Topic: Moving from Bakersfield to SoCal

[superyota]

After job hunting for the last 2 months, got offered a job in Alhambra I couldn't turn down.  I never thought I would be saying this, but i'm kinda sad to be leaving Bakersfield .  I made a lot of good friends here and sad to leave.  Don't think I'll get another offer like this ever again, so I gotta take it.  Looking to move towards Azusa, Loma Linda, Riverside, San Bernadino, etc(I don't mind a bit a drive).  More east I guess.  Any suggestions?  Hoping to meet up with some new toyota owners to go wheeling with .  Start work this coming Monday, and I'll be temporarlily staying with my dad in Santa Monica til my wife and find a place.  Thanks for advice in advance.

Edwin

[HDcruiser]

Congrats on the new job offer.  Advice, stay away from the city San Bernadino, i lived there for 6 months and it sucked a$$.. Its not a very desireable area to live. Loma Linda is nice area, Rancho Cucamonga is even nicer. Riverside also has nice areas depending where you move. Diamond Bar or Walnut is closer to Alhambra and that's where i would move. I live in Hesperia, about 30 miles north of San Bernadino. Shoot me a PM once you get settled in and we can hook up for some Wheeling or even have any questions. I would be more than happy to help you.

Sean

[superyota [OP]]

Thanks!  We have actually been looking at San Bernadino, noticed it was really cheap to live there.  Now I know why. lol.  Glad to see someone nearby.  Can't wait to find trails in the area.  I'll definitley keep in touch.

[HDcruiser]

Ya, please take my advise in S.B., Have you looked in Grand Terrace, thats about 8 miles away from S.B. How many miles are you willing to comute? i can name some places that might work for your buget. I grew up In Diamond Bar, im 40 years old so ive seen alot and lived in various places. I'll shoot you my cell number via PM. Dont hesitate to call. As for the trails, there are plenty of trails in the Inland Empire.

Sean

[Tofudude]

If you move near azusa you have the San Gabriel canyon, more of a mud gun-it type and is closed during the summer for water conservation but its really close by.

[superyota [OP]]

Ya, please take my advise in S.B., Have you looked in Grand Terrace, thats about 8 miles away from S.B. How many miles are you willing to comute? i can name some places that might work for your buget. I grew up In Diamond Bar, im 40 years old so ive seen alot and lived in various places. I'll shoot you my cell number via PM. Dont hesitate to call. As for the trails, there are plenty of trails in the Inland Empire.

Sean

Cool! Thanks.  I pm'ed you back.

If you move near azusa you have the San Gabriel canyon, more of a mud gun-it type and is closed during the summer for water conservation but its really close by.

I've heard about Azusa Canyon.  Same area?

[Rocksurfer]

The area around Covina is nice, and it's pretty close to Alhambra. Don't get on the other side of Downtown L.A. it is a no win situation. Even if you beat the traffic one way you'll get screwed on the other side. Then there's the sports that mess with the freeways, Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, etc, etc, will screw your commute. Stay east of L.A. Someone also mentioned Rancho Cuc. which is a nice area too. Look in the Alta Loma area too which is a part of that and is where I used to live.

[superyota [OP]]

The area around Covina is nice, and it's pretty close to Alhambra. Don't get on the other side of Downtown L.A. it is a no win situation. Even if you beat the traffic one way you'll get screwed on the other side. Then there's the sports that mess with the freeways, Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, etc, etc, will screw your commute. Stay east of L.A. Someone also mentioned Rancho Cuc. which is a nice area too. Look in the Alta Loma area too which is a part of that and is where I used to live.

Great advice.  I'll get around to checking out the areas probably this next week after I get off work sometime.  So your saying stay east of downtown L.A.?

[Rocksurfer]

Yeah, if you are working in Alhambra you want to stay East of Downtown, O.C. is nice too. 

[hilux-1983]

I'm in the same boat. 4 yrs ago I moved from victorville to phoenix, AZ. I was laid off from GM and have been in school for the last 2yrs. I'm a surgical tech now. I got a job offer that I almost can't refuse in hesperia(surgical center). So, it looks like I may be moving back. The area has changed a lot in 4 yrs that I have been gone.

[Tofudude]

I've heard about Azusa Canyon.  Same area?

Yes it is...o and if you like shooting guns Burrow Canyon is in the same area too.

[superyota [OP]]

packing up right now.  i'll be in la in a few hours.

[Plekto]

The best area to live in the San Gabriel Valley(areas around where you work) that is inexpensive is probably Duarte up near the hills.  15-20 minute commute to work and you're way out of the way from the typical L.A. mess.

Alhambra, up north near San Marino, is also good - nothing wrong living right near your work.  1-2 mile commutes are great and Alhambra isn't such a bad place(though I'd much rather live in South Pasadena any day and drive the 5 minutes to work)

[HDcruiser]

Edwin, any luck finding a place ??

