Temecula #3 in best places to live California

[bearishgurl]

With its 840 mile coastline and 163,707 sq miles, California offers its residents a unique way of life. You can choose to live in one of the largest cities in the world, Los Angeles, or shut yourself away in a small coastal town in Marin. You can feast your eyes on the majestic Pacific Ocean, or go water skiing at Lake Tahoe. But, as is the case everywhere, certain places in the Golden State are regarded as better than others, and it’s not always easy to decide where you might live, once you decide to relocate….

(emphasis mine)

I absolutely love Marin County. Mill Valley (#5) has been my all-time favorite town in the bay area since I stayed there at a friend’s house for a week in the ’70’s. It’s wa-a-a-a-y out of my price range now! Marin County is the best example of good planning in the entire state, with Mendocino County and El Dorado County 2nd and 3rd, respectively, IMO. The leaders in these counties have had nothing but preservation on their agendas for the last 50 years and it shows. All have had (subdivision) building moratoriums in place for decades, are low-density have generous single-family lots, have NO billboards, have NO big box stores, have NO franchise-type retail/fast food (very few in S. Lake Tahoe) and, except for S. Lake Tahoe (SLT), have very few multi-family units and the multi-family units and SFRs are never mixed, as it should be. Even SLT, a resort town, has a 3-story height limit on multifamily and most of it is just 2 stories high. The exception are the (newer) timeshares at the Heavenly Gondola, the 5-story (1st flr retail/office) Marriott Grand Residence Club, which is right on the state line.

http://heavenlyvillagecondos.com/

The SLT area is absolutely stunning and kept pristine through the careful stewardship of the wise SLT City Council and El Dorado County Board of Supervisors who prohibited subdivisions there or anywhere along SR-89 on the west side of the lake. It’s still on my “retirement short list!”

On the list, #7 (Saratoga) and #10 (Livermore) are also fabulous towns, although Livermore can get extremely hot. However, it is very well-planned, very green and still “affordable.” Had I been able to relocate to Saratoga back in ~2000 when “sprawling ranch fixers” there were just $270-$300K, I would have immediately joined the Mountain Winery and would have been in heaven for the rest of my life! That town (with winding country roads to the west and southwest of it) is absolutely breathtaking and I love the lifestyle its incredible location affords. There’s nothing quite like it in CA, imho. I can easily see why those same large-lot ranch homes are now going for $1.5M to $2.5M!

Thanks for sharing this list of great towns in the Golden State, shoveler! Their ratings are well-deserved. I personally like all of them but Irvine and Redondo Beach, which are not my cup of tea.

[The-Shoveler]

I agree BG, CA is very unique in the world and there are many nice cities within SoCal.

But I find it very interesting that Temecula (being that it really was not on the map before 1980 or so), has grown as much as it has and is getting noticed in a good way.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=The-Shoveler]I agree BG, CA is very unique in the world and there are many nice cities within SoCal.

But I find it very interesting that Temecula (being that it really was not on the map before 1980 or so), has grown as much as it has and is getting noticed in a good way.[/quote]Yes, shoveler, but the pretty photo shown to the nation was actually taken in TV’s wine country. There is no mention of the crowded roads and many tight subdivisions in Temecula or commute times for the average worker-bee who lives there. If Temecula hasn’t yet put a (subdivision) moratorium in place, it should do so ASAP, IMO. The amount of people forever lined up there in their vehicles just attempting to live their daily lives (or get on and off I-15 multiple times daily) is absolutely mind-boggling to me. A little pit stop off “Rancho CA Rd” 35+ years ago has been turned into an oversized, burgeoning megalopolis with spillover into nearby towns which is undoubtedly adversely affecting the quality of life for TV residents every single day.

[Anonymous]

[temeculaguy]

The future Mrs. TG and I recently discussed our retirement plans as they are only 6 years away and the first discussion point was do we want to stay in Temecula. We don’t need the idyllic setting to raise children or the great schools. Between us we have 6 adult children with only one still in college that comes home intermittently, the rest visit only for holidays and most have families of their own. None live here, 2 live in SD and the rest in No. Cal. So over Easter they were all here, one of the few times 3200+ sq feet came in handy. The days and nights were spent at wineries, the casino, old town, etc. and all the “kids” said they love coming to Temecula, it’s like a vacation for them and if they could, they would move here. They begged us to never leave.

We talked for a while that we will probably never leave because this little town offers us more than most other towns or cities could ever offer us. The most important thing it has offered us is amenities without the expense that has allowed us to retire early (55) with a retirement war chest that others would envy. If I laid out the details you’d be mad but the gist of it is that at retirement our nut (housing, utilities, expenses) will be but 25% of our income. Disposable income could reach 5 figures monthly, we’ve plotted a course of a 7 days cruise and a 7 day Euro vacation on a monthly basis in retirement and at an age 10 years before most. Dying is our only enemy.

