Thinking about moving to California

[Southpaw5]

So, as the title says my wife and I are seriously considering a cross country move to sunny Ca. We've lived in New England our entire lives, growing up in MA, went to college in VT, then came back to MA in 2007.

Both of us always get told we'd like the west coast, we're pretty laid back and liberal. We've had enough of the cloudy days and bitter winter. Our friends are slowly moving away and we don't have any strong family ties here anymore. We like the beach and Good tacos.

My wife is a massage therapist and is in the process of dissolving a partnership so she won't be tied here for work. I however work in mutual fund custody and don't see a lot of related jobs in my field I would qualify for. I'm considering changing to sales.

From those of you that live or have lived there, why and why not?

 

[DwaynieAD]

So, as the title says my wife and I are seriously considering a cross country move to sunny Ca. We've lived in New England our entire lives, growing up in MA, went to college in VT, then came back to MA in 2007.

Both of us always get told we'd like the west coast, we're pretty laid back and liberal. We've had enough of the cloudy days and bitter winter. Our friends are slowly moving away and we don't have any strong family ties here anymore. We like the beach and Good tacos.

My wife is a massage therapist and is in the process of dissolving a partnership so she won't be tied here for work. I however work in mutual fund custody and don't see a lot of related jobs in my field I would qualify for. I'm considering changing to sales.

From those of you that live or have lived there, why and why not?

I wasn't interested in CA until you mentioned tacos, I may be signing up for a move now too.

 

[MatticusMania]

Why? Because.

Why not? Well... why not?

 

[slobake]

If you like the stereotypical white sandy beach move to Southern California. It may suprise you to know that not all places in California are liberal, it depends on where you move. If you come the the San Francisco Bay area be prepared to pay outrages prices for housing. If you move to San Francisco you will probably either hate it or really fall in love with this crazy city. I can't imagine myself living anywhere else. Not that where I live is the best place in the world, it's just the best place for me. And yes we have great tacos, and burritos and pupusas and tamales and Thai food. In fact just about any type of food you like you could probably find here.

 

[MJ5150]

Culture
Shock
Be ready for it.

As someone who recently made the opposite move (west to east), all I can say is be ready to be out of sorts for a bit while you adjust. Although if you are actually near Boston, it probably won't be as bad of a move for you.

-Mike

 

[Southpaw5]

Slobake- I've heard that rent is absurdly high in SF, but are wages higher as well? How do people manage, or is it generally a wealthier area. We have friends there we intend on visiting early next year. It would be a better match for me working in finance.

 

[Southpaw5]

Culture
Shock
Be ready for it.

As someone who recently made the opposite move (west to east), all I can say is be ready to be out of sorts for a bit while you adjust. Although if you are actually near Boston, it probably won't be as bad of a move for you.

-Mike

Well I lived in Burlington Vt for years, so the weirdos won't be a surprise, the plastic types would be something new though.

 

[MJ5150]

I'm not even talking about the kind of people. The pace of life, the sensory overload of lights, cars, traffic, things to do, places to go, people to see, etc. But as I was saying, if you're close to Boston, you get some of that already.

I'm a west coast guy, so I'd move back there in a heartbeat, and we just might.

-Mike

 

[Southpaw5]

I'm not even talking about the kind of people. The pace of life, the sensory overload of lights, cars, traffic, things to do, places to go, people to see, etc. But as I was saying, if you're close to Boston, you get some of that already.

I'm a west coast guy, so I'd move back there in a heartbeat, and we just might.

-Mike

Ok, I misunderstood, thanks for clarifying. I can deal with those changes, I'm burnt out on living in NE.

 

[hover]

So, as the title says my wife and I are seriously considering a cross country move to sunny Ca. We've lived in New England our entire lives, growing up in MA... We like the beach and Good tacos.

It's like I am looking in the mirror...save for I used to live in CA in my teens. I do miss it, as I have family there... but not bad enough to move back there...I'm still looking for a less of a rat-race, less-culture shock locale (I agree completely with Mike) somewhere in the middle of these extremes. I was thinking Portland. I was also thinking Albuquerque.

I am however totally with you on the miserable winter thing...man was never intended to be cooped up 4 1/2 months out of the year....

 

[MJ5150]

....I'm burnt out on living in NE.

I don't know how you made it this long. After 12 months, I am ready to leave, and the winter last year was mild. I wonder how I would feel after a more typical NE winter.

