Where should we live? (sales, houses, neighborhoods)
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I'll throw out some legitimate, but outside of the box suggestions. Ann Arbor and East Lansing in MI would fit and both are very culturally diverse school districts with very good reputations. Both have a lot going on for their size and aren't too far from Detroit.
In the Detroit area, you have suburban SD's like Farmington, West Bloomfield, the portion of the Birmingham SD zoned for Groves HS(includes parts of northern Southfield/nearby portions of Beverly Hills), parts of the Grosse Pointe SD(Grosse Pointe Woods, parts of Harper Woods, Grosse Point Park), the northern Oak Park portion of the Berkley SD and parts of the Plymouth-Canton SD, among a few others.
There are others in these states and across the country that can be suggested, that I may share later. So, it may come down to other factors that may not have been mentioned in the original post.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 07-16-2020 at 02:11 PM..
Thanks so much to the posters suggesting Atlanta. We explored Atlanta several years ago and weren't thrilled about the feel of it, but looks like we need to reconsider. Agreed, traffic isn't really an issue for us. We are used to commutes and know to be strategic about where we live vs work, etc. Not worried about bedbugs as neither of us has ever had them and we use a pest service regardless of where we stay. The issue with roaches is from our experiences in Texas and from speaking with friends that live there, that even with a pest service they are still plentiful outdoors and occasionally still find their way indoors. Any recommendation about specific areas of Atlanta to look into?
To whereiend, respectfully I didn't ask for your opinion regarding my aversion to huge cockroaches or preference for a yard. I stated large cockroaches are a deal breaker for me and Texas likely isn't an option due to this fact. I also didn't say we were only moving due to the size of a yard, but it is a factor for us. We will not find a 3-4 bedroom house in LA for under 600k even in a less than desirable neighborhood and we don't wish to rent forever. I'm aware we will lose the weather. As I said LA is not the only place we've lived. I grew up with very cold, snowy winters. My husband and I have both lived in cold/rainy/snowy climates. That's not a factor for us if we are able to be outside some in the spring/summer/fall. Not sure why advice can't be given on areas that fit what's important to us without telling us that we should change what's important to us, but thanks I guess.
I'll do my best to give you the quick and dirty (generalization warning ahead), just to give you a start on where to look/not to look:
-generally speaking, the desireable suburbs are mostly north of I-20.
Acworth, Kennesaw, Woodstock, parts of Marietta, Duluth are all a very good value, meaning combo of good schools, safety, and not too expensive
Alpharetta/Cumming - high Indian population
Johns Creek/Duluth - high Korean population
Marietta - good mix of black, hispanic, white, asian. Cute little square and lots of good culture
The city of Atlanta has become decently expensive. By and large, the schools are bad if that is a factor for you. The desireable part (loosely east of I-75, north of I-20) still have bad schools, and houses will be smaller and typically $500K+. I'm not an expert on their real estate, so not sure if deal can be had.
With the pest service, I probably find about 5 small cockroaches a year indoors, all of them dead by the time I find them if that helps.
A couple of things: I am white and live in a suburban area of Charlotte that is naturally diverse racially. We have gone to interracial churches for years. One of our sons has a black fiance' and another son has a hispanic fiance. All of this is not by design, but that we just don't look at people's race on any level. One's identity group means zero to us. But when one is hyperly conscience of race and cultural "diversity", it can create problems of a political dogma that rate people in order of their identity group, not treating them as individuals. What's going on in our nation right now in some of the most liberal areas is proof of the dangers that mindset has on community harmony. So the over-importance (IMO) you're putting up "diversity" (also, "diversity" is an extremely subjective word that can have a million different definitions) usually doesn't result in people actually having a better social experience. "Diversity" (the PC version, not the literal definition) usually is going to depend where in the hierarchy of the identity group list you rank.
