Moving from Orange County, CA to Madison ? (Franklin, Randall: sales, apartments)

[Milwaukee City]

LA is full of self-righteous, hypocritical, uncaring, and lazy people who are only looking for others to blame for their extreme shortcomings and lack of responisbility in this world. It is my personal HELL and has been for well over 20 years.

Don't take this the wrong way but you sound like a very bitter person who is full of regrets. Why live somewhere for 20yrs if it was so miserable? money can't be the only reason. Money shouldn't control how and where you live but values and morals. Money only controls how you live and you shouldn't let it affect your moods. Sorry to get philosophical on you. I have lived in SoCal for a year and never did I find the people uppity, there are a lot of pretentious people no matter where you go even in Madison there is a lot of uppity people. I am very conservative person in terms of political preference. I live in an area surrounded by very liberal people and I don't let how they live their lives and their values and morals affect me. I disagree with nearly everyone around me about political issue however we live amongst each in harmony. I'm well off and all my liberal neighborhrs really don't like capitalism or people that like nice things but we get along. I don't look down on them and them don't look down on me. Why?...it's a choice we make. If your experience with people was too many materialistic people.....who cares!!! that's there choice you don't have to keep up with the joneses if you don't want to. There is also a reason so many people live in cali and only 6 million live in WI.

But it sounds like you should've have moved 20yrs ago, but anyways best of luck try to see the bottle half full.

[mommyntheoc]

Moderator cut: see comment

Good point you bring up...I grew up here so I have been here all 28 years of my life...so the simple answer to your question is that I was forced to be here by my family my entire life until I graduated college and the month after I graduated I packed up and moved out of CA! It was WONDERFUL! But then, I fell in love with my husband, who was attending graduate school in CA...right back in Orange County, where I was before...and so I moved back to be with him and be married and create this beautiful little children we have now! I have seen southern CA turn from on par with other parts of the country as far as manners and treating others with respect to everyone hating each other everywhere, tension in the air all the time, and you can barely cross a street here in OC without having someone try to run you over because those 3 seconds that they have to wait are just TOO much for them to give to another human being. (each part of CA is very different, but no where can you find a large grouping of kind people anywhere near orange county at this point in time)

Sooo...this is our first opportunity to leave again, and we will, the day after my husband's graduation (he receives his PhD on June 6) :-) I'm in no way bitter or angry, but I also think you perhaps did not live in the same area as I do. If I travel 10 miles south, it is MUCH different than the 10 miles north of here.

Politically speaking, I'm very liberal, and I'm in the only coastal conservative, Republican county in the state! lol Needless to say, I disagree with everyone on just about everything here. They are not even willing to listen to my side, as you speak of neighbors with mutual respect, my experience here in the last 10 years has been filled with overgrown children with children. It is just sad and somewhat disheartening to see what is happening here. People are more concerned with materialism, as you say, and I keep it out of my house, but I have to explain it to my young children who can't understand this world around them. I am choosing to bring them up in a place that fits our ethics and values, but this is the first chance we have had to make that decision as a family. And Madison sounds just up our alley, much more so than OC will ever be.

Each person fits in differently in different places, I've just felt like a Martian on Venus here for years. This is the first time I'll be able to move AND keep our family together, since my family is first, I've suffered through OC...but at last, our time has come :-)

The "reason" there are more ppl in CA is simple...money as you mentioned and the beach/weather as I mentioned. People don't like seasons, they like tropical vacations on the equator. I'm not one of those people.

And I have to tell you, your post made me smile, because even though you do not agree with your neighbors or with me, you still said it respectfully and honestly...and that is something you will not find in many, if any, people here! :-) Thank you VERY much for your post, I'm sorry they deleted it...it made me really feel even more so that ppl in WI are much more understanding and respectful, let's just call it considerate, than I have ever seen in OC, CA. I'll be happy to update you once we move, 96 days to go (add me as a friend and that way I can find ya on here)...

Take care and feel free to private msg me, I'm guessing that they removed the posts because somebody flagged them as angry??? LOL...that is the problem with people...too sensitive with opinions...everyone is entitled to their own. :-) I really appreciated you sharing yours!

