I have to say reading these threads make me believe there aren't many positives about California (Los Angeles: real estate, condo)

[laravia18]

I mostly lurk but I have been reading some threads on California and the different sub-categories listed on the board. From what I am gathering many people feel that California is a nanny-state who's only purpose is to house the rich, famous, illegal immigrants, gangs, and sky-high housing prices. The only good things that I can see being reported are the weather (most of the time), beaches, and diversity.

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but since I have been thinking about visiting California and even living there if I like it. Seeing some of the remarks makes me a little sad. Is California all it's cracked up to be? If you don't mind list your positives and negatives of the state. Or if you only visited one city or more list the positives and negatives about that city.

Maybe this can help us outsiders see things in detail and decide for ourselves whether we would like to visit/live in your state.

[TouchTheSky]

I am very interested in this as well. Especially since I just posted a thread about teaching in California. Hopefully there are more positives than negatives, because I'm interested in moving to California myself... andddd I'm tired of the cold New York weather!

[laravia18]

So am I TouchTheSky. I live in New York but the cold is frustrating and the amount of humidity in the summer really affects my allergies. Not to mention it is uncomfortable to walk around sweating but not cooling down.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by TouchTheSky

I am very interested in this as well. Especially since I just posted a thread about teaching in California. Hopefully there are more positives than negatives, because I'm interested in moving to California myself... andddd I'm tired of the cold New York weather!

Suffice it to say that the Pacific Coast states have the most diverse topography of any. They contain mountains, plains, lakes, rivers, ocean beaches, deserts, agricultural lands, deltas, buttes, forests, alpine meadows, coastal cliffs, islands -- you name it, they have it and California is blessed with the best weather.

If you like ethnic diversity and the many different foods that go along with it you'll find it all here. Despite its business unfriendly status the state also offers any kind of employment you can think of and then some. If you're interested in politics it will keep you amused. If you like to demonstrate you'll have no lack of opportunities. Educational opportunities abound and outdoor pursuits are unlimited in scope and genre as are artistic expressions.

There! That's some of the good.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by laravia18

I mostly lurk but I have been reading some threads on California and the different sub-categories listed on the board. From what I am gathering many people feel that California is a nanny-state who's only purpose is to house the rich, famous, illegal immigrants, gangs, and sky-high housing prices. The only good things that I can see being reported are the weather (most of the time), beaches, and diversity.

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but since I have been thinking about visiting California and even living there if I like it. Seeing some of the remarks makes me a little sad. Is California all it's cracked up to be? If you don't mind list your positives and negatives of the state. Or if you only visited one city or more list the positives and negatives about that city.

Maybe this can help us outsiders see things in detail and decide for ourselves whether we would like to visit/live in your state.

I think your post sums up the pros and cons quite well. I think the high cost makes CA very un-family friendly. I think people who like it here the most are singles or couples who earn above average incomes who don't have kids (and who don't plan on having any).

In short, if you have the money to do all the fun stuff (cultural events, skiing, hiking, etc), then you'll probably like it here.

I would also add that CA is generally not known for having much of a community feeling...people don't necessarily know their neighbors. The tolerance we have here for letting people 'do their own thing' can be isolating.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by laravia18

I mostly lurk but I have been reading some threads on California and the different sub-categories listed on the board. From what I am gathering many people feel that California is a nanny-state who's only purpose is to house the rich, famous, illegal immigrants, gangs, and sky-high housing prices. The only good things that I can see being reported are the weather (most of the time), beaches, and diversity.

Your assessment is pretty accurate except that you forgot the horrendous traffic which is now nearly 24 hours a day. At a distant point in LA's past the traffic was mostly in the morning and evening commute hour. It has gotten so bad that many people stagger their working hours, which causes very heavy traffic from about 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The only way to escape traffic jams is to live near work or work near home, or even better work out of your home if you can do it.

Another good thing is that LA residents are conveniently located near the beach, the mountains and the desert. It is often said that you can go skiing in the morning and then surfing in the afternoon. That's true.

Another positive factor is the good job market, although maybe not right at the present time. Many people live here for the benefit of their careers.

[gea12345]

I think California speaks for itself!!

A very beautiful section of the planet! As a fellow earthling, California has good land, good sky, great mountains, and beautiful rivers!! Now that is the planet!

Now for the people and their infrastructures!

Don't know except for San Diego, which i visited several years ago.

Found it boring! Found the downtown boring! Not enough people wakling around! In their restaurant district, was exciting, but only a few blocks of realestate! I found it expensive eating at the restaurants on the beach and not ruggedly beautiful like Portland's beaches!

I would probably go again!

good luck!!

Originally Posted by laravia18

I mostly lurk but I have been reading some threads on California and the different sub-categories listed on the board. From what I am gathering many people feel that California is a nanny-state who's only purpose is to house the rich, famous, illegal immigrants, gangs, and sky-high housing prices. The only good things that I can see being reported are the weather (most of the time), beaches, and diversity.

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough but since I have been thinking about visiting California and even living there if I like it. Seeing some of the remarks makes me a little sad. Is California all it's cracked up to be? If you don't mind list your positives and negatives of the state. Or if you only visited one city or more list the positives and negatives about that city.

Maybe this can help us outsiders see things in detail and decide for ourselves whether we would like to visit/live in your state.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by gea12345

Don't know except for San Diego, which i visited several years ago.

Found it boring! Found the downtown boring! Not enough people wakling around! In their restaurant district, was exciting, but only a few blocks of realestate! I found it expensive eating at the restaurants on the beach and not ruggedly beautiful like Portland's beaches!

I wouldn't call downtown Los Angeles boring, but it certainly doesn't compare with other major world cities. I get the feeling that most of us don't go downtown very often. I rarely go there.

[Twinkle Toes]

I just got back from 4 days in San Diego and it was gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact that we are going to look for a condo to purchase so we can go down any time we want, weekends, whatever. We only live 2 hours away in the Coachella Valley, which we love. San Diego is close enough, yet worlds away from where we live full time. We've been to SD several times, but this time we just wondered why we don't go more often. We've decided we need a condo there.

The people yapping about how awful CA is, are miserable souls who can't wait to leave. Don't listen to them - just wish them well in their journey to their new utopia.

[EscapeCalifornia]

^^ Exhibit A: People with the money to own millions of dollars in real estate think California's just fine. The rest of us just looking to buy a $300k house in a safe neighborhood that's not 50 miles from work have a different take on the state.