Bakersfield or corona?
 

Hi, a bit of premature planning for me as i have no visa as yet (see my other thread) however my 2 potential job offers are based in Bakersfield and the other in southern California.

i would prefer to live in southern California as i have family in mission Viejo, corona and temecula, i have a job offer around the southern side of cali, however the real estate prices are insane, with my budget of around 325k to my a property i would be looking at a small house or even a caravan...

so my cousin lives in corona, iv seen a few bungalows in the area that we could afford, nothing breath taking but when we looked into Bakersfield where i also have a potential job offer, i could get a breath taking spacious home there, but iv read mixed reviews about Bakersfield about crime and poor air, so i guess im after some honest reviews and advice on both areas if anyone can help?

thanks

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

I'm pretty sure people here aren't going to explain a whole lot until you have a viable way into the USA.

If you are successful in getting one of your 2 potential employers to petitioning your visa, that will make your location decision more obvious, and then it can be discussed.

Rene

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

ok thank you

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

No need to shut down the thread: people need to plan and research before they have a visa. I've never been to Corona but I would never consider living in Bakersfield - once you get away from the coastal areas in California things get dodgy pretty fast. LA and surrounds are verrrrry expensive but you're likely to be much happier there than in Bakersfield.

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

No worries, the thread is still open, its was never shut down.

Rene

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

so Bakersfield is a bad place to live? can you explain in more detail please

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

I personally wouldn't want to live there: you're at least a three hour drive from an international airport, two hour drive from the coast, it gets insanely hot during the summer months (it does in LA too, but there's some relief from the proximity of the water), it's basically a sprawling, dusty industrial/agricultural hub with little else going on and has a bit of a reputation for crime and gang activity. We visited because it's got a very rich history in music but downtown was deserted and abandoned.

As with the whole of California, once you move anywhere inland, things change very quickly from the glossy/high-tech/shabby-chic surf/somewhat progressive and left leaning cities to small town mentality, often with a lot of very visible poverty.

That said, I've never lived in LA or Bakersfield and my impression of Bakersfield may be wrong or outdated. If you have kids, you'll need to look into schools in both places (unless they will go to private schools, in the US your address dictates which 'public' (state) school they have to go to).

And, before you make a choice, I really do suggest you come over and visit both places. You may get more house for your money in Bakersfield, but you're going to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with little going on, probably not that much of an Brit/International community to support you and there's only so many trips to Sequoia and Death Valley one can do!

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

thank you, I was wondering why the property was so cheap there, now it makes sense, I guess if we ever make it over to California, southern cali would now be my main choice and with family there aswell it makes sense, just gotta pray for the GBP to be strong again then maybe we could afford a better place there, and also pray that we find a way to be accepted into the usa

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

Bakersfield is not horrible, its got its pros and cons like anywhere else, its economy is largely agriculture and oil.

And it can get hot in summer, but Corona is also hot in summer, pretty much anywhere not directly on the coast will be hot in summer, go 10-15 miles inland in San Diego or Los Angeles and it starts to get hot.

Bakersfield has an airport with service to San Francisco and Denver on United, and Phoenix on AA, so only 1 connection away from Europe, parts of Asia and elsewhere in the US.

If you have never been to any of these places, I would certainly check multiple places out and see which fits best for you and not rely on forums, only you can decide what you like.

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

I have a dear friend who lived in Bakersfield all his life. Raised his children there. Had a thriving blue grass music career based from there and only recently moved to be closer to his grandchildren in Georgia. Every city and town across the US will have an element of crime and areas of bad reputation. As for the heat, California is a hot state unless you are moving north of San Francisco. Saying the heat will be bothersome is like saying I'll move to Florida and only go out at night between the hours of 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. because that is the coolest part of the day.

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

I've been through Bakersfield a few times. It never looked *so* bad to me, but I think most folks are directly comparing it with the coastal cities and towns. Definitely 'try before you buy'.

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

Sure, there are definitely worse places you can live, it all depends on what the most important things to you are (e.g. perhaps a massive house out in the sticks in a small town would make you happy).

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

The most important thing is where is the job located which is the main factor for this poster. If you're emigrating on a work visa and the job is the Bakersfield area, then you certainly aren't going to be commuting from San Diego. So you live in or near Bakersfield choosing the best area possible there, bide your time until your employer agrees to apply for permanent residency status for you and your family (green card), and then you move to another area of the state that you prefer.

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

I had a brief chat over email today with a would be employer, he said Bakersfield was not a nice place to live,

Re: Bakersfield or corona?
 

Did you ask his what visa he is going to obtain for you?