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Help on choosing a place in California

Help on choosing a place in California

Old Mar 15th 2014, 8:41 pm
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Talking Help on choosing a place in California

Hello all! We are a young minded couple (uk and Brazil) with a 7 year old boy, actually living in Barcelona, Spain. My husband was offered a job in California, he will have to travel regularly to Denver, Scottsdale, San Francisco and LA, so we have to live somewhere near near an airport or one of this cities.
A bit of a background here, we are looking for nice weather, good school system and safety with reasonable prices. First planning on rent to make sure we like, not sure how much is the budget for a place, but would hope to not pay more then 2k a month to start with, two or 3 bedroom would be great. Being close from the beach and having nice restaurants, shops would be ideal. We now live in barcelona 10 minutes walk away from the beach and really appreciate this proximity I am an interior designer, crafts addicted and would also appreciate to have tips on where I could have more opportunities to work over there. Million thanks in advance, all help will be much appreciate, and on sunny California we should be moving in the next 3 months!k:
FYI we have the visa situation sorted out already
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:01 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

What is the name of the visa? This will affect whether you can work.

Somewhere like Manhattan Beach is near the LA airport and is nice, but $2,000 is not enough. We are paying $2,700 for a 2-bed apartment way out of town. Anything near the beach here is very expensive.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:12 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Well, I'm gonna big up Monterey. It has a small town feel and is fairly rural (by American standards). It has an airport, beaches, scenery, I love it here. The weather isn't great July and August, although whilst the rest of California is burning up, Monterey remains pleasant, if cloudy. However, once the hot summer months are out of the way, the weather turns great.
I'm guessing 2k a month would get you pretty much what you were after round here, provided you don't start getting too near Carmel.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:14 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Originally Posted by From Barcelona
... he will have to travel regularly to Denver, Scottsdale, San Francisco and LA, so we have to live somewhere near near an airport or one of this cities.

...Being close from the beach and having nice restaurants, shops would be ideal. We now live in barcelona 10 minutes walk away from the beach and really appreciate this proximity

...all help will be much appreciate, and on sunny California we should be moving in the next 3 months!
The first part of your post says you're interested in looking at a place to live in 4 different cities. So I was going to suggest the Phoenix area.

But then you said the ideal is to be close to a beach, so that rules out Denver and Scottsdale. Not sure what the beaches are like in San Francisco, but more likely in Los Angeles.

And then at the end you clarified by saying you want help regarding sunny California...so I guess you already know LA will be where you'll be looking, if you want to be close to the beach...right?

Edit to add: I see your thread title also specifies California. So you're not really interested in Denver or Scottsdale, I take it.

Rene

Last edited by Noorah101; Mar 15th 2014 at 9:41 pm.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:16 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

I also wasn't clear as to whether the job itself has a location.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:19 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

I recommend Orange County.
Dana Point, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo.
Excellent schools, fantastic beach and cultural life.
Wonderful restaurants, entertainment etc.
Active lifestyle support, walking, hiking, riding.
John Wayne Airport a pleasure to fly in and out of.

(You know when you've transitioned from LA County into Orange County by the freeway landscaping and lack of potholes.)
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:19 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

I was thinking Santa Cruz up to Pacifica or so, but getting somewhere decent for $2000 per month will be a struggle. No idea on schools though.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 9:47 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Originally Posted by From Barcelona
Hello all! We are a young minded couple (uk and Brazil) with a 7 year old boy, actually living in Barcelona, Spain. My husband was offered a job in California, he will have to travel regularly to Denver, Scottsdale, San Francisco and LA, so we have to live somewhere near near an airport or one of this cities.
A bit of a background here, we are looking for nice weather, good school system and safety with reasonable prices. First planning on rent to make sure we like, not sure how much is the budget for a place, but would hope to not pay more then 2k a month to start with, two or 3 bedroom would be great. Being close from the beach and having nice restaurants, shops would be ideal. We now live in barcelona 10 minutes walk away from the beach and really appreciate this proximity I am an interior designer, crafts addicted and would also appreciate to have tips on where I could have more opportunities to work over there. Million thanks in advance, all help will be much appreciate, and on sunny California we should be moving in the next 3 months!k:
FYI we have the visa situation sorted out already
Orange County is a good choice as well, although as Sally suggested, anywhere near the beach will be very expensive. There are airports inland that can work too, particularly Burbank and Ontario.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 10:29 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Try using this AirBnB link for an idea of rental costs. (Tho currently set to Hermosa Beach - you can change it for each of the different Beach communities going up the coast from San Diego to well.... as far North as you like....keeping in mind the Pacific is not the Mediterranean; gets really cold. At best, your 7 yr. old won't be splashing about in it for more than 2(+?) mos. max.
https://www.airbnb.com/s/hermosa-bea...ch_by_map=true

