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Old 04-24-2007, 08:24 AM
 
29 posts, read 78,440 times
Reputation: 11

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Honestly - the weather is a big factor but so are the people. I want him to grow up some place that is culturally diverse and that will have greater opportunities for both him and I.

Plus - have you ever lived in Wisconsin? The fact that we have to stay cooped up in the house literally 8-9 months out of the year is enough to drive anyone crazy! There are not many museums nor many indoor facilities to take a hyper 5-year old to in Milwaukee - nor do I feel like driving an hour and a half every weekend to take him to Chicago so he can let off some of that steam. And yes - I've considered Illinois -but their traffic and congestion seems to be almost as bad as California's - and their winters are not any better than Wisconsin's.
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Old 04-24-2007, 10:19 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles
644 posts, read 3,325,103 times
Reputation: 338
Quote:
Originally Posted by mnaya View Post
I never even considered Texas - much less Austin. I really do appreciate everyone's feedback and pointing out specific cities (as opposed to general areas) really helps me to research these places more thoroughly as opposed to having a sea of information where I have to sort through. It's amazing to me though how so many people who live in California - see other states as being better than where they are now.
Go visit the Austin board. People love it there. It is not like the rest of Texas. It's a very fun liberal place to live. I may eventually move there too but I'm going to head up the pac northwest for the summer.

Artie
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Old 04-24-2007, 12:02 PM
 
29 posts, read 78,440 times
Reputation: 11
Artie -

What about areas of California not in Orange County? Such as San Diego or the Bay Area?
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Old 04-24-2007, 01:34 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
644 posts, read 3,325,103 times
Reputation: 338
Quote:
Originally Posted by mnaya View Post
Artie -

What about areas of California not in Orange County? Such as San Diego or the Bay Area?
Mnaya,

The Bay Area is gorgeous, but even more expensive than Los Angeles. You have a whole country to choose from. Why come to an area where cost of living is so high? You are a young woman just starting out and you have a baby to raise. This makes it that much harder for you. I took a drive down the I5 to Irvine on Sunday and made a return trip up the coast. I stopped in Long Beach, took a walk down Second Street, and then walked down to the beach to see the water. I lived in Long Beach in the 80s after I graduated from Cal State Long Beach. I was amazed out how different everything was, and not for the better. I saw several more oil drills out in the water. Second Street was crowded with people and had a lot more chain stores and restaurants. The whole Southern California area has gotten so crowded, so commercialized. And it's not pretty here. You'll find some pretty spots, yes, for example, I took a little hike up a nature trail in Tustin on Sunday, and it was lovely. I've seen sunsets in San Capistrano that take my breath away. But for the most part, California consists of huge freeway systems, telephone wires, cars backed up on the freeway, and lots and lots of cement and asphalt. As I keep telling you, it is a hard place to live and an even harder place to raise a baby. If you were my daughter, I would tell you to move somewhere where you will find more traditional values, a place where you can make lifelong friends, find a good man, maybe a husband, and afford a good home one day. In other words, find the BEST VALUE for your money. Finding a good value means you don't have to work so hard and you can spend more time with baby. California is a dreamland. It's a place to come and party, throw money to the wind, and live it up. (People here have lost all concept of money.) Do I think you can survive here? Yes, if you are a smart woman, hard working, you will be okay. But I think it is going to be hard. And having a few friends here is not going to make that much of a difference.

Be a value shopper. Did you go and visit the Austin Board? Have you talked to a realtor in Austin to get an idea of apartment prices? Have you compared job opportunities here and in Austin? Have you started sending out resumes to see how many bites you get? Have you checked out the cost of daycare? What about school systems? You want your baby to get the best education possible. Because the people he meets in grade school and in high school are going to have a big influence on him. You want to minimize his exposure to drugs and thugs as much as possible. Keep in mind that rents in an area where there are good schools are going to be even higher because everyone wants to live there. Your child is going to be your biggest measure of success in life. Invest in him.

Artie
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Old 04-25-2007, 12:05 AM
 
17 posts, read 66,074 times
Reputation: 27
Default Don't come here

$1000 per month is rent from 20 years ago. California is overpopulated, and full of criminals and drugs. The school system is deplorable. I know a school teacher who teaches 5th grade math in a "nice" community in OC. The math she teaches to these students very simplistic that should be for 2nd grade. I recently spoke with some Malibu high school students that had never heard of Switzerland. Your children will learn nothing in CA public schools, and they could be victims of assault.

If you're very wealthy, you can have an ok life here. You still have to deal with the crowded freeways, crime, overpopulation, and pollution, but there are some nice neighborhoods. You could live in a million dollar+ home in a gated community with a nice view. You could send your children to a nice private school. They will receive a good education and not have to worry about being assaulted every day. If you're not very wealthy, you cannot have a nice life here. You will live in an apartment building with pyscho neighbors who deal drugs and play loud music. There is no middle class anymore. California is hell, please visit before you make such a move.
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Old 04-25-2007, 01:03 AM
 
82 posts, read 522,742 times
Reputation: 43
Default "full of criminals and drugs"????

Quote:
Originally Posted by directsci View Post
$1000 per month is rent from 20 years ago. California is overpopulated, and full of criminals and drugs. The school system is deplorable. I know a school teacher who teaches 5th grade math in a "nice" community in OC. The math she teaches to these students very simplistic that should be for 2nd grade. I recently spoke with some Malibu high school students that had never heard of Switzerland. Your children will learn nothing in CA public schools, and they could be victims of assault.

