[quote=flyer]As you, BG, we feel San Diego was a much nicer place to live in past years. Believe it or not, there was a time, when my wife and I were growing up here, that our families knew practically every other family in the entire city, and we’re very glad we had the opportunity to experience that amazing lifestyle.
Some say the growth San Diego has experienced is “progress,” and–because there’s no going back now–it’s take it or leave it. Although some of our friends have moved, (and we completely respect that choice) most have not, and, like us, they have decided to “take it,” because we feel we’re still living a better lifestyle here, than anyplace else we could live in the world, (water issues pending).[/quote]
I’m originally from Northern Cali, flyer, which, as you know, is a different world from here. I decided last month that, for me, it will be between Mendo, Sonoma, Contra Costa or El Dorado Counties. Back in 2009, I had decided on El Dorado County for a retirement locale and that is still in the running. I took Tehama and Shasta Counties out the running due to heat and removed Lake County due to some environmental concerns I had. I don’t want to live as far up as Humboldt County. And too much of Napa County has been turned into subdivision hell, due to poor leadership. I’m okay with a town of 15-20K population.
I’m seeing both from online and visits up there that the well-heeled SF Bay dwellers have bought up weekend/vacation homes and land in and around choice towns in Sonoma County at a rate such that the RE prices have doubled in those towns in the last few years (ex: Healdsburg and Sebastapol). There is now little or no inventory to choose from in any given week.
Santa Cruz is okay but Central Coast is too dry for me. I don’t even like Santa Barbara. I want to live among the pines/redwoods.
As soon as I get my (college-student) kid situated in more permanent housing near their campus this fall, I’ll figure the rest out.
There are still “bucolic” places left in Cali but the RE in even the lesser-known areas is getting a bit more pricey. A lot of “boomers” are probably looking for the same kind of life I am, I suppose.
