Is the state of California A Great Place to Visit, but Terrible Place to Live? (Los Angeles: home, earthquakes)

[shannonM]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

Hm, well, I understand that some people are moving to California for those reasons; however, there are others moving here for legitimate reasons (just as there are regular people moving everywhere for regular reasons).

We moved here because there were jobs in my husband's field. Besides, we like California and have family here. That's three good reasons. Moreover, now that we are here, we find that we like living here even more than we liked visiting. We've been here about a year now.

Others have their own experiences and I would not downplay anyone else's genuine experience - no single place can satisfy everyone.

Not trying to downplay your experience....but you are still in the honeymoon phase.

[shannonM]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

I lived in San Antonio but made my exit as quickly as I possibly could so I could get back home to California! Before moving out of CA to TX, we narrowed it down to either Austin or SA and SA won out, but after moving there we realized what a mistake it was to leave CA. I wouldn't say TX is backward, but for me and mine, it just wasn't what we were used to and not our cup of tea at all. So glad to be back in CA!!!

there's the rub.....too many, me included you move away hoping for things to be slower paced and more wholesome. and all you do is miss the way things were in CA. I guess it's due to the fact that it's where you (I) were raised and what you know. I think it's hard to get used to another way of life. That being said we are gonna try one more time. and hopefully this time we can assimilate and not compare everything and everyone to CA

[dino702]

It is very expensive.......homes are at least double the average nationwide(even with the recent downturn). Yes jobs can be more plentiful but really only pay maybe 20% more on average but since ur homes are at least double it doesn't really come out equal. I myself am a 37yr old professional and make a comfortable living in the OC but wouldn't ever want to raise kids here. Everyone assumes what they see on tv's OC shows. Lemme tell u that its not all like that! Yes orange county has cities like what u see on tv such as Newport Beach and so forth but most people can't afford to live that way even if u make around 100k. People out here are very much "what can u do for me?" type attitude and its a rat race. Why did i come out here? My family business is here and now with all this economic stuff even our business has taken quite a hit in this last year or so. I'm gonna pack up and get out of CA altogether. Yes the weather is is "spectacular" and alot of things to do here but if unemployment is over 9% and people are losing homes in the millions then all that is just window dressing. Our state is 42 billion in debt ....... most people are gonna get IOU's for their state returns and schools/public projects are in furlough(sp?) . Still want to come here?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by shannonM

there's the rub.....too many, me included you move away hoping for things to be slower paced and more wholesome. and all you do is miss the way things were in CA. I guess it's due to the fact that it's where you (I) were raised and what you know. I think it's hard to get used to another way of life. That being said we are gonna try one more time. and hopefully this time we can assimilate and not compare everything and everyone to CA

true, often what we miss is what we didn't like about where we lived before. People need to decide what is best for them. You will need to not compare, no two things or two places are alike. As much as I will never move back to Calif, after all these years, of course there are a few things I miss, but for all the things we miss on the west coast we have something in the middle part of the country that off set those things.

Nita

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by shannonM

there's the rub.....too many, me included you move away hoping for things to be slower paced and more wholesome. and all you do is miss the way things were in CA. I guess it's due to the fact that it's where you (I) were raised and what you know. I think it's hard to get used to another way of life. That being said we are gonna try one more time. and hopefully this time we can assimilate and not compare everything and everyone to CA

Well, I wasn't looking for a slower pace. I am a city girl to the core and I love adventure, excitement and city life. But I don't necessarily want to live in the city - just be close enough to it that I can get to it quickly.

Really, I should have just taken a long vacation. It was a mistake for me (us - my husband and son too) to actually move from a place where we were already happy to begin with. But we had an awesome home built in Texas! Wish we could have put that sucker on wheels and moved it to California! Not that we live in a bad house now, or that the house we left in Palm Desert was crap. Our CA homes have all been really nice. It's just that the Texas house was an absolute dream home - unfortunately, it just happened to be in Texas.

[shannonM]

Originally Posted by nmnita

true, often what we miss is what we didn't like about where we lived before. People need to decide what is best for them. You will need to not compare, no two things or two places are alike. As much as I will never move back to Calif, after all these years, of course there are a few things I miss, but for all the things we miss on the west coast we have something in the middle part of the country that off set those things.

Nita

that's the way to do it. it sounds like you have the right attitude to succeed. that's what we will do when we finally get to leave.

[shannonM]

Twinkle Toes.....what about Texas didn't you like?? I have a friend who moved there from CA and she absolutely loves it and will never come back. It sounds like from what you say though that you probably weren't ready to leave CA my friend on the other hand was more than ready to go.

[Twinkle Toes]

I've posted it so many times, but in a nutshell - TRAFFIC, weather, missed family and friends, missed California "stuff" - oh, and did I mention the TRAFFIC???

[MtnSurfer]

The thing is CA is such a large state that you can get 1000+ different answers to this 'general' question. It is like asking the same thing about almost the entire east coast.

From my perspective as a CA native who lived in LA (South Bay) moved to CO and then back to Monterey CA it is a 'Great' state to live in. Is it perfect? No, but what state is? Do the pros outweigh the cons for my family (wife and three children)? Absolutely. Are there things that can improve? Of course. Would I want to live anywhere else right now? No way.

We thought seriously about moving to Oregon. But with the opportunities here for my career in such a beautiful part of the state and closer proximity to family this was our first choice in our 'next' move. And we could have moved anywhere we wanted.

Most of what you will hear on here are ppl whining because that is what many do on forums. It is there chance to vent. But there are many more ppl who live in CA who are out enjoying the state vs. going somewhere to whine. You will also notice that most of the complaining comes from ppl who are planning to move out or have already moved but still hanging out here.

I am not saying it is perfect. CA has it fair share of problems. And there are some bad areas with too much traffic, smog, crime, etc... just like anywhere. You have everything from gang infested ghettos to places like Yosemite NP, Big Sur and the Lost Coast. With such a large state there is a lot to work with here if someone wants to make the best of things and enjoy it.

My 2c,

Derek

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

I've posted it so many times, but in a nutshell - TRAFFIC, weather, missed family and friends, missed California "stuff" - oh, and did I mention the TRAFFIC???

yes you mentioned Traffic.. or maybe you didn't...

As for traffice, bty, I don't think it any worse or better, not that matter than Calif. I guess it depends where you in either state, now as for the weather, well, there is noplace in Texas that has decent weather, sorry if any of you are from Texas, the weather still stinks!!!!!

I was worried we would hate it here because of the humidity, but after all those years in Dallas it almost seems like we have none (we do)))

You mention missing friends, that can be one of the hardest things to overcome. Luckily for us, when we lived in Texas we had our daughter, son in law and grandkids plus lots of friends from church.. Other than that we had few friends and oh how I missed that..

Nita