[superyota [OP]]

not yet, still looking.

[iNfErNaL]

I've heard about Azusa Canyon.  Same area?

 Yup , same place . Been going there since I was a kid , although I haven't been there in a couple years . Good luck with your search in SoCal . I live in Moreno Valley so I am somewhat local to where you will be as well .

[superyota [OP]]

cool.  i'll have some time here in a couple of days to go look around. 

[Plekto]

I'd stay local to your work if possible.   I was looking for places to live off and on for the last two years before finding my current place(series of bad places that didn't "work"), so I can literally tell you which streets and specific areas are good and bad.  It's easier to show you on a map, though, but online is also possible.  I can't stress enough how critical it is to NOT have a major commute in this crazy city.  I'd love to meet up with you in person to help(my schedule is free for the next week until school starts), but I'm out of town in Vegas from Wednesday through Friday.(short family trip -      going to be fun for sure!  Promise to come back single -  heh)

Q: What's your realistic budget and how much space do you need?  Also, special needs like pets or kids?

[superyota [OP]]

sweet!  let me know when you get back.  looking for something under $1700 a month, need a garage for sure, at least 2 bd, 1ba.  i have 2 dogs(border collie and great dane), and my wife is about 7 weeks pregnant, so we will have an addition next year sometime.  really don't want to move around a whole lot.  plan on renting for about a year, then hopefully finding a place to buy.  thanks again.

[Plekto]

k - I'm back. 2 days in Vegas is enough for anybody.  The crazy thing is how it distorts your sense of scale.  I mean, really crazy - it looks like a block but it's actually a mile because everything is so over-sized.   Next time, I'll just fly, though, rather than deal with 4 hours drive each way.  But it was fun.

Anyways, back to the main issue...

It sounds like you need a house.  Fair enough.  The smart thing is to just buy someplace inexpensive and save on rent, but that also requires a down payment in most cases now.  But most apartments and houses also have huge deposits these days as well, and short of you living like a monk, you'll never get that deposit back.(I never have when I've had pets)

I plugged in some numbers and got $1300 a month for a fixed 30 year loan at $280,000.  Out in the areas that you are looking, condos and homes are available for closer to $200-250K at the lower end, which means you can get closer to $1000-1200 a month and own the place, provided that you can come up with 10% down.  The banks say/desire 20%, but 10% on something this inexpensive and you'll find someone to fund you, since everyone is so eager for cash these days. Kind of the same as cars.  They look a BIT more carefully at a 50K loan on a Mercedes than a 10K loan on a Yaris. 

It just doesn't make any sense to rent if you have more than $1500 a month to spend. 

Good places to live(since you aren't concerned with schools yet) in are Duarte/Monrovia, Arcadia, Azusa(north of the freeway), and a few other places nearby.  Basically you want to be north of the 210 freeway at all costs from Arcadia to the East and *below* it from Arcadia to the West.  East Pasadena, Temple City, and San Gabriel are to be avoided as they are kind of scummy non-family friendly zones.  Arcadia is more or less fine, and of course upwards of there towards South Pasadena(though both are pretty pricey, a few deals can be found from time to time)

Huntington Drive is a kind of mini-highway(3-4 lanes both directions, 45mph average speeds) through that area of town and so getting to work from anyplace along it is fairly quick. 

MLS #A10074090
This is an example of a few of the less expensive condos in the area.  Of note is the fact that this area of the city is literally walk on the streets at night safe.  It's old, but reasonable, considering the area.

MLS #C10039623
This is a fixer, but it is in an acceptable neighborhood and close to the "old town" area of the city.   It's a real buyer's market so it can't hurt to offer less.  Sure, the sellers WANT top dollar as if it's 5 years ago, but that's not going to happen.  It's not great, but it does have land and a place to park a car.

Of course, you really should talk to a professional as they will know the areas and have MUCH more up-to-date listings than what I can find for free online.

[superyota [OP]]

Cool, thanks for the info.  My wife is supposed to be in town this week sometime, so hopefully I can get her to go around and start checking out the area.  I think i'm leaning towards the azusa area. 

is anyone from the area going to the roundup next week?

[iNfErNaL]

is anyone from the area going to the roundup next week?

 I was going to . Looks like I may be out now , I will know later this week and post up .

[superyota [OP]]

Let me know.  I get off work in Alhambra at 5, heading straight to Bakersfield to pick up my rig and head up.  figured it'll be about 4 or so in the morning when I get there. 

[Plekto]

I'd honestly check out Duarte/Monrovia over Azusa, which is kind of a step down(south of the freeway is downright scary, to be honest).  The old town Monrovia area is very nice and quiet.  A lack of bars on the windows is a plus.