The Truth about California from a former west coast Girl... (San Jose: rent, condo)

[Raelyn28]

That is great that you are living in a decent area. Now everyone on this forum will be moving to Hemet!!! LOL I am not too sure where Bellevue is. I have never heard of that particular city?? Thanks for giving your opinion... Have a great weekend..

Originally Posted by speedingwolf

We lived in WA for 15 years and moved here from Bellevue, WA (next to Microsoft Redmond) in 2005. Love it here in S.CA. At 1st, I lived in Hemet. That was a bad town. My car's lock was broken but it happened in Bellevue as well. By the way, you could get 3000sqf house in Hemet now for $200K. And Hemet reminds me of Eastern Washington, Yakima. then we moved to Menifee, CA. That was an OK town. It has its problems. Then we moved to Foothill Ranch since I got a new job in Lake Forest. We've been living here since. It's really nice here in CA and we would never come back to WA. I also relocated my elderly parents here from WA as well and just got a job for my brother in law. He's moving here in 2 weeks. Traffic sucks, yeah but if you live in Hemet or Yakima, there is no traffic. Then the ocean, jobs, people, food, entertainment. I don't speak Spanish but sign language works for me and i always get what i wanted. I bet you 200 years ago, those who came from Europe had to use sign language to communicate if they were in downtown NY. So, yeah, if you happy with Eastern WA, that's great for you. I'm glad you are happy there. For me, living in WA for 15 years, it's time for a change. I'll let you know if i hate CA or not in another post, 15 years from now.

[Morphous01]

Originally Posted by Charles

For every minute guys spend watching a sporting event, chicks spend five minutes with their noses stuck in some glamor or movie star magazine.

You are right, and in fact I feel it's PUSHED on us. For example I'm at the gas station (pumping gas) and on the T.V on top of the pump the urgent news flash is the Chris Brown situation. For some reason "they" want us (mainly girls)to care about trivial matters that don't make a difference in our lives.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Raelyn28

Hello, this post is for those who have never been to Southern California and are looking for information regarding the area. Please believe me... I am NOT trying to be negative because I am not a negative person. I am only trying to help you with my own experience living in Southern California. I am only doing this to help those of you who are thinking about relocating to the area and need help. Trust me I have a lot of better things to do with my time but I really feel this is important so please take a few minutes to read this.

For those of you who absolutely have to make the move then this is my advise.. do a lot of research, ask many questions and don't fall for the information that only shows you the beauty of California. The beauty is only a small part of the picture. Just so you know, I was the typical blonde california girl and totally fit the profile. At one point I was training to become an NFL Ram's cheerleader. Unfortunately, I injured my ankle in my jazz class the day before tryouts and I was unable to participate. The very next year the Rams left for Kansas City. By the way, have you ever wondered why such a large place like Orange County does not have a professional football team anymore?? Interestingly this is what I found out.. When L.A. and Anaheim were home to the Raiders and Rams they didn't make enough money because they didn't have enough loyal and supportive fans. So basically both teams packed up and left... Very sad that an area with so much status and wealth does not have any pro teams. I guess everyone is too busy in California so they have better things to do than sit at a football game??? Or there is just too much to do?? Whatever the case they lost their NFL teams. Hopefully for all you football fans like myself.. someday they can get one back..

Before I tell you more of the negative, let me begin with the positive. First of all, there is A LOT of good things about California. Primarily the weather is awesome. It is basically never too hot (unless you are inland) and it is extremely mild in the winter. The sky is blue most of the time and there are places by the beach that are amazing and breathtaking. I love the ocean and it is one of my favorite places to be.

There is a lot to do in California and many great opportunities for the young and old alike. You never get bored because if you have the money there are always fun places to go. Disneyland was a place that I visited on a regular basis. I loved to get an annual pass and go there in the wee hours just before closing to go on Splash Mountain over and over again. No lines late at night!! Knotts Berry Farm is great, six flags not too far of a drive and Universal Studios a couple of hours away. So much to do and too much to list here in this post.

I met my husband in San Diego County, had my first son in Irvine and my second son in Anaheim Hills. So California holds many precious memories for me. I would have to write a book to tell you of all the happy memories I had in California...

What disappointed me is the fact that it is extremely crowded, stressful on the highways and there is an awful lot of crime. It is so expensive that I never owned a home in the 20-years that I lived there. Half the time I couldn't understand my neighbor because everyone spoke another language. Nothing wrong with that (I have many beautiful Spanish speaking friends) but when an English speaking woman goes to the grocery store and can not find something and nobody speaks english, I have a problem with that. I really started feeling like an alien in Orange County. I actually felt very lonely at times

Another issue is the air quality. In the summer there are frequent smog warnings and you are basically told to stay inside unless you have to go out. I had terrible allergies and sinus problems while living there. I know it was the air quality because almost immediately after I moved to Oregon my problems went away.

I think there are absolutely way too many people in Southern Ca. It takes 2-3 hours to get to a 10-mile location most of the time. Even at night... My step-kids and several friends live there and they hate it. They continually tell me that it is getting worse with each passing year.

Finding a job is another problem. Jobs are hard to come by everywhere but read the statistics on California. The state is in a heap of trouble financially.

There are gangs and bad neighborhoods everywhere. You can be in a nice neighborhood and drive a half mile down the street and you will be in a bad neighborhood. For example, at the beginning of my marriage my husband and I lived in a really nice apartment. One night while we were sitting on the patio we heard gunshot. My husband ran down the street to try and help. A teenage boy was dead in the street as a result of a drive by shooting. It is very hard to find a decent place to live unless you are making a huge amount of money.

