Leaving California (Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Temecula: condominium, townhouse, high school) - (CA) - Page 18 - City-Data Forum

da jammer · 06-25-2007, 06:24 PM

A pile of money is pulled out of CA via federal taxes and a big chunk of it never makes it back and is actually allocated to other states throughout the union. CA tax money supports a whole bunch of programs in this country. I never felt the state income tax was all that onerous but the state is going to have to do something to keep raising revenue to pay for all of the services that will be needed for the ballooning population.

One quick question I have for those that left and are now upset at the move, why did you leave in the first place? (I'm just curious not trying to start any trouble.)

lorriem · 06-25-2007, 07:46 PM

Hubby had a job transfer.He could have worked from CA which he had done for a year but we thought it was better if he was closer to the plant. .What a mistake.

wendellg · 06-26-2007, 04:24 PM

I moved to LA fourteen years ago to seek riches in the music biz. It was the great "dream" that so many people have when young and hungry. I think that I was ready to leave within 2 years once I realized how crowded and mismanaged the city really is.

The sad thing is, 90% of the people I know/meet in the entertainment business hate living in LA and only do it b/c they are tied to their jobs. This is really the only major city in the US where I have heard such unanimous discontent.

With 2 young boys, it is a terrible place to be. The education system is in shambles, the traffic is worse than you could imagine and people are generally very private and don't seek other neighbors or friends easily. I don't want to raise kids here and am deperate to leave---anywhere is better at this point in my opinion. We are thinking San Diego but realize the perils of high costs there too.

What's funny is I left NC at 23 thinking that I was breaking free from the small city confines. It didn't take long to realize really how much better growing up and living in that type of environment truly is (Chapel Hill-Durham). The weather is pleasant, the cost of living is great, the people are friendly, no traffic, great restaurants, progressive, intellectual citizens, great schools, sports, beach nearby, etc, etc. etc. The bottom line is that living in a city like Raleigh Durham is much, much less stressful. We don't live forever...I don't want spend most of my life worrying about money, traffic, schools, crime when I don't have to. Why anyone continues to live in a place like this really baffles me. I've seen both sides and have a pretty good perspective.

tchick · 06-26-2007, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendellg

I moved to LA fourteen years ago to seek riches in the music biz. It was the great "dream" that so many people have when young and hungry. I think that I was ready to leave within 2 years once I realized how crowded and mismanaged the city really is.

The sad thing is, 90% of the people I know/meet in the entertainment business hate living in LA and only do it b/c they are tied to their jobs. This is really the only major city in the US where I have heard such unanimous discontent.

With 2 young boys, it is a terrible place to be. The education system is in shambles, the traffic is worse than you could imagine and people are generally very private and don't seek other neighbors or friends easily. I don't want to raise kids here and am deperate to leave---anywhere is better at this point in my opinion. We are thinking San Diego but realize the perils of high costs there too.

What's funny is I left NC at 23 thinking that I was breaking free from the small city confines. It didn't take long to realize really how much better growing up and living in that type of environment truly is (Chapel Hill-Durham). The weather is pleasant, the cost of living is great, the people are friendly, no traffic, great restaurants, progressive, intellectual citizens, great schools, sports, beach nearby, etc, etc. etc. The bottom line is that living in a city like Raleigh Durham is much, much less stressful. We don't live forever...I don't want spend most of my life worrying about money, traffic, schools, crime when I don't have to. Why anyone continues to live in a place like this really baffles me. I've seen both sides and have a pretty good perspective.

What a great post!

hgclyde · 06-26-2007, 09:58 PM

I am looking to move either by this fall or next spring to Chicago. I visited Chicago last year for vacation at my old friend from junior high. Chicago look great. He moved two years ago. I thought he was crazy but he loved it.

