Anyone Else Thinking of Moving Out of Bay Area? (San Jose: 2014, crime)

[Californian12345]

I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life. We currently live in Willow Glen and we work up the peninsula. As our kids are getting a little older (4 and 2) we are starting to look at schools and our lives in general. We're finding that perhaps the Bay Area may not be all it's cracked up to be; crime is getting worse and worse, especially in San Jose, traffic is terrible, and if we want to move closer to work, it's $2m for a house thats 2500 sq ft built in 1955, it's getting very crowded and expensive everywhere you look.

We're throwing around the idea of moving out of state to get away from it all and get a better quality of life for the price.

Are we crazy? Is anyone else thinking this way? Does anyone else feel like the allure of the Bay is fading?

[Bonez765]

Originally Posted by Californian12345

I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life. We currently live in Willow Glen and we work up the peninsula. As our kids are getting a little older (4 and 2) we are starting to look at schools and our lives in general. We're finding that perhaps the Bay Area may not be all it's cracked up to be; crime is getting worse and worse, especially in San Jose, traffic is terrible, and if we want to move closer to work, it's $2m for a house thats 2500 sq ft built in 1955, it's getting very crowded and expensive everywhere you look.

We're throwing around the idea of moving out of state to get away from it all and get a better quality of life for the price.

Are we crazy? Is anyone else thinking this way? Does anyone else feel like the allure of the Bay is fading?

I am also a Bay Area native and no way in hell would I ever consider raising a family here in the Bay, nor in other parts of the state. Too expensive in the good areas and I'm tired of the anti-business and ultra liberal politics of the state.

I know that the thread will attract delusional tards who defend CA at all costs but spade is a spade and the situation of the state must be mentioned. The state is in terrible shape to raise a family and it's getting worse as time passes.

[ccm123]

I'm also a Bay Area native that has lived in Southern California for a large number of years. I am also well traveled (many cities in US and all over the world internationally).

I've had offers to relocate and move to Houston, TX and after visiting, decided not to. The thought has come up to relocate to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle or Portland) or the DC area (Northern Virginia suburbs) and we are also considering it, for quality of life reasons.

[SoLongCalifornia]

I so feel you on this.

We're strongly considering moving to Denver.

My wife and I both work in tech (her for NTT America as a marketing manager and me as a marketing writer for BlackBerry) and Denver has a good tech segment, with offices for NTTA and Avaya, among many others.

The cost of living is also way lower, while the houses are big and affordable. How does a 4-bedroom house with a wood-burning fireplace and a big basement and yard for $375k (or less) sound? Seasons? Casa Bonita?

My wife is a life-long Bay Area native, while I've been here for the last 11 years straight, but have spent parts of my life in Indiana and Michigan in addition to living all over California, from Redding to Costa Mesa and everywhere in between.

Yes, crime is going up in SJ, along with the cost of living. My parent's can't afford to retire here, either.

We also have two young children: a 3-year-old girl and a 2 1/2-month old son. I want to be able to afford private school or at least have better public school options. I also want room in the house and yard for them to really be able to play.

I want a slower pace of life and more money left over after expenses to travel and do things with the family. I'd like a house big enough to entertain guests and put up my family if they visit.

I long for a wood-burning fireplace to read by into the wee hours of the morning.

I hope to have neighbors who you can actually get to know better than surface-level smalltalk, and a real sense of community WITH the community. Even at church, it's hard to develop relationships with others.

And the music scene? Don't get me started on San Jose's dead husk.

To be clear, it's not that I haven't tried with other people. I'm fun, dependable and warm, but everyone is too busy with their jobs and their iPhones to make time for what really matters.

It was eye-opening when I went to Wisconsin for a family funeral after 17 years away. People everywhere were markedly more friendly and engaging than in the Bay Area.

And Austin? I visited in June of 2014, and while it's unfortunately too hot and humid for us, the local culture was like night and day compared to here.

Sure, the Bay Area has its perks: great weather, beautiful mountains and trees and the ocean and great restaurants. To that end, it can be something of a gilded cage.

Time for a change.

[EdJS]

Originally Posted by Californian12345

I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life. We currently live in Willow Glen and we work up the peninsula. As our kids are getting a little older (4 and 2) we are starting to look at schools and our lives in general. We're finding that perhaps the Bay Area may not be all it's cracked up to be; crime is getting worse and worse, especially in San Jose, traffic is terrible, and if we want to move closer to work, it's $2m for a house thats 2500 sq ft built in 1955, it's getting very crowded and expensive everywhere you look.

We're throwing around the idea of moving out of state to get away from it all and get a better quality of life for the price.

Are we crazy? Is anyone else thinking this way? Does anyone else feel like the allure of the Bay is fading?

All I can say is be sure to visit during all seasons any place you are seriously thinking about moving. If you've lived in the Bay Area all your life my guess is you have no experience of what a cold winter is like, for example.

Also, be careful of "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome. Other places also have crime and bad traffic.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by SoLongCalifornia

I so feel you on this.

