Why aren't you moving to California (Atlanta, Perry: ski resort, safe neighborhood, income)

[afdinatl]

Dude been trolling for weeks

[mattee01]

Originally Posted by k374

because that is what the people here in California say so I am putting this here trying to get a different perspective on things.

I am trying to see if there is anyone here who actually prefers living in ATL rather than CA and for non-personal reasons (family, job etc.). If anyone would not leave ATL even if they had the chance to move to CA.

there is also a song "California dreamin..." lol, by Mamas and Papas

Are you serious? I can't imagine what makes people want to live in California

1. Even hotter
2. Ridiculous cost of living
3. Idiotic laws and regulations
4. Earthquakes
5. Jobs don't pay much better
6. Too much congestion
7. Extreme racism
8. Constant threat of being dropped into the ocean one day

I mean you've got nice beaches, pretty cities, entertainment, and gay stuff, but it's far from making it worth it. I think Cali is actually experiencing an exodus.

[Alicia64]

Originally Posted by mattee01

Are you serious? I can't imagine what makes people want to live in California

1. Even hotter
2. Ridiculous cost of living
3. Idiotic laws and regulations
4. Earthquakes
5. Jobs don't pay much better
6. Too much congestion
7. Extreme racism
8. Constant threat of being dropped into the ocean one day

I mean you've got nice beaches, pretty cities, entertainment, and gay stuff, but it's far from making it worth it. I think Cali is actually experiencing an exodus.

You're right on 3, 5, 6, but the rest? No. I lived in CA for four decades. The worst earthquake I ever experienced was in VA about two years ago. Rarely did I ever feel an earthquake in CA.

Extreme racism? You know, I think you might be right about that. More than I realized than when I lived there.

Dropped into the ocean? No.

Re: heat. The Bay Area has the most beautiful weather in the world. So. Ca. is warm but not hot like GA. Sacramento and up No. Ca. is HOT, yes.

Remember, CA is an enormous state by East Coast standards so it's hard to say "CA is like this" or "CA is like that."

But you're right that there is a an exodus happening right now. Absolutely. We left in 2010 and have never regretted it. The only think I miss? Lake Tahoe.

If the OP wants to experience something new, I'd recommend Reno, Nevada. Nice little city about 40 mins. from Tahoe. Awesome.

Alley

[OneTrickNet]

I would totally move to California if someone gave me a job that paid well.

[afdinatl]

Btw the best beaches are on the shores of the northern gulf Coast of Florida

[Tryska]

I have never even considered California. Drought, fires, eathquakes, sprawl, cost of living, taxes.

Actually with water shortages becoming more and more the norm, globally, California is the last place I'd choose to live. Well that and Nevada. and seriously, Vegas 4 hours away is a perk? I can get to Vegas in 3 from here. But it's not someplace I HAVE to be.

[ATLTJL]

I understand the spirit behind this post. I have friends in California and every time I visit they always say the same thing: "When are you moving here?"

My answer is always the same: "When you find me a job that will afford me the same lifestyle I have in Atlanta."

I have much more experience with southern California that northern, but have been to both. The main reasons I don't go are:

1) Too expensive. To afford what I would call a decent house is at least $500k, more closer to the good parts of LA. I'd probably have to work in LA, so Orange County would most likely be out of the question.
2) Too far away from family
3) LA grew in the 50s and 60s and the architecture reflects that. Nice expensive areas are modernizing, but most of LA feels old and rundown. Even nice areas have remnants of 60s and 70s architecture everywhere
4) The roads are awful. Not only are they busy, they are paved with concrete instead of asphalt and are horrible to drive on
5) It's brown. Most of the year, LA isn't green. It's brown and kind of depressing.
6) For someone used to Florida, the beaches are most certainly not good
7) Industry. Why can you go to a beach and swim next to an oil refinery? For such a liberal state, California is still dealing with whatever crazy laws it used to have that allowed heavy industry wherever it wanted to go
8) It's cramped. People who love density will love it, but LA piles people on top of people. There isn't very much empty green space at all. Parks are crowded.

Northern California doesn't have a lot of these problems. I actually prefer southern California, but I like northern California, too. Someone once said (not Mark Twain, as is often attributed), "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

I don't know how anybody could ever call foggy, damp, cold weather desirable. I don't want to live anywhere that I can never go out at night without brining a sweater. I guess you can't argue with opinion, but I think northern California has the worst climate in the entire country, at least San Francisco (I know some of northern California doesn't experience the foggy bay effect).

California is great, I love visiting there. But it also has some very strong issues going against it that can make a lack of desire to move there understandable.

[flamadiddle]

I can live pretty much anywhere I want and California is not anywhere near the top of my list of possible places to relocate. I've been to Frisco, San Jose, LA, Costa Mesa and Ontario for business and I must be missing something because it did not impress me. :|

[mrpanda]

k374,

Perhap you are thinking about moving to Atlanta, but all your friends and family are telling you that it is a bad move. I have lived in West LA, South OC, and I currently reside in South Forsyth / North Fulton. I am also a full time real estate broker licensed in both California and Georgia so let me state some advantages of living in Georgia over California without having to repeat what has already been stated like : weather, beaches, fire etc.

1) GA has a state funded pre-K program that CA doesn't have. My two boys are enrolled in the GA Pre-K program at Montessori school in Johns Creek. We are very happy and impressed with the qualifications of the Montessori certified teachers. If we lived in California, this would easily be an additional $20,000 expense a year for my household.

2) Georgia Tech is our flag ship state school while UCLA and Berkeley is California's flag ship state schools. We have a HOPE scholarship here that will give your child a free ride to Tech with certain GPA requirements. You and your wife may be able to retire 10 years earlier this way. Georgia Tech was ranked #1 in terms of the best Return on Investment : earning potential / tuition costs. UCLA and Berkeley's admission has gotten so competitive, you have a better shot getting admitted to a second tier Ivy school. Good luck getting a HOPE scholarship for UCLA or Berkeley.

3) Both LA and Atlanta is a melting pot of all cultures. Both cities have one of the most vibrant K-Towns in the country.

4) Atlanta's industry is diverse and we have a vibrant tech presence here. The soil is entrepreneurial in Atlanta. California taxes are high, cost to do business is high.

5) LA may be a fun place live for a single Asian guy or gal, but in terms of raising a family in a good environment. I think Atlanta, especially the northern suburbs is a great place to work, play, and raise a family. This is the south, so there is good southern values here that I like more. California seems to be a little to liberal for me and my values.

6) There are earthquakes and fires in California. There are hurricances in Florida and tornadoes in the Midwest. For the most part, Georgia is free from any natural disasters. I'd like to believe that Georgia's land has been blessed by the Lord.

7) There is John Wayne Airport in Irvine and LAX in LA, but we only have Hartsfield International Airport. I think infrastructure is much better in California than Georgia.

8) When I lived in Chicago, I would look forward to the spring, summer, and fall months, and resent the winter. In Atlanta, I don't look for forward to the summer months, but look forward to spring, fall, and winter months. In LA... the weather is the same all year around, and it gets to be a bit boring. I prefer to see changes in the season and much prefer green than brown.

I have lived in both places, and overall, I can confidently say that Atlanta metro is a better to place to live than LA.

[Vkforpe]

Lets see whats been proposed in this thread;

California is too hot for the people who live in Georgia.

California has natural disasters, while the people of Georgia are blesses unlike their Alabama and Tennessee and Carolina, and Florida counterparts who have tornados.

Georgia is an innovative place, and since there is GA Tech, one may consider an early retirement.

This just goes to show what a great, excellent and helpful resource this site still is to perspective people. Keep up all the great work!