Considering to relocate from California to Minnesota, Please give me some feedback! (people, looking for)

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Just an FYI, there are some people on this board that consider themselves more sophisticated then others because they live in Minneapolis. They also mistakenly assume that one is isolated in the suburbs because apparently there is NOTHING to do in the suburbs like go out to eat or go to a bar. Just ignore them and continue to post your helpful suggestions.

Keep in mind that there are also people on this board who are a little sensitive, perhaps sometimes overly sensitive, because vast parts of the city and certain suburbs are too often painted as undesirable. Given that in this case we don't know whether the posters want a city or a suburban environment, or what kind of urban OR suburban neighborhood they want, it's too early for any of us to be providing details about where specifically in the metro area this couple would want to live. So please, please, let's not make this into a suburb versus city thing. (which would make little sense to someone used to living in the LA area, anyway; it's a different kind of metro area, and there's far less of a suburban versus city distinction than there is in the Twin Cities.)

[Beenaroundabit]

FWIW, I lived in Burnsville for 3 years from 1997-2000. I worked in St. Paul and my wife worked in Bloomington, so much of our time was spent in the Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley area.

We are not what you would call "city people." We left DC for MN partially that very reason. That said, we found that the southern suburbs had everything we needed as far as shopping, entertainment (movies and restauarants), etc. And when we wanted something those 'burbs didn't have, Minneapolis was an easy drive away. Best of both worlds, IMO.

In any case, I don't think the Twin Cities is comparable to what your day-to-day "urban" experience is in SoCal, so if you want something different, anywhere in MN would probably fit that bill.

I think the sugestion to rent was an excellent one. Other than not being stuck if you find that MN is not your cup of tea, you can also take your time and explore the state, maybe find another MN community that fits you better or discover additional job opportunities that you might not be able to land via perusing ads on the internet. That's what we did. Took us 9 years and multiple relocations in the interim to get back to that community, but we finally did it. I would advise against doing it that way, if you can avoid it, BTW .

Good luck!

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by SoCaliButterfly

Yellowsnow,

I will really consider the advice you gave me regarding renting first! I have heard all the kinds of opinions about the weather. I guess the smarter thing to do is to experience it for myselft before we decide to buy a home there.

Quick question,

Are Minnesotans coffee drinkers? Are coffee shops popular of there? We are coffee drinkers, and love to go out to the coffee shops to read and relax.

Thanks for the great advice!

There's a coffee shop on every other corner. Most are the usual chains but there are some independents. It's cold and we need coffee.

Renting is a good idea. You will get to know the area and discover where you really want to live. If you buy, it's only fair that you know it will be years before you can probably expect to do anything better than break even on the sale of your home. If you buy and decide Winter is too much and you want to leave in a year, you will lose lots of money.

Good luck!

[CO_Rider]

Originally Posted by SoCaliButterfly

We currently have no kids and we are considering to relocate to Minnesota. I have heard and read great things about Minnesota but I am really scared of the cold weather. I do not like the heat and much rather live in a colder place but I am afraid that Minnesota would be too cold.

You are right. MN does get very cold and not only that it is the length of the winters. Summer is short and flies by.
Lots of cloudy gloomy days. If you are determined it is MN that you want, take a look at Rochester area.

I was born & raised in central MN. Upon retirement 16 yrs ago we moved to Western Colorado. If we were to move back it would be because of family living there. And then it would probably be to South Dakota because of the horrible taxes in MN.

For your age group, take a look at Montrose, CO or a larger city would be Grand Junction. I'll guarantee there are so many things to see and do that you may not have time to do them all. Plus great weather to enjoy.

[lisapalomino]

The winters are long !! If you don't mind bareless trees for 7 months or more, than you will love it here. I am waiting for my youngest to graduate so I can leave this state. If you do decide to move here, I would suggest Plymouth. A nice city, close to the downtown area. Beautiful lakes and home value is good. It does get cold and there is snow on the ground from about November till mid April. Fall is wonderful. Summers are hot and humid with too many mosquitos. I would come here for a week this winter before you pick up and move.

[lazlaz]

Originally Posted by SoCaliButterfly

Hi Everyone! I came accross this great web site and thought of trying to get some feedback on the situation below.

My husband(31) and I(29) have been married for two years now and lived here in Southern California. We currently have no kids and we are considering to relocate to Minnesota. I have heard and read great things about Minnesota but I am really scared of the cold weather. I do not like the heat and much rather live in a colder place but I am afraid that Minnesota would be too cold.

Our purpose to move is so that we can buy our first home and then begin to start our family in a much better enviroment.

California has great weather but even with the drop in realestate, it still seems almost unlikely for us to be able to afford a house here.

I have a BA on Marketing and my husband has worked for his fathers Marbel and Granite installation business for many years now. His father business has been servicing Southern California for the last 23 years.

First question, how is the job market for both the Marbel and Granite installation and a Marketing degree in Minnesota?

Also, I would like to know which Minnesota cities would be best to look at in terms of the job market?
My husband and I are pretty mellow but have lived in this big city almost all of our life. We definetely wouldn't want to live in a isolated city but rather in a city that offers options of things to do.

Lastly, I am bilingual (spanish) is that something that can be a plus for me when looking for a job? How big is the hispanic population in Minnesota?


I would appreciate any feedback or advice! Thanks

You will be in for change that is for sure. It is cold but beautiful.
Northern MN last winter was a chilly one but from what I was told a bit unusual. I snowed everyday or every other day. Still pretty though.
People in these parts spend the winter ice fishing, curling, and other indoor activities. The schools are huge on hockey. When your not working there are many bike trails, cross country ski trails and a few down hill ski areas. So far this spring summer it didn't really go over mid 70s but 1 or 2 days or so it seems. People still plant gardens and feast on the free veggies. There is hunting, tons of deer and you may just see a bear or 2.

