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I've visited or lived in all of the cities you mentioned except Tulsa. Of them all, excluding Tulsa of course, I think Kansas City sounds the most up your alley. I was very surprised by that city, knowing nothing about it before I went there except that the KC Chiefs were there, lol. What a surprise I got! I loved it, gawked around like a true tourist and after 7 weeks ended up sorry to leave.
Seriously, I think it's got everything you're looking for: green, nature, sports, culture, amazing houses at amazing prices (especially if you're coming from San Diego, where I have also lived in the past and still have family there), seasons (it rains, that's why it's so green), and the food prices, variety and availability blew me away. Talk about the ability to be well fed, lol!!
I liked the downtown, and some of the older neighborhoods are amazingly beautiful. Heck, you could probably find a nice big house with a little acreage in the area for waaay less than you would pay in SoCal.
Raleigh would be my second choice for you. Quite a beautiful place.
Seattle is wonderful, but expensive like San Diego and too gray too much of the time.
But I do find myself agreeing with 'caution': check out the jobs first, get one, and then move.
If you like constant all day gloom, no sun and rain in the winter, move to Seattle. I have a friend who moved from Chicago to Seattle, and she said she'd take Chicago's winters any day over Seattle. At least Chicago has sun.
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Seattle is terribly gloomy as stated, and it's extremely expensive to live in a nice area. Raleigh-Durham is also quite expensive and it's very muggy compared to San Diego, but it's teeming with culture, industry, diversity, lots of choices of where to live.
One down side of Kansas City is that it has a high crime rate, but my guess is that the stats are skewed by neighborhoods that contribute a majority of the crime. There are probably very safe areas there, but if you choose it then consult locals thoroughly! It would probably be my second choice after Tulsa because of the nice mix of climates, proximity to varied scenery, and it's close to family in OK.
Thanks everyone for your input. I've been doing some research, and as much as I love Seattle, I don't think we can afford it either. So, I've scratched that one off my list to actually live in (although I'll visit a lot, since we're huge Seahawk fans )
Right now we are leaning towards Dallas mainly due to the employment issue. Just seems there are so many more jobs available there than in OK or MO.
Raleigh is beautiful as well but I worry about the influx of so many people in such a short time there. They keep saying there are jobs there, but not if everyone moves there.
Thanks again for your perspectives. It helps to get an outsider's point of view.
We are a married couple in our early 40's with 2 middle school aged kids. Hubby is in Accounting/Finance and I work as an Exec Asst. We currently live in San Diego and desperately want out of here.
With the housing market/economy the way it is we can not afford to buy a home there. We have never bought a home before, so it's not like we can sell and live off of equity. We will be moving in the summer of 08.
I am originally from OK and still have family there. We are sports nuts and travel a lot to sporting events as a family. We love trees and rain and nature in general. Especially love the seasons. We really do not like the San Diego climate, one word sums it up-boring. I would say we are politically conservative, but socially liberal.
We have narrowed our cities to the following choices. What would your opinions be of the choices and why?
Tulsa, OK
Dallas/Fort Worth area
Raleigh, NC
Kansas City, MO
Seattle, WA
Thanks ahead of time for your input!!
I would pick Seattle. If you love all the seasons- as I do. DFW- too hot, for me, anyway.
I have never seen KC or Tulsa so cant comment (I am fair!)
Raleigh- the only thing I do know is it is getting crowded- like Charlotte- so it wouldnt be on my list.
I would pick Seattle.
...Raleigh- the only thing I do know is it is getting crowded
Interesting comments considering that the Seattle SMSA has thrice the population and is hemmed in topographically by water and mountains. Seattle is drop-dead gorgeous, a wonderful city. But if crowding is an issue then Raleigh, factually speaking, is way LESS crowded.
We are a married couple in our early 40's with 2 middle school aged kids. Hubby is in Accounting/Finance and I work as an Exec Asst. We currently live in San Diego and desperately want out of here.
With the housing market/economy the way it is we can not afford to buy a home there. We have never bought a home before, so it's not like we can sell and live off of equity. We will be moving in the summer of 08.
I am originally from OK and still have family there. We are sports nuts and travel a lot to sporting events as a family. We love trees and rain and nature in general. Especially love the seasons. We really do not like the San Diego climate, one word sums it up-boring. I would say we are politically conservative, but socially liberal.
We have narrowed our cities to the following choices. What would your opinions be of the choices and why?
Tulsa, OK
Dallas/Fort Worth area
Raleigh, NC
Kansas City, MO
Seattle, WA
Dallas and Tulsa are high crime while Raleigh is borderline. Kansas City is extremely crime riddled. Seattle also has some crime problems. but not as bad as Dallas, Tulsa and KC. Raleigh would probably be your best bet and would probably be the best cultural fit for you since Seattle is pc liberal.
Does that area of NC get hurricanes? If that is so and isn't tolerable to you, Seattle is the way to go.
Seahawksweetie you know you need to be in Seattle. Though Seattle is getting expensive you still have some reasonably priced areas throughout the metropolitan area. Seattle's housing prices are much cheaper than San Diego's. I've lived here for 7 years now and love it, and yes we do have 4 seasons. As for winters, give me Seattle's over anything in the midwest or back east. Never again will I live in a city with bitter cold winters again. As for crime compared to others cities I lived in, this is paradise.
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