Liberal = expensive 95% of the time. The most expensive, lowest rates of home ownership, highest rates of homelessness, and highest rates of crime are in cities/metro areas that have been run by liberals for generations. The numbers and stats speak for themselves. The very state you're fleeing from is exhibit A, so it boggles my mind that this isn't obvious. The predictable pattern that has happened for at least 20 years now is Californians drive up the cost of living in CA, tire of it, move to a new state (in the past, WA/OR/CA with TX new being the new victim) that is affordable, then proceed to ignore what created the mess in CA, and proceed to do the same thing in the new state. When natives complain, the newcomers whine that natives "hate newcomers". If you are bent on not acknowledging and changing voting habits mentioned, it would be better to stay in CA or move to another area that's already expensive and screwed up. It's illogical to do otherwise. Don't create the storm and complain when it rains.
PLEASE do not take what I'm saying wrong. I know this belief is not shared by many here on C-D. I really am not trying to be a tool. I truly want you to be where you'd like and be happy. But you have to be realistic and logical in your choices. It's simply isn't fair to move to an area with a great cost of living and in the name of "progress" (which, again, makes no sense) eventually make the new area unaffordable just like the mess you're fleeing. The facts of the matter are not even debatable. I honestly can't in good conscience recommend an affordable area to you if your political mindset isn't different than when you've lived in CA. It wouldn't be fair to the affordable area. I truly hope and pray that you think about things and be open minded to the economic (and in some cases, social [homelessness/Antifa/etc]) realities of what you're leaving in CA. Otherwise, it really doesn't make sense to move. So, the other aspects of what you are looking for really doesn't matter until this is addressed first. Good luck in your search!
First of all, I am not about to get into a debate about diversity/race/the current political climate with you over the internet. I didn't ask you about your opinion on my family's value of diversity. Your statement reeks of privilege and ideals my family doesn't agree with. Believe what you want I do not care, but do not try to educate me or give your opinion on a topic I did not ask for opinions about. I'm raising a biracial child and your input is invalid on this matter. Having children with Black or Hispanic significant others, going to interracial churches, etc. does not absolve you of your clear issues.
I didn't say we had to live in a liberal area. I simply said it's a plus and that I don't wish to raise my family in a super right wing area. If you can't understand why that's a priority when I'm raising biracial children then move along. I also don't need your conservative propaganda or views on why liberalism creates poor cities. Also, we aren't looking to buy a house for 150k. 350-400k or even up to 600k is a reasonable budget, no? Finally, we are not native to CA or any large city for that matter. We have been in CA for 2 years because my husband had a great job opportunity, so no need to again moan about Californians. Nice job making a plethora of assumptions though and avoiding my questions all together.
It doesn't matter if you're not trying to be a tool - YOU ARE A TOOL. If you have nothing productive to say, MOVE ALONG.
Bloomfield or Windsor, CT, both diverse suburbs of Hartford, check off all your boxes. Both towns have a variety of housing within your budget and all will have medium to large yards. Bloomfield is about 57% African American and 35% white. Median family income is around $84,000/year. The total population is slightly above 20,000. Windsor has a population of about 30,000. Its average household income is about $78,000/year. It is about 54% white, 34% African American, and 8% Hispanic.
Both of these towns have strong schools and close communities. Windsor has some distinct neighborhoods/villages. All CT schools are strong compared to the rest of the country. Both towns abut the city of Hartford which has a world-class art museum, a performance arts center, and many smaller galleries and museums. Hartford is about 30% white, 39% African American, and 43% Hispanic/Latino.
The entire area has over 1 million people and, as you can see, is very diverse. Incomes are relatively high and stable. The average home price in the Hartford region is $227,277. It's a real hidden gem. Property taxes tend to be higher, though.
There are no massive bugs in CT like in the South.
Also, even though Bloomfield and Windsor are considered suburbs, they look nothing like suburbs in a California sense. Both towns have very strong identities. Windsor claims to be the oldest in the state. They have distinct histories and formed separate from Hartford. They have their own town centers, town legends, and local quirks. They feel like true independent towns instead of suburbs.
