Anyone else moved from Maryland to SoCal? What are the tangible differences to everyday life (San Diego: big house, neighborhoods)

[mrneonshuffle]

This is all hypothetical but I am job hunting and considering moving to SoCal from Maryland (the company I work for has a job posted in Valencia that I have applied for).

I wondered if there was anyone else from MD (if it's from Montgomery County even better) who has moved to SoCal who would be able to inform me of the tangible differences to everyday life?

For example:

Housing costs - could I get a 4BD, 2BA single family home for under $500k anywhere near Valencia?
Cost of living -
Winter weather - I'm sick of the cold weather and wondered just how warm winters are there?

Any other interesting differences/information people can provide would be appreciated (sarcastic/disparaging comments less so!)

Thanks a lot!

[StreetLegal]

Yes, the winters are warmer but don't be fooled into thinking LA/So.Calif. winters are like Hawaii or even Miami.

Typical winter temperatures are: highs in the high 60's and lows in high 40's/low 50's. Yes, we still have plenty of January days in the 70's or even low 80's like this weekend....

More important is the summer weather here is 100 times better/more comfortable than Maryland. I lived in Wash, DC for a few years. Forget about it. A typical summer day in most parts of LA County is 100 times more bearable than the miserable humidity in DC/Maryland.

Valencia is in an area referred to as the Santa Clarita Valley....very suburban and kind of boring in my view. But a nice area for families, etc. if that is your thing.

[mrneonshuffle]

Thanks for your reply. My wife and I are "suburbanites" getting ready to start a family so something like Santa Clarita Valley sounds ideal IF we can afford it!

[kttam186290]

You can work in Valencia and live in the adjacent neighborhood of Saugus. Saugus is actually slightly more affordable than Valencia, but it is still quiet and suburban. Both Saugus and Valencia are part of the same city: Santa Clarita.

Beware of neighborhoods with Mello Roos taxes. Some of the newer ones will have those. A Realtor in the area will be able to guide you with regard to which ones have them. There are lots of neighborhoods with HOAs and quite a few without them.

The Santa Clarita Valley is a beautiful place, IMHO. It can get relatively warm in summer, but it is a nice place due to its location outside of the hustle-and-bustle of the SFV.

[Hawaii4evr]

I moved from San Diego to Bethesda, MD in 2008, and moved back to San Diego in 2011. While the DC Area has many great things going for it, SoCal is better, IMO, if you can afford it (but both areas are expensive).

Weather-Although the summer thunderstorms and overall greenery of the East Coast are better, the fact that SoCal is warmer the majority of the year with all types of subtropical flora easily beats MD. Also, the natural scenery and beaches in CA are better. I will say, though, that March-November is pretty in Maryland, whether it's the spring blossoms, summer greenery, or fall foliage.

People-I had some friends in Maryland, and some people were nice. But nobody knew how to relax. SoCal is more laid-back, but make no mistake, it's not Hawaii or Jamaica.

Culture-San Diego has museums, but DC is more known for museums and monuments, and museums are free there. LA, on the other hand, can only be equaled or beaten by NYC in that department, although DC and Philly are close. The culture of SoCal is very much geared towards the outdoor, healthy, laid-back lifestyle. In DC, it's about going to museums and work, generally speaking.

Jobs-Both places are expensive, probably more so in CA. But in DC, at least there's more jobs and better salaries. In CA, salaries are low relative to the COL. So MD and DC wins here.

Public Transportation/Walkability--Easily DC and its surrounding VA and MD suburbs. SoCal is more spread out. BUT, a positive of that is that you have more green space/quiet in residential areas due to the sprawl.

[Sarsippius]

I lived in St. Mary's County & Prince George's County and moved to San Jose...I was so excited about moving to California---the land of swimming pools & movie stars!

Two seasons: Hot & Dry, Wet & Cold----Baby, I missed the 4 seasons something awful!

Hardly ever any thunderstorms---I done missed the strobe lightning and sonic boom thunder of those Maryland summers!

No fireflies. No wild raspberries, blue berries, black berries, sasafrass trees...

Hardly any trees...except evergreens and palms...

Tiny front & back yards.

Houses about 3 feet apart at most.

And pardon me for sounding racist, but in Maryland it was mostly black & white, and in California it was a culture shock to encounter the large & growing populations of Mexicans, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Middle Eastern (mostly from India). I got along fine with everyone. Just saying.

It blew my mind the first time I saw a lowrider---and bouncing up & down at that!

So I know southern Cali is different from northern Cali, but they both ain't nothing as lovely as Maryland.

I am so glad I escaped California!

I would move back to Maryland if it weren't for the fact that I have a stronger desire to move to New England.

Maryland never got enough snow for my liking.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by Sarsippius

I lived in St. Mary's County & Prince George's County and moved to San Jose...I was so excited about moving to California---the land of swimming pools & movie stars!

Two seasons: Hot & Dry, Wet & Cold----Baby, I missed the 4 seasons something awful!

Hardly ever any thunderstorms---I done missed the strobe lightning and sonic boom thunder of those Maryland summers!

