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Good day everyone. I’ve been reading this form since 2015 and I find myself constantly flip flopping between wanting to move to Las Vegas and wanting to stay in San Francisco. I’m hoping to gain some perspective, feedback and/or advice.
Here are some details about myself:
About me:
• Female, age 36, no children, single
• Currently resides in San Francisco, Ca. I am an SF native and have never lived anywhere else
• Annual Income is about 62k
• I live in a 1 bedroom in-law that currently costs $1624 a month (all utilities included—I know, RARE!) it’s about 600sqft I’m guessing…it’s small but not too small. I only have 1 small closet, and no hallways of any sort. It’s an open floor plane so the kitchen merges into the living room. Definitely more spacious than some places I saw when I was first looking. The building is quite old—from 1923 I believe.
o The rent is so cheap due me moving in back in 2008 and rent control. I know the 1 bedroom apartments of similar size in the area are going for about $3600 now. I don't qualify as low income so I can't sign up for those nice housing lotteries.
• I don’t work in tech.
• I do not have a drivers license (no particular reason…. just never needed it)
• I work from home 2 days a week. My job is in banking.
• I haven’t been to Vegas in the summer since the mid 90s. I hope to plan a trip out there next month just to get refresher on how hot it is this time of year.
• I’m a homebody. I sometimes poke my head out of my lil cave and hit up a friend’s bar or to hang out with friends but most weekends I’m home (most of my friends here have kids).
With that being said I like to think Vegas would be a good fit—at least on paper. My currently salary would come with me, I’d only have to go to the office 3 days a week (I can take Lyft-Line and save some money), apartments are much more cheaper there and the lack of income taxes means my take home would also be higher so I could save for a house much easier by myself. Crime isn’t a major deterrent since I compared the data and it seems Vegas has a 4% higher rate for violent crimes—which I’m guessing is due to the Strip (which I most likely would rarely go to since I hate crowds) but SF is 14% higher in property crime--which I've witnessed many times. In Vegas, I'd most likely live in a nicer area than my current location. My best friend lives out there along with 2 of my other really good friends. I’ve been in town for all seasons but I honestly cannot remember how it felt in the summer (my last trip was in April of this year). My first trip out of SF was to Vegas for a family reunion in the mid 90s and I remember it being super hot but not miserable. I go to L.A. every summer, and it’s definitely hotter there than SF but I can handle it (as long as my room has A/C). I think my struggle is the fact that I’ve never lived anywhere else. I was born and raised in SF (the actual city) and I’m a little salty about how outrageous the cost of living has gotten and the teeny tiny raises my job is giving out. At this point, the only way I’ll be able to own a home is if something happened to my parents. I’m a little freaked out by the bugs out in Vegas too (WTF—WOLF SPIDER? BLACK WIDOWS? SCORPIONS—not the band! And I read something about bats?! ). People tell me if I do regular bug sprays and use DE I should be fine (that is if I owned a home as I believe some of the better apartment complexes do regular bug sprayings). I know there are other cities that offer similar low cost of living but Vegas is close to SF, I already have a support system there, and I actually like the non-Summer weather (I would have to invest in a good moisturizer cause that dry winter there kinda sucks. I've never been so ashy in my life. But my friend's apartment had central heating so i was comfortable. My apartment has a crappy little wall heater that takes a good 4 hours on high to heat the room. My fingers went numb numerous times. It sucks.). But I know that if for whatever reason, if Vegas doesn't mesh well for for me, I will not be able to live on my own in SF again. I'd most definitely would have to move back in with my parents (love them but I'm almost 40!). So, if I move, there is no turning back which is why this is hard for me.
I'd love to hear from everyone who posts here. I'd also like to know if there are there any folks from San Francisco that still post on this form? If so, I would love to hear your take!
Not having a license in Las Vegas sucks. I wouldn't recommend it.
I thought about possibly obtaining one while out there. I currently only take the bus to/from work, and for hair appointments (every 3 months). Everything else I use Lyft or I walk. I also know Las Vegas has Vons which is the same company as Safeway which I use for grocery delivery here in SF. And Amazon is suppose to launch Fresh out there sometime this year (I've only used it once but it was pretty decent) and I'm already a Prime member so I have used their Pantry as well.
I tried to at least study to do the written test out here in SF but after I found an error in the DMV book (on iTunes) I gave up, LOL!
Culturally it is a huge difference. Maybe if you lived in the East Bay suburbs it would be less of a change. I lived in the City a short period of time and then moved out because it wasn't for me, but I left behind a GF and a lot of people who quite frankly could not live anywhere else. Sure it's cheaper everywhere else but that kind of speaks to the unique place it is. To my point of view there are a lot of places you could go Vegas is just one. Look at many and pick one if you really want out, but highly unlikely Vegas is the one place that makes sense more than others.
To me, Reno has more in common with the San Francisco / Northern California "vibe". It's more outdoorsy, lots of history, close to more outdoorsy things and you'll find more Bay Area transplants living in the Reno / Carson area.
Las Vegas is a lot more influenced by L.A. and Southern California, by both proximity and culture.
If you think you could do okay in L.A., then you'll probably do okay in Vegas too.
If you're still attached to the Bay Area culturally and emotionally, then a place like Sacramento or Reno would be more to your liking, I'm sure.
To me, Reno has more in common with the San Francisco / Northern California "vibe". It's more outdoorsy, lots of history, close to more outdoorsy things and you'll find more Bay Area transplants living in the Reno / Carson area.
If you're still attached to the Bay Area culturally and emotionally, then a place like Sacramento or Reno would be more to your liking, I'm sure.
