Question: Nice Town/City/Community/Neighborhood with Reasonable Home Costs?

Im way up at the top of Ca. I love it here other tan the heat in summer. But Nancy W is right about Bend Or. Ive been there several times and have family there and it is gorgeous. Nice stuff to do, but lots of snow in winter. Go visit!

I do not necessarily know the costs, but Raleigh North Carolina is an up and growing city. My parents lived there for 14 years (leaving 10 years ago), and it looked like a great place to raise kids.

I have a friend who just moved from San Francisco, because she and her husband have two young sons and wanted the lifestyle you describe. They moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon. I did a little research after she told me how much they loved it. From what I've read, it is the most affluent suburb of Portland (about 10 miles from downtown Portland). It is on a lake and when I took a brief look at real estate, it looked like you could get a nice house on a good bit of land (the yards looked huge compared to So Cal standards) for the low $300,000s. My friend took a significant pay cut but is still coming out nearly $30,000 ahead when adjusted for cost of living. Her husband was able to maintain Bay Area salary levels because he can telecommute. You don't mention schools, but I assume since you're on mamapedia that you have kids - the schools in Lake Oswego are excellent. Good luck to you - I'd love to get out of southern CA!

I love living in Allen, TX. It's about 20 miles north of Dallas. They are doing so much building that we never leave. We have great restaurants, shopping, golf and other activities. There are a few lakes in the area, and if you drive less than 2 hours north, you're in Oklahoma with more lakes and falls and great camping sites. Our 4200 sq ft home cost $450K, so I would only assume that you would be able to get something smaller and really nice in your budget. If I didn't have a young kid, I would be living in the condos directly over a shopping center. There are a few here that have great shops, restaurants, and concerts during the summer. Texas is hot, really hot. It's 5 pm and 101 degrees out.

There are many former Californians living here in Bend, Oregon. Come on up and see why. The weather is not perfect but we have lots of sunny days and snow in the winter if you like to ski. We are surrounded by National Forest so in the summer, you can find a different trail to hike every weekend. The Deschutes River runs through town, get your inner tube to float down and take the shuttle bus back upstream or try standup paddling on Mirror Pond. Bend has a historic downtown, boutique shopping and excellent restaurants, beautiful parks, a fabulous library system, visual and performing arts, and a Trader Joes(!). There's no sales tax. It's a 5 hour drive to the ocean but you can find homes and condos with a mountain or river view. Median home price is around $250K, drive 5 miles out and you can find homes on 2-5 acres.

Check out mukilteo, Kirkland, issaquah, Edmonds, woodway, and west Seattle, sammamish, or bothell, Washington! Zip codes 98275, 98034/98033, 98027/98029, 98020/98026, 98116/98146/98136, 98074, and 98011/98012.

All are on water with unbeatable mountains and trees on either side. Yes it rains here but not as much as people say. We have mild seasons, perfect weather to many people. All of these cities are only about 20-30 minutes from downtown Seattle, close enough but far enough that you can still have a yard! They're all considered more upscale communities. Once most people move here they never move away, and the people from here stay here.

Depending on your lines of work, we have Boeing (live in mukilteo, Edmonds, bothell, or Seattle), Microsoft (live in Kirkland, Redmond, sammamish, bothell, or issaquah), and great schools!

Texas is the place to be. The nice suburbs of Dallas are Frisco, Little Elm, and Plano. Check out www.realtor.com you'll find nice homes in Little Elm on the border of Frisco ranging from 145k to 250k with square footages of 2,300 sqft to over 3,900 sqft. We love living in Frisco/Little Elm area, just moved; the houses on the lake are little more pricey but we live 5 minutes from one of the many lakes. There are many lakes around, great boats for rent if you don't have one and seadoos, man made beach on some lakes and the schools are nice. Great diversity. Many nice corporations in Plano and Frisco. Easy access to highways, freeways, tollroads etc. Close to shopping malls, restaurants and stores. Frisco square is very nice to eat, shop, see movies, go to ballpark, concerts, farmers market etc. Best mall: Stonebriar Mall of Frisco, TX. Nice outlet mall in Allen, TX with great shops.

My husband works in Irving which takes him 27 minutes via toll way. We love it out here. Sure the temps here get 100degrees+; but its Texas the weather will change in an instant. Cost of living relatively good; in fact very affordable.

Best wishes in the search, there are so many great places all over.

