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Miami is really sweeping up this vote. Interesting so much positive for Miami on here as well.
I also like Miami and South Florida a lot - but when you read the forums there, people are fleeing because of high costs, low wages, and a anti-spanish sentiment as well it seems.
For me, whenever I get back to the States, these four cities (including Honolulu) look very desireable, so interesting getting feedback!
I think Miami is winning for reasons of weather and proximity to ocean alone. I've actually heard that Pittsburgh is nice and once it recovered from the steel mills closing down years ago, became one of the more livable cities in the US. BUT ... I could never live anywhere that cold.
If I'm going to give up the ocean I'd want mountains and vegas only marginally qualifies on that one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HumboldtParkShiner
las vegas is tacky and a breeding ground for scumbags (not all people there, just most)
I lived in Miami from '92-'00 before moving to Hawaii and let me tell you Vegas has no monopoly on scumbags. Vegas might be one of the only cities on earth more superficial than Miami. That said, I'm thinking of moving back there because of a good job offer. Most of the people I know who still live there tell me don't do it, the place has gone to hell. And it was pretty bad before.
I think Miami is winning for reasons of weather and proximity to ocean alone. I've actually heard that Pittsburgh is nice and once it recovered from the steel mills closing down years ago, became one of the more livable cities in the US. BUT ... I could never live anywhere that cold.
If I'm going to give up the ocean I'd want mountains and vegas only marginally qualifies on that one.
I lived in Miami from '92-'00 before moving to Hawaii and let me tell you Vegas has no monopoly on scumbags. Vegas might be one of the only cities on earth more superficial than Miami. That said, I'm thinking of moving back there because of a good job offer. Most of the people I know who still live there tell me don't do it, the place has gone to hell. And it was pretty bad before.
But at least it's warm!
That's the impression I get - that Miami is winning for weather and ocean proximity. I'm also quite interested in Miami.
But, most of what has been said of Vegas, can easily be said the same about Miami - of the people comments and general city vibe.
But, once you factor in that Miami is astronomically more expensive than Vegas...i.e. high housing costs, high insurance costs, high propety taxes, etc. So you're paying significantly more in Miami than Vegas to have that ocean proximity.
As for me, I'm equally interested in all four cities...but their is a weighing the plusses and negatives part that doesn't seem to be being applied. Then again, if people live in Honolulu/Hawaii, then the cost of living everywhere else including Miami is less
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I also think Pittsburgh is way underrated. You can buy a lot for a very little. For $100,000, you could pretty much only get a leasehold in Honolulu that'll expire and your money is just gone....but in Pittsburgh, $100,000 could easily get you a 3 or 4 bedroom HOUSE...and in a great location with decent neighbors and NOT being in a bad neighborhood. That part of it is very impressive. Plus they a heavily university population much like Boston MA....and Pittsburgh has a ton of Fortune 500 type of companies everywhere with the better salaries. In other words, for quality of life - i.e. jobs, housing, cost of living, Pittsburgh would blow away Miami and Vegas easily. Pretty much the ONLY minus of Pittsburgh is the lack of palm tree and palm tree weather. But the 'images' of yesterday Pittsburgh are long gone...and the city is much more like an affordable Portland Oregon...or as they often say 'a poor man's San Francisco' - on account of the fact Pittsburgh is just as hilly and has just as many if not more city views than San Francisco.
Yes, even though Miami is expensive compared to most other places, you can buy a house in Miami for half of what it would cost in Honolulu. And then pay a $1000 a month in property taxes and hurricane insurance, and have to deal with everything else that goes along with living there.
I think North Carolina might be a nice compromise. Tech jobs, family friendly, relatively inexpensive, beach in the east and mountains in the west, not too cold. I was reading the Asheville NC forum and apparently a lot of Floridians think the same way and are moving there. They have a name for them: "Floridiots" lol
I think North Carolina might be a nice compromise. Tech jobs, family friendly, relatively inexpensive, beach in the east and mountains in the west, not too cold. I was reading the Asheville NC forum and apparently a lot of Floridians think the same way and are moving there. They have a name for them: "Floridiots" lol
I just visited Asheville NC, as I've heard so many people interested in it. It really is a great LITTLE city, and stressing 'little' should be key. Amazing area though.
But anyone who has to work for a living...Asheville would have significantly less jobs than most any other major destination type place. Plus the cost of housing is NOT cheap. It would be one thing if it were very affordable...but it isn't - I think because of the fact so many people with money move there to a very limited housing market and the cost of housing is way out of whack with the wages/salaries of people trying to 'make it' day to day.
Yes, even though Miami is expensive compared to most other places, you can buy a house in Miami for half of what it would cost in Honolulu. And then pay a $1000 a month in property taxes and hurricane insurance, and have to deal with everything else that goes along with living there.
I think North Carolina might be a nice compromise. Tech jobs, family friendly, relatively inexpensive, beach in the east and mountains in the west, not too cold. I was reading the Asheville NC forum and apparently a lot of Floridians think the same way and are moving there. They have a name for them: "Floridiots" lol
No place is perfect. For now we stay in Honolulu.
My friend moved to North Carolina for her husband's grad school... In her experience it's a very racist place. A lot of intolerance for them being an interracial couple (she's white, he's Japanese/black).
If you want to live in a coastal city where you can actually swim without freezing, that's not swarming with racism, there are two options IMO... Florida or Texas.
I just visited Asheville NC, as I've heard so many people interested in it. It really is a great LITTLE city, and stressing 'little' should be key. Amazing area though.
But anyone who has to work for a living...Asheville would have significantly less jobs than most any other major destination type place. Plus the cost of housing is NOT cheap. It would be one thing if it were very affordable...but it isn't - I think because of the fact so many people with money move there to a very limited housing market and the cost of housing is way out of whack with the wages/salaries of people trying to 'make it' day to day.
The small size is a pro in my book. I wouldn't have to worry about a job because I have a possible job connection - if it didn't work out, we wouldn't go. While housing there is not cheap, again, that is a relative term. Compared to Honolulu or Miami (w/ tax/ins), it's affordable.
Interesting that one sees a difference in racism between Texas, Florida, and NC. I grew up in Texas, lived in Florida 8 years, and lived in South Carolina for awhile too, and as far as that goes I think they're more alike than they are different. But I suppose Texas and Florida are more multicultural than the Carolinas so I could see that.
I agree with none of the above--all those places sounds terribly garish to me. If I left it would be to somewhere in Oregon or California. I guess the choices in your poll compare well to Honolulu, but not to the remote place on the BI that I live.
Pretty much the ONLY minus of Pittsburgh is the lack of palm tree and palm tree weather. But the 'images' of yesterday Pittsburgh are long gone...and the city is much more like an affordable Portland Oregon...or as they often say 'a poor man's San Francisco' - on account of the fact Pittsburgh is just as hilly and has just as many if not more city views than San Francisco.
Pittsburgh is no San Fran.
And there are many more minuses in Pittsburgh beside the lack of palm trees and weather.
But then again, it's really freezing in Pittsburgh during the winter. And the people aren't nearly as diverse as, say, San Fran.
There is a reason why some places are really expensive to live in -- they are highly desirable areas that people *want* to live in... so landlords can charge much more, etc. But you knew that already...
If you want really cheap, live somewhere in Wyoming or North Dakota -- now that's cheap living!
Vegas sounds like a terrible place to raise a family... plus it's so damn hot there and without any bodies of water to cool off in. But it was a good place to buy a 2nd home a few years back.
Miami is ok... wouldn't want to raise a family there either... but at least there are many other nice areas nearby (Palm Beach, etc).
-V
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