We go up to Tahoe/Reno once a year or so and a lot of the cars with California plates are from Bay Area communities (especially the gamblers). Reno even carries Channel 2 from San Francisco on some local cable (They have their own fox affiliate in Reno, but for some reason all the hotels we have stayed at there carry KTVU 2 from SF which is heavy on news programs). I've also met California transplants and most were from the bay area. They skipped over Sacramento for Reno because it has the scenery of the Bay Area, better weather, better outdoors activities, and a lot of the people (Sacramento is mostly flat delta land and feels more like Louisiana).
Most Vegas Californians are from SoCal. Anyone who has spent more than a few years in SoCal knows at least two or three people who moved to Vegas. It's a common occurrence and they don't always stay there.
That being said, Las Vegas is its own duck. There is nowhere else that has a similar feel to it. Even Phoenix, another desert mountain city, is much more master-planned and family oriented. Vegas is Vegas so no one can really say if someone will like it or not (unless they hate heat).
We go up to Tahoe/Reno once a year or so and a lot of the cars with California plates are from Bay Area communities (especially the gamblers). Reno even carries Channel 2 from San Francisco on some local cable (They have their own fox affiliate in Reno, but for some reason all the hotels we have stayed at there carry KTVU 2 from SF which is heavy on news programs). I've also met California transplants and most were from the bay area. They skipped over Sacramento for Reno because it has the scenery of the Bay Area, better weather, better outdoors activities, and a lot of the people (Sacramento is mostly flat delta land and feels more like Louisiana).
Most Vegas Californians are from SoCal. Anyone who has spent more than a few years in SoCal knows at least two or three people who moved to Vegas. It's a common occurrence and they don't always stay there.
That being said, Las Vegas is its own duck. There is nowhere else that has a similar feel to it. Even Phoenix, another desert mountain city, is much more master-planned and family oriented. Vegas is Vegas so no one can really say if someone will like it or not (unless they hate heat).
Sorry but Phoenix is much more the sprawling unplanned megalopolis than Las Vegas. That is for locals...tourists don't understand this well as they see mostly the strip.
Sorry but Phoenix is much more the sprawling unplanned megalopolis than Las Vegas. That is for locals...tourists don't understand this well as they see mostly the strip.
Most of the Vegas valley is unincorporated communities. The entire southwest valley is unincorporated. Even the strip area is not actually part of the city of Las Vegas. You an see this in roadways that are non-continuous across the valley.
Phoenix has the Maricopa association of governments that helps direct projects. I'm not saying one way is better or worse. I'm saying Vegas is unique. I've never been in another city that has the same look or feel. But I've been in Vegas enough to know that locals don't like non-locals commenting on the city outside of the strip. As evidenced in your response.
Most of the Vegas valley is unincorporated communities. The entire southwest valley is unincorporated. Even the strip area is not actually part of the city of Las Vegas. You an see this in roadways that are non-continuous across the valley.
Phoenix has the Maricopa association of governments that helps direct projects. I'm not saying one way is better or worse. I'm saying Vegas is unique. I've never been in another city that has the same look or feel. But I've been in Vegas enough to know that locals don't like non-locals commenting on the city outside of the strip. As evidenced in your response.
As I said many do not understand Las Vegas. The biggest municipal government in Las Vegas is in fact Clark County. And it is far and away the richest government. Some claim the Clark County Commission is in fact the most powerful government entity in the state of NV. In some ways that is true.
There are many things unique to LV and NV. For instance the school system for Clark County is in fact a state agency with no ties to local goverment.
Discontinuity in roads has nothing to do with local government. It deals with the way road improvements are funded in NV. And Clark County is sufficiently powerful and wealthy to actually build a freeway without sufficient outside funding. See the 215 beltway.
To me, Reno has more in common with the San Francisco / Northern California "vibe". It's more outdoorsy, lots of history, close to more outdoorsy things and you'll find more Bay Area transplants living in the Reno / Carson area.
Las Vegas is a lot more influenced by L.A. and Southern California, by both proximity and culture.
If you think you could do okay in L.A., then you'll probably do okay in Vegas too.
If you're still attached to the Bay Area culturally and emotionally, then a place like Sacramento or Reno would be more to your liking, I'm sure.
Thanks for your feedback!
Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in the Reno area and I don't believe my job has an office out there either (the location has to have an office, even if I work remotely). I do visit L.A. often. Several times over the last 14 years. I actually prefer the vibe of Las Vegas more so than L.A. As showy as Vegas is, it doesn't come across as fake as L.A. does at times (at least the scene I'm into). The people seem more laid back, go with the flow, live and let live attitude in Vegas which is what I'm used to. And this is just based on my visits since 2015 when my BFF moved out there and I was able to see what life was like off the strip. I've visited her about 3 times since then and I've stayed for about a week each time.
I'm also not outdoorsy...like at all. I've never gone hiking here except when I was forced to in Middle School gym. I did venture off the Red Rocks last year but I didn't get very far, LOL! I'll take an indoor gym any day! Or a nice long walk around Fremont st.
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! And I read something about bats?! 
). People tell me if I do regular bug sprays and use DE I should be fine (that is if I owned a home as I believe some of the better apartment complexes do regular bug sprayings). I know there are other cities that offer similar low cost of living but Vegas is close to SF, I already have a support system there, and I actually like the non-Summer weather (I would have to invest in a good moisturizer cause that dry winter there kinda sucks. I've never been so ashy in my life. But my friend's apartment had central heating so i was comfortable. My apartment has a crappy little wall heater that takes a good 4 hours on high to heat the room. My fingers went numb numerous times. It sucks.). But I know that if for whatever reason, if Vegas doesn't mesh well for for me, I will not be able to live on my own in SF again. I'd most definitely would have to move back in with my parents (love them but I'm almost 40!). So, if I move, there is no turning back which is why this is hard for me.
