A realistic look at SoCal for those planning a move here (Sacramento: car registration, insurance)

[legal_eagle]

Originally Posted by mbell75

So you like to sit in the 2nd worst traffic in the nation, pay the highest amount for gas, very high car registration fees and insurance, be in an area with some of the worst unemployment and homeless rates AND you want to pay about 5 times the amount of money for housing just to have a "slight ocean breeze" and sun shine? Pretty ridiculous but hey, its your money and you are getting suckered for every penny. Plenty of other states have sunshine and breezes too you know Oh and I make plenty of money, I am just tired of the overcrowding, traffic, high prices for everything and the communist Democrats taking this once great state over.

If you ever actually leave, I hope you'll give us an update and let us know if the trade-off was worth it. But the way that you foment makes me think you're pretty torn about leaving and that you'll probably end up staying.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Have you seen the property taxes in Texas? Everything is a trade off. I would love to move to Wyoming. At one time I would of moved to Oregon or Colorado but those states are becoming californicated at a rapid pace. What do you think happens when a bunch of liberals move. They are like the Borg. California wasn't always a liberal state. With huge influxes of people moving here. You get what we have now. I would do research before moving anywhere. You ever seen Dallas / Fort Worth traffic? Bout as bad as here. Yes our gun laws suck I agree. No place or state is perfect. I e been all over the US and while there are other places ill move to when I retire. i have a lot invested in California and picking up and moving right now is not a option.

Well I had a house in the Dallas area for a few years and my property taxes on 3 1/2 acres, nice 3 bdrm house, BIG pool, barn and out buildings and built in the late 1980's was the same as my slightly larger home in the IE on a 7000 sq ft lot. You pay about the same in actual total property tax and get a bigger house and/or and more property.

Deduct the weather in So Cal and aside from being close to Mtn's, desert and the beach (too crowded to enjoy not to mention COLD), CA has little to offer for daily living enjoyment. Going to the Mtn's, desert,etc is fun, but after a few years seeing something new would be nice and to do so you have to drive across a HUGE desert to see anything else, but desert. From Dallas you can be in a LOT of various type of environment and see lots of new things. Mind you I would not be likely to move back to TX as been there done that, enjoyed it and now time for a new adventure.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by dober1

I've been here since 1986 and don't have a problem with anything the OP said.

Which part of SoCal do you live in and how far is your work commute?

[taraox]

I wanted to add that my car insurance was almost double in Texas what it used to be in CA... I don't know exactly why, but from the psycho drivers here I'm assuming they must have a fairly high accident rate (and subsequently high insurance). I moved here thinking I could save up some money over the next few years due to a cheaper cost of living, but in all honesty, it's been exactly on par. Gas is maybe a few cents cheaper (barely worth it) and the hit to my car insurance threw my budget off a little (I have a perfect driving record and a non-sport car, so it wasn't because of me).. It may work out for you and who knows, you could love it here, but definitely do a ton of research and come visit for like a week to see how you feel about the areas/driving/costs etc. I didn't visit long enough before making a decision and I wish I had! Not to say it's a bad place to live at all, because it's not, it's just not that much cheaper and for nearly the same cost of living I'd rather have beaches and pretty scenery to enjoy. Those things might not matter to you but still something to take into consideration!

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Well I had a house in the Dallas area for a few years and my property taxes on 3 1/2 acres, nice 3 bdrm house, BIG pool, barn and out buildings and built in the late 1980's was the same as my slightly larger home in the IE on a 7000 sq ft lot. You pay about the same in actual total property tax and get a bigger house and/or and more property.

Deduct the weather in So Cal and aside from being close to Mtn's, desert and the beach (too crowded to enjoy not to mention COLD), CA has little to offer for daily living enjoyment. Going to the Mtn's, desert,etc is fun, but after a few years seeing something new would be nice and to do so you have to drive across a HUGE desert to see anything else, but desert. From Dallas you can be in a LOT of various type of environment and see lots of new things. Mind you I would not be likely to move back to TX as been there done that, enjoyed it and now time for a new adventure.