Isn’t that the goal? Lower your overhead, enjoy life and do so without moving to a place too far from grandkids or the things you enjoy.

So yes, I’m staying in Temecula, it beats Palm springs, Florida or Arizona, despite the high taxes of California. I am not surprised that the article
came to the same conclusion we did.

[Anonymous]

Which city will your pension checks be bankrupting?

[flyer]

This is all good to hear, TG. Since we bought years ago–we feel the same about living in RSF–the best of all worlds for us. Early retirement is a good thing, especially when you have a great life–and knowing you made the right choices is–priceless.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=temeculaguy]The future Mrs. TG and I recently discussed our retirement plans as they are only 6 years away and the first discussion point was do we want to stay in Temecula. We don’t need the idyllic setting to raise children or the great schools. Between us we have 6 adult children with only one still in college that comes home intermittently, the rest visit only for holidays and most have families of their own. None live here, 2 live in SD and the rest in No. Cal. So over Easter they were all here, one of the few times 3200+ sq feet came in handy. The days and nights were spent at wineries, the casino, old town, etc. and all the “kids” said they love coming to Temecula, it’s like a vacation for them and if they could, they would move here. They begged us to never leave.

We talked for a while that we will probably never leave because this little town offers us more than most other towns or cities could ever offer us. The most important thing it has offered us is amenities without the expense that has allowed us to retire early (55) with a retirement war chest that others would envy. If I laid out the details you’d be mad but the gist of it is that at retirement our nut (housing, utilities, expenses) will be but 25% of our income. Disposable income could reach 5 figures monthly, we’ve plotted a course of a 7 days cruise and a 7 day Euro vacation on a monthly basis in retirement and at an age 10 years before most. Dying is our only enemy.

Isn’t that the goal? Lower your overhead, enjoy life and do so without moving to a place too far from grandkids or the things you enjoy.

So yes, I’m staying in Temecula, it beats Palm springs, Florida or Arizona, despite the high taxes of California. I am not surprised that the article
came to the same conclusion we did.[/quote]

I’m not persuaded that the goal is to enjoy life. Suffering for purpose, struggle, duty…seem more like the goal. I cannot visualize myself arriving … I see my life as perpetual trekking. Like moses, never making it to the promised land.

However I am taking spring break off.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=scaredyclassic]
I’m not persuaded that the goal is to enjoy life. Suffering for purpose, struggle, duty…seem more like the goal. I cannot visualize myself arriving … I see my life as perpetual trekking. Like moses, never making it to the promised land.

However I am taking spring break off.[/quote]

You’re right. great lives are not about cruises and golf courses.

[flyer]

We don’t believe life is about cruises and golf course either–even though they are both great–so I can see how they might be at the top of the list for many people.

In our case, our list begins with having great family and friends–financial security–homes we want, where we want
them–successful business interests that require creativity and intellect–as well as boating, golf, tennis, cruises–and the list goes on and on. I doubt if we’ll ever run out of things to do in life.

Fortunately, everyone is free to pursue life on whatever terms they wish.

[The-Shoveler]

I was reading somewhere “The reason people who work later in life live longer than those who do not”.

Turns out we need stress in our lives.

Go figure.

[scaredyclassic]

It seems like increasingly few of us are free to pursue life on whatever terms they wish. Many seem to have trouble replacing comparable employment after age 50.

My wife and I were in lowes buying some allegedly necessary crap. Other even older hunchy dudes were following their old ladies down long aisles. Agh. They might be going to lunch at hometown buffet. Then I went to a dentist for medical type care like an old dude. I can’t do it. I can’t be off all the time.

I do have a vision of being able to help my kids with material assistance in child care, either personally or with money. That was by far the most stressful financial struggle of my life.

Temecula …old traditions, new opportunities (I think that’s the town motto)

[flyer]

Agree, TS. I’ve also read that even when finances are no longer a concern, along with genetics and a healthy lifestyle, remaining engaged in a purpose–the definition of which is open to individual preference–does seem to contribute to longevity.

[The-Shoveler]

Delete

[scaredyclassic]

I doubt I actually have a purpose. No more purpose in the big (or small for that matter) scheme of things than a guy on a golf course. But I am definitely struggling. Perhaps the greatest struggle will be holding it together in complex situations being old. My enemy is not death, but decay…

My mom was subst. Teaching in an urban hs up until age 83. Not sure if that’s the oldest sub on record.

She doesn’t need the $. Like me I guess, enjoys the humanity of it all…but I definitely need the $$ right now.

[Author]

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