No More California Dreamin' (rent, home, buy)

[stava]

Hello - I moved to California 5 years ago from the East coast after graduating college. I have been consistently employed here, but it seems like all the money I'm making is going straight out the window. It is so expensive to live here, especially renting.

For this reason, I have been debating whether or not to get out of California and possibly return back East. I think that 5 years is a good amount of time to try something out and then decide it's not for you. I just don't see how staying in California could benefit me financially in the long run.

Does anyone have any experience with moving to a new place, thinking you'd love it and then realizing it wasn't going to work out?

[PDF]

I definitely think 5 years is enough. I moved out to California from the East coast 7 weeks ago, knowing that I could lay down roots here or I could not. I plan to give it a few years and go from there.

I say go if you think your quality of life could be better elsewhere. That's what it is all about to me.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by stava

Hello - I moved to California 5 years ago from the East coast after graduating college. I have been consistently employed here, but it seems like all the money I'm making is going straight out the window. It is so expensive to live here, especially renting.

For this reason, I have been debating whether or not to get out of California and possibly return back East. I think that 5 years is a good amount of time to try something out and then decide it's not for you. I just don't see how staying in California could benefit me financially in the long run.

Does anyone have any experience with moving to a new place, thinking you'd love it and then realizing it wasn't going to work out?

I'm going to guess maybe you thought you could buy or rent your slice of some of the world's finest coastline - on a worker-bee income? Within the range of best weather and half hour from the beach, etc?

[eureka1]

What PDF said. If $$$$ is the highest consideration, you should move. Good luck!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by stava

Does anyone have any experience with moving to a new place, thinking you'd love it and then realizing it wasn't going to work out?

Yes, and I (and my four kids and my stay at home wife) ended up moving back to California.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by stava

Hello - I moved to California 5 years ago from the East coast after graduating college. I have been consistently employed here, but it seems like all the money I'm making is going straight out the window. It is so expensive to live here, especially renting.

For this reason, I have been debating whether or not to get out of California and possibly return back East. I think that 5 years is a good amount of time to try something out and then decide it's not for you. I just don't see how staying in California could benefit me financially in the long run.

Does anyone have any experience with moving to a new place, thinking you'd love it and then realizing it wasn't going to work out?

That happens to many many many people. You gave it five years, which is a good amount of time. Hopefully, you made some good memories. I've moved 8 or 9 times in my short life.

[Fontucky]

Five years is good. If it isn't a good fit after that, time to move on. Happens.

In the LA forum recently, someone posted about leaving in less than a day after "moving" to L.A.

[ketch89]

Originally Posted by stava

Hello - I moved to California 5 years ago from the East coast after graduating college. I have been consistently employed here, but it seems like all the money I'm making is going straight out the window. It is so expensive to live here, especially renting.

For this reason, I have been debating whether or not to get out of California and possibly return back East. I think that 5 years is a good amount of time to try something out and then decide it's not for you. I just don't see how staying in California could benefit me financially in the long run.

Does anyone have any experience with moving to a new place, thinking you'd love it and then realizing it wasn't going to work out?

People don't generally live in California for financial benefits, you pay a premium for the quality of life it offers. California offers things that money can't buy - perfect weather, access to nature, and open-minded people. If those things aren't important to you, then of course, move.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Five years is good. If it isn't a good fit after that, time to move on. Happens.

In the LA forum recently, someone posted about leaving in less than a day after "moving" to L.A.

Yeah, but that guy was something else.

[Spikett]

Originally Posted by ketch89

People don't generally live in California for financial benefits, you pay a premium for the quality of life it offers. California offers things that money can't buy - perfect weather, access to nature, and open-minded people. If those things aren't important to you, then of course, move.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. It depends on what's important to each person.