My fellow Californians..Are you struggling with the possibility of leaving? (San Diego: lawyer, real estate)

[nicenailznsd]

Originally Posted by Tim Currie

I don't get it when people that have been living in CA for however long all of a sudden can't afford it anymore and decide it's just too much to get by?

I mean, is your income that low and fixed so that gas going up a dollar a gallon and milk and eggs costing a few bucks more a month reaally makes it impossible to live?

Or, are you simply spending too much?

And why does anyone need to BUY their "home"??? Seriously. If you LOVE your job so much and LOVE California so much...then what is so bad about finding a nice house that meets your needs in the right neighborhood and renting it?????

People are so caught up on the price of housing that it seems that that one thing by itself makes living in California all together unaffordable.

I've recently moved to Denver and haven't noticed any difference in the cost of anything except 10-20 cents more a gallon for gas (who cares!?) and the fact that housing is cheaper here (in the 'burbs!). That's it!

So I guess my answer is....

If you love your job, your lifestyle, your friends, and your location - why not rent a nice house until either A) prices have dropped enough you can buy B) you saved enough $ to buy anyway or C) you'll never buy in CA but who cares 'cause you're where you wanna be and happy?

Very well said and oh sooo true...............

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Tim Currie

I've recently moved to Denver and haven't noticed any difference in the cost of anything except 10-20 cents more a gallon for gas (who cares!?) and the fact that housing is cheaper here (in the 'burbs!). That's it!

I couldn't agree more. I lived in a bunch of other states BEFORE I moved to California so, to me, there was no big difference.

Sure, other states were cheaper but, the pay was also lower. Not just for me individually but government statistics proved this as well. Cheap is cheap for a reason ... with lower incomes people have less money to spend. There weren't as many job opportunities and, therefore, as much potential for career advancement and, of course, more money.

I thought the cost of living would be lower and, while I would save money on one thing, I'd discover that something else was more expensive than I originally thought after I moved there. It all ended up being a wash.

After moving around for years ... I finally gave up on chasing cheap and just decided to live where I wanted to live.

[surf50]

Could tell me about the schools there???I have high school and a child who is deaf. I am very interested in the community you are talking about I have seen it mentioned before.

[cherielynnae]

If you want land and lakes n California try coarsegold or oakhurst, near Bass Lake or Yosemite. I just came from there, people are so accommodating and friendly, the place is still beautiful with still some amenities of the big city just a few miles south (Fresno) yet the beautiful country living is the best. They have seasons! mild but still...You'll love it there. I would be there now except I have brothers to care for who are in programs in southern California... which is mostly contaminated with radio active fallout...(read about it in SSFL) so dont make the SFV valley your home unless you have good insurance and are willing to risk getting cancer.

[caseyQuebar]

Hey why don't ya'l just move to Oklahoma, clean air, beautiful Lakes, nice equestrian camp sites and trails, get out of the hussel and bussel, You will like the great hospitality, yep I have lived in Oklahoma all my life, well I say at least the last 40 years, I too was born California, Patterson to be exact. I have came back a couple of times to visit. Really it's a good place to raise your kids and retire, especially down in the southwestern part of Oklahoma.

If anyone is looking for a home let me know, 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, fireplace, has new paint, remodled kitchen, new carpet and ceramic tile, everything is neutral in color, huge deck almost an acre of land in back has a huge chainlinked fence around a big part of it and has a two car garage, new roof and paint and Oh and its brick. We are moving to a bigger place because we have horses. The area it is in is beautiful all fairly new homes, quite and school is close the bus runs by the house. It would be a good change for someone.

[HLSBGAL]

We moved to Oregon in feb 08--hate it! I have lived in CA my whole life. I would have to divorce him (after 23 years of marriage) to move home... Oregon is not cheaper than CA! The weather is awful, the people drive worse than home, the beach is colder than NoCa, and it snowed yesterday (live near Portland). Stay in CA, move to CA, or whatever you can do to get into that golden sunshine!

[caseyQuebar]

I wrote southwestern part of Oklahoma I mean't Southeastern, it had been a long day yesterday, forgive me.

[caseyQuebar]

HLSBGAL, I have some friends that live in Oregon, they lived here for I think 7 years and then moved back to Oregon to be close to her mother and he close to his kids. But they really miss it down here.

How much is gas where you are at? It went up today to $3.37 a gallon here.

[Rochellepotter]

3.89 a gallon in East SF Bay Area, CA

[deaddoc]

I was thinking of moving back to FLorida, maybe Virginia......I really dont want to move to the cold or the humidity Soooo..............
I also have a very special someone who lives in SAC. Wants me to move up there with him because he has his kids there and a job he has had for over ten years and doesnt want to move. After reading all these comments on SAC. Maybe its just better i stay where i am. The crime rate is very minimal, school system is great......moderate upscale...........then again there is that BUT ??????

Donno what to do...........

Sacramento can really be more than okay - if you live in the right areas! I grew up there and have been back from time to time. First, really hot summers! Second, there are areas where crime is high - south sac further south until Elk Grove. West Sac, stay away! North Sac - Del Paso Heights - another Watts, no go! Roseville, nice, Antelope nice, not too bad now out to Elverta and Rio Linda, Carmichael okay, American River Parkway, be a millionaire! Sac State neighborhoods, pricey, Fair Oaks, nice, Orangevale, nice, North Highlands - mixed bag. Rancho Cordova- mixed bag. Central Sac/downtown - mixed bag. The traffic is pretty heavy everywhere, better live close to work!! Last I knew the parks in Sacramento County were excellent. William Land Park in Sacramento is/was nice, Ansel Hoffman in Carmichael was wonderful. American River Discovery bike-hike trail is 26 miles long from the mouth of the American River on the Sacramento River to Lake Natoma near Folsom is good except certain stretches.

There is a lot of interesting history in Sacramento and a good number of historical spots and Old Sacramento is tousity perhaps, but a lot of fun. Sutter's Fort is a must. The railroad museum is incredible, with steam train rides in season. The summer nights are epic, but they encourage crime too. The Capitol building and park is very beautiful. The downtown area has improved a great deal and not bad (as far as I last knew). Was there two years ago and it seemed pretty much okay.

So my advice is that if your special someone is located in a decent area and you can have access to a swiming pool in the summer, what's holding you back? Sac isn't that far from San Diego! Give it a try!!!

Why did I leave California? Too much crowding and crime in general but consideration of shrinking water supplies and future planning made me move to Southwest Washinton. Less jobs here, more provincial, but less crime (but that has been changing as it seeps up from California. I prefer cooler climate. Do I miss California? Yes, but I miss what it used to be, not what it is today. Still, in a world that is running down, Sacramento might still be what is best still around.