Fleeing Kollyfornia? (Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Malibu: transplants, coupons, rent)

[tijlover]

If you like mercurial weather, Denver is the place for you! Many seem to like it, those drastic changes in temperatures, and see it as a plus. I never liked it!

Mid-April, I was at Cheesman Park, suntanning, with temps in the mid to high 70's, next morning I look out the window, 7 inches of snow on the ground!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! "But tomorrow it could go back up to the 70's!"

Another problem with Denver, too isolated. No matter what city you live in, boredom will creep in, at some point in time, you want to get away for along weekend elsewhere, and where? East? Kansas City, Omaha? Way too far! North? Ah! Cheyenne, WY! South? Albuquerque? Way too far! West? Salt Lake City? Possibly!

[Count David]

Originally Posted by tijlover

If you like mercurial weather, Denver is the place for you! Many seem to like it, those drastic changes in temperatures, and see it as a plus. I never liked it!

Mid-April, I was at Cheesman Park, suntanning, with temps in the mid to high 70's, next morning I look out the window, 7 inches of snow on the ground!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! "But tomorrow it could go back up to the 70's!"

"Could" being the key word. Not much you can do when it's in the 70's and the mess from the snow is still all over the place.

I like that it's not monotonous, but I hate that outdoor plans are constantly at risk because of the weather.

Two more positives I thought of: 1) relative lack of smog, 2) relative lack of traffic. Yes, we have both, but it's still NOTHING like attempting to exist in the GLAMA day-to-day.

[Just One of the Guys]

I don't plan on leaving California. I have to admit, the politics suck here, so do the taxes. But that is the price to pay for living in what I consider paradise.

The weather, beaches, palm trees, mountains and lakes here are reason enough for me to stay. Plus I drove cross country a few years ago, compared to California, there is a lot of ugly countryside across this country.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by tijlover

Another problem with Denver, too isolated. No matter what city you live in, boredom will creep in, at some point in time, you want to get away for along weekend elsewhere, and where? East? Kansas City, Omaha? Way too far! North? Ah! Cheyenne, WY! South? Albuquerque? Way too far! West? Salt Lake City? Possibly!

We usually do Colorado Springs or Trinidad. Colorado Springs is just different enough to un-jade me from being in Denver too long (Colorado Springs is WAY more genuine). Trinidad is a small interstate town, but we can pretend to be small-interstate town people for a weekend.

I can be back in the IE in 14 hours (driving). I could theoretically leave Friday night, and be at Miguel's Jr. in Corona in time for lunch Saturday. As long as I leave Sunday afternoon, I can be back in time for work on Monday (or I can work remotely ).

Might have to do that sometime. I need to stop staying away from CA for years on end.

It's bad for my health.

[theraven24]

I will most likely die in California, but if I ever did move, I'd pick another Western state.

[sourdough]

Long version of my earlier BTDT post #7. My wife and I both California natives, left for Spokane ,Wa. in 1991. Mid-life crisis, rat race, just breaking even, grass is greener, big mortgage, all the typical reasons for leaving. We liked Spokane and Eastern Washington well enough to stay 24 years. We brought into a nice rancher style property, in a nice part of town for a crazy low price when compared to California. Our down payment was more than 50% and took all of our cash life savings. It was harder to keep a steady income paying the monthly bills but there was a little more left over cash from doing pretty much the same thing as in Kollyfornia. Not a big difference money wise but a bigger piece of property to spread out on. The big plus in the move was E. Wa., and surrounding area had fewer people than many places and whole new surroundings to explore. All making an outdoor life enjoyable but for winter months. Three months are very cold.
While we were doing our new thing in Spokane, here in Kollyfornia real estate prices went through the roof. We found ourselves very fortunate having kept our pre-boom 1986 real estate in Carpinteria. Which was three small modest houses on a lot near the beach. Rental income from the three nearly covered the mortgage early on and after about ten years covered everything related to the property. Around 2005 the property turned into a California gold mine. I was now a sourdough that struck California Gold
A couple years ago back in Spokane we paid off the mortgage early and found ourselves free and clear of all loan debts, even the California mine. Now after years of endeavor to persevere we had play money, vacation and travel funds. Spokane winters were wearing us down so we started snow birding in Carpinteria around 2006. Soon, taxes and maintenance of two properties along with snow birding got to be the expense we wanted to reduce. We cashed out of Spokane a few years ago, booted a renter in Carpinteria and moved back into the unit we started from in 1991. Now the two Carp rentals pay all the Prop. 13 taxes and cover pretty much all our household expenses. With our pensions building our retirement fund and with the Spokane cash, life in California is a whole new experience. Freedom! Climate is mild and barring a natural disaster(drought,earth quake) life is as good or better than Spokane. California has more gold ( see Huell Howser sticky) to offer this ignorant "Cali" tourist too.

