Eva

has written 2 SperlingViews. Currently, Eva is living in Lake Hughes, CA and has a little something to say:

Lake Hughes, California Posted On: 6/5/2008 12:19:12 AM

Shame on you, Sperling (or bless you...). /you do not even let me click on my own home town (because it is too small LOL). Anyways, if you are looking for the ultimate get a way, this is it. Want a job? There are no jobs here. Want to get away from it all? This is it.

I have been here for 6 years+ and I LOVE IT! There used to be a sign entering the town that said "501 residents". Well, it has more than 2000 residents, according to census. However, it still feels like 501.

No traffic lights, no stop signs, one local country store, a hair dresser, local realtor, post office, fire department (needed), a local restauarant with live bands on the weekend and an inn, a campground (hardly ever used), a local bar (used daily as a meeting spot), an art gallery and that pretty much sums it up.

Why do I live here? A feeling of getting away from it all, yet I can be at work in bustling Santa Clarita in 45 minutes, driving winding country roads and not having to be part of the freeway commute.

Home prices? Forget it. To live here, you pay a premium. Rentals are still somewhat affordable but add gasoline prices to that and your time to get here, you go broke. Still, this is my favorite neck of the woods, at 3200 feet and a couple of sprinklings of snow each winter.

I just recently bought a piece of land here and hoping to afford to build in a few years but if not, I am thinking of retiring in Visalia, California. My main concern is Visalia's air quality.

Global warming is not going to do Visalia any good and making a move there might be financially justifiable but then what. Any input would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Affordable living, is it really? Posted On: 3/22/2008 6:12:04 AM

Personally, I do not live in the Santa Clarita Valley but I do work there. After living in Los Angeles for many years, I finally had enough. Too many people, too much traffic, too much smog, high crime rate. I did love it, going to Venice beach, riding my bike along the ocean, an afternoon at Sidewalk Cafe, people watching.

But, if you have to cruise around for fifteen minutes or more, hoping to find a parking space? Enough. Me and my dog moved to Simi Valley and stayed for three years, it was nice. A little bit too hot in the summer though. Got a new job back in October 2002, selling manufactured homes in parks. The office was located in Santa Clarita.

Did not know much about that area but slowly started to know it. Clean, excellent school district for families with kids. Magic Mountain Amusement park with thrill rides, again, a family thing to do. Mountasia water park, hiking in the Vasques Canyon, local riding stables.

Santa Clarita Valley is master-planned and a lot of new homes are being built. Crime rate is low and still a lot of open spaces. A kind of a country feel and a yearly Cowboy Music Festival.

Ventura beaches is only an hour away and you got Pine Mountain Club and skiing another hour up north. Me? I live in Lake Hughes (yes, there is actually a lake here). 3200 feet high, not even a traffic light and about 500 people, in the middle of national forest with mostly cabins.

My kind of place, away from it all (only 45 minutes) and I do not even have to drive the freeway. Yes, the counry roads through the canyons are curling around, sometimes too much, but again, no freeway. Beautiful mountains and valleys, it will be six years come Memorial weekend.

Home prices have dropped here too, like everywhere else. I am a licensed realtor selling it all but my specialty is manufactured homes in parks. They are affordable and Santa Clarita/Canyon Country has quite a few nice park communities.

Any questions you might have in regards to this area, please feel free to contact me. Take care, Eva.

http://www.canyoncountrymanufacturedhomes.com