Leaving California (San Diego, Sacramento, Irvine: mortgage, home equity, real estate)

[sliverbox]

Basically, I think affordability is a major problem in CA. How many people does it take moving out before the economy starts to feel the effects?

[artichoke63]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

Okay people - I'M BAAAAAAACK!!!!!

Most of you know my story - I moved from Palm Desert, CA to San Antonio, TX. Was there for 9 months and I just got back to Palm Desert. Boy am I happy to be back home!!!!! I will never leave here again. I won't even get into fights or arguments with everyone who says they hate CA and are leaving. Just leave! I am just sooooooo incredibly, incredibly happy to be back HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twinkle Toes,

Palm Desert is really pretty. Most people who have issues with California live in Los Angeles or one of the big cities. I think the desert is gorgeous. I'm glad you're back and happy.

Artie

[artichoke63]

Originally Posted by terrie1

Mvn2nc.. what parts of NC would you reccomend?

Twinkle Toes.. Palm Desert might be a little to close. I can't stay here and watch my ex be happy with his new wife that he had an affair with for a year and half before he got around to telling me. All our friends knew too but no one carried enough to tell me... so I have NO friends here any longer.

they should have told you, terrie.

I don't blame you for wanting to move far away. What a horrible thing to go through. How painful. Where do you think you'll move to?

Artie

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by artichoke63

Twinkle Toes,

Palm Desert is really pretty. Most people who have issues with California live in Los Angeles or one of the big cities. I think the desert is gorgeous. I'm glad you're back and happy.

Artie

Thanks! It is GREAT to be back. The weather is terriffic (I love hot weather), it's so nice to get out of the shower and actually dry off and not be humid! There is no traffic here so it is a pleasure to go anywhere I want. Of course, our sunsets are absolutely gorgeous and when the sun starts to set the mountains all around us turn various shades of purple. There's nothing like it! I am so glad to be back and I will never take my beautiful desert for granted ever again. Now every day I wake up I am thanking God that I have been given the opportunity to live in such a gorgeous place.

[sliverbox]

One thing that seems very clear to me is that many people move away to places with the majority of the decision based on housing prices and the cost of living rather than actually studying the areas they are planning on moving to. Sure- parts of TX might be plain awful. But there are also great places in TX- like Ausin, Marfa , Corpus Christie, and others. The same goes for others states, other cities, and other regions. Just because the housing prices are cheap there doesn't mean you should base your decision entirely on that.

I find it funny that numerous people move out to places like Houston, Seattle, or Phoenix, then come running back expounding about how much the rest of the country sucks and how foolish they were for ever leaving CA. This is a big country. You have endless options and countless places that likely fufill your needs. Basing an experience from one city alone seems a little inaccurate.

Bottom line- Don't decide to move and fail to actually investigate an area first: learn about it. Talk to people. Visit. Learn it's history, culture, and lifestyle. THEN and only then should you see how much it costs to live there and how good it might be for your kids, etc etc.

[vfrpilot]

Bottom line- Don't decide to move and fail to actually investigate an area first: learn about it. Talk to people. Visit. Learn it's history, culture, and lifestyle. THEN and only then should you see how much it costs to live there and how good it might be for your kids, etc etc.

You are absolutely right on. I am amazed how many threads are asking about areas that someone is moving to, but never visited. Oh well, I guess that is one of the reasons for this forum

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by GoodbyeCalifornia

Jealous? Hardly. I lived in the desert for 8 years, drove those roads at different times of the day, on and off season. Not all the traffic on 111 or any of the other streets is just snowbird traffic. It's primarily local people trying to get from one end of the Valley to the other, get to College of the Desert, or shop at the mall. I guess the traffic lights must magically clear the way for you or something if you NEVER have problems when you drive around Palm Desert.

And I wasn't saying that you can't complain about Texas. Knock yourself out. I was merely remarking that we understand how you feel because your multitude of posts on the matter make that very clear. Guess we can look forward to more then.

I guess so.

[NewToCA]

The funny thing is that how happy you are frequently depends on small things you can't evaluate in a forum or even on a visit. If you move into a nice neighborhood with inexpensive homes, but have a rude neighbor or two, a dog barking throughout the day, or real young kids who screech at the top of their lungs when they play, a priest or minister you think is a moron, or folks who let their animal roam and **** on your porch...these may irritate you and effect your happiness with the move (apologies to anybody I may have described).

[Sassberto]

Try to stay on-topic guys, this thread is about Leaving CA.

[Hungry For Cheese]

Personally, I am leaving California because of a few different problems I have here. First being the cost of living...obviously. Second, everytime I go out of state, the people are very friendly elsewhere. These have been smaller areas like Las Cruces, NM to Tucson, AZ. It's just my personal opinion that a lot of people out here in Los Angeles tend to have this "we are better then everyone else and always will be" mentality and I am tired of it.
I plan to go to Fort Worth, Texas for UTA, cheaper housing, competetive wages and less people. Sure the weather is different, but I am willing to accept the trade-offs. California is okay, Im sure outside of Los Angeles, but there is just so much more to see. And I choose Texas for the reasons above, and have financial plans that will allow me to travel and live elsewhere in the country by living in Texas. Change is good.