Living in Monterey with boyfriend and roommate (Salinas, Clovis: apartments, lease) - Monterey County - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

shanond · 05-25-2014, 09:51 PM

Me, my boyfriend and roommate having been living together for 4 years. we just finished college and are wanting to move somewhere that we can all grow, while staying within 3 hours drive from our families. We currently live in Murphys ca, a small town in the mountains just below big trees state park. My bf and roomie have family in Tracy, Sonora, and angels camp. My family is in Clovis and Oakhurst. Knowing that it is about 3 hours max to my fam is huge as I barely visit to begin with. We know it is expensive, but between 3 people we easily make around 2500-3000/ mo. we all work in the food industry as cooks servers bakers baristas etc. so finding minimum wage jobs quickly shouldn't be hard and i can always find a higher paying job when we move. Monterey is a beautiful area but the only affordable places that allow pets are in Salinas and if we are lucky marina but so far it is only Salinas.

All I have ever really wanted that is constant is to be closer to the beach and bake yummy breads and pastries somewhere there are hills. I know Salinas is like 20 min away, which is fine if it means lower rent and pet friendly apartments.

Please don't suggest SF area, we are small town people who want to live somewhere more laid back and quiet for our first move to such a highly populated city( we live in a town of 2500 people!). I know that's where all the good jobs are but the quality of life for us as individuals will not be anywhere lose to living in Salinas/ Monterey area. If anyone has any ideas or other suggestions for that area I would love to hear them.

I just keep asking myself what i really really want this coming year and it goes back to Monterey over and over. That and Portland. But I really don't think I am ready to leave this crazy expensive state that is my home. It's on my list though.

shanond · 05-26-2014, 01:39 PM

ps we are all turning 24 this month, have good rent history and i have good credit while our roomie is building hers. If i can walk or cycle to work i can easily spend the 160-200 a month i spend on gas now towards rent. is this smarter than living in salinas where rent is slightly cheaper but ill have to drive to monterey most likely for a good cooking job? i have never lived anywhere i dont have to drive a truck( because of snow) and EVERYWHERE for work food etc. is 10-15 min. away one way. i would honestly rather not have to depend on my truck as it is getting older and is a gas hog. plus my bf is getting a new car soon and my roomie has her own car so finding somewhere with 3 parking spots seems unheard of. owning a car is very expensive and if i can eliminate that i can afford a higher rent

Hawk J · 05-26-2014, 04:49 PM

Howdy shanond

How many pets?

With pets I'm not sure but you can try some areas,

Look around New Monterey up the hill from Lighthouse Avenue. There used to be pet friendly apts.

The backend of Marina on Fort Ord property my bil used to rent there. It's off Reservation Road (to the right), opposite of Frietsche airfield.

My brother has happily lived in Prunedale, 27 years. It's more rural. You might find a place there you love.

Spreckel's, by Salinas. It's smaller, more rural feel.

Best of Luck to y'all...

California831 · 05-27-2014, 10:30 AM

The cheapest you can find a two bedroom in Monterey is for about 1500 a month. You can all find those kinds of jobs in Monterey, but probably not Salinas. I would definitely not live in Salinas because that commute can become a killer and Salinas has absolutely nothing to do. Monterey is where its at. Now is a great time to move here because a lot of the MIIS grad students are leaving and there are open apartments near the downtown area. Best of luck! Let me know if you have any questions.

shanond · 05-29-2014, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawk J

Howdy shanond

How many pets?

With pets I'm not sure but you can try some areas,

Look around New Monterey up the hill from Lighthouse Avenue. There used to be pet friendly apts.

The backend of Marina on Fort Ord property my bil used to rent there. It's off Reservation Road (to the right), opposite of Frietsche airfield.

My brother has happily lived in Prunedale, 27 years. It's more rural. You might find a place there you love.

Spreckel's, by Salinas. It's smaller, more rural feel.

Best of Luck to y'all...

We have one australian shepherd and she is absolutely wonderful never barks never runs out of the apartment and has never bitten or even growled at a person. we would like to get a sister for her but not until we have found somewhere to live as it is a pain to find a place that accepts a 40 lb dog. I have heard that Salinas is a little sketchy and to stay south so near spreckles i guess? ive looked at some places that accept dogs it seems that marina has a couple. there are a couple in salinas we could afford but ive heard about a lot of crime there. im not too terribly worried about a high population area if it means i an walk or cycle to work or the store and be close to that beautiful pacific ocean

ideally id live right in monterey or even marina but salinas seems more affordable but we would all have to drive to work most likely so it seems like living in marina or monterey and walking everywhere would cancel out the amount of gas used( i own a chevy pickup that gets 13miles a gal)

shanond · 05-29-2014, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by California831

The cheapest you can find a two bedroom in Monterey is for about 1500 a month. You can all find those kinds of jobs in Monterey, but probably not Salinas. I would definitely not live in Salinas because that commute can become a killer and Salinas has absolutely nothing to do. Monterey is where its at. Now is a great time to move here because a lot of the MIIS grad students are leaving and there are open apartments near the downtown area. Best of luck! Let me know if you have any questions.

My bf and I are definitely old people at heart we dont really do anything anyways other than stuff with the dog. we are outdoorsy at most, but not really into partying or going out on the town. our lease ends at the end of the year though so idk if that is a bad time to move? our landlord would probably be down to do month to month until we find a place. i think 1500 is not bad considering wed be living in such a gorgeous place and could walk to work. also, my roommate might want to stay here for all i know, i just assume anyone would want to move to monterey if they had the opportunity

California831 · 05-30-2014, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanond

We have one australian shepherd and she is absolutely wonderful never barks never runs out of the apartment and has never bitten or even growled at a person. we would like to get a sister for her but not until we have found somewhere to live as it is a pain to find a place that accepts a 40 lb dog. I have heard that Salinas is a little sketchy and to stay south so near spreckles i guess? ive looked at some places that accept dogs it seems that marina has a couple. there are a couple in salinas we could afford but ive heard about a lot of crime there. im not too terribly worried about a high population area if it means i an walk or cycle to work or the store and be close to that beautiful pacific ocean

ideally id live right in monterey or even marina but salinas seems more affordable but we would all have to drive to work most likely so it seems like living in marina or monterey and walking everywhere would cancel out the amount of gas used( i own a chevy pickup that gets 13miles a gal)

The only place that has walkability is Monterey.. Marina definitely does not. There are no high population areas out here (unless you count the tourists).

Marcuscolel · 08-21-2015, 08:11 PM

I will be buying a house shortly in monterey, I am planning to rent out 2 of the rooms to help me pay off the mortgage and it is a 3 bed 2 bath that I am looking at currently and just waiting for the loan to clear, I would need more information on yourselves, money saved etc to pay rent until you get a job in town. If you are still looking although it's not immediate, message me at marcussterlingcolello@gmail.com.

Marcuscolel · 08-21-2015, 08:14 PM

Also the main reason that salinas is cheap is that it's a pretty sketchy city with a very high crime rate

cyberous · 08-26-2015, 03:21 PM

Ever watch Batman? I worked in Salinas for a year, and it was total Gotham City, gray and run down, sad because it could be a wonderful location, but because its is the "salad bowl" it will always have migrant workers and what comes with a large migrant population.

Salinas does have a few nice areas, but most are on the Monterey side of town. If you willing to settle for Salinas, why not look into Watsonville or Catroville, they too have large migrant populations but seem smaller and closer to Monterey.