In the first episode of Cadê Moradia, after talking about Santa Clarita, where she lives, realtor Mariness Chata heads north on the 14 freeway. It's the road to the Antelope Valley, the high-desert region that includes Lancaster and Palmdale and where, Jason Lanzarini notes, many Brazilians find homes at more affordable prices.

First, the ranches: Agua Dulce and Acton

Leaving Santa Clarita, the first area is Agua Dulce. Mariness describes it as ranch country, sought out by people who want independence and land — room for animals, houses set far apart. A little farther on is Acton, with the same profile: big lots, the option of keeping horses, new homes and construction unlike what you see in the subdivisions. Both are unincorporated communities of Los Angeles County, meaning they aren't cities: building and zoning rules come from the county itself.

Lancaster and Palmdale, side by side

Farther north, the valley opens up. Lancaster and Palmdale, Mariness explains, "are divided by a street" — one runs right into the other. In the 2020 Census, Lancaster had about 173,000 residents and Palmdale 169,000; with the surrounding communities, the Antelope Valley tops 400,000 people. "It's not that small," she sums up.

The area was laid out with straight streets running north–south and east–west, which makes addresses easy to find. Almost everything is single-story — there are very few tall buildings — and there's always a big shopping center nearby. Jason notes there's a bit of everything: areas with large lots, areas with smaller homes and newer subdivisions.

What people who live there do for work

The advantage Mariness highlights most is local employment. The valley is home to industries that work for the government in defense and aviation. Edwards Air Force Base, to the north, is one of the U.S. Air Force's main flight-test centers, and Palmdale is home to Air Force Plant 42, where major aerospace companies assemble and test aircraft. Many people come from other states and even other countries to work on those contracts, she says.

Palmdale's airport has a curious history, told on the episode. Between 1970 and 1983, the agency that runs LAX — today Los Angeles World Airports — bought about 17,750 acres in the area to build a major intercontinental airport that would serve as an alternative to LAX. The project never got off the ground. Mariness attributes that partly to the roads: the 14 freeway would never have had the capacity to absorb the volume of cargo trucks without choking car traffic. The role of regional cargo airport ended up going to Ontario, in San Bernardino County.

Beyond the base and the plants, Jason notes the growth of logistics warehouses in the area — which draws residents who want to work close to home. Mariness cites the same trend along the 5 freeway, north of Santa Clarita, in the Tejon Ranch area, where new neighborhoods, schools and retail are being planned alongside distribution centers.

And what about people who work in Los Angeles?

That's where the region's cost lies. The freeway gets jammed at rush hour, Mariness acknowledges. The alternatives she lists:

• Metrolink trains, Antelope Valley Line, connecting Lancaster and Palmdale to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, by way of Santa Clarita. (On the episode the train is called "Amtrak," but the region's daily passenger service is Metrolink.)
• Commuter buses, such as those run by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, with direct routes to job centers across the county.
• Carpool and vanpool: groups that share a car or a 7- to 15-seat van for the daily commute, with access to carpool lanes.

Who the Antelope Valley makes sense for

Jason and Mariness land on the same profile: people who want space, a bigger house and a lower price; people who work in the region itself; people who work from home; or people looking for somewhere quieter, away from the big urban centers — as in retirement. Jason recalls that, about ten years ago, houses worth around $150,000 in Lancaster now go for more than $300,000; Mariness adds that rents have gone up along with them. Prices vary widely by neighborhood and property condition — check current sales data with an agent before deciding.

Even farther north, already in Kern County, is California City, a town planned in the 1950s that never grew as envisioned. It's cheap, but with few job options beyond the air base.

Sources and verification

• Episode 1 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (February 2026), with Mariness Chata and Jason Lanzarini.
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census: populations of Lancaster (about 173,000) and Palmdale (about 169,000).
• Los Angeles World Airports — Palmdale land acquired between 1970 and 1983 (about 17,750 acres) for a future regional airport.
• Metrolink — Antelope Valley Line (Lancaster–Los Angeles Union Station).
• Antelope Valley Transit Authority — commuter bus service.
• U.S. Air Force — Edwards Air Force Base and Air Force Plant 42.

This topic comes from the full episode — watch it:

CADÊ BRAZIL