Where to live? (Santa Barbara, Chico, Santa Cruz: apartments, condos, townhomes)

[snappycowchips]

My wife and I are planning a move sometime in this next year. We want to be somewhat close to a “full” city with events and hospitals and such, but also want to live somewhere very walkable and non car dependent for day to day living. We also want to be nearby to outdoor activities like mountains/biking/hiking/skiing/kayaking.

We both work out of the house so commute is not an issue. We are in our early 30s with no kids and like places such as independent restaurants/bars/coffee shops to work out of or socialize. What cities or neighborhoods would be ideal for this? Santa Cruz seems like a good fit, but I don't know if it fits our budget of $600-$650k.

Here's what we're looking for:
- being able to walk to trailheads and bike paths
- nearby to water for kayaking and boating
- being able to walk to good restaurants
- artsy and/or more liberal vibe
- house preferred over condo/apartments, and we both dislike tract style housing
- maximum budget is about $800k for the absolute perfect place, but we'd like to stay under $650k

We’re currently in south OC and overall like it, but not enough to purchase a house. The weather and beaches here have been ideal, but it’s still car dependent and the general “type” of person and community here does not fit what we’re looking for. Other places we have been looking at are Santa Barbara county and the more forested outskirts of Seattle, although Washington has been ruled out for the most part because of weather.

[Ruth4Truth]

There are parts of Santa Cruz that are walkable, but the city also has a bus service. It's great for biking, as well. You can check RE listings, to see if anything in your range comes up. Also take a look at nearby Soquel and Capitola. Monterey is a great town, but is becoming unaffordable, even more so than Santa Cruz. There are a few 2 br homes within your range, but they push the limits of it. Here, for example:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...0_M21261-54869 (beach at end of the block. Nice fenced yard, too.)

Only you can decide if it's worth it. But walkable to the beach is a pretty nice amenity. IDK about walking to trailheads; logically, beaches aren't located near mountain trail heads; it's unusual to get both. Anyway, you can explore listings and think about it.

[Bayarea4]

Originally Posted by snappycowchips

Santa Cruz seems like a good fit, but I don't know if it fits our budget of $600-$650k.

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Also take a look at nearby Soquel and Capitola.

You won't find any single family houses in that price range in Capitola or Soquel, just condos or mobile homes.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Bayarea4

You won't find any single family houses in that price range in Capitola or Soquel, just condos or mobile homes.

The OP said they could go up to $800K if necessary, so I was going by that. Otherwise, you're absolutely right.

I did find this just now, for under $650, in what looks like a development of detached-home "condos" or townhomes in Santa Cruz. I know the OP said they're not interested in tract homes and the like, but here it is, fwiw.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...2_M29803-61868

There's a lot of this sort of thing in SC, Capitola, etc. Oh well. I guess the OP will be looking elsewhere.

[kauailover]

You won't find any SFH along the coast in your price range, unless its a major fixer upper. To be living closer to the activities you enjoy you might consider moving out of CA to Reno NV or somewhere around there. Or even somewhere else in N. CA with lower housing costs. Chico?

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by kauailover

You won't find any SFH along the coast in your price range, unless its a major fixer upper. To be living closer to the activities you enjoy you might consider moving out of CA to Reno NV or somewhere around there. Or even somewhere else in N. CA with lower housing costs. Chico?

Yeah some norCal towns would meet your criteria. Take a few days off & come for a visit.

[TwistedGray]

Everyone has already addressed the elephant in the room (re: $$$).

If you have not, you need to create that same list and rank for priority as you won't tick all the boxes anywhere along the California Coast with exception of a fair bit north of the Golden Gate.

With that said, depending on how your list is ranked, Santa Cruz and/or Santa Cruz Mountain 'towns' meet a lot of your requirements. Not all of them, but a fair bit of them.