Did anyone move out of Cali for a lower cost of living state and then moved back to Cali? (Los Angeles: new house, purchase)

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by Surfertx

I moved out of OC about 4 years ago to Houston, TX for financial reasons (open a business and buy a house) and now that the business is sold we're looking into moving back. I admit it is scary being out of Cali and looking at the high cost of living from Texas. But then again our lifestyle and I even would say happiness has not been the same since we moved.

Just wondering if anyone had similar experiences.

Moved out once and came back. Now moving out again. We didn't move out just for lower cost of living, but that was part of it. I moved for a job because the San Diego job market sucks. I couldn't get ahead to keep up with the rising mortgage costs. So primarily I moved for work/opportunity, but if the housing had been cheaper here, I suppose I wouldn't have had to. I was happier in Florida actually. We only moved back because my wife was still working for a San Diego company and we missed our friends. She also thought she wanted to be back here, but once we got back it was never the same.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Not all of CA and not even all of SoCal, and only in areas where many cannot afford to live.

This is so true. Get about 15 miles inland away from the coast, and things are very, very different. It's like a different California. I grew up in Redlands and it gets very hot there in the summer, for at least a few months out of the year. Then it also gets colder there in the winter. So your energy bills will be higher if you are away from the coast.

[eureka1]

I can't believe you have lived here and moved out of state and you're still calling it "Cali". Stay where you are.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by eureka1

I can't believe you have lived here and moved out of state and you're still calling it "Cali". Stay where you are.

This post illustrates why some people think people in California are arrogant and snobbish. Ca or Cali isn't a big deal.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

This post illustrates why some people think people in California are arrogant and snobbish. Ca or Cali isn't a big deal.

CA is fine; it's simply the postal abbreviation. Cali is trying too hard to be cute. But we don't need another thread derailed by this...

[Bert_from_back_East]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

This is so true. Get about 15 miles inland away from the coast, and things are very, very different. It's like a different California. I grew up in Redlands and it gets very hot there in the summer, for at least a few months out of the year. Then it also gets colder there in the winter. So your energy bills will be higher if you are away from the coast.

Yeah, if you travel 15 miles inland in most areas of Southern California, then you might as well be in Mexico: not a lick of water or English.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by Bert_from_back_East

Yeah, if you travel 15 miles inland in most areas of Southern California, then you might as well be in Mexico: not a lick of water or English.

Ha!

[msgsing]

Yup. Coastal California where all the mythology begins. Inland it’s hot, dry and populated by WalMart people of all kinds and descriptions.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by eureka1

I can't believe you have lived here and moved out of state and you're still calling it "Cali".

I'd have to agree.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by 509

Nope...nothing mixed up in this case. At my eastern Washington home, I pay 2.7 cents a kilo-watt hour. The campground I stayed at passed on the PG&E costs directly to me. The base rate was something like 17 cents a kilo-watt hour. At that time Tier III rate was 37.5 cents a kilowatt hour. The math was pretty straight forward.



Electric rates don't seem as high in California, because lots of people use natural gas for heating. However, when I lived in California I knew lots of people with all electric houses in the Sierra's and rural areas. Natural gas doesn't work in rural areas and propane is much more expensive than natural gas. My house in eastern Washington is ALL ELECTRIC.


If I lived in California I would disconnect from the grid and run solar.....which is by far the most expensive electricity. I know I have a off-grid house in the mountains.



BUT a solar installation, combined with conservation and right choice in fuels easily works in California.


If I had a house in California, I would disconnect ASAP. But most people in California don't have a clue when it comes to alternative energy.



I might have to run down to the PUD and have them provide me with the electricity costs over the entire year.


We heat during winter....lows 10 highs 30.



Spring and fall are perfect lows 50's highs 70-80. Lots of the time the heat or air conditioning doesn't even come on. Sunny days heat the house through the windows easily, in summer the outside blinds come down.



Summer highs 85-95 lows 60-70. Air conditioner does run a lot.


All hot water, fridge, etc. runs on electric all year. Our lowest electric during spring and fall are in the neighborhood of $30.


House is 2400 square feet.


People in California have very little clue about how the rest of US lives!!

Unless you have battery back up you’re not completely disconnecting from the grid. Not to mention you’re leasing or buying the system. So it’s not free by any means. Not to mention solar isn’t efficient in every state

2200 sq ft home (I mistakenly said 2500) runs 80/100 in electrical 9 months out of the year. 3 months I get higher bill 200/300 when I use AC. I rarely use my heater in winter. We do have a wood burning fireplace which we use because it heats up the area we spend 90* of our time. When we go to bed I love the cold bedrooms. I throw a blanket on.
My gas bill runs about 30/40 bucks a month.

As far as Californians not knowing....you gotta be joking. California is FULL of people from other states moving her.