FL/PA/MD/VA=Still unsatisfied (Santa Monica, Monterey: appointed, apartments, luxury)

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by NomadNoMore

I'm the creative soul because my husband holds down the "outdoorsy" quality. I am more interested in various forms of design, movies and docs, group discussions, photography, all things visual. I love "dressing up" and miss that aspect of my life living in the town I am in now.

I do however hope that California would help reintroduce more of an active lifestyle for me though!

I ask because I thought you may be a working artist of some sort. If you are, let me know, I'll DM you a place that could accomodate your family needs, I think, well most of it. Not sure what your expenses are like or would like it to be, job, etc.

Not sure what your artistic aesthetics are like but I've found CA as a whole to fall short from what the NE has (visual aesthetics particularly) -- one of the reasons why I moved actually.

Originally Posted by blauskies

I would not move to certain parts of California unless you have have plenty of dinero, much like living in parts of Florida. South Florida is the most expensive part of the state, sure you can live here on less but your lifestyle will need to be adjusted. Much like PA, Philly is pricy, high taxes both sales and real estate, gritty, cold and not pleasing to the eye unless you go out to the burbs or Bucks County which are pricy.

Philly is pricey?

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

Philly is pricey?

Depends if your looking to buy, and whether or not your making average salary, in the nice parts it's expensive and property taxes are very high. Rentals are averaging $1300/month, which isn't bad and probably the lowest of the metro areas in the Northeast. Of course street parking is always a joy especially when it snows. If your lucky you an find a place that's not in the hood. I looked at moving to the Philly burbs years back for a job, but the rents were high and the options were minimal, row homes with 1 inch thick stick built walls and I backed out. Could not touch a home there either at the time, nor did I really want to. Philly has some good points, but it's too cold during the winter.

No parking? Just park on the sidewalk.

[nullgeo]

I look at the picture of the Philly row houses, and I can't believe I grew up there compared to here:

[Snownut]

Nice photos

Where is "here"?

Originally Posted by nullgeo

I look at the picture of the Philly row houses, and I can't believe I grew up there compared to here:

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Snownut

Nice photos

Where is "here"?

I split time between home base in the San Juan Islands of Puget Sound, Washington (the photos), and California, and Hawaii ... any of the three beat Philly row houses

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

I split time between home base in the San Juan Islands of Puget Sound, Washington (the photos), and California, and Hawaii ... any of the three beat Philly row houses

Awww and area devoid of police sirens, trash all over the streets, bad parking and rude people, sounds like a dream.

[katnip kid]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

East Coast blows...I always wonder why people pay so much to live out there.

It depends on where on the East coast. It is a very big area, stretching from northern Maine to southern Florida. There are some surprisingly very affordable and very nice places along the East coast, and true, also some very expensive places. Philly and Bucks county was mentioned earlier in the thread. One example offhand I can think of in Bucks county is Quakertown. Definately not like the more expensive tony/artsy parts of the county, and probably not what the OP would like, but more affordable. But, I don't want to get off-topic.

Personally, I prefer the West coast's climate. I don't blame the OP for wanting to move. That is our plan as well.

[CAVA1990]

What's your income? Sounds like you'll need to make well over $150K to afford the lifestyle you're after in coastal SoCal. Nice places there are going to run you about the same as the nicer close-in areas of Northern Virginia like Alexandria, Arlington or McLean. Definitely more than you pay in Florida except for the tonier areas along the South Florida coast. I grew up in coastal Southern California before it was overrun by the hoardes and I love my little corner of Northern Virginia. I will admit though the surfing on the Potomac does leave a bit to be desired.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by NomadNoMore

Nutshell:

Husband and I (both 31 with 2 yr old daughter) are born and raised South Floridians who have moved all over the east coast over the last 3 years with still no area that we feel could be "home".

Why we left Florida:
Too many lackadaisical people, humid, hurricanes, landlocked, flat, no "depth" (too many commericial restaurants/shops, etc.), poor schools, poor real estate market and economy

Where we moved and why it's not working:
Philadephia - Husband is a firefighter/medic and was in their hiring process a few years back but then it was canceled 3 times over one year period, had to leave because I was expecting.
Loved Philly because: city life, like minded individuals, parks, baseball, museums, theatres, great bars, close to NY and DC, season changes, historic
Cons: hour to beach, cold, had to live in a studio

Maryland - only moved there to be close to family for the first year of raising daughter

Virginia - where husband works now (outside DC)
Pros: Close to major city, season change, historic, living in house with a yard
Cons: 3 hours from beach, feel like we don't "fit in" appearance wise, we are not in politics, we don't hunt, we don't listen to country


WHY CALIFORNIA?

Husband surfs, scratch golfer (former club pro), mountain bikes, loves baseball (lived in Carlsbad for a few months 6 years ago and loved it)
Daughter loves water
I am the creative soul
We are vegan and we also are extremely adaptable, realistic, and essentially get along with everyone. (seriously. even if we don't live by your views or standards we can still get along with you)

SO QUESTION IS:

Have we answered our own question? Does California sound like a right fit for our family?

I haven't read the responses so I might be repeating or I might be in the minority but let me say, you will never find untopia cause it doesn't exist. It might be time for you to sit back, relax, understand there are pros and cons to everything and you are living in a pretty awesome area right now. As for CA, yes, you will meet lots of Vegans and people with a similar life style to what you like, but that can be true anyplace. Your daughter loves water, you can find water anyplace and there is a lot more to life than getting excited because a 2 year old likes something.

All that being said, my biggest concern is: where do you think your husband is going to find work? do you have any idea how many young men and women, in Ca are interested in becoming fire fighters, and how many years it is taking to get hired? How do you expect to support your family while you are waiting all those years for hubby to get a job in his field?

[Curmudgeon]

Four down. Only 46 to go!

Or try Santa Cruz. Surfing? Yes! Artsy-fartsy? Yes! Fires? Likely! Vegans? Loads! Mountain biking and golf? Likely! Baseball? Probably not so much but who knows. Water? The whole Pacific Ocean!

Oh! And north of Ventura; SLO even.