Would Like to Hear From People Who Have Left California (pros and cons, living in) - (CA) - Page 5 - City-Data Forum

509 · 08-04-2018, 03:15 PM

I left California before it was cool to leave California.

During the 70’s I would move out for months and years, but always kept coming back to California. All that was basically job driven as I was just starting my career. I lived in British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and spent lots of time in Oregon and Montana working, but not living there. I finally left California for good in 1978, moving back to Idaho.

California was cheap in the early 70’s and quite expensive by the late 70’s. So I suspect IF I had stayed in one place in California I could have been Prop 13 rich these days. Even in those days it was much cheaper to live outside of California. I have a 2400 sq.ft view home in town. 25 minutes away I have a second 1800 sq.ft home on a high mountain meadow. I also have a RV lot and RV stashed in Arizona for winter. Did all that and saved for a nice retirement on a pretty low government salary. All the homes together cost well under 350,000.

The weather is California is pretty good, though my wife, hates the humidity, in the Bay Area and probably could not live there for that reason. I have really enjoyed the four seasons in Idaho and Washington. There is a rhythm to the seasons and activities. I admit to cutting winter short, by taking only winter vacations when I was working and after I retired getting the place in Arizona.

The thing I notice about California is how “ratty” and threadbare California has become. It seems everything is worn and needs to be repaired. The crowding and traffic is awful and the only time I travel through the state now is in winter. For as much high tech industry California is pretty backward in a high tech infrastructure.

I have had fiber to my house since the turn of the century. Currently 1Gbps internet is $70/month. This community has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. The local AM radio station has only three call letters!! When I moved here in 1985 I could use my computer to sign on to the library system order library books and they would show up in my mailbox a couple days later in a parcel complete with return postage. Now I just download books and magazines from the library to read on the IPAD.

The population has tripled since I moved here....so here we go again. But everybody is looking for a better place and that use to be California in the 60’s and 70’s. So I guess I got the best of both worlds living in California back then and leaving in the late 70’s.

There are a lot of neat communities. Each with their advantages and issues. Just make a list of the things important to you.

For me it was access to to current technology, good library, and no waiting in lines for anything...anywhere. I see the lines creeping up in my community. Good thing I am getting old.

There is life after California and in many cases it is much nicer.

Electrician4you · 08-04-2018, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

You've got the best situation. Living in socal and being able to afford it. Already owning your house there as well as rental homes there puts you so far above many people.

And believe me I am very grateful for what I have. Not sure if it was luck, hard work, skill or smarts. Maybe a little of everything.

aslowdodge · 08-04-2018, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

And believe me I am very grateful for what I have. Not sure if it was luck, hard work, skill or smarts. Maybe a little of everything.

I'm sure it was all of the above

expatCA · 08-04-2018, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TristramShandy

True, it definitely depends on what part of California you are from. On the San Diego forum, there are constantly threads complaining about driving in San Diego. I think it all depends where you lived before - - compared to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Boston (places I lived/visited frequently before), I don't have a problem with San Diego drivers. But L.A. is as bad as the ones above.

I lived in No SD County twice and the traffic was not a major issue there. Around the 5 and 15 and 805(?) near SD is another story. SD is isolated from the balance of SoCal, LA, OC, and that helps some with traffic.

Beardown91737 · 08-04-2018, 09:58 PM

In 2014 my employer mandated a move to TX or I would lose my job. By that time I was 57 and had spent my entire working career in mainframe computing which is not an expanding field, and the economy was not doing well in 2014.

People in TX are nice but the surroundings are blah, the weather sucks, the beach is extremely far, and our house may have foundation problems, which are rampant in the area. We discuss getting out of here every day. We are also far from family in CA and AZ. We are on an airplane every month.

One if the biggest things is that the employment market here is not that great. Much job expansion is through jobs coming from other states, usually drawn by incentive paid by the local governments. Many transplants bring trailing spouses who will have to find employment, which puts pressure on the local job market, and in my wife's case she had to take a non-management job just to get back into being employed, and it took three years to find a management level job again.

