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Here’s the scoop: my spouse and I are planning to relocate in the next 5 to 8 years. We are currently living in the Texas panhandle and want a change of pace and scenery. This post is half for fun and half serious - just wanting to get some ideas.
Wants:
-more politically progressive than the Texas panhandle. I don’t necessarily need to live in a solid blue state (although I’m not opposed to it), but a bit more balance than Texas has would be nice.
-major airport nearby.
-green grass and trees.
-near the ocean or a short drive from it.
-minimal icy/snowy weather (but I’m not opposed to it a few times per year).
-Low unemployment
-Good selection of art/music/film events nearby
-historic neighborhoods
Looking forward to what strangers think I should do
Very safe, unemployment about 4%. About 30 minutes to Santa Cruz and the beach, depending on traffic. And you get to drive through the redwoods to get there.
Tons of entertainment in the area of all types and all price ranges.
And the only snow you will ever see, will be on a distant peak you can see from Santa Clara - Mt. Hamilton.
San Jose airport is right there, but the flight patterns keep the noise south of the airport for the most part. When I lived right in that neighborhood, I could see planes, but not really close and I very rarely ever heard them - so no airport noise to speak of.
And believe me, there are plenty of Republicans in CA. Even in Silicon Valley. It seems like the more money there is, the more Republicans there are LOL. And there is a lot of money here. On the other hand, not everybody is rich here, either, such as me. It's a pretty good mix politically.
Last edited by NoMoreSnowForMe; 04-04-2018 at 09:44 PM..
Eugene, Oregon has a lot to offer; mountains not far away. The Pacific ocean also not too far away. Looking at your list, I think it hits on most, except Oregon is definitely a Blue state!
Eugene, Oregon has a lot to offer; mountains not far away. The Pacific ocean also not too far away. Looking at your list, I think it hits on most, except Oregon is definitely a Blue state!
Oregon is on my list! One of my grandparents lives on the coast there. Great place.
One of the California missions is on the Santa Clara University campus, which has breath-taking landscaped grounds.
That neighborhood also has some beautiful old Victorian homes. Very safe, unemployment about 4%. About 30 minutes to Santa Cruz and the beach, depending on traffic. And you get to drive through the redwoods to get there.
Tons of entertainment in the area of all types and all price ranges.
And the only snow you will ever see, will be on a distant peak you can see from Santa Clara - Mt. Hamilton.
San Jose airport is right there, but the flight patterns keep the noise south of the airport for the most part. When I lived right in that neighborhood, I could see planes, but not really close and I very rarely ever heard them - so no airport noise to speak of.
And believe me, there are plenty of Republicans in CA. Even in Silicon Valley. It seems like the more money there is, the more Republicans there are LOL. And there is a lot of money here. On the other hand, not everybody is rich here, either, such as me. It's a pretty good mix politically.
Thanks! Sounds great, except for real estate prices . I have never visited California, but hope to make it this year or next.
Thanks! Sounds great, except for real estate prices . I have never visited California, but hope to make it this year or next.
Yeah, you didn't say it also had to be cheap lol. I don't think you can find cheap and have everything else on your list.
Oregon is definitely green on the coast. And remember what makes things green. Lotta water. Fallin from da sky. I don't know why I'm talking like this....
Wouldn't expect unemployment to be low, either. Unless you get to Portland, where you'll deal with not only lots of clouds and rain, but also snow and lots of ice and freezing rain. Brrrr. Plus, Portland isn't cheap either.
People write CA off their list thinking the taxes are high, but the property taxes never get reassessed here as long as you own your home. Max the taxes can be raised by law is something like 2%. Not so in OR. Just know that wherever there are amenities, there are taxes. They may just take a different form than you expected - but they're there. Maybe not an income tax, maybe not a sales tax, but they'll make it up with property taxes or something else.
If you don't mind living in the boonies, with higher unemployment and less amenities, real estate will be cheaper. But, you won't have many events like arts and concerts, either.
Yeah, you didn't say it also had to be cheap lol. I don't think you can find cheap and have everything else on your list.
If you don't mind living in the boonies, with higher unemployment and less amenities, real estate will be cheaper. But, you won't have many events like arts and concerts, either.
Life is so unfair :-)
Good points! It’s just a shock to see CA real estate prices when I can buy a 4+ bedroom historic home in my current city for under $500k. But the cons in my current city outweigh the pros, as my original post may have hinted at.
Guess I’ll have to save even more if I want to buy a home when we move
Atlanta's a fun bigger city and hits all your criteria except the ocean access. I drove from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach and it was a quick drive. But if you want real beaches you can get a super cheap $100 flight to Miami/Tampa.
Here’s the scoop: my spouse and I are planning to relocate in the next 5 to 8 years. We are currently living in the Texas panhandle and want a change of pace and scenery. This post is half for fun and half serious - just wanting to get some ideas.
Wants:
-more politically progressive than the Texas panhandle. I don’t necessarily need to live in a solid blue state (although I’m not opposed to it), but a bit more balance than Texas has would be nice.
-major airport nearby.
-green grass and trees.
-near the ocean or a short drive from it.
-minimal icy/snowy weather (but I’m not opposed to it a few times per year).
-Low unemployment
-Good selection of art/music/film events nearby
-historic neighborhoods
Looking forward to what strangers think I should do
Brace yourself for a dark horse, check out Norfolk VA. It hits all of your criteria and is fairly affordable.
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. I have never visited California, but hope to make it this year or next.