[minnesotajack]

I lived in many places in MN for 40 years, before moving to so california -- san diego.

five months of winter means snow angels and baking cookies to you, but to your husband, it's going to mean five months of driving down icy roads, and freezing while he installs countertops in unheated townhomes. For a couple months every year, it will be dark in the morning when he goes ro work, and dark -- I mean, black sky, by the time he gets home. It will be so cold that you will not want to go outside and exercise. You will probably get a little fat. You may develop a few sedentary habits, like watching TV, drinking alot, eating alot, or worse, smoking. In the winter, construction slows down. the last two years were so slow -- construction stopped --that I personally lost everything i've worked for the last ten years. forty percent of the men in my trade, plumbers, were laid off, and many more on reduced hours.

friends from distant countries (china, somalia) asked me why did I stay in Minnesota? One person likened it to Siberia. I told her Siberia was for political criminals.

"What crime did you commit?" she asked, straight faced.

Faced with another winter in Minnesota on unemployment, I decided it was time to arrange a move.

I moved to San Diego last month, and got a job in my field within five business days, ft about fifty percent higher pay than minneapolis with benefits. Bigger project than any I worked on in Minneapolis-St.Paul. This is a recession?

It snowed in minneapolis last week, but here in Poway it was about 70 and sunny. And I have a job. I personally don't miss Minnesota.

Is MN a good place to raise kids? seems that depends more on the parents that where the kids are raised. There's good and bad people everywhere. But, I will say the first time i drove through redondo beach i thought this would be a great place to grow up! If you think MN is all "little house on the prairie" think again, there's drug dealers in every town, at every highschool, same as california. If you think you can move to MN and let the community raise your kids instead of you, you're going to pay the price.

Being bilingual with Spanish will help if you work at a bank or fast food resturaunt in Minnesota. There are not any (local) Spanish media or advertising, like there is in CA. .

now you can take your kid to see california, the ocean, yosemite, joshua trees, death valley, the giant trees, the getty, the sunsets, the endless summer in SD, drive to the grand canyon on holiday weekends. If i took that from my kid, and made him sit through five times eighteeen months of winter, so I could have a "nice suburban house' instead of a "fixer upper" I would consider myself materialistic and selfish.

[marmac]

If a person moves from climate extremes ( CA to MN) it would help to visit their future place in the seasom that differs the most.

I realize a visit is different than living there , but if ine can spend a week and visualize if they would want this for an entire season.


The same is true for the opposite re-location ( MN to AZ/FLA )

Try to visit it during the worst month.

[asitshouldbe]

Suburban life doesn't mean isolation. I live in the suburbs and we are busy all the time.
The job market in counter tops is not good right now. We have a friend who was in that business for several years and is now unemployed. I am not sure about the Marketing, but you have a BA so that should help quite a bit.
I have lived in MN all my life and it does get cold, but if you dress properly you'll be fine.
I am surprised you would want to move here. My sister moved to San Diego 14 years ago and they love it.
Heck , I love it , every time we visit I never want to come home.
There is a large hispanic community in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Fridley, Columbia Heights, Anoka and the edge of Andover.

[asitshouldbe]

Originally Posted by minnesotajack

I lived in many places in MN for 40 years, before moving to so california -- san diego.

five months of winter means snow angels and baking cookies to you, but to your husband, it's going to mean five months of driving down icy roads, and freezing while he installs countertops in unheated townhomes. For a couple months every year, it will be dark in the morning when he goes ro work, and dark -- I mean, black sky, by the time he gets home. It will be so cold that you will not want to go outside and exercise. You will probably get a little fat. You may develop a few sedentary habits, like watching TV, drinking alot, eating alot, or worse, smoking. In the winter, construction slows down. the last two years were so slow -- construction stopped --that I personally lost everything i've worked for the last ten years. forty percent of the men in my trade, plumbers, were laid off, and many more on reduced hours.

friends from distant countries (china, somalia) asked me why did I stay in Minnesota? One person likened it to Siberia. I told her Siberia was for political criminals.

"What crime did you commit?" she asked, straight faced.

Faced with another winter in Minnesota on unemployment, I decided it was time to arrange a move.

I moved to San Diego last month, and got a job in my field within five business days, ft about fifty percent higher pay than minneapolis with benefits. Bigger project than any I worked on in Minneapolis-St.Paul. This is a recession?

It snowed in minneapolis last week, but here in Poway it was about 70 and sunny. And I have a job. I personally don't miss Minnesota.

Is MN a good place to raise kids? seems that depends more on the parents that where the kids are raised. There's good and bad people everywhere. But, I will say the first time i drove through redondo beach i thought this would be a great place to grow up! If you think MN is all "little house on the prairie" think again, there's drug dealers in every town, at every highschool, same as california. If you think you can move to MN and let the community raise your kids instead of you, you're going to pay the price.

Being bilingual with Spanish will help if you work at a bank or fast food resturaunt in Minnesota. There are not any (local) Spanish media or advertising, like there is in CA. .

now you can take your kid to see california, the ocean, yosemite, joshua trees, death valley, the giant trees, the getty, the sunsets, the endless summer in SD, drive to the grand canyon on holiday weekends. If i took that from my kid, and made him sit through five times eighteeen months of winter, so I could have a "nice suburban house' instead of a "fixer upper" I would consider myself materialistic and selfish.

You are obviously a MN "hater" .
That is completely rude and unjustified to say that they are materialistic and selfish to move to colder climate.
If they want to own a home that they can afford, how dare you say anything against that.
MN has a better quality of life than CA in general. The weather might not be as nice, but we don't have wildfires, a bankrupt state or as high of unemployment.
We have many beautiful places to visit and sight see here.