californiadreamin

Hi all,

Thinking of buying a holiday home property in California and would like some advice on areas and climate in which to start my search also of course areas to avoid for high crime etc.

Would like to be near (as in commuting distance) to major cities such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, even smaller cities such as San Diego and Sacramento as well seem quite appealing. I`m looking to buy in a relaxed, quiet middle class suburb with low crime but not too far from everything. I don`t overly like hot weather but enjoy warm days but with cool evenings. I know there is a housing crisis in California so I`m hoping to get a good deal for my money but given the size of the place could do with some help on where to start.

christmasoompa

It might help if you give people an idea of what your budget is for your holiday home.

Prices in San Francisco are very different from, say, Sacremento! So your budget may well decide location or at least rule some places out.

californiadreamin

I have a budget of around $300.000 max and this should include taxes as well etc. I know that San Francisco is expensive and Sacramento seems quite well priced and would like a sizeable property whether it be house or condo. Would like to know especially, if any areas are recommended because of their good value for money?

Mummy in the foothills

You could probably get a nice Condo in Sacramento for that, that way landscaping and gardeners would be included and the place wouldn't be overgrown and look empty.

notacrime

If you want a big place for your money then look inland. Around Sacramento or around Riverside (the 'Inland Empire.') Those are the best deals right now, there was a huge building boom and now it's turned to bust. The coastal areas didn't boom quite as crazily, and the bust isn't as big there (at least not yet.)

You could do worse than Sacramento. It's very warm during the day in the spring summer and fall, and the delta breeze cools it down a good amount in the evenings. It's a good jumping off point for skiing in Tahoe (2 hours), gambling in Reno (2 1/2 hours) or a visit to San Francisco (90 mins.)

To browse housing check out zillow, trulia, redfin, ziprealty and propertyshark. Also craigslist. And check out the local papers for the area, good to read about what's going on to get a feel for the place.

Good luck.

californiadreamin

For that reason a condo looks good.

notacrime

You can get a 3 bed SFR in West Sac for $160k these days.

Good point about getting a condo though, less upkeep etc.

Also - property taxes in CA are steep compared to most other states.

californiadreamin

I`ve looked a lot at Scaramento as was surprised at the prices there, a large family home for well under $300.000 and only 90 mins to SF. What is crime like in the area both personal and property wise?

californiadreamin

Sorry but what is SFR? Also which areas of Sacramento do you recommend looking and which areas you don`t?

notacrime

SFR = single family residence.

Crime in Sacramento is pretty low.

I'd look in midtown, but I like old houses and old neighborhoods.

Do you want suburban or urban? New build, 80s, 60s, 40s, 20s?

caleyjag

You should also note that there is a considerable cultural contrast between northern and southern California.

It might not be obvious to you right now, but in the long term it will make a big difference to your life.

Southern California, in general, tends to be a lot more conservative, and in some respects, a bit more shallow (it's all about image).

There's also a bit of an east-west variation. If you live in Northern California, on the coast, you are generally in hippy land (or so they like to think). As you move eastward into Central Valley, you head into cowboy land. It is very rural, and the social patterns go accordingly.

Sacramento is hard to gauge, it's kind of a mixture of all the different parts of California. As a big city, in my personal opinion it's a little boring when compared to the others.

I would suggest you consider some of the smaller towns, such as Vacaville, which is half way between SF and Sacramento. The problem with Sacramento and so on is that they are way out in the middle of Central Valley, which is enormous and very, very flat. It's a bit boring. There's no scenery. There are towns elsewhere in Northern California that are well-appointed but are not in the high-price zone.

If you aim for somewhere in North Bay I imagine you could score a deal on a property, as well as having reasonable access to San Francisco, the best city in the universe.

californiadreamin

Like you I like older houses as well whether they are suburban or urban but newer houses would be considered. Also I would like it to be a long term investment hopefully buy something now at a good price and sell high in the future.

limeynus

I'm in Southern California. Here $300K will get you a condo in a decent neighbour ... it may get you a a very, small detached home (single family residence) but it will either not be in the best location or will need fixing up.

Additional payments down here include property taxes ... approx 1.2% of purchase price, these are either paid annually or 2x a year. So Cal is also hot on HOA (Home Owner Associations) which handle common area upkeep/maintenance. HOA fees would range I'd say between $250-$300 a month.

In So Cal ... I'd suggest you look in the older towns as you'll probably get a better deal. I'd be careful with the newer communities down here as they tend to have a "mello roos" tax ... which is an additional tax for public amenities ... schools, roads, parks etc.

So Cal you can flight into John Wayne (SNA) airport and avoid the madness that is Los Angeles International. You are about 65 miles south of LA 75 miles north of San Diego ... mountains 2 hours away ... beaches on your doorstep. Not to mention Disneyland, Seaworld, SD Zoo and wild animal park and Universal studios are all around 1-2 hours drive!

californiadreamin

I am aware of the cultural divide and for that reason slightly prefer north and would like to be within good access of SF (used to be a big fan of the Grateful Dead) Looked on the map and the town of Vacaville seems well positioned as well.

For example what would the climate differences be between San Francisco,Vacaville and Sacramento?

Also when you mention north bay are you talking about San Rafael, Novato and Vallejo?

californiadreamin

Would you say southern california is more expensive than northern? When you say older towns which do you have in mind? Also what are the climate differences between LA and San Diego?