[tijlover]

I tend to refer to California, with its anti-development, anti-density Nimby's as CaliforNimbya, and there's San FranNimbya, for one!

"Oh no you don't! That motel has historical significance, it can't be torn down! Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton rented a room there one night and they had a nasty fight that woke up all the other guests!"

"No, that building can't be torn down either, it's on the National Historical Register! In fact, just about every building in Hollywood is on the Historical Register! Yeah! That building looks like it's ready to fall over, but you're not going to replace it with a high rise! Besides, the Hollywood Hills Nimby's would have a fit! It would block their view of the Valley smog!"

Santa Monica hasn't seen a new high rise since 1970, and from I've heard, the few that are standing, they may be torn down for lower density buildings or elegant single family homes!"

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

But in the good weather area you live in a crappy room with no ac. There's a trade off

Huh? I live in a house with central air. Which doesn't have to running non stop like other places.

Originally Posted by Finper

And there's another guy in denial.. Just kidding you have your opinion this is nirvana I know it's dam hot here in the summer when it's 8am and I'm trying not to sweat through my makeup. And for some crazy stupid reason a lot of houses in beach cities in OC don't have a/c... Stupid builders

You can buy a stand alone A/C unit for the hot months, which in comparison to other places is much less. It's already in the 90s in AZ and FL. It's what going to in the high 60s/ low 70s here. The only real hot months here are July, Aug, and Sept. Try FL, it starts in March and can go into Dec, with high humidity.

You think you sweat through makeup here? Try a more humid climate. Sorry, of all the places I have lived CA has had the least opressive summers. I remember when I first moved here from the northeast, telling people back there, it cools down so nicely at night(this was July), you can sleep with the windows open and wear long sleeves or a light jacket at night. You don't do that in NY or Boston, or most places.

Originally Posted by Just One of the Guys

I don't plan on leaving California. I have to admit, the politics suck here, so do the taxes. But that is the price to pay for living in what I consider paradise.

The weather, beaches, palm trees, mountains and lakes here are reason enough for me to stay. Plus I drove cross country a few years ago, compared to California, there is a lot of ugly countryside across this country.

Drove across TX, you want to talk ugly country. It was flat and very few trees throughout most of the state. One day it was 78 the next it was an ice storm, no thank you.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by tijlover

I tend to refer to California, with its anti-development, anti-density Nimby's as CaliforNimbya, and there's San FranNimbya, for one!

"Oh no you don't! That motel has historical significance, it can't be torn down! Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton rented a room there one night and they had a nasty fight that woke up all the other guests!"

"No, that building can't be torn down either, it's on the National Historical Register! In fact, just about every building in Hollywood is on the Historical Register! Yeah! That building looks like it's ready to fall over, but you're not going to replace it with a high rise! Besides, the Hollywood Hills Nimby's would have a fit! It would block their view of the Valley smog!"

Santa Monica hasn't seen a new high rise since 1970, and from I've heard, the few that are standing, they may be torn down for lower density buildings or elegant single family homes!"

And when was the last time you were in LA? They're building like crazy, in fact too much to my liking. I like old buildings.

Sorry Santa Monica isn't building skyscrapers for you, some of us still get a thrill when you see the ocean from a distance, not be blocked by buildings.

And you live in Las Vegas? I went there once to visit a cousin in July, GOOD GOD, we went to a local shopping mall and she could't find parking in the shaded structure. We got back to the car and she screamed "don't touch the car" and pulled an oven mit out of her purse....LOL.

Never had to do that in Southern CA.

I never went again except in December/January.

Like Phoenix, nice in the winter, and that's about it.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by tijlover

I tend to refer to California, with its anti-development, anti-density Nimby's as CaliforNimbya, and there's San FranNimbya, for one!

"Oh no you don't! That motel has historical significance, it can't be torn down! Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton rented a room there one night and they had a nasty fight that woke up all the other guests!"

"No, that building can't be torn down either, it's on the National Historical Register! In fact, just about every building in Hollywood is on the Historical Register! Yeah! That building looks like it's ready to fall over, but you're not going to replace it with a high rise! Besides, the Hollywood Hills Nimby's would have a fit! It would block their view of the Valley smog!"

Santa Monica hasn't seen a new high rise since 1970, and from I've heard, the few that are standing, they may be torn down for lower density buildings or elegant single family homes!"

Good for them, CA does not need more homes or more people.

Of course the trade off will be more taxes.