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Old 01-02-2008, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Houston, Texas
9 posts, read 30,876 times
Reputation: 13

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This may sound a lil' weird.....I'm married, but I have another love interest......and her name is California!!!!

I was born and raised in Florida, a flat state, and at 18 I joined the Marine Corp and served 2 years in Southern California back in 96 and 97, and I've been in love with her ever since. I was wide-eyed when I entered the state......the scenery took my breath away. I've never seen houses on the hills, windy roads that snake through the mountains....some roads even allow you to overlook the entire city, sunsets that would leave you in a trance, beautiful weather, gorgeous beaches, and a certain energy that I just couldn't describe with words. After the military I moved back to Florida in 1999, but there was a void in my heart........and i think you all know what it was by now. Florida, which I loved to death, just didn't seem the same anymore after leaving California. I would tell all my friends and family members about it, til their ears bled. I've bought all types of pictorial books, travel guides, maps, etc...a mini-shrine..ha, ha, (yeah, i know it's crazy, huh!!)..........but it's just SOMETHING about California. My wife had never been to California, and she was so fed up hearing about it from me, that she said "let's just go already!!" so we took a trip to San Diego, Oceanside, and Los Angeles, back in early 04'. Since then, we've moved to Houston, Texas and we've been back to Cali at least once or twice a year, and she now loves it just as much as I do. It's been over 10 years and this love affair just won't die. I try to convince myself that the cost of living is way too high, state taxes means less bring home wages (since we lived in Florida and now Texas...no state taxes), I've been hearing that the education system ain't the best (we now have a little daughter), a gang population that's unparalleled, and all the other issues the residents are dealing with.......and to add to that, we have a beautiful home here in Texas, plus we're able to save like never before. I've tried to talk myself out of loving that place many times over. But guess what.........Cali is still on the brain. I've fought with this for years, so my wife and I decided that this year 08', will be the year that we're going to go ahead and put this dream to rest and like the old Nike slogan "JUST DO IT". We've been house hunting and was very impressed with the Temecula, Murrieta area, which is fairly close to the base I was stationed at, which is Camp Pendleton. Lovely homes for a affordable prices, by California standards of "affordable". It seems to be a family oriented city, with a lot of charm. I work in the oil field industry on drilling rigs, and do most of my work overseas, so I can live anywhere in the world and still do my job (as long as a major airport is close by), which is a huge plus.....this means no daily commute. But after all this time, reality is starting to kick in and now I'm getting cold feet. We've been qualified for 400K + loan.......but now I'm starting to chicken out. I don't want to sacrifice comfort, for a beautiful topography.........or do I??? ha, ha!! Texas has awarded us with a glorious comfort of living, where we're able to save money and we'll be able to send my daughter to a nice private school (when she's at the school age), and we'll probably have another baby in a few years (hopefully a lil' boy). I'm not sure how hard it would be to juggle a mortgage of that size (with property taxes and possible mello roos, and support a family with a decent lifestyle, earning around 120k a year. Has anyone made this move with the same fears???? Please let me know how it turned out and what adjustments did you make?? Do you regret the move??? I know I'm a little extreme on the California thing, but I do believe it's a divine......(over 10 years of dreaming wouldn't classify as a fad, now would it???)

fred_t
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Old 01-02-2008, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,338 posts, read 93,537,811 times
Reputation: 17829
What about renting for awhile in California? Must you sell your Texas home? How about renting it out? Can you get employer relocation benefits? Give yourself options.
Build a table with the pluses and minuses of moving and not moving. Would you have more disposable (savable) income? What would your net worth be in 20 years in both situations? Could you delay your move until the kids are out of the house? What happens if you lose your job - does either location offer benefits for a Plan B?
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Old 01-03-2008, 02:37 AM
 
Location: Houston, Texas
9 posts, read 30,876 times
Reputation: 13
Thank you, Charles, for the wonderful advice. I've honestly never even thought about what my net worth will be in 20 years in both situations, or more less a plan B if we were to move out west and things didn't work out, or if my current employment was terminated, or etc. I know jobs in my industry are in abundance in the Houston area, but not so much in California....maybe Bakersfield. On paper, all the positives points towards staying in Houston.....and eventhough i'm FULLY aware of this, my brain's compass still points west. I honestly think I need to focus on what's best for my family, though, and just stay put..........and if it's meant to be......then we'll probably hit the lottery or something!! and then we'll be able to enjoy the California lifestyle without being a hair follicle away from living check to check. Thank you for your insight Charles.
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Old 01-03-2008, 02:26 PM
 
83 posts, read 342,914 times
Reputation: 57
I know exactly what you mean...
I am from California and just starting out as a young family I didn't think I could afford the homes there. So I moved to Texas in Search of the American Dream...
I have a void in my heart which I left in Cali.
I am online all the time and I too am focusing on the Temecula area which is smack dab in the middle of where my family and my husbands family reside. It appears perfect. I know the mortgage payments will be a few 100 more for a Cali home, but after all Property tax is way lower there than it is here in Texas!