So take away everything that So Cal. The exact things you listed is what attracts people here and why its so crowded. Everybody likes to complain about California how we're so bad and evil bla la bla. Maybe all the people ho ruined this state can go back to where they came from. What exact types of environments are we talking about here? Last I remember Texas was flat as board, had humidity like a wet mop on your face and the hail made your car look like a crazy ex GF took a ball peen hammer to the hood roof and trunk. As for the huge house that's great. You got a huge house. Which takes more to heat cool and repair. All that costs money and unless you are handy you are gonna pay. You can go see a lot of new things by going on vacation also. What's bad about caliornia is its overcrowded. You think you're not in a find illegals and homeless and crime elsewhere?
I hope you find the place you are looking for and are going to be happy there but plenty of people are fine with living here.

My registration is less than 150 per vehicle and only one is 240 but its a commercial fee. Insurance runs about 1600 per year for two trucks and a SUV you might save a few bucks here and there but its not gonna be 50% less


Drive down PCH go to San Diego, ski Big Bear/Arrowhead, Sequoia, Yosemite, Big Sur, Monterey, take a cruise in Newport harbor, dirt bike or shooting in the desert, go hunting in Nor Cal or the desert, go fishing in the sierras on the June lake loop. Hike Convict lake, go to Lake Tahoe. There is so much to do in California its not even funny. Is it expensive? Not any more than anywhere else.
Is the state ran by a bunch of baboons? Yup can't deny that.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by harhar

My commute is 30 min each way, sometimes less.

My registration is currently high because I have two new(er) cars, that was the cost of buying new cars. My old Civic's registration from 2002 was about $150, I think. Maybe even cheaper.

My job has great benefits and salary that is unmatched anywhere else in the country.

The homelessness doesn't affect me and the unemployment rate doesn't affect me either.

I don't know where you're getting 5x housing, because average rent in the US is around 800. That'd put you at 4000 a month. Rents in SoCal for a decent 1-2brd range from 1300-2500. You can rent a very nice place in Tustin, Irvine, Fullerton for 2,000.

Plus no other place has the consistent good weather that we do and you've admitted it.

Like I said, none of these things bother me. I love it here and I'm happy.

I'm not the one complaining and still living here...who's the sucker?

Yea, $2k will get you a little 1200 sqft apartment. I can get a 4 bed, 2bath HOUSE well over 2000 sqft for half that. You really aren't going to argue FOR housing costs in the OC are you? They are some of the most overpriced and ridiculous in the entire country. You know how much car registration fees are in a normal state? Anywhere from $20-$85 in most states. $50 in Texas, $33 in Nevada. Gas is a good 30 cents cheaper outside OC/LA... I could go on for days. Arguing southern California is in any way reasonable when it comes to cost of living is pure stupidity. Again, it's your money to waste.

[Electrician4you]

Nobody is arguing that So Cal s not expensive. But it s that way because of the demand to live here. If everyone wanted to live in the desert it would be expensive there. I can guarantee you that all the places that get a influx of people you get a higher cost of living to go long with it. California was no more eoensive to live in from the rest of the country but when people started migrating here (frm other states) the costs just kept going up. Demand keeps prices high. And that demand is not declining

[kasuga888]

Most of everything about the cost is true, same about the commute, etc. Nothing can fix it unless people like you start moving out

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Is it expensive? Not any more than anywhere else..

So southern California is not any more expensive to live than anywhere else? Seriously? You just lost any shred of credibility you had with that moronic statement.

[Sunday1]

You have to compare housing costs in SoCal, which are very high, to the housing costs in other high-demand locations. Try Boston or NYC. The real estate market in Boston is back and listings are selling above full price offers. Bidding wars are back. The 1200 sq ft apartment in southern OC you mentioned, mbell75, is accurate (often around 2K) but the same price in NYC will get you 750 sq ft and you won't be able to pay for parking.

Generally, all this comparing of southern OC to places out of the nation's highest-demand relo areas is ALL apples-to-oranges. Change the market demand (and typically the quality of life or how robust the job market is) and change the price. These kinds of arguments are really stupid IMO. We can help others by comparing the necessary COLA's from one area to the next, but to make value judgements about what people want in their lifestyles is an exercise in futility.