My wife and I (no kids) might be moving to the area in a few months for a job transfer.  My wife has concerns and I have a few questions that y'all might be able to help me with.

1) I'll be working out of Stockton (sales job but traveling often) and want to know where we should live.  Schools aren't important but a safe neighborhood is.  The wife will work from home so I want her to feel safe.  I'm willing to commute 40 mins or so if I can find a place outside of town.

2) Is it really as bad as people say it is?

3) Guns, what can I take with me?  I own the following: HK P2000sk, HK Custom Combat .40 (16 round), SCAR 17, Mossberg 5909A1.

4) I currently live in 2000sq ft that values around $260K.  What should I expect for a decent/nice 3 bed place?  Should we rent or buy if we only intend to stay for a couple of years.

5) How to I get a CHL in CA (do those words even exist in CA)?

Jacob

Don't do it!! I grew up in Stockton and spent the first 21 yrs of my life there. My mom still lives there. I go back once a year, for a max of 2 days, and then leave because I can't stand that shithole. I have friends that live in Lodi, but they say it is getting worse also. Same thing with Galt. If I were you, I would look in Linden (small town East of Stockton) or even Valley Springs. No way I would ever live in Stockton. Back during the housing boom and the giving of home loans to everyone, it allowed the ghetto to infiltrate the rest of the good neighborhoods and turn them all to crap.  

I'm up to commute too.  I'd even consider something to the south outside of Modesto.  My office is in Stockton but that doesn't mean I have to live there.

I'd consider anything outside of town to the North, East, South, etc.

Look at Tracy or some of the surrounding areas.  Look east and west of Stockton.  I grew up in Manteca and it used to be a really nice small town, there are still nice parts so give it some consideration but for the love of god stay out of Stockton and Modesto.

I live in the Vacaville area, but have been to Lodi and Stockton many times. Stockton is having serious financial problems, and is not staffing the police and fire departments like they need to. The city went bankrupt as a result of the housing crisis, multiple bad investment and municipal project decisions. Having said that, there are some nice areas around Stockton and Lodi. I like the Lodi area, but it's farther out from Stockton if that's where you'll be. $250k won't buy much house out here in the city right now. But it will get you in the market and allow you to keep from renting forever.

As far as gun laws go, you need to check out http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/index.php. Great folks and they have all the info you need. They just recently passed even stricter gun laws. Things are much different here than Texas. They don't call it "The People's Republic of Kalifornia" for nothing. If you bring the Texas Peashooters "AK's, AR's, high cap pistol stuff" out here and they'll throw you in a dark hole and make you watch Pelosi, Feinstein & Boxer speeches till your eyes bleed.

Hope this helps..

I grow up in Lodi and still have family there, one active LE and one retired.  All say Stockton is a no go!  3 years ago I flew back Sac to pick up a Jeep to drive back to OK, everybody said DO Not stop in Stockton, drive through.

Like someone said look to Valley Springs, Linden or even Burson or Wallace. I know someone who lives in San Andreas and drives to Stockton every day, but he also carries a gun.

My Sis said she was trying to get her CC and I think she said the study book was like 90 pages.

Good luck in the new Job

If you move E of Stockton Burson, Valley Spring area really nice big reservoirs for boating and fishing

Maybe look at Ripon.  South of Stockton on Hwy 99. 

eta Hey, it ain't Manteca!

Ripon is a nice little town but I'm always afraid of what it will become being so close to so many bad places. so far so good for ripon though.

All good suggestions.  Thanks, gents.