RELOCATING PLEASE HELP (last thread had the wrong city name) (Bakersfield: deductible, living)

[Shaft]

Originally Posted by california5

Kern county is the county that both Bakersfield and Tehachapi are in. We have a lower sales tax than most other counties.
In the states, we pay state and federal tax on our incomes and then sales tax (7.25%) on purchases. I think it comes out much less than your PST and GST. ( I lived in Canada for a few years). The percentage taken out depends on what you earn.....Tax Brackets (Federal Income Tax Rates) 2000 through 2008
With four children you should definitely come out ahead here on the taxes.
With most insurance you do have to pay out of pocket for visits. We have Kaiser and pay up to $20 for prescriptions and $10 per visit. I paid $10 when I had my baby in the hospital.

Oh well that isn't so bad I can handle $10 dollars I thought it was alot more.

7.25% is much better than 14% sales Tax. I have read a few things about tax differences, you can actually claim your mortgage and car ect.. on your taxes?

[Shaft]

Originally Posted by california5

Ours was built during the housing boom, when quality workers were harder to find, so we had more issues than usual. This is our second KB home, our first had no problems.
In this one, we had paint issues and the carpet was discolored and workers had tracked caulking on it. The stain on the kitchen cabinets didn't match so they replaced them. We had a roof leak too. All of the issues were taken care of (all of the carpet was replaced) promptly with no cost to us.
The thing with the new KB's now is that they are priced nearly $100k less than they were just a year or so ago. There are also a lot of homes that are bank owned and selling cheaper. On my street alone there are 4 vacant homes. Sad for those who lost, but good for someone wanting to purchase.

Do you mind me asking where you live? Not exact street but area. Do you have children and if so are the schools good in your area and how much you make yearly to live there. Of course if you can private message me and not post it here I just want to get an idea.

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by Shaft

What

Where is the prison?

It seems like a nice town

My grandfather used to be a guard at the prison when he left police work

Have you looked into nearby Oildale? I don't know what its like now but when my grandmother moved there from Bakersfield after grandpop died it was a nice little place.

[Shaft]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

My grandfather used to be a guard at the prison when he left police work

Have you looked into nearby Oildale? I don't know what its like now but when my grandmother moved there from Bakersfield after grandpop died it was a nice little place.

Oildale? Haven't heard that one yet. Going to look it up

[Shaft]

Okay its come down to this. If you can pleae I know I have asked alot.

If you were me and moving from windsor ontario, and were going to be making 45,000 a year with 4 Children ages 8, soon to be 7, 5 and 1 years old, and your husband was working in Arvin, CA and of course you wouldn't be working. Where would you yourself want to live assumming your used to a city of 250 000 people Very safe city and grew up in a town of 30 000 people. And besides Want to live Where could you truly afford to live.

Eg
Want
Beverly hills (lol just eg.)

Afford
Don't know an eg.


Again thankyou for all that answer.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by Shaft

What is Frenso? Is that a city aswell?

Fresno is a city of about 500,000 people located about 110 miles/177 kilometers north of Bakersfield.

[Shaft]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

Fresno is a city of about 500,000 people located about 110 miles/177 kilometers north of Bakersfield.

Wow way too big

[CA central coast]

Please forgive me, but moving to CA from Canada for a $45,000/yr job, and planning on a one income household and not actually WANTING to move to the U.S., seems bizarre. $45,000 a year? moving from Canada to CA for that? The prison guards in Tehachapi make nearly twice that!! Sorry, I think there is more to this story. Just doesn't make sense.

[Shaft]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

Please forgive me, but moving to CA from Canada for a $45,000/yr job, and planning on a one income household and not actually WANTING to move to the U.S., seems bizarre. $45,000 a year? moving from Canada to CA for that? The prison guards in Tehachapi make nearly twice that!! Sorry, I think there is more to this story. Just doesn't make sense.

More to this story!! Here is the Story

Husbands Plant has 2 years and thier closing(if that) after putting in 14 years, Its over for him there.. No jobs in Windsor with the Big three(Fords, Chrysler, GM) Doing so badly. Mould Shops are closing down by the minute. This Skilled Trade that was once so popular and in very High demand has now completely turnned the opposite. Michigan is offering nothing aswell thier doing just as bad. Mould Making is in the Automotive Industry which is completely falling In Ontario. EXCEPT in California it seems Mould Trades are available in other fields eg. medical.

Thats the story. No I don't want to go But we have to go where there is employment. And We have been looking for more than 6 months for his trade and NOTHING.

Believe me Its a crappy story but all to real to me. I am being torn from what I know and love just to surrvive and make it happen for my children.

If the work is in CA and its better than anything offered here what am I suppose to do. His last Offer was 30 000 for 10 hour days 5 days a week and overtime on demand. That is a nothing income here. But that is what your getting cause were hurting so bad right now. Ya Thats whats happening Down this way. Its BAD.

There is your story. Believe me were scared and paniced, I have four children to support, the automotive industry and his trade was once sooooo secure is now completely unstable.

Your right it does not make sense and I can't believe its happening to us.

[Franklyn]

A search on Realtor.com for family-sized homes [4 BR, 2.5 BA] within 5 miles of Arvin brought up 39 homes in that category currently on the market for up to $400K in Arvin itself and some of the following communities: Caliente, Loraine, Willow Springs, Frazier Park, Havilah, Rosamond and Tropico Village. So whether you rent or purchase that should give you a handle on the names of some of the places to check out. I've been in or through several of these communities but have no recent info on any, and mention them here only for background info sake. Possibly a google search on Bakersfield housing rentals might yield additional data and thoughts.

I don't have any comment on the long-term stability of the mould-making job market here, but Arvin is fairly centrallaly located in the state in a low-rent type area so its conceivable the firm might be able to stay competitive - barring other factors - in the moulding industry for as long as that industry exists.

The winters here would be warmer - though the San Joaquin valley is subject to "Tule Fog" - google it - for about a month every winter, Arvin is located at the fringe of the valley in that regard. The cost of living thing is subjective, somewhat, but from my travels I've found econo shopping in California to be convenient and practical.

The community college system here is a great low-cost resource for eventually learning new job skills if your husband sees a dwindling future in that line of work. But that's for the future.

If it were me I'd visit the potential job site and spend a couple of days driving around the area lookiing at various communities and possibilities, just to see if its something your family might abide. When I was there it was not a "hi-tech" area but I thought it family friendly. Just seeing the geography of the area could be a true eye-opener and give you better insight in your quest.

With good health insurance your costs should be well within reason, but if the firm offers options on the coverage I'd suggest considering them carefully before choosing. Sometimes insurers offer a seemingly cheap alternative that isn't.

Btw, Shafter, Ca, just a little north of Bakersfield, has the remnants of a strong Mennonite community. I mention that only because I believe there's another just outside Windsor.

Cheers