Bloomfield has beautiful mountain state parks that offer terrific hiking and sweeping views. Windsor is along the Connecticut River and Farmington River. Both have wonderful parks within their borders but also have a variety of hiking in rural areas within just a 15 minute drive. Vermont is about 1 hour away.
In addition, New Haven, CT and Springfield, MA are both under an hour away and offer many cultural attractions. Boston and NYC are about 2 hours. Hartford has an international airport.
New England is unique among other areas of the country in that cultural institutions are not confined to cities. Some of the nation's best art museums, historic houses, restaurants, and performance venues are in rural Western Massachusetts (the Berkshires), which is between 45 minutes and 2 hours away.
The entire state is very progressive and very welcoming. It has a history of immigration. The region has a good and growing job market.
Weather is reasonable. Windsor is in the central valley of Connecticut, which typical does not get as much snow as the state's higher elevation areas. It will still get more cold and snow than CA, but don't think it'll be like Fargo or something. It's extremely rare that snow coats the ground in Windsor for more than a couple weeks at a time at most. Sometimes it melts within a few days. Grass will always be peaking through, reminding you how beautiful the spring will be when it arrives. The fall months alone are worth living here.
And as a more upscale alternative to Bloomfield and Windsor, consider West Hartford, which has around 63,000 people. It's about 79% white, 10% Hispanic, 8% Asian, and 7% African American. Average household income is approaching $100,000/year. This also abuts Hartford and is one of its wealthiest suburbs.
So consider Connecticut. It is a very good state to raise a family.
Thank you for this! This is exactly the type of input I was seeking. We have never been to CT and would not have considered it as we do not know anything about the area. I really appreciate your time in giving this overview. Will definitely look into it.
We have looked into Ventura and some other similar areas. It seems like for 600k we could possibly find a 3 bedroom house, but likely little to no yard. More importantly the area is not diverse. Its nearly 85% White. It does have a significant Hispanic population, but is 4% Asian, less than 2% Black, etc. Sending our children to diverse schools is a top priority for us for a variety of reasons. It is still on our list though due to the proximity to LA if we are unable to find a different place that suits us. Thank you for the recommendation
I'll throw out some legitimate, but outside of the box suggestions. Ann Arbor and East Lansing in MI would fit and both are very culturally diverse school districts with very good reputations. Both have a lot going on for their size and aren't too far from Detroit.
In the Detroit area, you have suburban SD's like Farmington, West Bloomfield, the portion of the Birmingham SD zoned for Groves HS(includes parts of northern Southfield/nearby portions of Beverly Hills), parts of the Grosse Pointe SD(Grosse Pointe Woods, parts of Harper Woods, Grosse Point Park), the northern Oak Park portion of the Berkley SD and parts of the Plymouth-Canton SD, among a few others.
There are others in these states and across the country that can be suggested, that I may share later. So, it may come down to other factors that may not have been mentioned in the original post.
Thank you! I love out of the box suggestions, that's what we are looking for - areas we may not know about that may be a great fit for us. Will be looking into these. Really appreciate it!
Howell, NJ ticks all your boxes. 12 miles east of the Jersey shore and 70 miles south of Manhattan. Lots of single family 3 and 4 bedroom homes in the $300K to $400K range, 1250 to 2500 sq. ft., with large lots (eg, 1/4 to 1/3 acre or more), some with natural gas, city water and sewer, good public schools with school bus service through high school, diverse population. Many people commute to Manhattan for good paying jobs. Reasonable utility costs, reasonable income tax costs, R.E. taxes in the $5K to $8K range depending on house size. Quiet suburban vibe. People don't care about your religion or politics, ethnicity or race, mind their own business and keep their opinions to themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by portia85
Hi everyone! I have enjoyed perusing these forums for awhile now and would love some input regarding the dilemma my family is facing. We are currently living in Los Angeles and LOVE it. However, we realize we will likely never be able to afford the type of house that we deeply desire. We are looking to relocate next year, pending the situation with Covid (we will not be relocating with a pandemic happening). I would greatly appreciate any advice/insight regarding what areas might be a fit for us.