Also, if you'll be looking to rent starting in 3 mos. time - that's exactly when short term rental rates near beach will be at their max.
Maybe consider not being that close to beach - but with a pool
Parenthetically - I'd move from LA to Barcelona in a heartbeat.
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Old Mar 16th 2014, 2:50 am
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Might as well plug our local area, Walnut (not Walnut Creek). All schools rated 9-10 out of 10, fairly green area, plenty of eating nearby (especially non-chain Asian fare like Chinese/Korean/Thai), and the traffic isn't so bad once you work out how to avoid it. Ontario airport is 20 minutes away; LAX 45 minutes on a good day; John Wayne (Santa Ana) 30 minutes. Beaches, maybe an hour. 2-3 bed below $2k should be doable: depends whether you are happy with a condo or want a house.
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Old Mar 17th 2014, 10:46 pm
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Originally Posted by From Barcelona
Hello all! We are a young minded couple (uk and Brazil) with a 7 year old boy, actually living in Barcelona, Spain. My husband was offered a job in California, he will have to travel regularly to Denver, Scottsdale, San Francisco and LA, so we have to live somewhere near near an airport or one of this cities.
A bit of a background here, we are looking for nice weather, good school system and safety with reasonable prices. First planning on rent to make sure we like, not sure how much is the budget for a place, but would hope to not pay more then 2k a month to start with, two or 3 bedroom would be great. Being close from the beach and having nice restaurants, shops would be ideal. We now live in barcelona 10 minutes walk away from the beach and really appreciate this proximity I am an interior designer, crafts addicted and would also appreciate to have tips on where I could have more opportunities to work over there. Million thanks in advance, all help will be much appreciate, and on sunny California we should be moving in the next 3 months!k:
FYI we have the visa situation sorted out already
With a budget of $2k per month rent, that rules out San Francisco and the Bay Area. Maybe Ventura County would fit the bill, properties are cheaper out that way than other beach areas of LA.
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Old Mar 18th 2014, 12:41 am
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Sigh -- there will be compromises in choices.

For the L.A. area don't rule out using Burbank Airport. I use Burbank whenever I can.

Also, I think the Los Angeles Flyaway buses are something wonderful. They leave from Van Nuys, Westwood and Union Station.
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Old Mar 18th 2014, 12:46 am
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Originally Posted by S Folinsky

Also, I think the Los Angeles Flyaway buses are something wonderful. They leave from Van Nuys, Westwood and Union Station.
Yes they're good.
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Old Mar 18th 2014, 12:46 am
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

Originally Posted by S Folinsky
Sigh -- there will be compromises in choices.

For the L.A. area don't rule out using Burbank Airport. I use Burbank whenever I can.

Also, I think the Los Angeles Flyaway buses are something wonderful. They leave from Van Nuys, Westwood and Union Station.
I always use Burbank when I can too.
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Old Mar 18th 2014, 1:24 am
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Default Re: Help on choosing a place in California

El Segundo?
Just west/south of LAX and you may find some nice places there for that price point.

Redondo Beach, close to the beach, good schools and "family" restaurants will have a 2-bed apartment for around 2000, but the drive to the airport will be 30 mins depending on time of day.

Manhattan Beach $2700 (great area-high budget): http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...371793014.html
Redondo Beach $2395 (family area-clean, nice, further from airport but good "local" amenities) http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...353837531.html
Nice place but further from beach: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...372415305.html
This is slightly more but another nice find: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...371557304.html

As you head toward the beach you end up paying a premium, they also get snapped up around this time of year as people want to be there for the summer.

LA rent doesn't go very far... sorry!!

Last edited by ned1983; Mar 18th 2014 at 2:09 am.
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