When he told me the cost of rent I thought he was either crazy or lying (he was paying $750 month in a two bedroom apartment in Elk Grove Village in the Northwest Suburbs in just west of O'Hare International Airport) If I would try to a buy a 2 bedroom Apartment by LAX in LA it would be($1500 month and up) and in Long Beach Airport it would be $1250 and up or by John Wayne Airport in Near Tustin 2bdrm would cost $1500, or Irvine (also by John Wayne Airport) a 2 bdrm costs $1850 and up , Newport Beach which is close by the airport a 2 bdrm would cost $2200 and up.

I know the biggest drawback is heating gas ( I could have move by my cousins in Victorville or by my brother widow in Barstow but the gas bills is sky high because of the winter cold in the High desert; hundreds of dollars up there compared when they lived in LA where bills were generally $100 or less) so I am not shocked but I need a change. LA is a great place to live but its not worth it. I tired of living with relatives because the cost of living is ridiculous.

sweetnsnooty · 06-27-2007, 01:05 AM

Purchased a major fixer upper for $330K in 2003. Property taxes are high. Sales tax is high. Overall, CA is tax happy. Schools aren't that great and overly crowded with non-English speakers. For the last 4 years, my husband and I have been struggling to keep up with payments on the house and the 2nd we took out to fix the place up (it's still not done and we have outgrown the expensive 2 bedroom 1 bath house).

Weather is OK, it changes daily. Currently, days are hot and nights are cold. Winters are fairly short, with some rain and the occasional frost on rooftops and windshields.

We are now thinking about leaving The Bay Area and moving to a more family-friendly place in Colorado. Housing is a lot more affordable and I am able to transfer my job and take just $10K/year pay cut.

California is beautiful but it is also overly praised. There are lots of other beautiful and less expensive states that our country has to offer.

greatbasinguide · 06-27-2007, 08:26 AM

Property taxes are capped at 1% of assessed value, there are add ons that can kick your taxes up to 1.4% +-. other states go up to 3% of assessed value.

As Californians relocate, Californication happens, property values rise, traffic increases, as Californians leave, they take California with them.

MinuteMan · 06-28-2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tchick

What a great post!

X2, because "there's no place like home".

Educatorspeakingtruth · 06-28-2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendellg

I moved to LA fourteen years ago to seek riches in the music biz. It was the great "dream" that so many people have when young and hungry. I think that I was ready to leave within 2 years once I realized how crowded and mismanaged the city really is.

The sad thing is, 90% of the people I know/meet in the entertainment business hate living in LA and only do it b/c they are tied to their jobs. This is really the only major city in the US where I have heard such unanimous discontent.

With 2 young boys, it is a terrible place to be. The education system is in shambles, the traffic is worse than you could imagine and people are generally very private and don't seek other neighbors or friends easily. I don't want to raise kids here and am deperate to leave---anywhere is better at this point in my opinion. We are thinking San Diego but realize the perils of high costs there too.

What's funny is I left NC at 23 thinking that I was breaking free from the small city confines. It didn't take long to realize really how much better growing up and living in that type of environment truly is (Chapel Hill-Durham). The weather is pleasant, the cost of living is great, the people are friendly, no traffic, great restaurants, progressive, intellectual citizens, great schools, sports, beach nearby, etc, etc. etc. The bottom line is that living in a city like Raleigh Durham is much, much less stressful. We don't live forever...I don't want spend most of my life worrying about money, traffic, schools, crime when I don't have to. Why anyone continues to live in a place like this really baffles me. I've seen both sides and have a pretty good perspective.

Well said! Great post! Keep sharing your experiences!

Nkiruka · 06-28-2007, 01:18 PM

I grew up in Los Angeles, but moving wasn't a difficult decision. My home more than doubled in value in four years. I sold it and bought a lovely home in a golf course community in Durham, North Carolina. I LOVE IT HERE!!! I have twice the living space for less than a third of the price of my home in Los Angeles. I have enough money in savings that I don't have to work if I don't want to. Best of all, the only traffic I have to worry about is the family of deer that likes to cut through my garden!!!