Should I Move From Seattle to California? (Sacramento, Santa Rosa: transplants, for rent)

[deniseld]

Originally Posted by jaijai

Where in California?
On the coast?
Because $900 a month for a 2 bedroom will not be enough in most coastal areas of CA.
Coastal areas that might be affordable (like the most northern parts of CA) will often lack the sun that you want and jobs are scarce.
I don't know Chico but it's often recommended ... in the mountains and not humid in the summer and it may be affordable.
Other mountain communities in the Sierra and the Sierra foothills may be an option as well.
Also, if you don't mind snow and you don't want humidity there are many, many options in the inter-mountain west and even the southwest that may be good for you.
Parts of Oregon away from the coast are also possibilities.
Why California?

Thank you! CA is somewhere my mom has wanted to move to b/c of the weather. For me it appeals to me b/c there is such a diverse population of people and access to tremendous arts and entertainment.

[Snort]

Originally Posted by deniseld

Thanks for your input! This is a tricky post to make as I don't want to offend people. My response is strictly based on my own history of being bi-racial and supporting the LGBT family. Ethnic and lifestyle diversity is important to me. I find it frustrating to live in an area where isn't uncommon to encounter people that are extraordinarily judgemental, critical and even borderline racist in their ways of thinking about different ethnic backgrounds and lifestyle differences. Everyone has a right to their opinion but my personal preference would be to live in an area where those types of diversity are not so, well, few, far and between. It is my opinion that the more exposure people have to diversity the more comfortable they will become, whether they agree with different lifestyles or not.

Maybe a university town in the southwest would meet the sun plus affordability requirements. If you need to be near a big city, then maybe the Tempe/Scottsdale area would work for you. Summer's a b¡tch though!
I'd look at southern New Mexico too, but it's not a fast-paced style of living down there and it might get old pretty quick.

[jaijai]

Originally Posted by deniseld

Thanks for your input! This is a tricky post to make as I don't want to offend people. My response is strictly based on my own history of being bi-racial and supporting the LGBT family. Ethnic and lifestyle diversity is important to me. I find it frustrating to live in an area where isn't uncommon to encounter people that are extraordinarily judgemental, critical and even borderline racist in their ways of thinking about different ethnic backgrounds and lifestyle differences. Everyone has a right to their opinion but my personal preference would be to live in an area where those types of diversity are not so, well, few, far and between. It is my opinion that the more exposure people have to diversity the more comfortable they will become, whether they agree with different lifestyles or not.

The regular posters on the CA forum are, generally speaking, quite tolerant.
In fact, i've not encountered one who is not ... at least not openly.
There are a few hanging around lately who have issues but whatever.

I feel most comfortable in communities that are diverse.
I've lived in both.
I'd recommend Santa Cruz county where no one looks twice at anyone no matter how they are expressing themselves (sexually or otherwise) or what color their skin is, etc, etc..
It's a very tolerant place.
It's just that the area is extremely expensive and finding a 2 bedroom rental for $900 would be a real challenge and maybe impossible.
But you can get lucky and if you don't need to be in the nicest of neighborhoods you may be able to swing it but don't get your hopes up.
It may be a good fit though.
Although you will still have to deal with rain in the winter (but it's not like Seattle!) and if you live on or too near the coast (which you wouldn't be able to afford anyway with just a few exceptions possibly) there is fog that comes and goes in the summer.
Inland communities and communities in the Santa Cruz mountains are a possibility as long as you find a rental that's not in the thick of the redwoods (which is common) and gets some sun in the winter for the S.A.D.

[jaijai]

Originally Posted by deniseld

Thank you! CA is somewhere my mom has wanted to move to b/c of the weather. For me it appeals to me b/c there is such a diverse population of people and access to tremendous arts and entertainment.

Yes, but where the weather is good the prices are high.
Where the prices are low, even though the weather may be good, the air quality may not be and the access to arts and entertainment will be limited at best.

[jaijai]

Originally Posted by Snort

Maybe a university town in the southwest would meet the sun plus affordability requirements. If you need to be near a big city, then maybe the Tempe/Scottsdale area would work for you. Summer's a b¡tch though!
I'd look at southern New Mexico too, but it's not a fast-paced style of living down there and it might get old pretty quick.

