Watsonville, Prunedale, Hollister to Monterey (Salinas, Santa Cruz: real estate, leasing, crimes)

[MtnSurfer]

Franklyn,

You have been a huge help! Thank you! I never even considered some of the places you recommended.

Forutnately I discovered google has 'Street Views' of almost every street in these areas. So I can basically walk the streets and get a better idea of what the neighborhoods look like before coming out. This helps us at least narrow down places we want to see versus avoid. For example the neighborhoods with rusty old cars half disasembled in yards, dilapitated houses, 'no trees', and generally low pride of ownership we can skip.

Unfortunately there are a lot of areas that look pretty bad asthetically. I am sure there is a nice house or pockets here and there. And I know its about 'the lifestyle.' But in places like Watsonville, Seaside and Marina I was pretty surprised at the low curb appeal and generally shabby looking conditions. Whats up with the lack of trees, dirt lawns and chain link fences? Why is it so baren looking? This is N. Cal. which has more rain than S. Cal.

The good part is that I found some better looking options in some areas you recommended - Del Rey Oaks, Oak Hills & a few parts of Prunedale. Also the Seaview Ranch area of Watsonville looks pretty good. Although there aren't many trees and the homes are built 'really' close together - a bit cockie cutter.

Thanks again for the help,

Derek

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Whats up with the lack of trees, dirt lawns and chain link fences? Why is it so baren looking? This is N. Cal. which has more rain than S. Cal.

This is the coast. Ergo the wind blows. Most folk take delight in that but sometimes even just a steady wind makes it hard on small tree plantings. Those communties are also near the beach. Beach = sand. Sand does not make a great medium for developing and nurturing new grass. If you want a nice lawn think sod. Pretty inexpensive at Home Depot, but takes some care and development. And water.

As you could tell from Street View there are plenty of exceptions to the above. Just ensure you end up in an "exception" neighborhood and you'll be great.

Glad I could help a bit.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Franklyn

This is the coast. Ergo the wind blows. Most folk take delight in that but sometimes even just a steady wind makes it hard on small tree plantings. Those communties are also near the beach. Beach = sand. Sand does not make a great medium for developing and nurturing new grass. If you want a nice lawn think sod. Pretty inexpensive at Home Depot, but takes some care and development. And water.

Yes, I guess I am just used to the green along Big Sur, Carmel and Santa Cruz. It seems to me that this particular region has many micro climates which can vary signicantly from mile to mile.

Just out of curiousity I looked up Monterey on google maps, then switched to satellite view. Interestingly there is green everywhere from Monterey south and Aptos north. Yet from Seaside north to Watsonville and east to Salinas it is definately more brown with fewer natural trees, etc... Of course there are pockets in there which are greener. And there is a lot of farm land. But the natural environment and topography looks more flat and dry in general. In some areas like Prunedale and Oak Hills it seems like less of an issue though.

Do you find the need to water your yard year around? Or is it nornally only necessary during the dry season?

Thanks again,

Derek

[Franklyn]

You asked some good questions, MtnSurfer. First, the photo segments from Google Earth were not all taken at the same time of year, or even in the same year, so don't read too much into that aspect. They do a good job of overlapping grids but you can't put too much reliance on them to accurately display the natural foliage and its changes.

Next, this is an agriculture-based economy area, in spite of everything else. I'm not a farmer and I don't play one on TV, but if it is arable land, and most of it is, it is farmed almost year round. So aerial views of it might show some seasonal variance. Also, some croplands are legally required to be disked over and kept baren for one month a year in order to keep certain pests from gaining a foothold. That time period can vary a little by crop, I understand.

You are spot on about "micro climates". Accent on the "micro". Hundreds of them. EVERYWHERE on the peninsula there are small patches that receive more [or less] fog, wind, rain, sunshine, etc., than other nearby neighborhoods. This is something most locals learn to accept and live with. But 'tis true. Oh, the stories I could tell........

You have to understand our climate is near room temperature year round. Near. We really don't have much of a "wet" season. When we have rain it is usually a short term "cell" blowing through and irregular in timing. Unless, of course, a famous golf tournament is scheduled to take place. Then it lasts a week.

Our weather is not like other places. So we generally water our lawns briefly twice a week. But they do look nice. And we are not under drought water usage rules.

Hope this helps.

[MtnSurfer]

Franklin,

This is great info! I tried giving you two positive ratings for this thread. But CD wouldn't let me.

Anyway, we are looking a lot at Marina and Seaside also. I read on here that Seaside supposedly has less 'fog' than Marina. But when I checked their stats on CD the sunny day bell curves look the same. Could this be another case of 'micro' climates. I was thinking that some of the homes a bit higher up from the coast would also vary from the ones right across the street. Does it really vary this much?

Thanks again!

Derek

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Thanks again!

You're welcome. Thx for the tip of the hat.
Yes, it does vary. With the addition of a huge chunk of former Fort Ord areas into each city's official limits there are now many more micro climate areas in each, so a general statement is truly hard to make. Averages are, after all, averages.

Best of luck.

[Unkllars]

If you're looking at Watsonville, you might as well look at Aptos or Capitola. Its really nice over there. I'm a product of Hollister, but I always enjoyed Capitola. That was the mall we enjoyed going to most, great food, fun, and the air is so clean.

I think Hollister would be a good choice except for the commute, which has already been addressed.

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by Unkllars

If you're looking at Watsonville, you might as well look at Aptos or Capitola. Its really nice over there. I'm a product of Hollister, but I always enjoyed Capitola. That was the mall we enjoyed going to most, great food, fun, and the air is so clean.

I think Hollister would be a good choice except for the commute, which has already been addressed.

Except they are not rich, cannot afford Monterey and may want to purchase a home.
If they can't afford Monterey, Capitola and Aptos are out of the question too.
Even parts of Watsonville nearer to the coast are very expensive.

[MtnSurfer]

Yes, I agree. While Capitola and Aptos are nice, they are no where near where I will be working - Seaside. Watsonville would be the absolute furthest I would want to drive. And even that is pushing it.

And the prices are 'way' too high in Aptos and Capitola. If we had that kind of $$ to spend on a house it would be in Pacific Grove or Monterey.

I have been checking out some of the nicer parts of Seaside and Marina which don't look too bad. And Oak Hills actually looks great. But I just don't know if my wife and kids would feel too isolated there. Basically everything would a drive into Monterey, Seaside or Watsonville - eg shopping, dining, YMCA, other children's programs, church, etc...

[ellelasvegas]

WATSONVILLE is the hispanics land. You need to speak spanish there, as all the agricultural workers live in this area, and have their stores and whatnot. The schools are primarily mexican, but you'll find this all over CA, and in Marina there is a mix of everybody. A white family has no place in Watsonville, except on the outermost limits which really doesn't count, because they never enter the actual town. The entire area is very overpriced, you may get tired of paying top dollar for a run down "cottage" if you didn't grow up there. Many natives are escaping to northern ca and oregon, because your quality of life is screwed when you take into consideration the gridlock, the illegal aliens driving work trucks around with no insurance, you have no money as all will go to gas and rent or your mortgage. the schools are poor for the most part, crowded. Visit frequently, but I wouldn't waste my money on the entire SC and Monterey areas, and I never ever would live in Mexico City, I mean Watsonville.