Bakersfield hottest areas to live in (San Francisco, Fresno: low crime, houses, unemployment rate)

[rasterscreen]

We are a middle income family looking for the best part of Bakersfield to move to that represents the average move up market from $300,000 to $400,000 (preferred New Construction only). I'd like to consider the best school and lowest crime area. Ideally, is there a "hot area" that everyone is talking about? So far, I've seen lots of comments about the west side....

I've also taken a look at Lennox Homes for new construction. Comments on Lennox or any other new construction builders?

Thanks for any input you have.

[FresnoFacts]

Hopefully a local will post with some very specific info for you.

But if you are looking basically in the Fruitvale/NW Bakersfield/River Oaks area you are looking into the area closest to your question that I know about. That area also has low crime and the largest concentration of strong performing schools in the Bakersfield area.

[bellalunatic]

I'm curious what draws you from Memphis to Bakersfield? A job?

[City Boy]

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

I'm curious what draws you from Memphis to Bakersfield? A job?

Me too, seems to be an influx of people inuring about Bakersfield. Yikes

[FresnoFacts]

People being interested in Bakersfield kind of confirms some of the economic forecasts for California that I have seen.

I've seen a couple of forecasts predict Bakersfield would be one of the first California areas to recover from the recession. Basically the job situation there was forecast to recover by early summer 2010.

The oil industry was going to be a big source of economic recovery around Bakersfield.

Unemployment peaked in the city of Bakersfield in March 2009 at 11.3% and was down to 9.7% in September. 9.7% is the same as San Francisco's current unemployment rate.

So I just see the interest on here about Bakersfield as a sign that forecasts may be true. Maybe California's job situation is near bottom and will start climbing back up over the next year or so.

[18Montclair]

I drove thru Bakersfield last February on my way to and from Vegas. It is much bigger than I would have imagined. Couldnt imagine myself living there but it looked decent I guess.

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by rasterscreen

We are a middle income family looking for the best part of Bakersfield to move to that represents the average move up market from $300,000 to $400,000 (preferred New Construction only). I'd like to consider the best school and lowest crime area. Ideally, is there a "hot area" that everyone is talking about? So far, I've seen lots of comments about the west side....

I've also taken a look at Lennox Homes for new construction. Comments on Lennox or any other new construction builders?

Thanks for any input you have.

Have you been to Bakersfield? I have a hard time imagining someone looking to plunk down $3-400k to live there without a very good job, especially if you are not coming from a super expensive area with a truckload of equity. It would be a huge change from Memphis, that's for sure. Maybe that's the point?

[Fontucky]

You got the hot part right...

[user_id]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

P
So I just see the interest on here about Bakersfield as a sign that forecasts may be true. Maybe California's job situation is near bottom and will start climbing back up over the next year or so.

Yeah the unemployment situation seems to be stabilizing a bit.

I think people in coastal California tend to dismiss the central valley as compared to the coastal areas its not particularly nice. But compared to the country as a whole it is not so bad, certainly no worse than many (fast growing) areas of Texas, other plain states, Nevada, Arizona, etc. Yeah there is the heat, but in the plains you got Tornadoes.

[P&J]

You might want to look at the seven oaks area. That used to be the area you are looking for. I am sure that it is still a very good area.

I went to school with a guy who's family started Froelich Ranch in the Rosedale area. These houses may be on the high side of your budget, but I drove through the area last year and boy howdee, there are some nice diggs in there.

Good Luck