We're strongly considering moving to Denver.

My wife and I both work in tech (her for NTT America as a marketing manager and me as a marketing writer for BlackBerry) and Denver has a good tech segment, with offices for NTTA and Avaya, among many others.

The cost of living is also way lower, while the houses are big and affordable. How does a 4-bedroom house with a wood-burning fireplace and a big basement and yard for $375k (or less) sound? Seasons? Casa Bonita?

My wife is a life-long Bay Area native, while I've been here for the last 11 years straight, but have spent parts of my life in Indiana and Michigan in addition to living all over California, from Redding to Costa Mesa and everywhere in between.

Yes, crime is going up in SJ, along with the cost of living. My parent's can't afford to retire here, either.

We also have two young children: a 3-year-old girl and a 2 1/2-month old son. I want to be able to afford private school or at least have better public school options. I also want room in the house and yard for them to really be able to play.

I want a slower pace of life and more money left over after expenses to travel and do things with the family. I'd like a house big enough to entertain guests and put up my family if they visit.

I long for a wood-burning fireplace to read by into the wee hours of the morning.

I hope to have neighbors who you can actually get to know better than surface-level smalltalk, and a real sense of community WITH the community. Even at church, it's hard to develop relationships with others.

And the music scene? Don't get me started on San Jose's dead husk.

To be clear, it's not that I haven't tried with other people. I'm fun, dependable and warm, but everyone is too busy with their jobs and their iPhones to make time for what really matters.

It was eye-opening when I went to Wisconsin for a family funeral after 17 years away. People everywhere were markedly more friendly and engaging than in the Bay Area.

And Austin? I visited in June of 2014, and while it's unfortunately too hot and humid for us, the local culture was like night and day compared to here.

Sure, the Bay Area has its perks: great weather, beautiful mountains and trees and the ocean and great restaurants. To that end, it can be something of a gilded cage.

Time for a change.

We were in the same boat as you for the past couple years. We actually looked at both Denver and Austin and visited both, to check out houses and neighborhoods. I loved Denver and even have some family there. I couldn't convince my wife though, as she was afraid of the huge temperature fluctuations in the winter and didn't think there were enough tech jobs there.

She really, really liked Austin. I liked the city and some of the surrounding hillsides, but to tell you the truth, once you get a few miles outside of Austin, you are just in Texas. It could be anywhere else and I wasn't overly impressed.

We were struggling on what we wanted to do, even considering the Pac NW. One day last spring, my wife convinced me to check out some homes in Danville. It was like night and day coming from the Silicon Valley....more family friendly, great schools, better communities and we could even get a nicer house there (not Denver cheap, but better for the Bay Area). We made the move and do not regret it at all. The commute is rough, but we're getting used to that. Other than this, it is wonderful.

[beguiled]

I'm in a very similar position as the OP. I've lived in CA for most of my life, the Bay Area for the past 15 yrs. Both my husband and I have tech jobs, with two children (4y & 4mo). I've researched many places so far and not many are fitting my ideal.

I'm afraid of the Grass is Always Greener pitfall, but I desperately need to lessen my commute time.

Danville/Alamo, etc are beautiful places to live, but the housing prices are about as high there as they are on the peninsula. (Although, you probably get more for your money since the schools are better.)

I need more time with my family, especially those hours that are usually eaten up by commuting.

I thought the BayArea is where I'd live forever, but I thought that before I had children.

Here's a few on the list I've gone through:

Central Coast: Not enough tech jobs and/or too far from major cities
OC/LA: Where I grew up. Too much traffic (plus a long list of other dislikes)
Seattle/Portland: I need more sun than they have to offer.
Boulder: This is where I'm searching right now. I'm planning a visit to see if I can deal with the snow & cold weather. As a Californian, I am a weather wimp and I'm not afraid to admit it. There seem to be quite a lot of tech jobs, I hear that traffic isn't so bad (I could ride a bicycle), and housing is very reasonable.

[bobby_guz_man]

Originally Posted by SoLongCalifornia

Yes, crime is going up in SJ

Originally Posted by Californian12345

crime is getting worse and worse, especially in San Jose,

Can you two elaborate on the "crime is going up in SJ" opinion? What makes you feel that way?

And the music scene? Don't get me started on San Jose's dead husk.

Elaborate?

[SoLongCalifornia]

Maybe it would be nice for those of us who could to all meet somewhere in the Bay Area for dinner or coffee to talk and compare notes?

My wife has extended family (or family of THEM anyway) in Danville, and yes, it's pretty, but not as affordable as we're looking for. I know it's all relative, but we need a real change. Also, we don't want to sacrifice our time to long commutes.

I know it can get cold (and snows during the winter) in the Denver area, but it's in no way Michigan or New England. Shoot, it's higher on the "comfort index" than San Jose!

[SoLongCalifornia]

Increase in murders, assaults, burglaries and car thefts over the last few decades.

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime...alifornia.html