by far one of the chillest towns in so cal.

 

[Chronic Future]

yeah no doubt I grew up in San Diego all kinds of stuff to do there .

 

[AriesXX]

Santa Cruz is great, and they have Measure K, making MJ enforcement literally LEOs lowest priority. I would say not right in the city though, and especially not near the Beach Flats, waterfront, there's lots of crime and mariachi music... Bonny Doon, or somewhere in the mountains would be ideal and cheaper. Stay away from the Bay Area north of there, places like Berkeley sound nice, but there is a high likelyhood of your grow getting ripped off. Basically, in Ca, you need to be more concerned with thieves than LEO.

 

[Pangea]

do any other counties have Measure K like measures?

not to thread jack ...
along a similar line of question, except with different criteria...
what if climate, privacy(security), and "leo enforcement priority" and a property for much outdoor growing, so a ranch, farm, or land, were the main criteria?

 

[central_coast]

San Luis Obispo County

 

[Pangea]

How is SLO counties prop 215 limits/enforcement?

Seems like a nice area, thank for the input good sir!