LA.. thos who moved from NYC or North NJ...regrets? (homes, neighborhood)

[newjitty]

..just seeing from those (especially singles or DINKS who don't care about schools) who've moved from new york city metro manhattan / northern new jersey / long island / etc if you regret the move (or not) and if so why...

am wrapping up a project in sd, love it here, but tad (VERY small tad) too sleepy for my tastes and figuring out next move, thanks.

[1200RT]

I grew up in northern NJ (bergen county), and spent time living in Manhattan.

Personally, I think there is no better place than northern NJ to raise kids, but I don't have any regrets about living in LA.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by 1200RT

I grew up in northern NJ (bergen county), and spent time living in Manhattan.

Personally, I think there is no better place than northern NJ to raise kids, but I don't have any regrets about living in LA.

wow, i could copy and paste this verbatim and it would apply to me as well.

OP, you should make the move to LA and see if it works for you. i know plenty of former nyc metro residents who love LA and plenty who hate it. it really depends on your expectations, priorities, and personality.

[CaliInChappaqua]

We left LA for Westchester County last year. It was a huge mistake and we are all (2 adults, 4 kids) very homesick. Westchester and NYC have their advantages, but it isn't LA and we are already making plans to move back. The caveat is that I am not a city person. LA has all the advantages of being a big city and all the advantages of being a perpetual semi-urban/suburban environment. If the west coast suits you but SD is too slow, give LA a try and see what you think.

I know you asked about singles and DINKS... we went to college in LA and then lived there for several years as DINKS. It's a great city!

[robertpolyglot]

My parents moved us from northern NJ (Bergen County) back to SoCal. I can honestly say that I collectively like the north Jersey personality, at least in our neighborhood, but the living was easier in LA. My Dad gave it a try because we had more "roots" (relatives) in the tri-state NY area, but never forgot that it could be 70 or 80 degrees in November in LA nor the palm trees.

[newjitty]

thanks all...

Originally Posted by CaliInChappaqua

We left LA for Westchester County last year. It was a huge mistake and we are all (2 adults, 4 kids) very homesick.

thanks CiC, yes Westchester taxes are insane, but is that what you don't like specifically or something else?

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

My parents moved us from northern NJ (Bergen County) back to SoCal. I can honestly say that I collectively like the north Jersey personality, at least in our neighborhood, but the living was easier in LA.

nice I had a project in Ridgewood once and think you hit the nail on the head.. though I haven't stayed in LA for longer than one month at a time (mostly project based), so I may be off..

..i find LA insanely laid back in comparison to tri-state, and much less congested everywhere - restaurants, venues, beaches, bars, and yes even traffic which I don't find nearly as bad.

many say visiting is different and if i move i'll miss the pace of the city, but it's good to hear from people with both perspective, thanks.

[CaliInChappaqua]

Originally Posted by newjitty

thanks all...

thanks CiC, yes Westchester taxes are insane, but is that what you don't like specifically or something else?

The taxes don't bother me. We moved here for the schools and $15k/year in taxes for four kids is much cheaper than private school tuition in LA. What I don't like is the weather, the culture and the lack of diversity.

I like the mild and consistent weather in LA. I love palms trees and swimming in my backyard pool 9 months out of the year. I like seeing the horizon and not just the trees 100 meters away. I don't like the ticks. Having wild turkeys tromp through the yard twice a day is novel, but I wouldn't miss it. The sun doesn't shine nearly as brightly here as in LA. I'm very sensitive to the amount of sunlight I get (and I don't get enough here in the winter).

Most of the people here are white, religious and wealthy (we are white, agnostic/secular humanists and of relatively modest means). We lived in a black neighborhood in LA. There was a lesbian couple two doors down and another one street over. There was a smattering of latinos and armenians on our street. People in LA are much more laid back. The get a lot of work done, but without all the stress and showing off. There is a superficial competition here in Westchester to best your neighbors and coworkers. I didn't feel any pressure in LA to "keep up with the Joneses" (I don't feel it here, either, but I see it everywhere).

I miss the seeing people of all different colors. There seem to be quite a few Latinos in Westchester, but I have seen only a handful of blacks and asians. I miss the food. All you get here is pizza, Italian and sushi.

I miss the lifestyle. LA isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for me. We've also lived in Seattle and I didn't like it there, either. I love the sun too much.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by CaliInChappaqua

We left LA for Westchester County last year. It was a huge mistake and we are all (2 adults, 4 kids) very homesick. Westchester and NYC have their advantages, but it isn't LA and we are already making plans to move back. The caveat is that I am not a city person. LA has all the advantages of being a big city and all the advantages of being a perpetual semi-urban/suburban environment. If the west coast suits you but SD is too slow, give LA a try and see what you think.

I know you asked about singles and DINKS... we went to college in LA and then lived there for several years as DINKS. It's a great city!

Thanks, I've been trying to put that idea into words for two years now!!!!

Originally Posted by CaliInChappaqua

The taxes don't bother me. We moved here for the schools and $15k/year in taxes for four kids is much cheaper than private school tuition in LA. What I don't like is the weather, the culture and the lack of diversity.

I like the mild and consistent weather in LA. I love palms trees and swimming in my backyard pool 9 months out of the year. I like seeing the horizon and not just the trees 100 meters away. I don't like the ticks. Having wild turkeys tromp through the yard twice a day is novel, but I wouldn't miss it. The sun doesn't shine nearly as brightly here as in LA. I'm very sensitive to the amount of sunlight I get (and I don't get enough here in the winter).

Most of the people here are white, religious and wealthy (we are white, agnostic/secular humanists and of relatively modest means). We lived in a black neighborhood in LA. There was a lesbian couple two doors down and another one street over. There was a smattering of latinos and armenians on our street. People in LA are much more laid back. The get a lot of work done, but without all the stress and showing off. There is a superficial competition here in Westchester to best your neighbors and coworkers. I didn't feel any pressure in LA to "keep up with the Joneses" (I don't feel it here, either, but I see it everywhere).

I miss the seeing people of all different colors. There seem to be quite a few Latinos in Westchester, but I have seen only a handful of blacks and asians. I miss the food. All you get here is pizza, Italian and sushi.

I miss the lifestyle. LA isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for me. We've also lived in Seattle and I didn't like it there, either. I love the sun too much.

I keep trying to explain this to New Yorkers but they don't get it.

We really hope to get the opportunity to move to LA within the next few years and are sure we will never want to return to NYC.

[newjitty]

Originally Posted by CaliInChappaqua

There is a superficial competition here in Westchester to best your neighbors and coworkers.

yupp, whenever i hear someone call LA "materialistic" i often wonder if they've been to NYC's first ring of suburbia of westchester/bergen/fairfield/nassau/essex counties where some areas are never ending parade of range rovers n audis..

..though ironically found the reverse true for Manhattan.. the wealthier one was, the more he/she actually looked like a bum.