[mommyntheoc]

Oops...I should have mentioned that I wasn't here ALL 28 years....I went to college in San Diego...and then lived in Idaho for 2 years. Sooo that puts us up to just over 20 years :-) but not 28 :-) Which goes along with the Moderator cut: orphaned - substitute "earlier" post of "over 20 years" - hehe - my brain is just not helping me out tonight with the wording & math skills - LOL

[Milwaukee City]

I am choosing to bring them up in a place that fits our ethics and values, but this is the first chance we have had to make that decision as a family. And Madison sounds just up our alley, much more so than OC will ever be.

I say this as a friend. As much as I hate Madison, I think you won't find a place that will make you as happy as you will be there. It's very liberal just like you and it's safe and small and very easy to navigate. People in Madison like to refer it to "The Berkley of The Midwest" even though I think their goals of becoming that are lofty. Moderator cut: see comment

[mommyntheoc]

Bowie...you are cracking me up! :-) Thank you for protecting me, but I find it really refreshing to be able to see the differences in the opinions of people in the different areas of the country - it is quite enlightening! I also think it is relevant and on topic, because my decision to move to a new area is in a large part based on the attitudes and opinions of people in those places....Milwaukee City's replies in this thread have been very helpful in helping show that differing opinions can still be stated in a respectful way. I'm not offended, I'm enlightened and very appreciative for your hard work and the opinions of all the users in this forum! Just wanted to add that...I hope you don't delete it...I think it is very important to understand the people in different areas to make a wise decision about relocating! Thanks!!!!

[Madtown RM]

That's the whole problem with this country! People think if you have different opinions you're fighting. Americans should learn to debate things in a civil fashion instead of thinking everyone always has to agree. The issues are not black and white, there are many shades of gray! In general I think you will find mommyntheoc that Madison is a very tolerant place where there is room for a lot of diversity of opinions and lifestyles. What did you think of that website I sent you? Two of my friends used her and said she was terrific.

[mommyntheoc]

The link was definitely helpful, Madtown! I really appreciate your sharing it! Now if I could just figure out some way to filter down the results to the Madison metro and surrounding areas...although I'm starting to familiarize with some of the town names, it isn't an instant connection.

We're still debating whether to live close enough to walk to downtown or to live out in the burbs...we have 2 boys...a not quite 18 month old and 3 year old - both are very active, walk a few miles per day already (well more so the 3 yr old, the 1 yr old walks but not that far yet, maybe 1/2 mile tops), and we really need to have a park closeby.

We have rather unique tastes so the cookie cutter houses in the burbs aren't looking too attractive to us. We're into homes with more character and we definitely need to have a yard with gardening space. We're looking to rent for 3-6 months before buying...which should be challenging enough, just to find a house on a short term lease. Overall, I'm VERY excited...95 days to go :-)

Any other suggestions, advice, or knowledge is much appreciated! Our current debate is mostly in what part of Madison we would best fit into and enjoy living (even short term/rental).

[Megan1967]

Based on everything you've said so far I have to recommend against the "burbs." They are much more conservative and, well, bland.

[mommyntheoc]

I'm leaning in that direction too, we'd really like to be within a few miles of walking to the farmer's markets on Saturdays if possible, but not surrounded by frat houses. Do any neighborhoods fit that bill? If so, can you give me some major cross-streets to look within for housing options? It would at least help us to aim for a rental in that area and then once we have moved there, we can explore much more on our own as far as long-term.

We're looking at taking a weekend trip to Madison after finding some places online to look in person and sign a lease. It looks like on CL your rentals are already selling out for August! Yikes. Is it a problem locating a house to rent for June usually? And do you know when the best month would be for us to go househunting for the weekend? I feel like this is a totally different world than here,people are very last minute around these parts (us not included). LOL

[Madtown RM]

There are a whole bunch of search shortcuts on that site I sent you. For what you are describing I would recommend clicking (on the homepage) these neighborhoods:

Sunset Village
Westmorland
Dudgeon-Monroe
University Heights
West Side Homes
Nakoma

Also, after you look at a few the system will start sending you other listings automatically that are similar. Alternatively you could create your own search from the Listings submenu.

If all else fails just contact Jolenta through the site and she'll set it up for you. She's super helpful and can show you any property you want anytime (even nights & weekends). Seriously, she is the BEST!