My girlfriend and I have been on a search and we can't seem to decide exactly where to move in a few years. I've spent my childhood and a few years of my adult life on the outskirts of Philadelphia and am ready for a change. Same for her too. We are looking for a place that hits on as many of the following points as possible.
Weather
- Sunny/Party Cloudy most of the time
[**]Preferably more than here, where we get around 200-210 sunny days a year. I have diagnosed SAD and really this is the most important factor of the weather to me. After looking at this, The PNW looks awesome and hits most of my points but overcast weather really really gets me down if it goes on for more than a few days especially during winter
- Year round mild weather/warmer weather.
[**]Can actually get as hot as it wants, but we do not want a whole lot of days to go below 40 degrees. A little snow here and there wouldn't bother us too much)
- Occasional rain (Gardening is one of my hobbies and I do like the occasiona rain)
Environment
- As little of mosquitos and gnats as possible
- Lots of outdoor activity (We spend most of our free time outdoors)
[**]That being said, we love hilly/mountainous landscapes, Nearby oceans a plus but not necessary
- I also prefer a greener colored landscape. That's one thing I really miss when I go to Colorado. I suppose this fits in with the occasional rain thing.
Activities
- Preferably not more than 1-1.5 hours from any city and airport
- Lots of restaurants within 30 minutes
- Again, lots of nearby parks for outdoor activity
- My girlfriend and I love wine tasting so that would be really nice for us
Living
- IT Job within an hour or so of the location. I commute one hour per day so a longer commute is no big deal to me
- She is a dental assistant and she is able to find jobs in her field fairly easily.
- We want to be able to afford a smaller but newer home on at least 1/4 acre of land. We don't mind living in suburbs or the country to be able to afford a home. (In fact, we would prefer suburbs or country) Current budget for a home is around 300-400k, but I wouldn't mind saving a little longer for a more expensive home and staying in an apartment)
Thanks a lot for taking a look at this! So far I think something in Northern California would suit our needs, but I'm not sure if I have left anything out or if there are specific places in Northern California that you could recommend. Thanks!