-Mike

 

[slobake]

Slobake- I've heard that rent is absurdly high in SF, but are wages higher as well? How do people manage, or is it generally a wealthier area. We have friends there we intend on visiting early next year. It would be a better match for me working in finance.

I'm guessing the wages are higher but I'm not sure. I get by here because I bought a house 26 years ago before housing went complely nuts. My home is worth more than double of what I paid for it. Some people live in the East Bay in places like Hayward where the rents are lower but if you work in San Francisco you have to deal with the commute. My nephew does it and he has two young children. There are a few blue collar places left in San Francisco but even those areas are getting more epensive neighborhoods like the Excelsior and some areas in the Mission. Most people who live here are probably professionals. Finance would be a good field hear. We have a lot of biotech and other companies like Oracle here and they all need Finance people. And of course the Stock Exchange is here. Let me know when you are visiting I would love to hook up. You may have read about how people of European descent will become a minority here in the U.S. in the future. Well, that is already a reality here in San Francisco, I love it myself but it can be different if you are not used to it.

 

[BioDriver]

Visit first. I thought I wanted to move there until I spent a week in the OC. Nothing wrong with it, just didn't mesh with me, ya know? Personally I'd like to move to Virginia or somewhere else in the mid Atlantic.

 

[skychief]

Its ok if you dont mind driving around in 1st gear on the freeways. Unless you're in the 'burbs... And with gasoline always 50 to 60 cents higher than the rest of the nation, your 32 mpg Altima (which gets about half that in 1st gear) will cost nearly 30 cents/mile to operate.

The roads are in terrible shape in many places. Plan on getting front-end alignments annually. The radius arm bushings on my truck disintegrated due to the poor condition of the roads. $480 repair bill./.

Driving sux in Ca.

But, as previously mentioned, theres lotsa stuff to do out here. Just be prepared to pay for it. And bring along a co-signer.

 

[Unrepresented]

Visit first. I thought I wanted to move there until I spent a week in the OC. Nothing wrong with it, just didn't mesh with me, ya know? Personally I'd like to move to Virginia or somewhere else in the mid Atlantic.

Don't judge California by Orange County. The state is as large and diverse as multiple eastern seaboard states. I am convinced that by and large there's something here for pretty much everyone whether it's desert, mountains, beach, city, suburb, or rural.

 

[Southpaw5]

Don't judge California by Orange County. The state is as large and diverse as multiple eastern seaboard states. I am convinced that by and large there's something here for pretty much everyone whether it's desert, mountains, beach, city, suburb, or rural.

I like most of these at one time or another. Nice to hear there's variety, but I kinda knew that already.

The big issue for me is on the job front, I've been working for a company that promotes very slowly so I've been at the same level for 4.5 years. Plenty of lateral travel but not forward. Plus an associates degree only, so I'm worried I won't find work with what appear to be better qualified applicants going for the same jobs.

 

[turbo chicken]

Texas ... Dallas/FtWorth area ... any further south... and there is no such thing as winter. Well not what you'd consider winter by any stretch of the imagination.

We got tacos for sure!!!

The beaches ehhh... you'd have to drive. But you don't want to live much closer to the gulf coast unless you like hot humid summers.

you got options man... why just not further south on the east coast?

 

[Southpaw5]

Texas ... Dallas/FtWorth area ... any further south... and there is no such thing as winter. Well not what you'd consider winter by any stretch of the imagination.

We got tacos for sure!!!

The beaches ehhh... you'd have to drive. But you don't want to live much closer to the gulf coast unless you like hot humid summers.

you got options man... why just not further south on the east coast?

I visited Dallas Ft worth area 3 weeks ago for work. Had a blast at Coyboys Red river. I really like visiting....but its not my kind of place to live, and the wife would hate it. She's a massage therapist and needs a more holistic community, which I noticed was very much lacking there.

The Beach is a requirement for the wife, I can get by with Beach OR mountains, no requirement for both from me, but the wife needs the beach. I'm not a fan of most of the southern east coast, its humid like up here but worse. We both liked Arizona, so that could be an option, but I think she's pretty set on CA

 

[elgecko]

I don't know what the weather's like in Boston but I'm currently wearing shorts and Birkenstocks.

 

[turbo chicken]

She's a massage therapist and needs a more holistic community, which I noticed was very much lacking there.

In Dallas sure... but the burbs ... naw ... I have am acquainted with someone that is actually doing pretty well as a massage therapist in the area he spends quite a bit of time on the outskirts of dallas ft/worth in what i'd call the more country towns.

The Beach is a requirement for the wife...
But no beaches

the bold stuff