If you're very wealthy, you can have an ok life here. You still have to deal with the crowded freeways, crime, overpopulation, and pollution, but there are some nice neighborhoods. You could live in a million dollar+ home in a gated community with a nice view. You could send your children to a nice private school. They will receive a good education and not have to worry about being assaulted every day. If you're not very wealthy, you cannot have a nice life here. You will live in an apartment building with pyscho neighbors who deal drugs and play loud music. There is no middle class anymore. California is hell, please visit before you make such a move.
I've lived in 9 locations around L.A. for 58 years and I've never heard a gunshot fired here and I've never been approached by a drug dealer.

I read that when the film "Colors" was being filmed in South Central L.A., they had to pause filming now and then until shooting around the neighborhood stopped so the film would only have their shooting in it.

I've never heard of anyone who has said anything positive about the LAUSD, many put their kids into private schools or schools of another local city.
I used to commute riduculous distances but now I do what is necessary to keep my jobs very close to home.
The freeways are jammed much of the time, many streets too. But many people work around that and are happy here.
Its easy to stay upwind from the air pollution towards the beaches. Can't beat the weather here.
I've drank bottled water for about 20 years.
I'm not wealthy by any measure and I stay real close to the beach. I'm about as middle class as one can get.
"If you're not very wealthy, you cannot have a nice life here."????
I don't know what you're smoking, but please don't pass it around.
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Old 04-25-2007, 07:29 AM
 
29 posts, read 78,440 times
Reputation: 11
My impression of any place is that you deal with the good and the bad of it. While I definitely wouldn't consider myself wealthy living in California - researching the jobs out there that are in my field would put me at a decent salary range. But I am definitely doing my research in terms of areas and jobs in California as well as a few other cities suggested to me.
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Old 04-25-2007, 10:53 AM
 
Location: Thousand Oaks, California
10,408 posts, read 2,601,973 times
Reputation: 1493
I just wanted to add a more positive spin on the subject...

I have lived in S. California all my life & I love it. Ok, I do live in a very safe, beautiful area, but...

I think it is doable. You have TONS of cities in California to choose from! I would not suggest Los Angeles, find something on the outskirts somewhere. I live in Ventura County, which is northwest of LA. For about $1500 you can get an apt. in Moorpark, Simi Valley, Ventura, Oxnard (parts of Oxnard are pretty scary, but other areas are quite nice). I just looked on craigslist and there were plenty of apts in the area & even a small house, close to the beach: http://ventura.craigslist.org/apa/317372953.html (broken link)

San Luis Obispo area is not terribly expensive and you may be able to find some nice areas there. Again, randomly pulled up craigslist for SLO and found this: http://slo.craigslist.org/apa/318195905.html (broken link) in Grover Beach. And here is a nice one in Paso Robles: http://slo.craigslist.org/apa/317487432.html (broken link)
I dont know anything about that area, but I just wanted to show that there are options. Everyone is trying to keep you from even looking at California, Im sorry I dont agree that its not a great place to live & raise a child.

There ARE nice areas in California where it doesn't cost a fortune to live. There are places that are not crime ridden, places with good schools, places that are very nice!

Dont give up!
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Old 04-25-2007, 11:14 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles
644 posts, read 3,325,103 times
Reputation: 338
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoCalMomma View Post
I just wanted to add a more positive spin on the subject...

I have lived in S. California all my life & I love it. Ok, I do live in a very safe, beautiful area, but...

I think it is doable. You have TONS of cities in California to choose from! I would not suggest Los Angeles, find something on the outskirts somewhere. I live in Ventura County, which is northwest of LA. For about $1500 you can get an apt. in Moorpark, Simi Valley, Ventura, Oxnard (parts of Oxnard are pretty scary, but other areas are quite nice). I just looked on craigslist and there were plenty of apts in the area & even a small house, close to the beach: http://ventura.craigslist.org/apa/317372953.html (broken link)

San Luis Obispo area is not terribly expensive and you may be able to find some nice areas there. Again, randomly pulled up craigslist for SLO and found this: http://slo.craigslist.org/apa/318195905.html (broken link) in Grover Beach. And here is a nice one in Paso Robles: http://slo.craigslist.org/apa/317487432.html (broken link)
I dont know anything about that area, but I just wanted to show that there are options. Everyone is trying to keep you from even looking at California, Im sorry I dont agree that its not a great place to live & raise a child.

There ARE nice areas in California where it doesn't cost a fortune to live. There are places that are not crime ridden, places with good schools, places that are very nice!

Dont give up!
My cousin lives in Paso Robles and is raising her two girls there. She and her (now ex) husband bought a small house and some land there for around $150K about 15 years ago. More recently the property was valued at around $800K. Paso Robles has become a HUGE wine area. I see it written up in all the magazines now. It still is a nice area, good weather, not as crowded as Los Angeles. SoCalMomma is right. You can find areas in CA that are affordable and schools are good, but you have to look outside of Los Angeles county.

Artie
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Old 04-25-2007, 12:13 PM
 
77 posts, read 633,690 times
Reputation: 67
mnaya ,

artichoke63 has said it all ,I find her post to be very sincere and very realistic .But if u still have your heart set on living in California (I fully can understand the feeling ),then maybe the city of Rancho Cucamonga is a good choice for you ,it is safe and relatively affordable (California's standards) .check the Mountainside Apartments there for prices ,wish you all luck in whatever you decide .

And to those who don't agree with artichoke ,would you plz show me where one can find a 2 bd apartment for not more than $1k/month in a safe,close to the beach,good weather city with good school ?
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