Post #47789 by Hanalei_Pirate on Thu, Aug 14, 2003 10:55 AM

On 2003-08-13 21:00, Futura Girl wrote:
The s.f. valley is still probably within your reach seamus - stuff is still available under 300K - although in shady areas it's a start. and south bay probably has undiscovered pockets.

She's right about this fact, there are houses to be had in So. Calif for cheaper than $300K but it is a matter of what kind of neighborhood demographics you are willing to live with. If you got kids and you buy in a bad neighborhood, do you take a chance with your kids going to school with gangmembers or can you somehow scrape up enough money to have a house AND pay for private schools? If you don't have kids then take a chance and move to Carson or Reseda, or Panorama City or Altadena or wherever.... but if you have kids you need to consider what kind of schools and school children they will be associating with. Many people moved out to Palmdale and Lancaster because they desired to get their kids away from gangs - those gang problems only followed them out to their new homes and the gangs are still in their old neighborhoods here in L.A. Even if there isn't gangs there is just plain ordinary crime like being mugged in the streets of Silverlake south of Sunset, having your car broken into because some junky wants to raid it for CDs..... That's why people end up in the $400K and over market. Just something to think about.

P.S. We have no kids. I was willing to move to Carson (area of the South Bay where the prices are $100K cheaper) but my family said no way.