Should I move to California from Texas? (home, live in)

[CarawayDJ]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

I wouldn't move here without at least $50,000 in cash in the bank. $100,000 would be better. If you plan to buy a house, at least $250,000.

Even with sharing an apartment with a roommate, your housing costs are going to be over $2,000 a month.

Traffic is terrible. Lots of people from the Midwest and South had the same idea you have.

The tech demographic skews younger here, but they're mostly men.

Everything is expensive.

Originally Posted by Mr5150

That is plain ridiculous. Do you realized what people who work in tech are paid in the Bay Area? $2000 is easy when you are making $70K plus a year. My daughter moved to Dublin with $5000 in the bank for a $70,000 year job and was fine. Her rent was $2300 for a one bedroom apt.

I was thinking the same thing. A SW engineer will have no problem finding a decent paying job in much of CA. One of my nieces moved to LA with little more than the scent of money in her bank account. Granted, not ideal. A SW engineer should have no fears whatsoever.

At the OP's age my answer would be "why the heck not?" I would at least visit the place as some recommended though.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Load up on non-roster guns before you move. You won't be able to get them once you're here, but you can legally sell them. HK VP9, Glock 42/43, M&P full size are ones I know that command a several hundred dollar premium.

[adr3naline]

Dude, just move to Austin.

Seriously. Tech accelerators and start ups going into their later rounds of funding have been moving to Austin in droves due to the lower commercial rent and rising tech scene. The closer you are to the epicenter the more socially liberal hipsters you'll run into. Decent mix of techies/cowboys. My best buddy just moved to Austin as a SEIII and loves it--owns a 3000sqft new construction house like 10miles out of downtown for $200k. My company also just opened a tech accelerator over there and we're hiring SE's like mad.

[TheCityTheBridge]

Originally Posted by ds001

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting in these forums. I'm considering moving to California, around the San Francisco or San Jose area, but I've lived in Texas my entire life. This would basically be me starting over completely. I have no friends or family in California, but it seems to be very promising.

I'm a single guy in my early 20's who graduated college last year with a degree in Computer Science. I've been working in the defense industry as a software engineer, which is a great job, but I don't think that it's really where I belong. I've gotten some great experience but it's a strict and corporate environment. I'm very interested in startups and work on many startup related things outside of work. I'd love to meet more similar people, but in my city the startup scene isn't very active.

After college, I haven't made many friends because almost everyone at my current job is 40+. No offense to people in that age group, but I'd just like to meet more people around my age. From what I've seen the tech demographic is much younger there.

Also, I've had a hard time dating here. I'm not bad looking, but many girls here seem to be more interested in "country boys." That's literally the complete opposite of myself. I even get called a "yuppie" by some people here.

I love doing outdoorsy things like hiking and from what I've heard California is good for that as well.

I'm not too worried about the cost of living. I live with a roommate in an apartment now and would happily do it again. Plus I feel that I could get a decent salary based on my current experience.

What do you all think? Is California right for me?

It certainly checks the boxes as a good place for you.


Tech startups
Hiking
New place
Skews young-ish (depending on where you live)


I can't comment on how the dating scene will be for you.


You should visit and see what areas you like.

Originally Posted by ds001

I have 25k saved up right now and am adding about 1k per month to my savings account. I'm hoping to move early next year, so that I'll have been at my current job a little over a year.

I would start applying near the end of the year or early next year to companies in that area. I don't think it would be too hard to at least get interviews, because after I had already accepted my other job near graduation I had interview requests from Amazon, Yahoo, Microsoft, and a few other smaller companies.

You would be fine moving here--though best to have an offer in hand in order to secure housing. Everyone is a-buzz about the startups here, understandably. You may, however, find it worthwhile to work for one of the brand-name giants for a couple of years. Not only will they professionalize you as an engineer, but the names stand out like gold bars on resumes.