You could get what you are looking for in the Minneapolis area, but you would need to put up with our winters! Right now, it's gorgeous, sunny, and in the mid 80s. But winters are cold, snowy, and long.

Another vote for Bend, Oregon. My husband's grandparents live in Santa Barbara so we're there quite a bit, so I know just what you're describing. His parents wanted some place like Santa Barbara but more affordable and moved to Bend when they retired. We have loved Bend so much on our visits there, we've decided already that's where we want to retire.

Weather is mild in the summer and not always bad in the winter (some snow, but not horrendous). It's considered a mountain desert climate, so you don't get the rainfall you do in other parts of Oregon. Very pretty area with a lot of outdoor activities. The homes there are very nice and you can definitely get the kind of home you're describing at that price point.

Try Las Vegas, we have the finest entertainment, world reknown food, lake mead is only 20 minutes away and your ocean is only 5 hours away. Housing is? well lets just say its a buyers market. The Far west side of the valley is the newest, or check out lake las vegas. So many golf courses, mt charleston for ski and lodging, no state tax, and red rock canyon is a beautiful natual wonder. look up our chamber of commerce. We have at 1800 sq foot home with a pool in a very private cul de sac and it is only 140,000.00 for what you are willing to pay, you could live on one of our man made lake home, with fish and boat for 400 thousand. Also go to zillow.com and check out some of the homes for sale. But for the body of water lake las vegas would be your best bet, little bit on the outskirts but such a beautiful area, I believe that is where Celine deion has a home. Work depending on what you do, of a living, will depend on jobs, basic jobs are very hard to find and the average person with no real skills are the ones that are the most unemployeed, but the casino are still hiring. There revenues have had a steady increase. Check us out. Lot of foreclosure even in the higher class areas. Worth checking into.. Good Luck. If it were me, I moved to Hawaii. lol... cant afford it.

Not Milwaukee! I grew up there. The water in Lake Michigan is disgusting. The city is poverty stricken unless you live right on the lake or far off in a suburb. I visit often as my family and my husband's family still live there. I only mention this because one other mom said you should consider Milwaukee. It's a nice place TO VISIT! :)

Santa Barbara is BEAUTIFUL!!! It's like no other place in California!!! LOVE IT!!!

although land locked - Atlanta, GA you can get 2.6 acres of land with it's own little lake (not small but nice size) with a 6 bedroom, 5.5 bath for $389K....I've been looking into Atlanta...that's how I know...

Reston, VA is nice - we aren't near the beach per se - but i love our community!!! You could get a town home for about $400K - lots to do here...near Washington, D.C. - 22 west - lots of history as well....

Portland, OR is good...I've not personally lived there - but it's a nice area - I love Astoria as well...only visited...

GOOD LUCK!!!

Check out San Luis Obispo County. San Luis, the City, was recently voted the Happiest Place on Earth.

Jacksonville, FL is very affordable, really on the rise, and on the ocean. They are in the process of opening a new port which is set to bring a ton of new jobs and industry opportunities to the area. We are planning on investing there now with an eye toward it being a great retirement are for our parents, and later ourselves.

Milwaukee, WI - right on Lake Michigan, city and suburbs, great restaurants.

anywhere in the midwest.....lots of lake communities. But while the real estate costs may be lower than CA....so is income! There's always that trade off......

Is it for you and your husband or would the kiddos be there as well?

My husband is obsessed with Lompac (spelling?) It is up a little past Solvang I believe. Super affordable and I guess they are building a lot and expecting it to become the next big town.

Holland has some beautiful beaches with gorgeous condos and homes nearby. Amazing people, restaurants, and scenery.

Not sure about the water part and I haven't lived there but I hear such great things about Charlottesville, VA. I know 2 people who grew up there and just loved it. Reminds me to take a look...

You could easily purchase a 2000-3000 sq. ft. with a half- acre lot home in Utah. Newer homes would fit into that price range as well. Salt Lake City and its suburbs on the east side might work for you, as would Park City, though it is pricier. There is definitely a lot of natural beauty here, gorgeous mountain views wherever you go, and so much to do outdoors. There are a lot of lakes within a short drive. The weather is dry- summer is sunny blue skies almost all the time, temperatures between 80 and 90 for the most part. You can enjoy 4 seasons here. The winter is a bit long, it starts in November and drags on, still snowing off and on through April, and we get a decent amount of snow. Good luck on your search!