Must haves:
- Somewhat affordable housing. We'd like to have a 3-4 bedroom home with a yard. Yards here in LA are often the size of a napkin. While we don't need some massive plot of land, we would like a yard that our children are able actually run around a bit in and where I could have a small garden. Looking to spend 350-400k ideally. Could spend up to 600k if salaries are a bit higher (like they may be in larger cities).
- Decent, DIVERSE pubic schools. We are an interracial family - I am white and my husband is Black. We of course want to send our children to the best schools, but diversity within the school is as important to us as academics. If all of the decent schools in the areas are only 2-5% Black then it is likely not the area for us.
- A diverse city/town. Goes hand in hand with our school requirement. We would ideally like a city/town that is a melting pot of various ethnicities, cultures and races. Ideally it would have integrated neighborhoods, but I know this can be difficult to come by. I realize we may not be able to find an affordable city that is a melting pot in the way that LA or NYC is, but a decent degree of diversity is mandatory.
- This one may be silly to most...but I CANNOT do the giant cockroaches/palmetto bugs that are everywhere on the Gulf coast. So this likely eliminates much, if not all, of the South and possibly other areas. I lived in NYC for some time and it's one thing if they exist in subways/super urban areas. But it seems like even if you spray your house in the suburban South, you are still bound to find them inside a couple times per year. I also want to be able to sit outside in the summer at night and not have to worry about giant roaches flying at me. Other bugs/pests are not a concern.
Would be nice to have:
- We are liberal and appreciate progressive cities/towns. It is not mandatory that we live in a super liberal/progressive place, but we would at least like to avoid places that are super right wing.
- We are happy living in a large city, small town, suburb, etc. The population of our area doesn't really matter to us, but if we do live in a smaller town it would be ideal to live within an hour of at least a mid-size city due to amenities/recreation/museums/etc.
- We do like the outdoors, so areas with mountains/hills/lakes/beaches/pretty scenery/outdoor recreation of some sort is a plus. Not a deal breaker though.
- Weather doesn't really matter to us. We love the more mild climate of California and the sun. However, we have both lived in cold/snowy/gloomy areas and been just fine. We are happy as long as there is some warmth during the summer months so we can get outdoors.
Howell, NJ ticks all your boxes. 12 miles east of the Jersey shore and 70 miles south of Manhattan. Lots of single family homes with large lots, city water and sewer, in the $300K to $400K range, good public schools with school bus service through high school, diverse population.
Howell is all white and that price for a 3-4 bedroom seems pretty low.
As a generality, NJ has what you need for sure, but is more expensive the closer you get to NYC. So, you'd have to find jobs in NJ more or less to find a place that fits in your price range.
But there's plenty of places with 10-25% black population, and also close to stuff like good Asian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, tapas, live music, etc.
You should consider North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, or Nashville.
Thank you! We were curious about Nashville for sure. We've also looked into the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Are there other areas you would suggest? We weren't sure about the Carolinas due to large roaches, but I'm not sure if that's an issue there or not. Again that may be silly to most people, but it's really something I don't wish to deal with.
Thank you! I love out of the box suggestions, that's what we are looking for - areas we may not know about that may be a great fit for us. Will be looking into these. Really appreciate it!
No problem...
Some other places/areas that come to mind in NY are: Ithaca(inc. areas outside of the city within the SD) as it is a smaller city/area, but only an hour from Syracuse; parts of Jamesville-DeWitt outside of Syracuse; Brighton and parts of the Gates-Chili SD outside of Rochester; parts of the South Colonie and North Colonie SD's outside of Albany; parts of Geneva(a small, but pretty diverse "city" of 13,000 in between Rochester and Syracuse); the Scotchtown(town of Wallkill) portion of the Pine Bush SD, parts of the Nyack SD, Spackenkill and Beacon(both south of Poughkeepsie), among others. Again, there are some others that could fit, but this offers some more specific ideas that people may not throw out there.
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