With all the people moving in, there is a lot of extra money floating around, so housing prices are going up, and Texas has insane property taxes which increase every year. We had been in the same house in CA since 1993, so our property taxes are 4x what they were in CA.

It is nice to live somewhere that isn't controlled by public employee unions, but overall this was a bad move and we are not sure we will be able to afford the move back and are considering NV or AZ,

expatCA · 08-05-2018, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beardown91737

It is nice to live somewhere that isn't controlled by public employee unions, but overall this was a bad move and we are not sure we will be able to afford the move back and are considering NV or AZ,

If looking at AZ be absolutely sure of water availability as they are dealing with severe shortages in many places. Especially be concerned if on a well. Friends from there and while they left, their friends are dealing with this.

westcoastlife · 08-05-2018, 10:12 AM

I'm enjoying these comments. It is nice to know I am not alone. It helps to read about the situation of others. Like many, I am not bound and determined to get back to California, but I would like to get close, e.g. Oregon, Washington, or maybe Nevada. I've never been keen on Nevada, although we used to spend weekend getaways at the Atlantis pool. And, of course, I would be happy and content being nearer my daughter. Keep posting!

teacherdad · 08-05-2018, 10:23 AM

Born and raised in SB, CA. It's nothing like it once was in terms of traffic and attitudes. My opinion, of course. I LONG to be in CLE, yes, Cleveland. I visit about 5x per year.
#2 theatre district in the US
CLE Clinic
MetroPark System
Sports
Lakes, ski (within 2 hrs a full resort)
COL
VERY nice people
Public transportation (RTA)
etc.

I plan to retire there or at least live there half the year. I prefer seasons and older architecture. CLE has done a very good job with NOT tearing it down.

Plus, they get rain!

Met a few people last visit from San Diego and they LOVE being in CLE.

There's more to life than just getting by for the sake of weather. Everyone has their own thoughts on where they need to live, so really, just go where you are happiest. There is no argument either way. Go where you are happy!

expatCA · 08-05-2018, 06:56 PM

[quote=teacherdad;52707376]Born and raised in SB, CA. It's nothing like it once was in terms of traffic and attitudes. My opinion, of course. I LONG to be in CLE, yes, Cleveland. I visit about 5x per year.
#2 theatre district in the US
CLE Clinic
MetroPark System
Sports
Lakes, ski (within 2 hrs a full resort)
COL
VERY nice people
Public transportation (RTA)
etc.

I plan to retire there or at least live there half the year. I prefer seasons and older architecture. CLE has done a very good job with NOT tearing it down.

Plus, they get rain!

Met a few people last visit from San Diego and they LOVE being in CLE.

There's more to life than just getting by for the sake of weather. Everyone has their own thoughts on where they need to live, so really, just go where you are happiest. There is no argument either way. Go where you are happy! [/quote]
Right, don't go somewhere because others like it or you think it makes you special, etc, go where you are happy, AND take some time to see if you are, don't judge it by a few months.

aslowdodge · 08-05-2018, 09:36 PM

[quote=expatCA;52711624]

Quote:

Originally Posted by teacherdad

Born and raised in SB, CA. It's nothing like it once was in terms of traffic and attitudes. My opinion, of course. I LONG to be in CLE, yes, Cleveland. I visit about 5x per year.
#2 theatre district in the US
CLE Clinic
MetroPark System
Sports
Lakes, ski (within 2 hrs a full resort)
COL
VERY nice people
Public transportation (RTA)
etc.

I plan to retire there or at least live there half the year. I prefer seasons and older architecture. CLE has done a very good job with NOT tearing it down.

Plus, they get rain!

Met a few people last visit from San Diego and they LOVE being in CLE.

There's more to life than just getting by for the sake of weather. Everyone has their own thoughts on where they need to live, so really, just go where you are happiest. There is no argument either way. Go where you are happy! [/quote]
Right, don't go somewhere because others like it or you think it makes you special, etc, go where you are happy, AND take some time to see if you are, don't judge it by a few months.

True dat!