So again this is my suggestion. If you have to move there do your homework, talk to a lot of people and weigh your options carefully. If you are rich move to a beach house in Malibu, Laguna Beach, Newport, etc. Stay on the beach and don't venture too far inland. Also, there are very nice places along the coast just south of Irvine and nice places in Irvine and Costa Mesa, but then again you will be paying a high price to live there.

And also, home school your children or put them in the best private school you can find... again if you can afford it. Between the gangs and all the other problems it just wasn't worth it to me.

Good luck to you... Again, I hope my honesty will help you in making a decision whether or not to move to California and where to live. At least if you go there you won't be thinking it is just like the movies or a popular television series. I am just sharing my experience with you. Have a great week/weekend.

I've bolded the comments I am choosing to respond to. The responses will be in order from top to bottom:
1. You didn't define "crowded" nor "awful lot of crime". When I think crowded, I think of Disney on a summer weekend afternoon. I think of NYC streets. You can easily avoid crowding throughout most of California. Now, if you want to go somewhere void of civilization for hundreds of miles around, you're going to have trouble. Though the Central Coast has some of this. And crime? Many of the SAFEST communiites in the entire country are in California. So are some of the most dangerous. Depends on where you're at. It's a terribly inaccurate overgeneralization to say what was said in the post above.

2. This is a great mischaracterization as well. In the overwhelming majority of the state-and where large population centers are-air pollution is of ZERO significance in day to day life. Zero. Only in the far inland areas of L.A. like San Bernadino and Riverside is it the least bit likely that you'll have some days in the summer when this is the case. Otherwise it is NEVER an issue impacting health or quality of ;life. When you look over the horizon and visibility is diminished, it is NOT air pollution you are seeing. It is a partial fog which is a result of the marine layer which is a naturally occuring phenomenon in California. Sure, there is pollution in the air-as there is in all metropolitan areas-but that's not what you're seeing.

3. Bull****. It MAY happen in the absolute worst traffic zone at the absolute worst time of day when there is a wreck. Otherwise this is completely false.

4. This does not apply to everywhere by any means. There are parts where this may be true. But there are many parts where you have large chunks of mileage between bad areas.

5. You don't need to be rich to live in these areas. I make a little less than 50k and do it with no problem. I do have to rent and really need a roommate, but that's fine by me. I could afford to get a 1-bedroom if I so desired.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Raelyn28

Oh yes, and last but not least I forgot to include a very important fact to my above accessment of Southern cal. Those earthquakes. I used I had nightmares for several years following my move away from California. They would usually happen in the early hours just before dawn. I would awaken to my bed shaking, the house creaking, things falling off the walls. It is the most un-nerving experience and I really disliked it. Anyway, just thought I would add a footnote.. If you don't like earthquakes you had better re-think your move or else move to a single story home.

LMFAO. I've lived here seven years. Finally, for the first time, I felt an earthquake when we had them a few weeks ago. It was pretty much nothing. And that was the only time in seven years. It's been of ZERO consequence in my life here.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by AKgirlinCA

Pretty fair assessment given by the OP. Not a great place to be unless you are rich, like crowds, don't mind endless concrete and so on. There are certain pluses to living here, but for ME, they far outweigh the negatives. Cost of living and incomes are severely out of line. A lot of times, one can actually make MORE living elsewhere, of course there are certain exceptions to this (nurses for example) but the majority of jobs do not pay very well here.

Obviously, you haven't gotten around to very much of California. You've likely holed up in your one ****ty area and stayed there. LOL

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Raelyn28

No wonder I moved away from that area... Look people.. be aware, this is what takes place in Southern California.. Now run as fast as you can

OMG. Find me a place where people will never disagree or poke fun at any comments you make and..I'll show you, like, a nursing home or something stupid. This can happen ANYWHERE.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Raelyn28

The pic said Orange County, not my fault.. There are a ton of other pictures that show smog. If you deny that there is not smog in OC I would be glad to give you those statistics. No problem...

That pic is at dawn or dusk with a partial haze/fog that is part of a naturally occuring phenomenon. That is NOT pollution you are seeing.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

This is true. The California lovers like to pretend that City Data is just full of malcontents that don't represent the state's mood as a whole. But for every unhappy Californian here researching other states, there's probably thousands who've never heard of this site and just quietly move away.

Yeah and there's millions who have never heard of the site who LOVE it here. They don't see the need to come to sites like this and voice their opinions because they are content where they are. Sites like this attract a disproportionate amount of malcontents looking for a greener side to the pasture from wherever they are.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Quatermass

No, I'm defending someone who, for reasons I can only guess at, is being treated badly for stating her opinion of a place, which is what this forum is all about.

I have no reason to believe the OP is any more of a fraud than, say, someone trying to lecture about current conditions in Orange County, California from some island 2,500 miles away.

She is not attempting to state her opinion. She is attempting to convince us her opinions are, in fact, the truth. See the title of the thread. That's why people are taking issue...

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by denverian

Coastal OC has smog, but not nearly as bad as inland. Ocean breezes tend to blow it inland.

My biggest problem with OC was the traffic. I like living in a city, an urban area, around lots of people. I'd just like to be able to get around! And OC continues to shoot itself in the foot by voting down light rail. At least here in Denver they're being pro-active and building out an extensive LR system throughout the metro area with dense development along those lines.

LOL. That's not smog you're seeing on the coast. That's the marine layer, a naturally occuring phenomenon. Air quality at the coast is good 99.9% of the time. It only goes down in extreme instances of Santa Ana winds in the summer.