Correction: California is a HUGE place and the regions are VERY different. For cheap(er) living, you're talking either mountains (not the KY kind), desert, or ag regions (also not the KY kind, but similar). Have a preference? How big of a local population do you need for your business or is it online/mail and doesn't matter? Why are you looking to come to CA?
I am looking to come to California for several reasons, I have never been there before, always wanted to go, and for the legality of California that I am not able to enjoy freely here.
If you want more specifics we would need more information. If you are looking at Southern Cal you'll be paying a premium to live anywhere but the Inland Empire, based on what you're used to anyway. Depending on your business however some areas may be more desirable than others based on zoning, client base, taxes etc.
If you want more specifics we would need more information. If you are looking at Southern Cal you'll be paying a premium to live anywhere but the Inland Empire, based on what you're used to anyway. Depending on your business however some areas may be more desirable than others based on zoning, client base, taxes etc.
I am looking for cheap, very cheap. I am starting a new business so once it is up and running, after a few years, then I can up-grade my housing situation. I am not sure of what the population needs to be like, size wise, large or small I don't know. I would guess that based on my affordability the less populated areas maybe what I should be looking for, or some place where maybe the population has moved to find work, and left the housing market much cheaper to purchase. Also depending on the housing market I may need to rent for a while and buy later. I have sort of checked out Trona, and Grass Valley, there are a few very cheap homes there, but like you say I don't know about the zoning, client base, or taxes.
The Seal Beach area is amazing and the people are very nice... the area, especially the main street area, was lost in the 70's and is very friendly. Good luck!
Perhaps you should visit California before you make any decision to move here, you mention that the "legality" of California is important to you, what do you mean by that, almost everything is against the law here and you pay some of the highest taxes in the country. The cost of living in California is very high, if you are used to living modestly, you better look into the desert communities. That will put you out in the boonies and you will not have much of a customer base for any business that you would start, so if your business idea requires customers you might want to look else where. Hate to rain on your parade but the way things are here the state is about to go bankrupt and the middle class population is moving to other states as fast as they can. Good luck...
Any place worth living in CA is crazy expensive and any sane person is moving out or planning to.
The first thing that comes to mind with "legality" is you want to be able to smoke weed. If so, come on out and get a shack in the desert. There's plenty of room and it costs almost nothing. You will not have any work or customers but you could move in a few friends to share expenses.
Legality- well...we all know what that means. If you are opening up shop, stay out of OC. The market is saturated. some unincorporated parts of LA/San Gabriel Valley might be good for business. As for taxes- I personally feel like my *personal* income tax is rather low. For a small business owner, it is pretty up there. Then again- if this is where you want to be, then you pay for it. Otherwise you would live in Alabama or Colorado. Do everything by the book if you are opening a dispensary. Anything shady and you lose inventory and clients.
I would suggest that you determine what you can afford in terms of rent and living expenses, research locations in CA as a first base camp where you could afford to live for a year or two. Then take the time to find the area where you would really want to settle in and live for the long haul.
Be forewarned, as mentioned by others home prices are still very high. The closer you get to the coast the higher the cost of housing. It is not unusual to see wishing prices above 1 million for a basic 3 bedroom ranch on 1/16 acre near the beach. I don't know about you, but that is a different economic planet from the one I live on. Rents are also higher, but renting is still a better deal than buying in the beach cities. There is a rent vs buy calculator on the New York Times web site that is worth searching for. We are on the downside of the housing bubble correction and in OC the prices are very sticky. I believe the prices will continue to fall in fits and starts, but the owners, bankers, agents, and gov will do everything to try to keep them propped up so do not hold your breath.
The desert areas are less expensive for home prices, but expect to pay to keep your home temperate.
The mountain villages have small lots and a wide range of home prices. Roads can be closed during storms or if a slide takes one out. Multiple paths is a good thing.
The Ag areas I really do not know much about. I do know that some look very livable to me. Very green, rolling hills, dairy land, vineyards and orchards.
Research is your friend. Be wary of crime and drug use. Rumors are that rural areas have a high meth user issue. Gangs are an issue in some areas.
Guns: CA is the land of fruits and nuts so expect to be confused about the laws and how people behave to some degree. I have had a SWAT team show up when I was loading airsoft rifles into my Jeep for a camping trip.
Food and fuel: I found food costs to be on par with where I came here from (TX), but fuel is consistently $0.50 more expensive. This is because of the ethanol they add to help clean the air I believe. The very cool thing about CA in many areas is that the growing season is long and you can feed your self for the most part if you are so inclined.
State Gov: You will pay State income taxes here around 9-10% and this could get much worse. IIR, CA has a budget deficit of 27 billion dollars. Wisconsin is around 3 billion and look at the protests there. Expect some financial turmoil in CA.
I am planning a move to California and am wondering where is the best place to go as far as rent and the cost of living and I suppose there are many other variables that will come to mind by the time I get set to go in the spring.
Nowhere really. Orange County is still through the roof with House prices. Unless you bought a house before the boom, you will likely not be able to afford purchasing anything.
The bay area is even more expensive than OC and even harder to find a job.
I really like San Diego, but the economy sucks out there. Prices are lower than some other areas, but like I said, the economy sucks.
Inland Empire in southern california seems to be the location most people are moving to due to the lower prices. But there is a reason the prices are lower. Even with the lower prices, the cost is still ridiculous.
Moved out of state due to costs. Sorry for the negativity, but that's the honest truth.
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