[I Love Buildings]

OP should just stick to Galveston and pretend he lives in Malibu. Just try to use your imagination to picture the mountains and blue water there. You'll be able to stay in Texas AND save money!

[V8 Vega]

see the car tax thread on this page, only a lunatic would move from Texas to this hell hole.

[ironlady]

Originally Posted by ds001

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting in these forums. I'm considering moving to California, around the San Francisco or San Jose area, but I've lived in Texas my entire life. This would basically be me starting over completely. I have no friends or family in California, but it seems to be very promising.

I'm a single guy in my early 20's who graduated college last year with a degree in Computer Science. I've been working in the defense industry as a software engineer, which is a great job, but I don't think that it's really where I belong. I've gotten some great experience but it's a strict and corporate environment. I'm very interested in startups and work on many startup related things outside of work. I'd love to meet more similar people, but in my city the startup scene isn't very active.

After college, I haven't made many friends because almost everyone at my current job is 40+. No offense to people in that age group, but I'd just like to meet more people around my age. From what I've seen the tech demographic is much younger there.

Also, I've had a hard time dating here. I'm not bad looking, but many girls here seem to be more interested in "country boys." That's literally the complete opposite of myself. I even get called a "yuppie" by some people here.

I love doing outdoorsy things like hiking and from what I've heard California is good for that as well.

I'm not too worried about the cost of living. I live with a roommate in an apartment now and would happily do it again. Plus I feel that I could get a decent salary based on my current experience.

What do you all think? Is California right for me?

Where do you live??? Ha! I grew up in a small East Texas town, way out in the woods, and even there the "country boys" were nowhere near as popular with the girls as the "yuppies" (preps as they were called then) or the jocks. I would assume this would be the case for any major metro area. Sure, there are the girls who like the "country boys", but I'm sure there are an equal if not larger number who are into "yuppies".

That said, I moved from Texas to L.A. after I married a guy who had been raised in L.A. Spent my 20s there and loved it. Moved back to Texas briefly and hated it because I wanted to be near mountains. So, if you're in your 20s, can secure a good job, and are willing to live with cost-of-living adjustments, then yeah, I'd say it's worth it.

Just don't move there expecting to run from yourself or anything. You still have to take risks and make friends or ask people out. That's true wherever you live.

[Beardown91737]

Originally Posted by V8 Vega

see the car tax thread on this page, only a lunatic would move from Texas to this hell hole.

Californians can vote against an insane car tax but they don't.
Texans can vote against insane property taxes but they went way too small on it.
Texans can't vote against the weather.
Californians vote for the weather and surroundings by paying to live there.

CA>TX

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by ds001

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting in these forums. I'm considering moving to California, around the San Francisco or San Jose area, but I've lived in Texas my entire life. This would basically be me starting over completely. I have no friends or family in California, but it seems to be very promising.

I'm a single guy in my early 20's who graduated college last year with a degree in Computer Science. I've been working in the defense industry as a software engineer, which is a great job, but I don't think that it's really where I belong. I've gotten some great experience but it's a strict and corporate environment. I'm very interested in startups and work on many startup related things outside of work. I'd love to meet more similar people, but in my city the startup scene isn't very active.

After college, I haven't made many friends because almost everyone at my current job is 40+. No offense to people in that age group, but I'd just like to meet more people around my age. From what I've seen the tech demographic is much younger there.

Also, I've had a hard time dating here. I'm not bad looking, but many girls here seem to be more interested in "country boys." That's literally the complete opposite of myself. I even get called a "yuppie" by some people here.

I love doing outdoorsy things like hiking and from what I've heard California is good for that as well.

I'm not too worried about the cost of living. I live with a roommate in an apartment now and would happily do it again. Plus I feel that I could get a decent salary based on my current experience.

What do you all think? Is California right for me?

Say goodbye to your middle class life if you move here. You'll go from half an acre and a mansion to living with room mates

[V8 Vega]

All Calif, business is moving to Texas to get away from the ridiculous liberals here. A word to the wise is sufficient.