Want to move to San Diego CA, from Northern VA (Fairfax: real estate, big house)

[wmaiwand]

Hello we are a family of 5 with a puppy

My husband and I would like to move a new state with warmer weather and better oppertunities for kids and us. We have three kids ages 13, 12, and 6 all three of them A students and are very active at sports.

Please give us suggestion if it's a good idea to move?

[moved]

Line up a job first.

[echo42]

I lived in NoVa for two years before moving back to San Diego.

Two realities:

1. The job market here pales in comparison to the National Capitol Region. If you don't have a job lined up, it will take time to find one. Especially if you have a high paid gov or gov contracting services job.

2. The schools here are not as good as Virginia. The educational opportunities in the NCR are far more extensive than here. I still have friends that have kids in the Fairfax school system that are waiting for their kids to graduate before they start their search to get out of the area.

[loveautumn]

warm weather, yes. Better opportunities for you and your children...probably not. I would never, ever want my kids educated here...I know lots of people might disagree and there are a few school districts that are OK but your area has overall better education, better job opportunities, more cultural activities, etc.

[earlyretirement]

Some of the other posters offer good advice. I think the single most important aspect is going to be your job/salary. The job market is MUCH stronger there. Here in San Diego the job market isn't good and even good jobs pay a fraction of what you might make in another major metropolitan city with the "sunshine tax".

Real estate there is probably also expensive in good school districts so that will be less of a shock vs. other people moving from more affordable areas.

Also, I do agree you really have to take a look at the school districts before moving. With two young kids and possibly having more in the future, that was a major factor where we decided to settle down and buy a house.

Assuming you can find a good job or getting transferred so you have stability with your job, and you can easily afford San Diego, I honestly believe it's one of the best places with the highest quality of life to raise your kids.

We moved here last year and absolutely love it. Our kids absolutely love it and I can't ever see myself moving out of San Diego. The quality of life here is absolutely fantastic and needless to say the weather is wonderful. There is ALWAYS something to do here for the kids.

Most parents with kids will end up getting annual passes to the San Diego Zoo/Safari Park, Seaworld, Legoland and some other places. We live 10 minutes from the beach so we're at the beach in Del Mar at least twice a week as well. Even if it's just for a walk on the beach or the kids to play at the playground.

I'd just recommend you really see what your definition is of "better opportunity for you". I've met some people that gave up good, STABLE, high paying jobs where they had good seniority to move to San Diego where they made less money and had to pretty much start all over in unstable job environments. Some of them have already moved out of San Diego. Not because they didn't love San Diego but simply because they couldn't afford San Diego.

Some people get accustomed to a certain quality of life in other places (living in a big house, dining out quite a bit, taking lots of trips, etc) and they try to do that here in San Diego on less of a salary and it's very tough while at the same time trying to fund retirement, kids college funds, etc. So you really have to keep that aspect in mind as well.

You really need to investigate that side of San Diego and really become intimate and educated with the job market and economy here.

But again, if you can afford it, almost no city, IMHO can beat San Diego and it's high quality of life.

[e30is]

Lived in SD (North Park-ish, downtown) a bit as a single guy for 1.5 yrs before moving back to Montgomery County, MD (where I'm actually from) to take a better job offer. You can have an awesome lifestyle in SD but from what I know, you have to make some serious adjustments when kids are in the picture. COL is not too different so I was use to that. People that I worked with who had kids said some of their schools were hit with budget cuts.

[OptimusPrime69]

I don't think Northern Virginai winters are all that severe?


I mean u want warmer weather, but everytime I've been there it's either been hot n humid or mild...at least.
In fact, I was there like 2 weeks ago, it was in the low 60s everyday.... not that bad really.

[MovingAloha]

Originally Posted by wmaiwand

Hello we are a family of 5 with a puppy

My husband and I would like to move a new state with warmer weather and better oppertunities for kids and us. We have three kids ages 13, 12, and 6 all three of them A students and are very active at sports.

Please give us suggestion if it's a good idea to move?

Unless you are running from the law, you need to stay put. I've lived in the DC metro area and there is so much to do with your children that are educational and FREE! The public schools are much better and housing is reasonable for such a large metropolitan area.

I don't think the Winters are consistently that bad, but Spring and Fall is just gorgeous. Coming to San Diego without a job and I'm assuming that is your situation, would not provide more opportunity for your children; only stress for the parents that will trickle down to the children.

You need to decide why are you REALLY moving? Get a game plan and save as much as possible while you are networking and getting those job applications going. That's only after your "Come to Jesus" moment of determining what it is you really want and why you can't find it there.

[loveautumn]

also, keep in mind that Virginia wasn't hit all that hard in this recession, mainly because of government and defense jobs, military, etc. The economy there is still very robust and unemployment is mid-range. Here, California is in a fiscal mess, unemployment is very high, and I see no way out. I know the COL in NOVA is expensive too, but trust me, we get taxed (fees) on everything. I personally love Virginia and all it has to offer...I would think twice if you are really gaining all that much by moving here.

[Cardiff Kook]

i've lived my whole life in NoVA and am moving next summer to San Diego without a job. Have family that are letting us stay with them though. Gotta go without a job lined up. Much easier said than done to have a job lined up without a local address.

things are considerably more complicated in your situation due to kids. that's why I want to move before I get to that point