Is California really all that? (Los Angeles, San Diego: relocating, vacation, income)

[CHICAGOLAND92]

I've always wanted to live in California for some reason. As I look through these threads, however, many people are relocating OUT of the state. I've heard of houses selling there for millions, and the people that own the houses relocate to live like kings and queens elsewhere in the country.

If it's all that great, why are people moving out? Is it the cost of living?
For people that have lived in California for a while (without thinking about relocating out of the state) what makes you decide to stay?

[dusesean1986]

Originally Posted by CHICAGOLAND92

For people that have lived in California for a while (without thinking about relocating out of the state) what makes you decide to stay?

1. The best weather in the Country hands down. It never gets cold, and if it gets warm, it's only a dry heat. Where I live on the coast, it stays between 55 to high 70's all year long. In the Inland, it is 45 to 90-95 all year long, again the summer heat is dry, not humid. The deserts can get very warm, but not cold in your regards to Chicago in the winter nights. Go to weatherchannel.com and type in your favorite city and it will give you insight of the weather in that location. If you came out here in the winter, you'd be amazed by the contrast of Chicago.

2. Los Angeles has the best summer coastline with probably the exception of Hawaii. There are ridable waves on the coast for both bodyboarding and surfing and just plain swimming, unlike the dismal 1 inch snails on the Atlantic Coast and all over coastal Florida. Some beach water is not the cleanest in certain areas, but there are plenty of beaches with clean water. The water temperature in the summer is about 67 degrees. The mountains are in driving distance, as well as summer resort in the desert. Las Vegas is only 250 miles away.

3. Los Angeles is very cultural, it's a huge melting pot of people from all over the world. Along with culture, their comes great ethnic restaurants. For example, the excellent Asian and Mexican food. If you love diverse females, there is every kind to choose from.

Any more questions, then ask me why Los Angeles is such an attractive place.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Time Magazine did a poll a couple years ago, and they asked readers if they would live if money wasn't a factor. Ofcourse- readers overwhelmingly chose California.

The reasons to live in California are pretty obvious.

Anything that a human could possible want or aspire to be is here.
We have the desert, skiing, beaches, redwood forests, national parks, and chaparel. -It's here.
There is unsurpassed natural beauty in California.
The weather is second to none.
Los Angeles is the playground of the world.
San Francisco is european-type city with the nation's largest Chinese population.
San Diego enjoys nearly year-round perfect weather.
Santa Barbara has incredible class for a city of it's size.
Lake Tahoe contains the highest density of ski resorts of anywhere in the US.

Sure California has it's problems. ..But a place so desired is bound to have quite a bit of problems. Traffic, overcrowding, astronomical prices.. These problems CANNOT be blanketed over the whole state. Some of the most dangerous cities are here [Oakland, and Compton], as well as the safest in the U.S.[San Jose, Mission Viejo, Thousand Oaks]. Just do some research.

[Kingsnkali]

For outsiders to move to California, it's all about timing. When you hear everyone trying to sell out or cash in, it's generally a good time to consider a move here. Seems like every 10 or 15 years is a window for people to move to California. I came here back in 1993 from the Upper Midwest. The economy was bad and everyone was discouraged and leaving. They told me "you are crazy to buy a house".

California is cyclical. It is a destination of dreams, hopes and nightmares. It always has been. It comes with the California Dream. You take your chances and sell out to move here. Most who do are rewarded. Just time it right...

As far as living here, anything you want is here. It's beautiful. Every place has tradeoffs though. I live in the Central Valley/Sacramento area. I like it a lot. I can go from surfing and seafood at Santa Cruz and Bodega Bay to miles of row crops and orchards in the Valley to lush forests and alpine snow in 2 hours or so of driving in any direction.

Just remember, most Californians have a restless nature. They are the risk takers. They are always seeing the grass is greener on the other side of the hill. It's part of their temperament. These same types will put up their house and cash out and move to Idaho, Washington or wherever. Part of their California "withdrawal" is to bad mouth the place. Many will have the cash to buy much more property elsewhere. I can't blame them for leaving. I may do the same thing in the future. One thing remains a constant though - beautiful California.

[fastfilm]

I was once criticized for making "sweeping statements" but I might suggest that the word "California" is a sweeping statement within itself. It is a gigantic state, with all sorts of different climates, demographics and economic conditions. As with all locales with resort climates, only the wealthy can afford to reside in its beauty spots on a full time basis, the rest of us can only enjoy it as occasional vacationers. California, then, is only a beautiful place for the wealthy or visitors.

I live in a lower middle class neighborhood in Los Angeles, and would never recommend this to others used to a better quality of life elsewhere for the same income level. The trade-offs are too extreme just to have sunny winters. You guys see the sunshine on tv, we hear the gunshots and police helicopters overhead out of your camera range. This is a reality check for others, not baseless bad-mouthing.

[Caliguy2007]

California basically has every type of Lifestyle,Entertainment,Climate,Landscape,People,C ulture,Shopping,Dining,Outdoor Activities,etc.

This State also has Safe Areas,Dangerous Areas,Rich Areas,Poor Areas or Neutral Areas.

Even though this state may have over 37 million people,you'll be surprised to still find many areas that are Sparsely Populated or Rural.

California is surely a land of Extremes and Diversity.

[dusesean1986]

California will make you or break you..your personal will determine your forunes...how you inhale it is how you will exhale it.

[enlightenme]

Originally Posted by dusesean1986

California will make you or break you..your personal will determine your fortunes...how you inhale it is how you will exhale it.

True words when you are in your 20's. I felt the same way until I was in my 30's and wanted different things out of life. CA is really all that depending on where you live, what stage of life you are in, your finances, when you bought your home, your career and how far you have to commute in traffic. Otherwise, CA can start to feel like you are spinning your wheels and you aren't getting anywhere. Although, that feeling is also pretty normal on any given day on the 405 or other horrible parts of the freeway I was a true CA snob and I thought no other state could possibly compare until I moved away this summer. I now realize it really is how you look at things and I have decided to start looking at all of NC's wonderful features instead of what makes it "not CA." So, it kind of goes both ways and I will be the first to admit, I was starting to get really negative about CA. I felt like CA was holding us back from being a successful, prosperous family. We were making around $90, 000 a year, but we were living in a rental and working like dogs. Yes, we could have left our beautiful, overpriced coastal town and moved somewhere cheaper in the desert or something, but to us that meant we were leaving the part of CA that we loved, so we might as well move to another state.

[DixieInOC]

Enlightenme, which parts of NC have you considered? I'm originally a Carolina native, lived in Cary for a while before moving to Irvine/newport beach. I've also experienced that OC snob syndrome where nowhere can satisfy me. I'm seriously considered moving back to Cary but would have to give up the beach lifestyle.

[gizmo980]

I second everything that was said above - and I mean everything!! I've lived in California for most of my life, aside from being in Maryland until age 6 & a few years in Oregon... I have considered relocating, and did for a while to attend college, but something has kept me here for 20+ years! And that something is what everyone else said - weather, culture, diversity, endless choices & opportunities, lifestyle, scenery, recreation, and so on. It's such an enormous state, that we have a little bit of everything in California! If you read the threads on CA's forums, you will see that no perfect city/town exists, since there's always a compromise to be made... but if you're willing to make those compromises, and realize what your priorities are, an "almost perfect" place should exist here.