|
| My hometown....rating...1954 to 1968 (Lived there) - 2/16/2017
Back when I lived there...great for people, hiking, only had two times where there was a crime I was aware of my 1955 Chevy Bel-Air was stolen as well as my bike from the front of my house. We locked our doors. The schools I went to were great...Oddstad, Pedro Valley, Linda Mar, and Terra Nova...1960 (double session at Westmoor) to 1964 when I graduated...and went to CSM...graduated there 1967....1966 Air Force took me... Stayed at CSM until 1972 involved in extra classes and DJ for KCSM-FM as well as record librarian...moved to Fresno (job transfer) in 1972. Had a music column with Pacifica Tribune (Platter Chatter) and TNT sports for San Mateo Times.
[Comment on this Posting]
|
|
| Weather is great, but the rental market is horribl - 3/30/2008
I have lived in California since 1974 - the first 30 years in Los Angeles County. L. A. was great when I first moved there in '74, but by the time we left it was far too overcrowded and dirty with some of the worst smog levels in the nation. I developed asthma during my 30 years in that area - something I will have for the rest of my life thank you very much!
We began our move north by living in Santa Barbara for one year. Lovely place to live . . but . . you had better move there with money in the bank and not look to make tons of money once you move there. The job market is limited and job specific. Salaries can be on the low side because the overall size of the town is small and isolated away from large cities. My husband had changed careers and his first job in his new computer drafting position paid below the national average. Great company to work for, but not big on giving out substantial raises. If the roads in and out of Santa Barbara get washed out, like they did that year due to the torrential rains, you are stuck there. The only way in and out would be by boat or plane. So, we decided to move further north to the San Francisco area. many more jobs and a higher pay scale.
First town we lived in is called Daly City on the Peninsula. Now, the Peninsula is not very large and about 6 miles across where the City of Daly goes from the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay. The Pacific Ocean side is the better part to live in and the newest. But, it is the land of waves and waves of houses as far as the eye can see. Remember that song from the 60s about the 'ticky tacky houses'? Well, that is Daly City. It is also one of the foggiest cities on the Pacifica Ocean side - thick fog more than 50% of the time in the winter months. We lasted 6 months and needed to go to a less congested, sunnier area where there was nature around us.
So, we moved to Pacifica - a bit further south on the Peninsula in San Mateo County. We are about 7 - 12 miles to the S. F. Bay depending on what part of Pacifica you reside. But - once again you are isolated away from a major city to some degree. Take Route 1 North you will get to Daly City in about 10 - 20 minutes depending on traffic. Getting into downtown S. F. can be a bit more tricky. 20 minutes on a good day. A lot longer on a bad one. Easier to take the Bart - which is a subway train.
Pacifica is only 50 years young. It is a sleepy, little beach town that has not been overdeveloped. The beaches are like they were hundreds of years ago in many areas. The further south you go the more remote. You are able to get across the mountain ranges in only a few places from Pacifica all the way down to Santa Cruz. Make sure you buy gas before you leave to do that drive! When Route 1 was washed out just south of Pacifica about a year or so ago Pacifica almost became a ghost town. There was only two ways out of Pacifica - Route 1 North or across the mountains on Sharp Park Road. The old timers here in Pacifica do not want development and are managing to keep it from happening here. So you are stuck if you need a variety of clothes, shoes, stores you might find at a large shopping facility like a mall - sorry - you have to drive to find them in another town. With gas at almost $4 per gallon that can get expensive. But, it is the price you pay for the untouched, natural beauty of this small town. The weather cannot be beat. Stays cooler 95% of the year. When cities are burning hot in the summer we will be about 70 degrees or less! Hot days happen, but for only about a month overall in a year's time. We live in an area called Vallemar which is a valley surrounded by protected parks of trees and wildlife. I love it here.
So, that is it about the area, but the rents are sky high! Northern CA has suffered the highest rate of foreclosures in the country and as people's mortgages go through the roof so do the rents. We pay $2200 for a house per month! So, beware all who want to move here! You had better have the cash to pay higher rents than the national average - much higher! Lots of not so nice landlords can go with that, too. So, study up on the local rental laws and regulations so you are not taken advantage of like we were when we moved into the first house in Daly City. There's sort of Rent Control in some areas. There are many waivers you need to sign letting you know of possible mold, lead paint and asbestos in the house/apt., but also one about any registered sexual offenders living in the neighborhood. So, beware and educate yourself of the area before you move here.
The housing market is slowly declining in some areas, crashing in others further inland. But, this is one of the most expensive areas in the U. S. to live. I check rents weekly and they just seem to keep going up! So, knowledge is power and buyer beware when you move to any part of California! The entire state is grossly overpriced! You definitely do not get what you think is a fair price like you can find in all other parts of the country - except NYC. It is about 35% less expensive to live in Boston! So, come here if you want to, but like I said - get on line and learn as much as you can about what is here and how much it is going to cost you so you are not suffering from sticker shock once you have made the huge move and expense to come here.
[Comment on this Posting]
|
|
| Pacifica: Foggy summers, gorgeous cool winters w/b - 1/13/2007
Pacifica: Foggy summers, gorgeous cool winters w/beautiful sunsets, no good shopping, no good restaurants.
Pacifica is a blue color town stuck in the 50s about 12 miles south of San Francisco. We are a community of 1/2 a million dollar to a million dollar mostly ranch houses set amongst steep hills, surrounded by open space. If you love nature, especially hiking, Pacifica is great. If you like surfing or beach walking (with a coat and hat), you will love Pacifica. This is not a lay-in-the-sun kind of beach town as we get about 6-10 moderately warm days per year. Our beaches can be dirty. Non-locals leave lots of their garbage on the beaches in Pacifica and the wind whips it around. Also, during windy days garbage cans all over town topple over leaving garbage all over Pacifica. This is not a pristine nature-beach town. There is no money to beach clean. It is all done by volunteers. There is very little money for street cleaning so litter is common after windy days. Pacifica is a blue color town with a few grocery stores, a few small hardware stores, a few restaurants (nothing in town for vegetarians), a few yoga studios, a produce market, a small health food store, and some fast food restaurants. We have several good elementary schools and a good middle school. We have a decent library system. This is an anti-development town. Recently, a big developer came in with a proposal to create a new downtown (we don't have a downtown or "main street") and he was voted down by about 65% of voters.
There is no central hang out place.
The best thing about Pacifica is it's proximity to San Francisco. Although most of us do our shopping "over the hill" in the mostly Filipino and Latino town of Daly City (Target, Home Depot,all the big box and malls), San Francisco is just a few miles away. There are buses that run during rush hour directly to downtown SF. There are 2 BART stations within 6 miles of here (Colma and Daly City) where drivers can park their cars (assuming they can find parking) and train to SF. But by car, if there is no traffic, one can reach almost any part of SF within 20-30 minutes.
If you live in the hills, you need a car in Pacifica. This is neither a bicycle friendly or public transporation friendly place because getting "over the hill" and out of town means riding or walking up 15-20% grades for 2 miles. Buses run infrequently during non-commute hours.
Wrap up: if you can afford a 700k house, want to live close to SF but away fro
[Comment on this Posting]
|