Anybody came from Colorado? (San Jose, Santa Cruz: relocate, real estate, transplants)

[missingcol]

Anybody moved to Bay Area from Colorado? Any comparisons about the two regions and what kind of experience you had? I'd like to konw because I am thinking to relocate to Denver from San Jose. Thanks.

[Luke9686]

You might want to post a question like this on the Denver or Colorado Springs board. I noticed there are TONS of people on those boards from this area.

[missingcol]

A lot of active people in CO and Denver boards are transplants from Bay Area and CA to CO. I am looking for people who moved from CO to Bay Area. OK, I guess no people from CO to Bay Area! Make sense.

[Luke9686]

They may be Bay Area transplants but they can give you an overview of both areas, and that is what you asked for.

[MtnSurfer]

I agree with Luke,

The main thing I think is that people who have lived in both areas can compare them.

My wife and I are both from California and live in Colorado now. I would say that there are 'a lot' more Californians moving to Colorado, than people going in the other direction. Honestly like other nice parts of the country, most Coloradans, especially natives, have no desire to move to California. Many visit the Bay Area for business or vacation, but then are happy to come home.

As most natives Californians might think current real estate prices, overcrowding and pollution are serious problems, to Coloradans it is simply insane or an unthinkable quality of life. Like a coworker said once - "Ya right, move to California, sell my house and live in a trailer park. And why would I do this?" Or like other former Californians have said "I would have to triple my income just to maintain the same quality of life I have in Colorado." So why would they?

There are so may differences I won't attempt to list them all here. I guess a lot depends on You. What kind of a change are you looking for? What will you miss?

For us it was simple. We visited the Rocky Mountains and fell in love with them. My wife and I have three young children and no where to grow in California. The quality of life has been on the decline for years with the cost of living, traffic and overcrowding. So for us it just made sense. My wife was born and raised in the Bay Area. We were married in the Santa Cruz Mtns. and then lived in S. Calif.

The only thing we really miss in differing degrees are friends and family (gotta fly & visit) and the Ocean. I was born and raised at the beach (Hermosa). So I sometimes *really* miss the sound of the crashing waves and smell of sea.

But we love Colorado and the Rocky Mtns. and all that it has to offer our family. We own our first home - finally! And it is less than renting was in Ca. My wife gets to be a stay at home mom and finally take our kids out of daycare because of the need for dual incomes. And the list goes on...

So I guess it really comes back to what is important to you.

- Derek

[missingcol]

Thanks, Luke, for your kindly replies.
Thank you very much, MtnSurfer, for sharing your moving experience.
I am kind of a Colorado fan since I lived there about 5 years around 11 years ago. I believe I am quite familar with both the Bay Area and Denver. I have read a lot of posts on the CO board shared their thoughts of moving to CO, but still like to hear some stories about moving from CO to CA. Don't laugh at me, this decision (from CA to CO) is too big, plus I have a family with two kids.

[MtnSurfer]

OH I won't laugh at you!

Any time you make a move like this it is a big decision. I know we thought about it for quite some time prior to making our move. Do you have any family in California or something else keeping you guys there? Just curious.

I hope all goes well with your decision and potential move to Colorado.

- Derek

[Luke9686]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

We own our first home - finally! And it is less than renting was in Ca. My wife gets to be a stay at home mom and finally take our kids out of daycare because of the need for dual incomes. And the list goes on...

So I guess it really comes back to what is important to you.

- Derek

That is what it's all about right there. I would rather rent for the rest of my life than have my children in daycare.

[missingcol]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

OH I won't laugh at you!

Any time you make a move like this it is a big decision. I know we thought about it for quite some time prior to making our move. Do you have any family in California or something else keeping you guys there? Just curious.

I hope all goes well with your decision and potential move to Colorado.

- Derek

I don't have any family tied to California. However, whenever thinking about that we are really going to leaving Bay Area, we have strong mixed feelings. We started to think of all the good parts of the Bay Area

[Luke9686]

You should go to Colorado to check it out. I would move there instead of the bay area in a heartbeat.