And if he wants art and culture and tolerance and some diversity (many Mexican americans and also Native americans to a lesser degee) and a small percentage of African americans and his mother needs the sun, Santa Fe, N.M. may be a really good match.
And $900 can get you a nice place there.
I lived there in the mid 90's.
It's a pretty amazing environment in many ways.
The winters are not harsh and though the summers are hot, it's not the same kind of blazing / burn a hole through the skin heat that much (most?) of AZ has.

[Snort]

Originally Posted by jaijai

And if he wants art and culture and tolerance and some diversity (many Mexican americans and also Native americans to a lesser degee) and a small percentage of African americans and his mother needs the sun, Santa Fe, N.M. may be a really good match.
And $900 can get you a nice place there.
I lived there in the mid 90's.
It's a pretty amazing environment in many ways.
The winters are not harsh and though the summers are hot, it's not the same kind of blazing / burn a hole through the skin heat that much (most?) of AZ has.

Santa Fe's a great town! Bit cold in winter though. I was thinking Las Cruces for the warmer weather. The "diversity" being that it's a mostly Hispanic town.
Tucson's 4th Avenue offers the Santa Cruz vibe in the desert. Part of the problem with either Tempe or Tucson is the fact that there are some pretty sketchy people you run across from time to time.
Chico or Davis might be somewhat more affordable by CA standards, but they're still relatively expensive compared to much of the rest of the U.S.

[jaijai]

Originally Posted by Snort

Santa Fe's a great town! Bit cold in winter though. I was thinking Las Cruces for the warmer weather. The "diversity" being that it's a mostly Hispanic town.
Tucson's 4th Avenue offers the Santa Cruz vibe in the desert. Part of the problem with either Tempe or Tucson is the fact that there are some pretty sketchy people you run across from time to time.
Chico or Davis might be somewhat more affordable by CA standards, but they're still relatively expensive compared to much of the rest of the U.S.

I was in Tuscon once .... a very interesting place and yes, some interesting counter culture.
That was where i felt that the sun was literally burning a hole through my skin ... like someone was holding a magnifying glass over my arm.
It was during the first part of June and it 108 when i flew into Phoenix and something like 111 in Tuscon .... too much for me.
I don't think Santa Fe is that cold ... not colder than the Sierra generally.
I was only there for one winter but there wasn't too much snow and the temps were usually in the 30's and 40's which to me, as someone who has spent a lot of time in the mountains of Idaho, Utah and in northern New England, is relatively mild.
ALso the o.p. mentioned arts and entertainment .... for that reason, Santa Fe seems like it might be a good choice.
For a somewhat small town / city there's some "high" culture.

[deniseld]

Thanks so much for your input. I am thinking "no" on Arizona b/c of the extreme heat. When it's 90 and above for a good part of the year it is definitely NOT an option! lol

I'm wondering more about Santa Cruz county. Anyone have some specifics about the area i.e. neighborhoods?

[deniseld]

Originally Posted by Snort

Maybe a university town in the southwest would meet the sun plus affordability requirements. If you need to be near a big city, then maybe the Tempe/Scottsdale area would work for you. Summer's a b¡tch though!
I'd look at southern New Mexico too, but it's not a fast-paced style of living down there and it might get old pretty quick.

Thanks! Are there any specific towns/cities in the southwest you know of?

[deniseld]

Originally Posted by jaijai

I was in Tuscon once .... a very interesting place and yes, some interesting counter culture.
That was where i felt that the sun was literally burning a hole through my skin ... like someone was holding a magnifying glass over my arm.
It was during the first part of June and it 108 when i flew into Phoenix and something like 111 in Tuscon .... too much for me.
I don't think Santa Fe is that cold ... not colder than the Sierra generally.
I was only there for one winter but there wasn't too much snow and the temps were usually in the 30's and 40's which to me, as someone who has spent a lot of time in the mountains of Idaho, Utah and in northern New England, is relatively mild.
ALso the o.p. mentioned arts and entertainment .... for that reason, Santa Fe seems like it might be a good choice.
For a somewhat small town / city there's some "high" culture.

Thanks! I lived in Boston for a couple years and loved it. However the humidity during the summer was a killer!