Moving from Seattle to OC (San Diego, Orange: 2009, for rent, condos)

[dockj]

I am planning on moving from Seattle to OC in the summer of 2009. Yes, after 20 years, the rain has finally gotten on my last nerve. Anyone move from Seattle to OC? Have any thoughts? How is it different? How is it the same? Anything you miss about Seattle you think is important?

TIA

[youngmoney]

Unless you'll miss crankiness, hippies, shadows of tall buildings, rain, and cold winters in Seattle you will love OC.

[Arkadin]

Originally Posted by dockj

I am planning on moving from Seattle to OC in the summer of 2009. Yes, after 20 years, the rain has finally gotten on my last nerve. Anyone move from Seattle to OC? Have any thoughts? How is it different? How is it the same? Anything you miss about Seattle you think is important?

TIA

I was in seattle 8 months ago and one thing I noticed was that it seemed like the clouds hung lower (higher elevation?) It always gave me a sense of foreboding


Unless you'll miss crankiness, hippies, shadows of tall buildings, rain, and cold winters in Seattle you will love OC.


something I noticed when I was in San Diego in march..people seemed very positive, uplifting, however in midwest after winter drags on of for so long people were pretty cranky

[dockj]

Originally Posted by youngmoney

Unless you'll miss crankiness, hippies, shadows of tall buildings, rain, and cold winters in Seattle you will love OC.

No, won't miss the crankiness, flakiness, non-committal unfriendliness commonly referred to as the Seattle freeze (yes, long time residents do get it), the incessant rain of the 9 months of long cold, dark, dreary, depressing winter or having some of the worst traffic in the country depending on which report you read (#3, #5 or #9) and many times having it take up to 30 minutes to go 5 miles on residential streets and much longer on any freeway.

My one concern is the diversity factor and adjusting to suburbia.

[rjb68]

I made it in the rain for 9 years...beautiful place but on your final year you just seem to get that depressing itch to get up and get out! Love OC...been here since. Check out www.reasonstoenvy.com for nightlife ideas and places to meet people around Orange County. You'll find that the people in Washington are much more simple some how...definitely more down to earth. I miss the restaurants, family feel, and fresh salmon...but you can find that all here too! Good luck!

[happ]

I have relatives who "escaped" California by moving to the Seattle area a few years ago. The winters in the PacificNW, especially last year, were tough getting used to & my cousin wants to move back to California [her husband wants to stay]. Weather isn't everything but the major difference between Seattle & Orange county is the climate. Ironically people here sometimes complain about the endless sunny days & it has been unseasonably warm this month. Others live here for the monotonous weather.

If you are weary about another cold cloudy Seattle winter than you will likely love the dry subtropical climate of SoCal.

Otherwise, things really aren't that different between Seattle & Orange Co [it is a bit more suburban down here but probably just as many Starbucks

[dockj]

Originally Posted by happ

I have relatives who "escaped" California by moving to the Seattle area a few years ago. The winters in the PacificNW, especially last year, were tough getting used to & my cousin wants to move back to California [her husband wants to stay]. Weather isn't everything but the major difference between Seattle & Orange county is the climate. Ironically people here sometimes complain about the endless sunny days & it has been unseasonably warm this month. Others live here for the monotonous weather.

If you are weary about another cold cloudy Seattle winter than you will likely love the dry subtropical climate of SoCal.

Otherwise, things really aren't that different between Seattle & Orange Co [it is a bit more suburban down here but probably just as many Starbucks

Can't stand Starbucks! Worst coffee ever

I did live there as a kid along the coast in San Clemente, but haven't been there in 20 something years. I do remember the weather being quite pleasant along the coast, but a little hot inland.
It's more the people factor. I've felt like a fish out of water up here because people are so ambivalent about things. It gets a little frustrating.

[cabolissa]

Get ready for HOT weather, unless you can afford to live on the Coast. It's been in the 90's all this week. Say goodbye to green trees, and clean air.

OC is clean though, well manicured tract homes, and not much crime.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by cabolissa

Get ready for HOT weather, unless you can afford to live on the Coast. It's been in the 90's all this week. Say goodbye to green trees, and clean air.

OC is clean though, well manicured tract homes, and not much crime.

I plan on being able to live near the coast. I'm finishing up my PhD and will most likely (and hopefully) be able to find a decent paying job. Also, the cost of living is not much different in Seattle than in the OC, especially for renters, and the average home price in Seattle by my latest research has Seattle the higher of the two. The only main difference I see is a state income tax in California, which is tax deductible on the federal return. Since I've been living on very little, I imagine I'll adjust in that sense just fine.

[dockj]

Originally Posted by cabolissa

Say goodbye to green trees, and clean air.

OC is clean though, well manicured tract homes, and not much crime.

Seattle's air is not really that great unless it's been raining for days on end. A few days without rain and we need a burn ban. We also have some pretty ugly condos going up all over the place, akin to the tract homes in California and higher crime rates. I guess it will all balance out.