NoCal or SoCal? Expert Opinions wanted!!! (San Diego, Sacramento: sales, to rent, insurance) - City-Data Forum

NY2Cali · 11-28-2006, 03:52 PM

My wife and I are considering a move to 'California' from Manhattan NYC. Because your state is sooooo big

with so much great diversity it's hard to decide. We are considering LA/OC area and the South Bay area / San Mateo & Santa Clara counties.

Is there anyone here that has lived in both? Someone that can make a reccommendation and tell why you prefer what you do?? The perspective from someone in a 'sales' profession would be especially great!

The dillemma of where to head arises out of the fact that we LOVE the beach. But also LOVE many aspects of 'city' living- restaurants, diversity, etc. (Just burned out on Manhattan

) We've been to SF and think it's 'ok'. Maybe it would grow on us more if we lived there? More than likely we will both need to live near a bigger city for work. **I estimate we'll only be making about 110-130k household income and need to rent for at least a year. Me working in sales and likely travelling all over the region and her in graphic design.

Any ideas, opinions & suggestions are appreciated!
Thanks!

grimstuff · 11-28-2006, 04:10 PM

If you LOVE the beach and LOVE the city, then I would reccomend southern California over northern. This is because there are more, denser cities near beaches which can be enjoyed. Also, since you are in sales, I think your opportunities would be much brighter in southern CA, what with all the growth.

Guingirl · 11-28-2006, 04:24 PM

Well either areas, you will need probably a combined income of about 250K to buy a home to see the beach, unless you rent. We had some friends that lived in Palo Alto and family that lived in Laguna Beach/Laguna Nigel. For going to the beach and actually being warm, I would go to OC or Southern California.

NY2Cali · 11-28-2006, 04:24 PM

Yah but what about that traffic!? Honestly, the traffic stories are freaking scarry - and I'm not exactly living in a small town here!
Also, isn't there a lot of growth up north too-? Even if it is in Sacramento area?

Sassberto · 11-28-2006, 05:53 PM

SF proper is really the only urban locale in California that can compare to NYC - but not really. In terms of culture - restaurants, arts, fun stuff to do - SF is great.

It's dense, but small, and is not nearly as busy as Manhattan. Outside of SF proper the rest of the Bay Area is very suburban, much like Long Island or New Jersey. The BA is also stupid expensive, blowing SD and LA out of the water.

Sacramento is nice enough, but is brutally hot in the summer and lacks the robust job market of the major cities.

Socal is more like Florida without the bubbas. It's cities are mostly suburban, the beach is always nearby. LA and SD have great job markets - in my opinion LA is on-par with NYC for jobs - and better than SF, which is great for software engineers but not as good as LA for almost everything else. But living in LA is probably as tough as NYC - trade the 8AM subway clusterf*** for a sigalert on the 405. And LA's got plenty of crime, grime, and noise too.

To me San Diego is somewhere in the middle - better lifestyle than LA - less crime, traffic, and a lower cost of living than SF. The tradeoff is lower-paying jobs and a lack of major corporate offices. SD lacks the cultural amenities of LA, but LA is 2 hours away - I'm up there all the time.

Outside of the major cities much of California is rural, gorgeous, and (relatively) cheap - but with the job markets concentrated so heavily in the urban centers, it's like the proverbial NYC->North Carolina move - what the hell do you do once you get there?

NY2Cali · 11-28-2006, 06:22 PM

Sassberto-- great perspective, thanks!

Need_affordable_home · 11-29-2006, 03:09 AM

Allow me to help. First I assume Manhattan is way too expensive for you and your wife and you are tired of renting a 1/1 condo and renting away half your income thats gone forever, no equity. Ownership is impossible on a $120k dual income. CA is less expensive but still houses are out of reach for that income. I would avoid LA unless you got a few million laying around(please read the other threads, youll see why) San Diego is OK, I got a friend who does love it there but he cant afford any house and lives with parents. He might be forced to move out.

I would definately reccomend far north CA, Yuba city comes to mind. Even if you two make a little less, you can get a decent house there for $250k. The weather is also great, not hot in the summer, usually above freezing in the winter. Youll be able to enjoy life much better with the much lower costs of living, ownership pride and equity and less crime and traffic. Hope this helps.

NY2Cali · 11-29-2006, 07:19 AM

NeeD Affordable... I understand what you're saying be we have no desire to live in the sticks. Remember we are used to a city of 8 million and while I welcome a downsizing I'm not about to move into a town where everyone will know me after a few weeks. Just not our style. We are used to a high cost of living with a modest income and still somehow manage to have a good time in NYC. I don't think this will change in the Cali. What I'm more interested in is good sales job opportunities... I'm an insurance broker and the more people I have access to the better. While my wife's job ops are usually city based.

Sassberto · 11-29-2006, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY2Cali

NeeD Affordable... I understand what you're saying be we have no desire to live in the sticks. Remember we are used to a city of 8 million and while I welcome a downsizing I'm not about to move into a town where everyone will know me after a few weeks. Just not our style. We are used to a high cost of living with a modest income and still somehow manage to have a good time in NYC. I don't think this will change in the Cali. What I'm more interested in is good sales job opportunities... I'm an insurance broker and the more people I have access to the better. While my wife's job ops are usually city based.

Forget about rural CA, especially a dump like Yuba City.

Take a week, visit all the cities. On 120k income you will be fine.

greatbasinguide · 11-29-2006, 01:08 PM

Live only in the rural areas, live only in the sticks... Make enough money to have a decent life, but live in an area that, when you get up in the morning you walk outside and say,, Dang, I am so happy to be here!!!

-4 in my little town this morning,, in Norcal,, sure keeps the mosquitoes away!