Who Wants To Live/Stay In Southern California? (San Diego, Long Beach: middle-class, affordable apartments) - (CA) - City-Data Forum

BabyBoomers2 · 11-09-2006, 08:08 PM

Even though you may have read the different Threads telling about all the "bad" of Southern Cal........why would you want to move there or stay living there? For a lot of people, Southern Cal is the best place on earth to live. What do you think?

BabyBoomers2 · 11-09-2006, 08:25 PM

My wife's mom and two sisters live in Southern California and love it! They moved there years ago from Detroit, Michigan, in part, due to the weather in Michigan. The wife and I are now living in Colorado, but lived in So. California for a number of years as single people and then married there. I was raised in Indiana and my wife in Michigan.
So, who would love to live in Southern Calif.? A number of young adults that live here in the Denver area and think that Denver/Colorado is TOTALLY boring to live in. Yes, the "nightlife" in L.A. can be much more exciting than in Denver or some other cities in the U.S. These young adults don't care about the crime rate, cost-of-living, population or traffic in L.A./Southern Calif., they just see on TV, etc. all the "action" that L.A. has to offer. Yes, L.A. can definitely be a "PARTY CITY". Why do other people want to stay in Southern California or move there........the weather, the beach towns of Newport, Redondo, Marina Del Rey and Huntington Beach. During the summer months, these places really "HOP".
As for the wife and I, we will stay here in Colorado for another year, before heading for? (? does not mean Southern California at all....NO WAY!!!)

NYSD1995 · 11-09-2006, 09:27 PM

I plan to stay in San Diego for at least 10-20 years. I don't see myself retiring here, but as long as I am working, I'll be here.

PnutButter · 11-10-2006, 12:10 AM

We have no intentions of leaving SoCal even at retirement. We're in Ventura County...an hour north of LA..and love it. We're on the coast and don't have a/c in the house (it's not needed) and use the heat for about 2 months of the year. Yes, traffic's a bear at times and yes, housing is expensive, but we've been here for 40 years so it's not as bad for us. The weather can't be beat..year round. Lots of things to do the entire year round (where else can you have a garden and plant things year round?). Diversity in people and lifestyles keeps it interesting. We've both lived in other states and they have problems too. We're just happy to be able to live here.

Californiaguy2007 · 11-10-2006, 01:17 AM

I love it here in California despite the problems that we do experience here.

California is a Gorgeous State and has a Great Variety of Cities,Towns,Scenery,Climate,People,Culture,Entert ainment,Activities,
Shopping,Dining,etc.

Christine Joan · 11-10-2006, 01:30 AM

I lived in San Diego for about twelve years and in LA for the past fifteen years.

I LOVED life in San Diego. I thought it was the most beautiful city I had ever seen. I loved the view from the air as the plane touched down at the airport and you could see the water and city lights below. It was absolutely magical. When I lived there, traffic was not bad except during the morning and evening rush hours and affordable apartments could still be found in the working class neighborhoods. Some of that has changed over the years though. Still, San Diego, especially La Jolla, Del Mar and Solano Beach have beautiful beaches that are open to everyone. I lived a block and a half from Ocean Beach with some roommates and paid only $160 a month to rent a room in a nice house. I used to run along the beach every morning and every evening and had no fear of being assaulted by creeps or anything of that sort. It was a very peaceful, beautiful setting. I worked in social services and even on a social service salary, I had a very enjoyable life.

When I moved to LA, I found it to be a lot more crowded and expensive. But, I came here because there are more opportunities here. LA has more of everything, more graduate schools, more professional jobs, more and bigger shopping malls. The weather is nice year round, but a little warmer than San Diego. Because LA is the entertainment capital of the world, all the major bands play here, the Broadway shows come here, you can sit in the audience and watch them tape TV shows here. Beverly Hills and the Grove Mall have some of the best shopping in the world. Our malls have the latest fashion, our supermarkets are well-stocked year round with fresh fruits and vegetables (unlike many other areas of the US). There are plenty of nice restaurants everywhere. Anyone can drive to Malibu and enjoy the beach and local restaurants. Almost anything that is sold anywhere in the world can be found here. No matter what type of food you enjoy eating, it can be found here.

And of course, if you run out of things to do in LA, Las Vegas is only a few hours away.

Need_affordable_home · 11-10-2006, 03:56 PM

I would move to San Diego if they had affordable housing(would need to be a third the price it is now) and I need a high paying job offer there. Its a great vacation place but unaffordable for all but the wealthy to actually live there. Renting away for the rest of your life isnt my idea of fun, I actually want a big detached house! As for LA, if you arent a millionare dont even bother. Its full of gangs, muggers, criminals, illegals, outlaws and poor people. Too dangerous for me unless your rich and can live in a gated guarded neighboorhood.

LivingLikeAGradStudent · 11-10-2006, 04:45 PM

Naive stereotypes abound about Southern California. Yes, it's expensive to buy a house in expensive areas, but plenty use previous equity to move. Yes, some neighborhoods have more crime and other challenging elements, but except for the most torn-up areas, people work hard and try to lead a reasonable life. Yes, traffic isn't easy, but that can't be the mountain people die on.

Corona · 11-15-2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

I would move to San Diego if they had affordable housing(would need to be a third the price it is now) and I need a high paying job offer there. Its a great vacation place but unaffordable for all but the wealthy to actually live there. Renting away for the rest of your life isnt my idea of fun, I actually want a big detached house! As for LA, if you arent a millionare dont even bother. Its full of gangs, muggers, criminals, illegals, outlaws and poor people. Too dangerous for me unless your rich and can live in a gated guarded neighboorhood.

Have you ever lived in SoCal? You seem to more than those of us who live and work in the area and your stated locale is Florida, a state I wouldn't want to live in because it's a bug-infested, swamp/salt flat.

Most middle- to upper-middle-class residents of LA County can afford to live in Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Long Beach, Downey, the good parts of the Valley, Monrovia, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma or Upland.

speedoflight · 11-16-2006, 04:37 AM

Your description of LA is quite exaggerated. Like any large metro area, LA has issues but there are nice places in LA that don't require you to live in a gated community.

I think what people fail to continuously understand is you can't expect country living in a large metro area and vice versa. It's NOT going to happen, wake up and smell the decaf! No need to even waste your time writing about crowds, traffic, pollution, crime, etc. when it's all issues that happen in a place that is filled with people. It's stuff you have to either accept, learn to accept or decline it all and move away. ALL the metro areas of the world have the same issues, some are even worse than others. As crowded as the LA area is, it's not even the densest metropolitan area in the US and is far less dense than the others in the world.

Need_affordable_home, you don't sound like someone who wants to or can deal with life in a large metro area. And that is perfectly OK. I know of people who just LOVE all the aspects of metro life. They love the energy, people, 24/7 life, and the list goes on. No they are not blind to the urban life issues but they know that's what comes with living in a large city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

I would move to San Diego if they had affordable housing(would need to be a third the price it is now) and I need a high paying job offer there. Its a great vacation place but unaffordable for all but the wealthy to actually live there. Renting away for the rest of your life isnt my idea of fun, I actually want a big detached house! As for LA, if you arent a millionare dont even bother. Its full of gangs, muggers, criminals, illegals, outlaws and poor people. Too dangerous for me unless your rich and can live in a gated guarded neighboorhood.