Coastal California rarely gets thunderstorms, but inland California -- both north and south -- will get the monsoonal flow during the Summer months, which produces some pretty good thunderstorms over the mountains and deserts.

Originally Posted by Sarsippius

No fireflies. No wild raspberries, blue berries, black berries, sasafrass trees...

Hardly any trees...except evergreens and palms...

I'm starting to wonder if you've really traveled extensively throughout the state. The Sierras are full of raspberry and blackberry brambles. Southern California's Ventura County is strawberry central! Ever been to the Redwoods and seen the biological diversity and variety of plant life there?

Originally Posted by Sarsippius

Tiny front & back yards.

Houses about 3 feet apart at most.

Again, how extensively have you traveled? The more dense a population area is, the less space and yardage you'll get. You can live in a small house crammed into a coastal community or live in a larger, two-story house with a huge yard 50 miles inland. House stock is so varied in California it's not funny!

I don't even know where to begin to address the rest of your post...

[Sarsippius]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Coastal California rarely gets thunderstorms, but inland California -- both north and south -- will get the monsoonal flow during the Summer months, which produces some pretty good thunderstorms over the mountains and deserts.



I'm starting to wonder if you've really traveled extensively throughout the state. The Sierras are full of raspberry and blackberry brambles. Southern California's Ventura County is strawberry central! Ever been to the Redwoods and seen the biological diversity and variety of plant life there?



Again, how extensively have you traveled? The more dense a population area is, the less space and yardage you'll get. You can live in a small house crammed into a coastal community or live in a larger, two-story house with a huge yard 50 miles inland. House stock is so varied in California it's not funny!

I don't even know where to begin to address the rest of your post...

The OP is talking about living in suburbia---and NOT the mountains or deserts.
The thunderstorms of California---both the LA area and the north---are NOTHING like the thunderstorms of the east coast. When I say "sonic boom" thunder, I ain't kidding! It'll rattle pictures off the wall! And when I say "strobe lightning"---I mean EXACTLY that. Multiple quick flashes so that when you see someone walking across the room or street, it looks like they are walking in a room with a strobe light on.

You're just an argumentative know-it-all, aren't you?

You didn't pay attention to any details of my post---so quick to jump down my throat and prove me wrong, eh tough guy?

The dude wants to live in the suburbs, dig? He ain't gonna find any wild fruit there!
In Maryland, since you don't know, our neighbourhoods are in the woods. Yes, even our suburban housing tracts are in the woods. The woods are in your backyard, capiche? You don't get that in California suburbs.

As for the housing, unless you're talking about rural living---which is not what the OP was talking about---then you will NOT find a big house with a big yard for 500K in the suburbs.

Got any more shots to take?
I'm right here.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by Sarsippius

The OP is talking about living in suburbia---and NOT the mountains or deserts.
The thunderstorms of California---both the LA area and the north---are NOTHING like the thunderstorms of the east coast. When I say "sonic boom" thunder, I ain't kidding! It'll rattle pictures off the wall! And when I say "strobe lightning"---I mean EXACTLY that. Multiple quick flashes so that when you see someone walking across the room or street, it looks like they are walking in a room with a strobe light on.

You're just an argumentative know-it-all, aren't you?

You didn't pay attention to any details of my post---so quick to jump down my throat and prove me wrong, eh tough guy?

The dude wants to live in the suburbs, dig? He ain't gonna find any wild fruit there!
In Maryland, since you don't know, our neighbourhoods are in the woods. Yes, even our suburban housing tracts are in the woods. The woods are in your backyard, capiche? You don't get that in California suburbs.

As for the housing, unless you're talking about rural living---which is not what the OP was talking about---then you will NOT find a big house with a big yard for 500K in the suburbs.

Got any more shots to take?
I'm right here.

Well, this^ is one of the few times I've seen what could best be described as a "Banty Rooster" on an internet forum....LOL!!!!!!

[PK12]

Originally Posted by Sarsippius

I lived in St. Mary's County & Prince George's County and moved to San Jose...I was so excited about moving to California---the land of swimming pools & movie stars!

Two seasons: Hot & Dry, Wet & Cold----Baby, I missed the 4 seasons something awful!

Hardly ever any thunderstorms---I done missed the strobe lightning and sonic boom thunder of those Maryland summers!

No fireflies. No wild raspberries, blue berries, black berries, sasafrass trees...

Hardly any trees...except evergreens and palms...

Tiny front & back yards.

Houses about 3 feet apart at most.

And pardon me for sounding racist, but in Maryland it was mostly black & white, and in California it was a culture shock to encounter the large & growing populations of Mexicans, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Middle Eastern (mostly from India). I got along fine with everyone. Just saying.

It blew my mind the first time I saw a lowrider---and bouncing up & down at that!

So I know southern Cali is different from northern Cali, but they both ain't nothing as lovely as Maryland.

I am so glad I escaped California!

I would move back to Maryland if it weren't for the fact that I have a stronger desire to move to New England.

Maryland never got enough snow for my liking.

Middle Easterners from India... HAHAHAHAHA most ignorant post of the year

And you truly must have lived caged up in PG county if you did not encounter the large Filipino and Salvadorean and Peruvian communities there