Suggestions for a family moving to California? (San Francisco, Sacramento: middle-class, apartment)

[ambertx90]

Hi there,

I'm planning on moving with my family to California at the end of this year once my lease is up. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, but it is unaffordable for me. I have a budget of $1350 or under for rent alone. I would prefer renting a 2 bdr+ house, but a 2 bdr+ condo/apartment is fine as well as long as the area is nice and there's alot to do. I want to be less than 1 hour from the beach and preferably less than a 2 hour drive from san francisco. I'm looking for something that's safe and affordable. I work online so we can move anywhere we like. I'm looking for a laid back atmosphere...I'm moving from Michigan which I absolutely hate. I moved here from Texas!!!

Other details

*Public transportation is a big plus, but not necessary
*We have 2 small children (1 and 4)
*My husband will probablly need to find a job once we move, but I am the main income and cities with alot of jobs is not priority.
*Low crime rate; I have kids
*Not really a fan of LA
*Diverse area<---this is very important, I don't want to move to another place that is 90% white, 90% black, etc, like I've experience here in the cities I've lived in Michigan. It needs to have a good mix of people.

Thanks!

[ragnarkar]

1) A general rule for a fairly financially savvy family:

Budget $1500/mo for the first person and $1000/mo for each additional person. That should cover a little more than the "essentials" living here in California. This should be enough for most of the middle-class areas in CA as long as you don't need to live in SF proper or near the beach.

2) You will need a job, unless you have plenty of savings. Don't underestimate the amount of time you need to find a job! Take the minimum monthly expense you need from #1 and multiply it by 24 (essentially 2 years of living expenses.) If you don't have that available, don't bother moving here without a job.

3) Areas: If you don't like LA and think SF is too expensive, you can also consider Sacramento or one of the Central Valley cities.

[EscapeCalifornia]

That budget + those requirements + California = LOL unless you're FAR north where there's literally no jobs and nothing to do

[ambertx90]

I said I work online, I can move anywhere I like...I would never move without some sort of safety net.

[ambertx90]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

That budget + those requirements + California = LOL unless you're FAR north where there's literally no jobs and nothing to do

Not very openminded, eh? My requirements are not really that strict, I just don't know every last city in California to be able to stack them up against, that's why I ask here. If you don't know either, then why bother responding?

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

That budget + those requirements + California = LOL unless you're FAR north where there's literally no jobs and nothing to do

This is not true. The only tough call in the OP's list is to plug in the hope of good public transportation combined with the other points ... and one exception to even that limitation might well be Santa Rosa.

Another consideration would be Sacramento ... further from salt-water beaches, but lots of river and lake water activities ... the Delta is 1,000 miles of waterways between Sac and SF.

[5thgenSF]

yeah, i'd second sacramento. sounds like a good plan!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by ambertx90

Not very openminded, eh? My requirements are not really that strict, I just don't know every last city in California to be able to stack them up against, that's why I ask here. If you don't know either, then why bother responding?

The California forums are full of people with champagne tastes on a beer budget.

[ambertx90]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

This is not true. The only tough call in the OP's list is to plug in the hope of good public transportation combined with the other points ... and one exception to even that limitation might well be Santa Rosa.

Another consideration would be Sacramento ... further from salt-water beaches, but lots of river and lake water activities ... the Delta is 1,000 miles of waterways between Sac and SF.

Santa Rosa was an awesome suggestion, thank you!

[ambertx90]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

The California forums are full of people with champagne tastes on a beer budget.

I bet. But with the hundreds of cities it's hard to believe you'd think that there isn't one city is California which would be a good fit for me. $1350 for a 2 bdr is not insanely low. Some people aren't as blessed as you.. congratulations on your champagne budget.