Left or plan on leaving California, why? (appointed, rent)

[redwhiteblue]

I left CA a little over 2 years ago. I left for several of the reasons you mention above but mainly because of the liberal government.

For those of us that have left for this reason we are giving up our state and handing it over to the liberals, now that my vote and many others cannot go against the opposition it just makes it that much easier for state to become more and more liberal.
But at the same time quality of life matters and high taxes don't improve my life in any way.

Not to say I don't miss CA because there are many positives about the state as well.

[Police]

Overcrowding. A house with a yard that's a decent space away from the neighbors' houses in a safe neighborhood would require several million dollars, whereas in other places, such a place can be had for $700k-$1 million.

[impala666]

Originally Posted by L-88

I purchased two 1000 square foot condos in Laguna Woods in 1998 for $140,000 for the pair. My property taxes on both were about $1600 last year. The properties are presently valued at about $235,000 each.

Ten years ago,buy them today and what will be your property tax??

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by impala666

Ten years ago,buy them today and what will be your property tax??

Count on $5000/yr+ for both. I love posts that claim how affordable things are if you bought years ago. Gee, where's my time machine?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by sheri257

Is this true today?

As I recall you bought your house at or near the peak of the market but with lower housing prices that continue to fall ... this may not be the case the many areas.

I don't think we'll really know until the bottom of the market hits but, at the very least, housing prices are getting more affordable.

It still pretty true unless you settle for a tiny condo, a 3 hour per day commute, or a shady neighborhood. Despite the drops, single family homes in nice areas are still expensive and you still don't get a lot for your dollar. Case in point: I sold my old house short in Fountain Valley for $423/sf. Cut that number in half and it'll approach affordable.

[manoran1]

I am a native Californian and have loved every minute of living in Northern California until the year 2000. When the dot com bomb hit, my quality of life went downhill rapidly. We moved out in 2003, never having lived anywhere in my entire adult life (I'm 40-something). DH got an opportunity to transfer to central Texas and we jumped at the chance. Housing is reasonable ($200K for a great house in a great neighborhood). People are much nicer, there is a stronger sense of community and they take time to enjoy life here.

That being said, I am homesick all the time but DH loves it here. I can't justify moving back to such a costly area when our quality of life is better here. DH has a good job and we have established a solid social network (something we lacked in CA, despite both of us being natives). Texans mock the "California attitude" (ie, It's All About Me) and general shallowness of Californians. After being here for 5 years, I can see why they think that . The average Texan will go out of their way to help each other and people seem to genuinely care about each other.

Nonetheless, if I won the lottery, I'd move back to CA in a heartbeat!

[Police]

Originally Posted by manoran1

I am a native Californian and have loved every minute of living in Northern California until the year 2000. When the dot com bomb hit, my quality of life went downhill rapidly. We moved out in 2003, never having lived anywhere in my entire adult life (I'm 40-something). DH got an opportunity to transfer to central Texas and we jumped at the chance. Housing is reasonable ($200K for a great house in a great neighborhood). People are much nicer, there is a stronger sense of community and they take time to enjoy life here.

That being said, I am homesick all the time but DH loves it here. I can't justify moving back to such a costly area when our quality of life is better here. DH has a good job and we have established a solid social network (something we lacked in CA, despite both of us being natives). Texans mock the "California attitude" (ie, It's All About Me) and general shallowness of Californians. After being here for 5 years, I can see why they think that . The average Texan will go out of their way to help each other and people seem to genuinely care about each other.

Nonetheless, if I won the lottery, I'd move back to CA in a heartbeat!

Texas is great, except for the heat and the giant bugs!

[Jaybee]

Seems at least once a week I hear or read something that causes me to say "That's Just One More reason to leave this state. In addition to the liberal politics, the "Sanctuary Cities" that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws, yet expect the feds to continue with the tax stipends. Oh and the state government is broke and probably unfixable at this point. That's just a handful that immediately come to mind.

Unfortunatelty, I'm essentially stuck here until retirement-7 or 8 more years. I am lucky to live in one of the least liberal parts of the state. But even that seems to be changing.

Its a shame really. The state has so much to offer in terms of scenic beauty, varied land and seascapes and a meditteranean west coast climate that's the envy of 45 (or so ) states.

I expect to join a lot of other professionals, entreprenuers, small business owners, blue collar workers and retirees in the continued exodus out of the once great state of CA. The well educated and trained population is leaving and will be replaced with illegal immigrants, who will demand and continue to receive the increased benefits that should be reserved for legal residents. This will of course continue the downward spiral. California will end up being a good example of a third world nation within the US where there is no middle and upper class.; you know, the People's Republic of California perhaps.

Maybe then the Libs will have nothing to feel guilty about-who am I kidding? Will the last conservative leaving please turn the lights out?

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

The well educated and trained population is leaving and will be replaced with illegal immigrants, who will demand and continue to receive the increased benefits that should be reserved for legal residents. This will of course continue the downward spiral. California will end up being a good example of a third world nation within the US where there is no middle and upper class.; you know, the People's Republic of California perhaps.

Maybe then the Libs will have nothing to feel guilty about-who am I kidding? Will the last conservative leaving please turn the lights out?

I don't know why conservatives blame the state of California for illegals. They should blame their fellow conservatives. I live in an agricultural community where all of the big farmers are Republicans ... major contributors to the Republican party, in fact.

You can look it up online ... not one of them contributes to the Democratic party. And not one of them hires American workers either. Just drive by the fields they own and see for yourself.

Why do you think those farmers are contributing big bucks to the current Republican administration? And why do you think the current Republican administration isn't enforcing immigration laws ... which are federal, not state laws?

The blame lies with your fellow conservatives who hire these illegals ... not the state of California itself. And you're kidding yourself if you think you're not going to find illegals in other states well ... they've got the same problems elsewhere.

[RandalR]

Originally Posted by Niners fan

With the liberal government you get higher taxes and an attempt to redistribute income, restrictions on growth which drives up real estate, lax attitude towards illegal immigration which also drives up real estate, and lots of laws. On the other hand you get lots of consumer protections, worker protections, and social programs that other states don't have. I'm not looking to start a political debate here so I will leave it at that. I think that summarizes why some people are itching to leave and others think it is the only place to live.

It does, indeed: if you are a slacker who wants a paternalistic government to take care of you and offer you a subsidized existence at someone else's expense, California is your dream state.