Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My daughter is graduating high school next year and now I feel like I am ready for a change. I am a 36 year old AA woman and I really have this strong passion to move to California. I am looking for an area that is generally close things to do as well as the beach. Basically I will be starting over meaning I will have to find a job, a rental home and a good high school for my 14 year old son. I know the basics about some areas of California; high crime,rising gas prices, bad traffic, earthquakes, rich folks etc. I live in Maryland so the change would be really different. I assume for rent I would be willing to pay $1,500 or alittle more for a 2br apartment and I want an area close to the beach and a place that is not full of crime and prejudice. Overall, is it just a bad place to move to, is there a possibility of getting a decent paying job as an insurance biller, receptionist/secretary, insurance claim manager, housekeeper (something along those lines)? Yes I'm all over the place but I have so many questions. I'm excited but at the same time I know the real deal on California can lessen my excitement. P.S I'm hoping to make about $34, 000 a year doing something I could enjoy. Just an FYI I was looking into Laguna Hills, CA and its peaked my interest some but maybe I would be too poor for that area but I could be wrong. Who knows. Help!
I think $1,500 near the beach and with good schools is pretty hard to do for a 2 BD. I think you could probably find something somewhere in SoCal, especially the less wealthy Orange County (OC), but I think it will still be hard.
I would focus your search on SoCal, especially San Diego/Orange County area.
I am curious though, why don’t you wait 3 more years for your son to graduate as well and then you move. Let him finish HS with his friends and then you can move to CA. That way, you will also be able to rent a smaller place, such as a studio or a 1BD, which would be more doable with you budget.
Anyway, I hope you are able to pursue your dream down the road. Good luck!
I'm with HappyInCali. Does your son want to move too? I couldn't imagine moving my son across country right when he's starting high school. Unless you're in a bad area and you're hoping to keep him out of trouble.
Sorry, I know that's besides the point of your question. But your income level is not going to make the move an easy one, unless you've got a considerable amount of money saved up.
I am in Northern California so I can only speak to this half of the state. Based on the jobs you mentioned, I would look at Sacramento and Oakland. Oakland is the hub of Kaiser and a good number of major hospitals, and there's a lot of medical and insurance in Sacramento. They, or their neighboring suburbs, are also going to be on the more affordable side of the Bay Area.
I'm with HappyInCali. Does your son want to move too? I couldn't imagine moving my son across country right when he's starting high school. Unless you're in a bad area and you're hoping to keep him out of trouble.
Sorry, I know that's besides the point of your question. But your income level is not going to make the move an easy one, unless you've got a considerable amount of money saved up.
I am in Northern California so I can only speak to this half of the state. Based on the jobs you mentioned, I would look at Sacramento and Oakland. Oakland is the hub of Kaiser and a good number of major hospitals, and there's a lot of medical and insurance in Sacramento. They, or their neighboring suburbs, are also going to be on the more affordable side of the Bay Area.
I don't think Sacramento is what the o.p. has in mind. Far from the ocean, not the most beautiful of places and horrible air quality.
And why guide someone to Oakland who can't afford to live in the better parts of it? Really now.
And there is no such thing as "this half of the state".
I agree Oakland, or at least its nicer parts, are out of reach for the OP, but I think Sacramento is a perfectly valid suggestion. It's an area in California she can actually afford and find a job in her field. The OP (in a separate post) indicated she is tired of the snow and is looking for warmer weather and is also considering Florida, Texas and Nevada. Why not Sacramento?
The city of Sacramento has its own type of beauty, with charming, leafy neighborhoods filled with Victorian, Craftsman and Tudor homes, pretty parks, a fun Midtown area, great restaurants, and lots of festivals and activities. We have one of the best bike trails in the country that runs from Old Sacramento to Folsom along the beautiful American River. Sacramento is 2-3 hours from the ocean, but it's doable as a day or weekend trip. We also have beaches on our rivers and nearby reservoirs (well, a little too much beach with the drought...) And we are a short drive from the Sierras, Lake Tahoe, Napa/Sonoma, Amador, the Delta, San Francisco, Yosemite, etc. In fact, you can afford to live in a nice place in Sacramento and still afford to go on vacation to the beach or the mountains!
