noelle

I am interested in moving somewhere on the west coast. I would like to have easy access via train, etc to LA but can not afford to live in LA/Santa Monica area. What state or county is considered affordable and can find decent job opportunities. I currently work in health insurance and have found several health insurance companies on the west coast. I am looking for a safe middle class neighborhood. I appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Christina

I work in the health insurance area to some extent, also, although I am a consultant and don't work directly for an insurer. However, all of the major insurers/HMOs/health plans or PROs, etc., I know of in California have their main offices in the large cities -- LA and San Francisco/Oakland (most of them), or perhaps San Diego. That is where I think your job opportunities would be best. It really depends what kind of work you want to do and at what professional level, however. At a lower level, almost any small claims office (or even a hospital or other provider's office) could provide job opportunities, or if you are more involved in care management. At the higher professional level, you will most likely have to go to the major cities. A hospital might provide the most likely source of jobs related to insurance that could be in communities of many sizes.

I suppose Sacramento might be the city I would consider most reasonable in costs that has a major employer -- that is Healthnet. Although their headquarters are in Woodland Hills, they merged with Foundation Health and thus have a large presence still in Sacramento/Rancho Cordova, particularly in data processing facilities. Other large HMOs are going to have job openings in various parts of the state, but outside the headquarters, it might be more related to local sales development--Pacificare, for example, has many offices although their main ones are around LA. Both Healthnet and Pacificare have online job openings listings.

So, it really depends what your career goals are and what kind of job you are looking for, I'd say. I lived in LA for a long time and consider costs there quite reasonable, actually, in comparison to many large cities and cheaper than San Francisco (to rent, buying costs are high). LA is so large, that there is a wide variation in costs by neighborhood, and much more availability. Pacificare's main offices are in Cypress, I believe, which is not the most expensive area of LA and not far from Long Beach. I don't think you'd want to live in Cypress or Anaheim, but some other cities down there aren't bad (like Long Beach).

noelle

Christina:

Thank you for your information, this gives me alot to think about. My husband would like to live somewhere in Central California. His brother lives in Monterey. A good compromise would be somewhere halfway between Monterey and LA. What do you suggest?

Christina

I don't know, Noelle, what kind of insurance job are you looking for? There isn't any place halfway between Monterey and LA that I think is very cheap that I would want to live in, but I don't know areas outside LA or San Francisco that well. I just don't think there are any great health insurance jobs in San Luis Obispo, for example (which I've heard isn't that cheap any more, anyway, I don't know). There isn't any city in that area I would consider good for health insurance jobs, in general, for corporate offices. The nice areas are probably more expensive than parts of LA. As I said, Sacramento is the main cheaper area I know with a major employer, but it's pretty hot up there part of the year and it's far from LA, of course. I'd rather live in LA, myself.

noelle

Thanks again for your help! I would love to live in LA but my husband doesnt like hot weather all year long. I would be probably be better off changing industries. Would you live in LA again?

rjw_lgb_ca

Your husband will be happily surprised to find out that the weather in coastal CA is NOT hot year-round. In fact, I live in Long Beach and don't ever run my air conditioner (of course, when it gets REALLY hot I just head to the shore and enjoy the cool). Of the coastal communities in southern CA, Long Beach's housing prices are among the lowest (although still very high-- it's a statewide phenomenon), and it has some lovely neighborhoods. It is NOT a hot tourist destination, it's just a great place to live with a diverse population and some really fun things to do both in town and nearby.

Have you ever actually come to visit this area? You'd best come out and see if you can handle (1) the immense size of the LA metro area, (2) the resultant transportation issues (including the high cost of gasoline), and (3) the cost of housing. Depending on where you live currently, you may be shocked.

EXAMPLE: My sister has a 4,000 sq ft house in Pennsylvania. She's shocked to have paid over $400,000 for it. You can't buy a 1,200 sq ft Craftsman bungalow in my neighborhood for less than $400,000. Her home, transplanted into my neighborhood (including huge lot), would go for well over $2,000,000. Some perspective....

knute

If this is so, I've always wondered how janitors and maids and store clerks and teachers survive on the California coast. I mean, where do these people live?

dwooddon

Knute's question is a continuing problem in all of coastal southern California. Housing prices have outrun many people's ability to pay.

Many, many of us were fortunate to have purchased years ago. I, for one, could not afford to buy the house I live in if I had to buy it today.

There are a variety of less than desirable solutions. Many people live a considerarable distance inland and commute to the coast. While housing inland is still expensive compared to most of the rest of the country, it is substantially less expensive than along the coast. Another solution is high-density living. There are a number of areas nearby that have large populations living in housing designed for considerably lesser numbers of people. Finally, it is not uncommon for many people here to spend half or more of their monthly income on housing compared to a national average of 25-30%.

Having said all that, our Paradise by the Pacific still attracts a huge volume of buyers. I work in real estate and our current market is such that when we put a home or condo on the market at even wildly inflated prices, if it is in a good location and in good condition, it typically sells in less than a week with multiple offers, often above the already inflated list price.

Go figure - we live in Paradise and prople are willing to pay for it.

here_today_gone2Maui

Webster defines paradise as " a place or state of bliss, felicity, or delight"

I was born and raised in Pasadena, and spent the past 40 years in LA. As much as I do truly still love L.A., I would hesitate to call it a place of bliss, felicity or delight.

I live in paradise now; there is a big difference! ;-p

Underhill

For perspective on Northern California, people are now commuting anywhere from 2 or more hours EACH WAY daily to work in San Francisco, where house prices have far outstripped the ability of middle-class people to buy. Those who want a reasonably sized house at a price they can afford are living in Stockton, Modesto, Fairfield, even Sacramento.

rjw_lgb_ca

noelle, have you also looked into opportunities up in Oregon or Washington? I'm sure there are health insurance jobs in the Portland and Seattle/Tacoma areas, and it is a less hectic pace up there, and awfully pretty. The winters are nowhere near as harsh as in the northeastern US, as an added bonus. Just a thought....

rjw_lgb_ca

here today gone2maui: To each their own Paradise, I always say. How wonderful for you that you've found it! It seems I have as well, although I can't honestly say it's a "relaxed" bliss. My Heaven requires a little hustle and bustle, it seems. Oh well-- time to strap on another Red-Eye and get on with it!!!

PamSF

Add the East Bay to that list of unaffordable. A 1500 sq foot bungalow 2 bed 1 bath 1 floor on our street(In Oakland) just sold for $645K.I agree with the suggestion to look in the Sacramento or even Davis area.

noelle

I am now thinking of surrounding states just to have the access to LA when I want it. I currently live in Connecticut which is highly overpriced. My second choice would be Arizona but again, my husband would not appreciate the heat. Thanks for all your responses. It is very much appreciated.

Underhill

The Davis housing market is very tight, and houses are priced accordingly. The nearby towns of Winters, Woodland, and Dixon are still relatively affordable, however.

lvk

You and your husband might also be pleased to know that not all of Arizona is hot desert. The Flagstaff/Northern Arizona area has four seasons, even a ski resort. Not sure about affordable housing or jobs, but it is a beautiful area you might want to check in to .

I live in SouthernCal, and I love it, but my husband and I were lucky to be in the right place at the right time to afford a nice property in a great area with great schools at an affordable price. Were we moving here now, we would not be that lucky.

Good luck, from another New England transplant!