For Those Thinking of Leaving, Where are You Looking to Go? (San Diego: renting, movers)

[pennel]

Hi there,
well we are moving to LV, or I should say back to LV. we lived there for
16 years and took a six year break, but california is just too much any more. To expensive, taxes too high, rent to high, food is outrages!!!!
You name it Californias cost is just too high.
The property in LV is so cheap now that we can get a house or buy two
condos with cash and ride out this economy slump.

pennel.

[dgfurman]

As someone who has lived in southern TX for 8 yrs, I feel compelled to respond to some of this trash talk about TX. I've lived in the NE, the midwest, and in TX, and by far, TX was my favorite state. Why? People are super friendly, life is a little slower paced, and the cost of living is super low. Not to mention the mild climate. I am so sad that we left San Antonio, which btw, is much more conservative than Austin.

And as far as "conservative" is concerned - in the 8 yrs we were there, we never once had anyone preach to us. Yes, there are a lot of religious church goin' folk, but they weren't "bible thumpers". I don't know where your dad lives, but I cannot fathom how he could live in Austin, and be surrounded by anything other a lot of liberal, easy going people. I have visited Austin countless times, we have friends there, and everyone has been wonderful and gracious. Austin is a high tech city (Dell computers is based there), and racially mixed (compared to San Antonio which is very blue collar, and very Hispanic).

Only if you live on ranch land, might you encounter such hard rightwing attitudes. Or perhaps if you live in a very low income area, I suppose there are some uneducated, ignorant folks that will say nasty things, but that certaintly is not unique to TX.

Having said that, I would say that if you want a better cost of living, but a more liberal lifestyle, I would recommend Denver. The people there (as long as you are not in the rural areas) are very liberal, and Denver itself has a lot to offer, if you don't mind winter.

One thing I would recommend, if you haven't done this yet, is to compare places side by side - all kinds of factors like cost of living, climate, crime, economy, etc etc to give you a better idea of the city you're interested in. The best website I've found for that is: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed

You can not only analyze in detail other cities, but you can compare them to where you are now, or against each other. Good luck in your search. We have looked at CA, but the cost of living is prohibitive. I don't know how anyone except for multi-millionares can afford it (that is, the coastal areas, of course).

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

Omaha, NE. look into it. affordable homes and pay comparable (not sure on teaching salary, but other jobs pay close to what CA does)

I have friends in Omaha and have visited a number of times. It's actually a nice place, and they seem to be immune to economic downturns (well, actually, they're usually the last to feel it). The housing is affordable compared with California, the people are, for the most part, laid back and have a small-townish friendliness about them. However, they are now beginning to suffer from some of the same problems we here in California have experienced for a long time, such as illegal immigrants, gangs, graffiti, etc. I wouldn't mind living there, but I don't think I could ever adapt to their very changeable weather, especially having six months of winter!

[gypsy77]

My family and I are leaving CA in March and moving to the midwest where my DH is from and his whole family still lives. I was born and raised in Northern CA. We are sick of: the ridiculously high cost of living, mediocre (blue collar job) wages, traffic, smog, CA DMV, and over population. People here are too materialistic, living way beyond their means, working too much, and don't even realize that their quality of life is going down the drain right before their eyes! What good is it to drive around in a brand new Cadillac Escalade if you never even get to see your kids because you're always at work? It all comes down to what everyone's priorities are. For us, if we have to choose between spending quality time with our family, or working twice as hard to have fancier "stuff," then we choose time with our family. Adios California! Your beaches and warm weather will be missed. But that's about it!

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by albinoazian

I am in my 3rd year teaching in Huntington Beach and have over 7 years of college, yet I have to live like I ask, "Paper or plastic?" for my job. Other teachers are 30+ years old, also with Masters degrees, and have to have roommates.

Anyhow, I have been searching for other places. I checked Oregon this past summer and really liked Eugene, but still pricey and no jobs. My dad moved to Austin, TX after being in CA 40 years, but hates it. I visited and Texas sucks.

So, what places are on people's lists?

Minnetonka, Minnesota. Because it has such a wistful image of Indians in birchbark canoes drifting on the vivid blue lakes surround by the emerald balsam.

[deathegg88]

Yes, the weather here is probably the only thing I'll miss when I move back to Pittsburgh this year.

[ahzzie]

Originally Posted by albinoazian

That is why I said that I was having trouble coming up with places. My dad gets church folks bugging him 3-4 times a week in Texas. He bought a sheik looking outfit with the head piece that he keeps by the door now. So, when the people he has told countless times to stop bugging him, keep coming by, he puts on the sheik head piece to mess with them.

Some of his neighbors in Texas spray painted his Obama-Biden sign and threw stuff at the house. He said that it was cool when on Halloween a group of black kids (~12-13) knocked on the door and said they didn't want candy, but to only shake his hand.

Or like in Kansas where they were burning Harry Potter books. I just don't want to be in an environment like that. It is like Colin Powell said, "And so what if Obama is Muslim." I would prefer to investigate a place where the predominant belief isn't to hate something different, like Muslims. It is like the McCarthy era except Communist has just been swapped with Muslim.

Hmmm not sure where your dad lives but that kind of thing has never happened to me here. My street was a sea of Obama/Biden signs and none were defaced. Also, no religious people have ever knocked on my door. I guess it's all in where you live in Texas. Rural areas are probably pretty bad.

[gypsy77]

Some posts on here are from people who left CA, but miss it so much, they want to come back. So before I move, I am making myself a "reminder list" of all the things that are reasons why I want to leave. When I'm feeling homesick, or cursing the winter weather in the midwest, I will take out my handy dandy "note to self" and try remember what is important in life and why we made the decision we did. I will not miss the smog, traffic, crowds, and chaos that IS California. I will only miss the 70 degree days in January. But these sunny days have not made me any happier, I'm stuck indoors at work all day and it's dark by the time I get home anyway. Mild weather is overrated. Unless you are independently wealthy and can lie out on the beach all day. But if you are a middle class working family like we are, warm weather doesn't really benefit me that much, other than during my 10 break at work.

[dweej]

Originally Posted by ahzzie

Hmmm not sure where your dad lives but that kind of thing has never happened to me here. My street was a sea of Obama/Biden signs and none were defaced. Also, no religious people have ever knocked on my door. I guess it's all in where you live in Texas. Rural areas are probably pretty bad.

Agreed. All 4 major metro areas voted blue in the last election, including "conservative" San Antonio. Some of my most liberal friends live in Dallas and Austin. Texas isn't for everyone, granted, but to imply that it's filled with a bunch of backward, bible-thumping, vandals is a little close minded...

[gypsy lady]

I am thinking of Portland. It is clean, has one of the best public transportation systems with the Max, not crowded, has no sales tax, clean cut style of living. Lots of swimming pools, rents are very reasonable with washer and dryers in the units, fireplaces, etc. Only thing I found I didn't like was that the apartments don't come with air conditioning generally. Go figure.