Leaving California (Klamath: equity, relocating, property taxes)

[sosobroke]

In the past three years I have lived in Northern Nevada and Colorado. In both places I have seen many new neighbors from California move in....just about 80% of them move back to California within the first 9 months. Can anyone tell me why that is? I moved from California 20 years ago because of the schools, smog, crime, traffic, and cost of living. I have found the grass is greener on the other side, so I don't know why so many move back....

[graffixjones]

One word... "snow".

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by graffixjones

One word... "snow".

Anyone that moves to Colorado and doesn't expect to deal with snow needs to be slapped to being so stupid.

[graffixjones]

LOL... I hear ya.

Living where it snows actually sounds kind of romantic, until you have to start shoveling it.

Most of the time Californians only have to deal with snow when they put their tire chains on as they drive to a ski resort. It doesn't seem so bad, then.

Of course those that live up in the mountains deal with snow regularly, but those that live down below 2,500 feet elevation hardly ever have to deal with it, unless we suffer a cold snap, and then it sticks for a day or two at the higher elevations, or an hour in the valleys.

[Ultrarunner]

Because Reality often falls short of Expectation

and

It is difficult to miss something until it's gone....

Many people think relocating is a cure-all for all that is wrong in their life... rather than looking within. Many end up bringing their problems with them and they under estimate just how difficult starting over can be.

The real problem is that nothing stays the same... the world is in a constant state of flux. There often is no "There... There" to quote a famous Oakland author.

A close friend of mine married a young lady from Ireland. They seemed very happy until their child was born and she become quite homesick and depressed. She really wanted her daughter to experience growing up in Irland as she did. She said America was not suitable to raise her child.

They sold their nice home, most of their belongings and shipped the rest to Ireland. He had an excellent Bay Area job in the high tech field with stock options. He did find work in Ireland at about half of his U.S salary. The cost of living in Europe can be quite expensive... but they were doing ok.

After about 9 months, his wife became even more depressed after her initial jubilation faded. She said that everything had changed... her friends had moved away, her mother had passed the year before, her little town was over run with foreigners and she had become accustomed to her California standard of living where you can go to get a cup of coffee or shopping any time day or night... more than anything, she wanted to return to the Bay Area and have her old house back.

You probably can guess the rest of the story... they moved back after 24 months, homes in their old neighborhood had not quite doubled in the time they were away and they were faced with starting over again...

Reminds me of the Dorthy in the Wizard of OZ syndrome otherwise known as the Some Where Over the Rainbow complex... the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence...

[davidt1]

Originally Posted by sosobroke

In the past three years I have lived in Northern Nevada and Colorado. In both places I have seen many new neighbors from California move in....just about 80% of them move back to California within the first 9 months. Can anyone tell me why that is? I moved from California 20 years ago because of the schools, smog, crime, traffic, and cost of living. I have found the grass is greener on the other side, so I don't know why so many move back....

You didn't ask them why they were moving back? My guess is they missed the lifestyle and the familiarity they were accustomed to. Support systems such as friends and families may play a crucial role too.

[CADRMNDANES]

I've seen people moving out of CA since the 70s. Many left in the 90s and early 2000. None of them have come back. They moved to Oregon, WA, Arizona, Texas, mid west and southern states.

[Sal Monella]

Why do Californians keep coming back?;

- Because we're not throwing them far away enough.

[Good Karma]

I am born and raised in Southern California !
I am dying (of the smog!) to get out of So CA
but hubby just doesn't wanna make that leap into
the "unknown". He does Heating and A/C for goodness
sake .. He can get a job anywhere he wants !
I am especially concerned about this "rainless" winter
(we got approx 3", normal rainfall is 14") we had and am
expecting a very bad fire season here in So CA !
Yep ... we will be in a drought and yet they
keep building houses everywhere you look ! Go figure !

I have tried talking him into moving to Oregon
but he isn't even considering it !

[bigreez]

People like the idea of some were else, But when they get there and can not (Califonianize) some small town they just give up and move back.. and the snow.