I don't know at this point if I will end up in Murrieta but I do know I am going back to Cali!
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Old 01-03-2008, 03:59 PM
 
22 posts, read 101,426 times
Reputation: 29
Default To Fred and your love for Cali

I am a big believer in "just doing it", especially if you are able to. Funny, Ive always wanted to move to Texas and live in the big brick home. My friends wanted the same and moved back to California in 1yr exactly. They made some great southern friends but couldnt stand the weather and constant tornando watches. California is possible on your income. Im not familiar with the Temecula area as I live in Santa Barbara County. Sometimes the love affair of moving can cloud the reality of it all. Ive done it a few times myself. Lay it all down on paper and if all looks good with a clear head, I say jump in as long it is feasable and in the best interest of your entire family. You may sacrifice comfort but this is where you do your pros and cons. Its a good time to get in. Several years ago, you couldnt find a home for less than $400k in my area. Now you can find your fair share.
PS. Make sure your wife is TRULY on board, because if her hearts not in it she wont really be happy. And you know what the say about Momma not being happy......no one is.
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Old 01-04-2008, 03:19 PM
 
1 posts, read 4,117 times
Reputation: 10
Hi Fred. I can totally relate. I lived in San Diego for 15 years and then moved back to Michigan for family reasons. Long story short, after 7 years here, my family has dispersed so I'm moving back. The bad news is real estate has gotten so outrageous in the mean time. I'm looking more and more at the Temecula area now. I lived in Murrieta for a couple years way back when, so I know what I'm getting into. My advice though is to give it another 6 months and keep watching the prices fall in the Temecula valley. There are a ton of repos in the area and prices are going down.

Temecula is a great town to live in. When I was living in San Diego, I thought no one in their right mind would want to live in Temecula. You're an hour from the beach, the summers are hot, ... But now an hour from the beach doesn't sound too bad. The summers are hot, but won't be anything compared to Texas summers. And hey, yesterday morning it was -10 when I woke up here in Ann Arbor. Temecula is a family oriented community, lots of stuff going on for the kids.

Personally I think Cali is awesome. Being able to take the kids to the San Diego beaches on the weekends, the San Diego zoo, the Wild Animal Park, ... There is so much to do. The beauty of California is free.

Good luck in your decision.
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Old 01-04-2008, 03:25 PM
 
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains
1,912 posts, read 3,214,404 times
Reputation: 3148
Fred....You are IN LOVE!!!! That's NOT crazy!!!!! I lived in Fl for 23 years and bought a 120 year old farmhouse in the Blue Ridge Mountains...I am IN LOVE!!!! ENJOY!!!!! Annie
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Old 01-04-2008, 04:46 PM
 
3 posts, read 23,737 times
Reputation: 12
Default Texas to Temecula

Fred, I can totally relate. It's hard to beat California. My husband and I got fed up with the high cost of housing here and checked out other areas (Massachusetts, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington state). I still drool online at the house prices in Texas. But nothing compared to California. We give up a lot to live here and it's because we love it so much. Once you live here, it's really hard to move elsewhere. We love the midwest and had great childhoods there. We love four seasons. But it's hard to part with California.

So, my best reality test for you and your family is this. Where does your wife's family live? And if it's in Texas, how is she going to feel about moving far away from them? Trust me, when you have children it changes a lot about the place you choose to live. Next, I'd say you two should come out on a vacation and get a realtor to take you house hunting in your price range. If you are OK with what you see and don't mind downgrading your house quality and lot size, then you'll be fine. And make sure where you plan to live is where you guys love spending your time. Small kids make traveling an hour on the freeway a chore. So if you really want to spend a lot of time at the beach, live near it.

On the plus side, the housing prices are going down here so it's easier to get in.

Best of luck!
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Old 01-05-2008, 02:26 PM
 
Location: Pacific Northwest
142 posts, read 577,437 times
Reputation: 99
Default LOVING Calif.

I have been thinking about your post and your message
of how you feel about the state of CA.

I am in Oregon and desperately want to return to CA.
Years ago we moved to El Monte, went to school
in L.A., Ontario and Pasadena, and never realized how
good it was, until I left.. came back and appreciated it
more, but left again for OR and now I am sorry that
I made such a mistake as to leave San Marcos,
which is the same county as Temecula.

San Marcos never is as hot as Escondido nor as cool
as Oceanside.. perfect climate... but lots of traffic.

Fallbrook is near Temecula, and is the avocado capital.

It is a charming little village, houses are expensive,
and they just survived a terrible fire in October where
210 houses, I am told by my friend who lives in Fallbrook,
were destroyed, including those in the Pala Mesa
Golf Club area. The houses that burned down were
mostly on the outskirts of Fallbrook.

The schools in Fallbrook are excellent.

I have a very good friend, who is a veterinary assistant,
and she is selling her $400,000 house in Ramona, to move
back into the Valley Center area, nearer to her job.

Ramona was spared the fires, but were without water
for awhile.. think it is all okay now.

She plans to put it on the market at the end of this month.
If you are interested in the Ramona area, (it is up
in the hills behind Escondido), PM me and I will arrange
for you two to communicate.

If you love CA now, you should have seen it when there
were orange groves everywhere, the scent was in the air~~~
and you could drive to the coast past Knox Berry's Farm
and change into swimming clothes in an orange grove
along the way..

There were trolley cars in L.A. that you could ride at midnight
and not be attacked by a gang of thugs.

There was a little theatre in the center of L.A. that
showed the old silent movies of Rudolph Valentino,
and other actors and actresses of that era.

There were no traffic deadlocks. Life was simpler then.

When I have to leave CA to return to OR, I am so depressed.

So, I fully understand how you feel, as do others on this thread.

My feeling is that you should search out the best place for
you, regarding your career/job, and zone in on a town that
seems to have what you want for your family.

Leave your present place with lots of cash/money, though.

You don't want to be living out of your car...
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Old 01-05-2008, 05:11 PM
 
Location: Sputnik Planitia
7,826 posts, read 11,738,798 times
Reputation: 9045
I've lived in Southern California for 10 yrs and would not live anywhere else. Sure, there are problems here but there are problems everywhere. Grass always looks greener on the other side. I know people who relocated from SoCal and went somewhere else only to come back The only problem is with Real Estate right now but let me tell you that is an anomaly that will self-correct within a few years, so just rent for a while. I still admire the amazing topography of this region, we have the beaches, the mountains, the desert, the forests, the urban landscape, everything you want is pretty much here.
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