BAKERSFIELD!!!!Considering a move. Help!!!

Might be good to put down the bottle tonight and think about that idea tomorrow with a little clearer head.

 

Visit Bakersfield, live in Tehachapi. If I could I would.-Weeks

 

funny you mention it, but as the recessionary wave bounces back towards Cali, normally California is resistant (as it usually starts here), absorbs or atleast reduces the power of the recessionary wave. But as the first wave was riding on the back of sub prime mortgages, which California had more than it's fair share, when the wave comes back to California it is going to take out all the jumbo mortgages that are just waiting to default. So when Cali takes a shot to the balls this time next time around, the reflection back towards the heartland may be devastating.

 

Moving anywhere really depends on your ability to support yourself and your family. Moving to Bako for a 6 figure job gets you a nice life. Moving to Bako for a niteshift at a kwiki-mart gets you made fune of by guys from Fresno.

So really if you have thigs lined up in Bako.. go for it... if not I would consideer areas with more financial potential.

 

Don't forget the birthplace of Mosrite Guitars.

 

If you did it, it would really cut down on the trip time getting to the vintage drags at Famoso, so that is at least 1 plus.

 

I live downtown and never have any probs with the gangsters, trouble usually stays on its side of town.

 

As a lifelong rodder from socal, its kinda an inside joke to bash Bakersfield, as we can do about other cities in ca. I,m sure you can find a nice place there, and if you have a good job oppurtunity go for it. A lotta people have made good money there. had a buddy who lived in Shafter, and we kidded back and forth all the time, so this post brought back good memories.

 

Oh yeh along side Buck is Dwight Yoakam.

 

I really appreciate all of the insight. If I had the chance I would love to stay in santa Cruz. Who wouldnt. But if I could get into a house for 450 to 500 or rent for 2500 a month then we spend all our money on house and bills. Not fun when we are people who like projects and going places. We like lakes and camping and boating and dirtbikes and general mayhem. it seems that there is a lot of that kind of thing down there. I dont mind the heat really at all. So anyhow. We are coming down this weekend 2/7 to 2/8. we are going to check the schools and the dealerships where I could get a job. anything cool we should check out??? or stay in a motel/hotel. Dont want to end up in a shitty part of town.

Thanks again

Eric

 

Gang issues in Lancaster, Palmdale, etc... Bakersfield gang issues east of the freeway worse than west side... Fresno... armpit of California ( i was born there), move to Central Valley California, Pismo beach, etc rodders there...Parts of Bakersfield area are like Odessa Texas..etc..

 

You need to move to the Central coast.
Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo.
contact me I own a Real Estate/ property management company.
Thanks
Don

 

Congratulations on getting out, wish I was down there with you.

 

Tehachapi would be a good place, but you will definitely have to commute to work. Jobs are getting harder to find these days. Lancaster isnt the worst place in the world (not the best either) and its a buyers market for homes. You still may have to commute either way

 

You could go up Hwy 99 and be "Stuck in Lodi Again" not a bad little town,check out the the event at Kingdon Drag strip on Google,plenty of boating and fishing within minutes,less than an hour to Sacramento.Plenty going on up there,Sacramento Raceway,Midnight Mass every year.

 

I was born in stockton. Lived there for a year and my parents moved us to Santa Cruz. Grew up there but have always had family in stockton and Lodi area. Dont really care for it too much. The Delta is fun but so unsafe. My cousin was hit by a drunk boater last year on the delta and almost lost her life. I wont take my kids out there. So it is a good place to buy houses I just want to get away from the area and be closer to So cal area.

Kindon drags kick ass though.

Eric

 

I'm from Santa Cruz and left 8 years ago for Chico. We have a drag strip 60 miles North and good schools and afordable living. Can't forget a good group of hot rod folks.

 

Bakersfield CA, Calcutta India opps I repeated myself.

 

This post should be your driving force. Your obviously a young family, you'll adapt to any area. In my experince, great schools=high home prices but there are exceptions. There are great real estate deals in So. Cal. right now. Just a thought. P.M. me for any help. Mike

 

My first Girlfriend was in Wasco and I would take her to Shafter.
Sometimes I would Shafter n Wasco

 

Bakersfield isn't any better or worse than any other town in America. i live in a little town by Lancaster, only because lacr drag strip was nearby. now that it is gone, i was thinking about moving over to Bakersfield too. the only problem is, i don't like big towns! i went and looked at a town called Porterville about 30 miles up from the "patch" on hwy 65. looked like a decent town, not to big, all the amenities, walmart, home depot, lowes and plenty of fast food places. i didn't get to see the housing prices though. ah, who am i kidding. i would have to sell the house i have to be able to move and we all know how the housing market sucks right now. i am already old, so i guess I'll just have to stay here until i die.

