Any KY Residents Who Moved From Los Angeles? (Louisville, Williamsburg: real estate, renting)

[Cattknap]

We live in Long Beach, CA and will retire next year. We have narrowed our retirement destination choices to either Williamsburg, VA or Louisville, KY but are leaning towards KY. I was wondering if there are any here who are originally from So. California and have relocated to Louisville/KY? Would love to hear your thoughts on what the move and transition was like and what you think of KY/Louisville. Thanks!

[Cattknap]

Are there no Californians that live in KY that visit this forum??

[stx12499]

i would search othe rthreads cattnap, bc i have seen several ppl said they came here from CA to avoid, the cost, traffic, and sprawl. the secret on louisville has already gotten out it seems, and there are a lot of ppl moving here mainly from the expensive coasts and midwestern towns that are losing jobs. still, there is enough room for everyone and i think u will find the atmosphere relaxing while it offers outstanding amenities.

[movingoutofCA]

I know my dad moved to southern Indiana, very close to Louisville and he loves it. He's been there for about 17 years or so and when a chance to move back came up, he refused it. I plan on moving to Ky in a few months, I'll let you know what I think then.

[Micah Girl]

Originally Posted by movingoutofCA

I know my dad moved to southern Indiana, very close to Louisville and he loves it. He's been there for about 17 years or so and when a chance to move back came up, he refused it. I plan on moving to Ky in a few months, I'll let you know what I think then.

We are planning on moving to KY from New England and hope that my husband's parents will join us from LA. We are all visiting in May to see what it's like.

[Cattknap]

Thank you for your responses. My best friend lives in Prospect and so I've been to Louisville many times. Of the southern states we have been to (VA, GA, the Carolinas), KY is by far the cleanest and friendliest. We love it there. My husband has been a Los Angeles Police officer for almost 34 years - he is more than ready to trade L.A. a quieter, safer place.

With all the positive aspects of KY, I know there will be a lot of differences between CA and KY (mostly positive), hence, my reason for wanting to hear the experiences of others who have made the big move from CA to KY.

Again, thank you very much for your nice responses!

[LouisvilleJake]

Cattlknap,

I was born in Fresno and lived in Apple Valley (out in the High Desert, off I-15) for years. I moved to Louisville in the late 90's, and you couldn't pay me to move back to Southern California. (Parts or Northern California, MAYBE...but it would take a lot to lure me even there!)

Louisville is so compact, yet has many of the advantages of a big city. Except, instead of having 10 of a certain store or restaurant like LA, you have only 1 here - but 1 is enough for the area.

Louisville is incredibly clean, and the city is so beautiful in the summer - you'll be hard pressed to find a city as green as Louisville. And we're so close to so many other major cities - and if you find yourself missing the experience of a "mega-city", Chicago is close enough for a long weekend getaway at only 5 hours away, and in my opinion, blows Los Angeles out of the water!

Now, Louisville is quite far away from an ocean, and the Ohio River is no substitute - if you're a person who has to have a large waterfront, then Louisville may be problematic.

But in my opinion, Kentucky is a beautiful state and Louisville is an amazing city with so much to offer. I have made Louisville my adopted hometown and I cannot wait to move back there as soon as I can.

I hope you find Louisville to be as great as I found it to be.

[Cattknap]

Thank you Jake! We will miss the ocean - we see it nearly every day - but that won't keep us from loving KY.

[pepperpotdog]

Cattnap,

I hope I'm not too late. I just found this forum. I'm a native CA and lived in L.A. for 37 years.

My mother is from Kentucky, and I spent every summer here as a child. I moved to Louisville last May to be with my mother and aunt who are now in their eighties. I had been in Sacramento for the last three years.

I still pine away for L.A. believe it or not, but I'm going to let you in on a big secret. Louisville is a great city! They have everything here and more of what L.A. has minus the traffic, overcrowding and crime. Please don't tell anyone though. We don't want everyone in the country moving here.

[trishinca]

Isn't Louisville the home of the Kentucky Derby? As a 'young' senior, I've alway loved horses and hats, so what better place to be near than Churchill Downs. Are there any other hat lovers like me? I was born too late, I guess. We may be moving sooner than later; I sell real estate here (just got my license a few years ago), and as soon as I can earn enough commissions to pay for a house to the point that I know we can afford the payments, I'm going to do some exploring. Are there any real estate agents in Kentucky, who wold like to help us? I feel like an underachiever in life without home ownership, and trying to find a home that one can afford through pure hard work is getting harder to do. I live in the heart of the wine country, where we rent, and it's just getting too hard to do anymore. Our country is going to be so expensive soon, that young people who want a home may have to give up having a family, and that is a shame. Don't mind me, I'm just venting. If there is a cute little farmhouse with payments under $500 to own it and if we can keep a dog and 1-2 horses, let me know. I'm already packing! Trish in CA I do know what you mean, not everyone in the country moving there; believe it or not, we say that here in California too! And we are in a state where the workers in all the stores, even teachers and policemen, can hardly afford to live. My husband has to shoe a lot of horses, one nail at a time, to keep up with just renting at $1000 a month, for 1000 sq. ft. lodging. This is nuts! I will not pine away for California, except for having two wonderful kids here who cannot afford a home either. Maybe after we get there....they can. My daughter has a degree in math, and my son works on a ranch.