The OP could easily find a nice 2-3 BD house or apartment in the Sacramento area for $1500 or less. A friend of mine just found a 3/2 house for this price and is moving this weekend. Here's a CL link for 2 BR+ places under $1500 (you have to check out the area of each listing). Compare this to what you find in this range in Southern California.
I have heard about Sacramento's poor air quality ratings. However, Southern California is bad as well. I know it's anecdotal, but in all the places I've lived (Midwest/East Coast/West Coast), I have had the fewest breathing problems in Sacramento, and I have mild asthma. This may be because I live in the city with all the trees and a strong Delta Breeze (pollution is worse in the foothills). Also, there is no (or very little) ragweed here, which is my biggest problem.
So dream on, Dreamer36! But do extensive research, visit, and consider what's best for your son before moving anywhere.
My daughter is graduating high school next year and now I feel like I am ready for a change. I am a 36 year old AA woman and I really have this strong passion to move to California.
Dreamer36, how did you become passionate about moving to California? Have you ever vacationed here? Do you have family members or friends who live out here?
Just curious how California came to be on your radar.
Here are two resources that you might find helpful as you think about moving to a new place:
Indeed.com. This site collects all of the job listings from various company websites. It can be a good way to get an idea of what the job market and salaries are like. If you do an advanced search you can specify the city and then ask it to search within 25, 50, or even 100 miles of that city. So, if you do a search for say San Diego, and set it to 100 miles, you'll get a list of current jobs for most of the county of San Diego and some of the Orange county.
Zillow.com - you can search for rentals in a specific city or zipcode. For instance, here is the current Zillow listing for Sacramento: Sacramento CA Apartments For Rent | Zillow Find the ones that are in your price range, write down the addresses, then ask on the Sacramento board how the areas are that they are located in.
The two biggest difficulties with moving cross country are always figuring out the order of how to do things and how to finance the move.
For instance, most employers won't consider out of area applicants for the types of administrative jobs you're looking for. So, there's a good chance you'll have to move to California before you can find a job. But, to do that, you'll need to have enough money in savings to tide you over until you can get a job. Let's figure it takes you three months to find a job. You'll probably need at least $3,000 in the bank to carry you until you land a job.
The next trick is that most landlords renting apartments in "nice" areas, won't rent to someone who isn't employed. So, you may have to live in a more expensive set up, like a residential hotel, until you get a job. That will tack on additional costs. You'll also need money for a deposit on the apartment, which can be one month's rent, or in some cases, two months. Some landlords also ask for a deposit. So, you'll probably want to have that amount in savings before your move so that you can move into your new home as soon as possible after you find a job.
Finally, you'll need to move yourself and your son, plus your belongs, from Maryland to California. You'll want to have the cost of moving in savings as well, unless you get lucky and find a job where the employer is willing to pay for relocation (that's rare).
Let's say you drive you and your son across country towing a U-Haul. It's 3,000 miles from Maryland to California, so figure driving 65 mph and including stops to eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom, it will probably take you 5 days to drive across country driving 8-10 hours a day.
Figure $150 a night for a hotel and food (that may be on the low side). Plus the cost of gas - let's say 10 tanks of gas at $35 a piece. Then, the cost of the U-Haul. So, you probably should plan on a minimum of $1500 to drive. Flying may cost less but you will have to figure out how to get your car out here. (You can ship a car cross country for about $800-$1000).
If you're serious about moving to California (or indeed anywhere else), and don't have money saved to cover most of these expenses, then you may want to plan long term and put money away each month until you have enough - or close to it- to cover the move without going into debt.
I like the suggestion that some have given above about waiting until your son graduates from high school. That would give you more time to plan and save so that you can make the move without too much personal or financial stress.
You have lots to think about and plan for, but I understand your desire for a fresh start.
Good luck with your dreams!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