 

Bakersfield is just filled with automotive stuff...not like LA, OC or the Bay area, but not bad for a Central Valley town, it's got a historic drag strip, super-schweet road course, decent dirt track and a new NASCAR short track.

Moving to Bakersfield? Could be worse...you could move to Taft, CA...but yeah...if you can stay on the coast you might be happier...

My Dad always says " Find the shittiest house you can afford to buy in the nicest neighborhood possible....You can always fix up your house, but you can't fix up the neighborhood on your own..."

 

No on the NASCAR TRACK.. Housing took a dump and teh property the guy sold to finance the Track went into foreclosure !!!
So the Track sits half done

 

This is a pretty entertaining post, first of all us folks that live in Bakersfield would bag on Fresno but we're afraid some folks from Fresno might come and Murder us! It's true that Fresno is bigger, in fact they beat us in every stat listed below! Here's some crime stats from the Us Census bureau, you decide where you would rather live.


Actual Reported Population and Crimes:
<CENTER><TABLE class=gray13 width=500><TBODY><TR><TD></TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Fresno, CA</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Bakersfield, CA</TD></TR><TR><TD>Population:</TD><TD>465,269</TD><TD>298,198</TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Murder:</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>52</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>24</TD></TR><TR><TD>Forcible Rape:</TD><TD>133</TD><TD>43</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Robbery:</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>1282</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>549</TD></TR><TR><TD>Aggravated Assault:</TD><TD>2057</TD><TD>959</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Burglary:</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>4366</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>3729</TD></TR><TR><TD>Larceny Theft:</TD><TD>14097</TD><TD>9623</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e5edff>Vehicle Theft:</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>4944</TD><TD bgColor=#e5edff>2563</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><CENTER> </CENTER><CENTER> </CENTER><CENTER>Other than that, if you're truely a car guy then you'd probably like Bakersfield! There are plenty of car events and besides the March meet, The CHRR, and Dragfest, many of the other top-notch shows are just a couple hours away. </CENTER><CENTER> </CENTER><CENTER>A friend of mine who I worked for for several years who is a real hard-core car guy came from another country to the US and he traveled all around and decided out of all the US, Bakersfield was the best place for him and his interests (you can ask anyone, this guy lives and breathes cars 24/7) and he settled here and built a successful business. Come down for the March meet, he'll be throwing a party at his shop that Saturday night of the March meet, his name is Squeak Bell. Other than that you might ask some of the other folks that actually live in Bakersfield like I do. </CENTER>

 

Have been following this thread with interest,was guna post ' HASNT BEEN THE SAME SINCE ,THOSE BLOODY KIWI'S CAME' LOL, yeah Squeak has been there a long time, now you have Duane to put up with !, hey both TOP guys ,they wouldnt stay there if the place was that bad . Say Hi to Squeak when you see him Saturday,Steve & Michelle ,from Rolleston,Christchurch,he will know !

 

Is "none of the above" a choice?

 

haha, Muttley!

 

I haven't posted in ages, but I gotta say something. Bakersfield is the last city in California with its head still on the outside of its asshole. Bakersfield is like a little slice of West Texas sent out here. There are TONS of hot rod and motorcycle folks in Bakersfield. They may not all drive 'traditional' hotrods, but i'll kiss your ass on both sides and give you 20 minutes to draw a crowd if you can find another California city with as many 'traditionally-BUILT' hot rods and customs.
If you are into the scene and want to see how high you can cuff your vintage 501's or fluff your pomp...you won't like Bakersfield. Just head down to LA and find somebody that can clean the Murray's off the headliner in your Accord while you wait at starbucks and watch The Hills on your I-Phone. But, if you want to build some shit, learn from old timers, and make friends that are interested in doing the same...you'll like Bakersfield.
The Bakersfield economy is based primarily on the oil field and agriculture. To support both industries, Bako has countless mom-n-pop machine shops, scrap yards, metal retailers, hardware stores, welding shops/supply stores, ect. Hence, Bako has a TON of real, down-to-earth, blue-collar folks that are nice, courteous, and hard working...three things you'd be hard pressed to find if you take 99/I-5 South over the mountains. Bakersfield has it problems just like any other place on the planet, but you have to focus on the good, ignore or eliminate the bad and get on with life.

That's what I think about Bakersfield...hope it helps.