Want to move to LA from Texas (Los Angeles, Santa Clarita: sales, car insurance)

[Texastweet]

We are in the mid fortys and live in Houston , Texas . I work in the IT field and my husband is an Engineer . We have 2 kids , a middle schooler and a high schooler. We do enjoy our Texas sized home , the master planned communities , the schools and the people. Although we prefer warm weather we are not happy with the weather in Texas. We want sunshine but not to the extent we cant be outdoors because of the heat. We love to be in a place where there are mountains and beaches . Our needs seemed to match with Los Angeles. We are still in the initial stage of our planning the move.I can move with my job but my husband will have to find an opportunity in LA.
We are totally okay with downsizing but do not want to miss the quality of life. ie good schools , family oriented area to live in , close to parks and mountains etc.
Our Budget is between 600K to 800k .
What are the areas / neighborhoods that we can look into for a family like us ? Any help appreciated.

[NativeOrange]

Have you thought about possibly moving to Orange County? I do really love L.A., however, if you don't mind downsizing, south OC has some great areas with the same situation you guys are in now. (ie: good schools, newer, master planned communities, low crime, etc.) It's a great place to raise younger kids as a lot of the cities, even good sized ones, are consistently rated as some of the safest cities in the nation.

Another plus is, even with almost 3 million people, it's not as hustle and bustle as Los Angeles and you still have easy access to mountains and great beaches. The OC beaches are much nicer than LA's and most of the county is considerably better maintained.

You could find a decent sized home in your price range, but if you were to work in LA, it would be a bit of a commute.

[V8 Vega]

Are you nuts? Why on earth would anyone move from Texas to this Hellhole? Never ending Democrat Communist party constant tax increases. Highest income tax and gas tax in the nation, high gas price, high car insurance, registration, and you have to pay smog check fees. Property tax is average but the Democrats are constantly trying to raise it and every year there are all kinds of add on's so its high too. One of the highest sales tax and every time you buy something you are reminded of that.
And for what, so public employee union members can have their unbelievable pay, pensions, and healthcare for life.
Most areas where the hous prices are high but not through the roof are really hot in summer. A couple of weeks of 105 often. At the end of summer everything is dried out and brown and dusty, it all looks like heck.
Perpetual drought no water.
The Democrats Communists want you to use your appliances at night because there isn't enough electricity.

[Cream1]

Originally Posted by V8 Vega

Are you nuts? Why on earth would anyone move from Texas to this Hellhole? Never ending Democrat Communist party constant tax increases. Highest income tax and gas tax in the nation, high gas price, high car insurance, registration, and you have to pay smog check fees. Property tax is average but the Democrats are constantly trying to raise it and every year there are all kinds of add on's so its high too. One of the highest sales tax and every time you buy something you are reminded of that.
And for what, so public employee union members can have their unbelievable pay, pensions, and healthcare for life.
Most areas where the hous prices are high but not through the roof are really hot in summer. A couple of weeks of 105 often. At the end of summer everything is dried out and brown and dusty, it all looks like heck.
Perpetual drought no water.
The Democrats Communists want you to use your appliances at night because there isn't enough electricity.

Lol at this post, especially the part where you tell someone from Houston that it's too hot here in the summer.

Next, are you going to tell someone from North Dakota that it's too cold here in the winter because it was in the 40s a few days in January?

Sylmar might be a "hell hole" but a lot of LA is not.

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by Texastweet

We are in the mid fortys and live in Houston , Texas . I work in the IT field and my husband is an Engineer . We have 2 kids , a middle schooler and a high schooler. We do enjoy our Texas sized home , the master planned communities , the schools and the people. Although we prefer warm weather we are not happy with the weather in Texas. We want sunshine but not to the extent we cant be outdoors because of the heat. We love to be in a place where there are mountains and beaches . Our needs seemed to match with Los Angeles. We are still in the initial stage of our planning the move.I can move with my job but my husband will have to find an opportunity in LA.
We are totally okay with downsizing but do not want to miss the quality of life. ie good schools , family oriented area to live in , close to parks and mountains etc.
Our Budget is between 600K to 800k .
What are the areas / neighborhoods that we can look into for a family like us ? Any help appreciated.

That's the problem. You'll have to downsize to the point where you'll lose good schools, family oriented areas to live in, and being close to nature.

Like another poster said, consider Orange County.

[pacific2]

I agree with the others. Look at Orange County, but expect to have a much much smaller home on postage stamp sized lot.

One advantage would be living very close to this:
Laguna Beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4quHcjgECk

[SA1975]

I would rather move from CA to TX, but bless your heart, to each his own!

[radiolibre99]

OP, as a fellow Texan I can give you some advice. Please do consider that you WILL downgrade in terms of luxury. Unless you're rolling in the dough like Uncle Scrooge, you might have to get used to a slightly lower standard of living. The upside is your quality of life will improve. Texas is all about quantity while CA really is all about quality. The State is stricter and demands more fees but you can see it in the quality of some things like roads, programs, city infrastructure, etc. Compared to Houston the city government in LA makes Houston's looks like an administrative office at a local bank.

The OC might be nice for y'all but it's still expensive. You guys might easily have a comparable life in Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Burbank, Pasadena or Northridge.

I'm surprised you guys would even consider LA if y'all live in the typical new and shiny master planned community like Cinco Ranch or Cross Creek Ranch or the Woodlands. I'm sure the with an engineer and an IT combined salary, the 100k millionaire lifestyle is sweet. Let's just say that here in LA, that doesn't exist.

So it just depends on what you're willing to trade. Yes, I think the life is more laid back, less keeping up with the joneses (the more into the city you are), less stuffy than ultra corporate Houston, and beautiful. Nearly every weekend feels like a vacay.

But if you want that at a cheaper cost why not move to Austin or San Antonio near the lakes? Marble Falls is beautiful.

[Texastweet]

radiolibre99 ! Thank you for your valuable feedback.
I guess you said it well for me when you said Quantity VS Quality . All four of us are in favor of Quality.
But when you said 'lower standard of life than in Houston' can you please elaborate on that ?
I have been living in an upscale master planned community in a prime location in the suburbs for more than 6 years in Houston . I would say this is one of the best places to live in terms of housing ,schools ,shopping ,restaurants, hospitals and neighbors. We travel internationally and having an international airport not too far from us is a plus.
For me to afford something like my house in CA, I will have to spend millions which I cant. And that is something I can trade for great weather and nature and good quality of life . We actually don't need a big house if we have all the other things going for us in the new place.

Weather is a huge negative factor for us in Texas .
My children love hiking and biking etc and they would do it everyday if they get a chance . They enjoy the beaches . So do my husband and I .
We do love Austin and San Antonio and have visited there numerous times.
Our careers are important and we need to be in a place where there are enough industries that can hire us if we need to switch . And weather is almost the same everywhere in Texas.

If I can afford a 2000-2500 sqft house with my budget at a family friendly location where kids have enough outdoor stuff to do and have everything else that I have mentioned above (Weather, schools ,shopping ,restaurants, hospitals and neighbors) life is perfect for me

>I think the life is more laid back, less keeping up with the joneses (the more into the city you are), >less stuffy than ultra corporate Houston, and beautiful. Nearly every weekend feels like a vacay.

Now that is something that I am lokking for!

NativeOrange ! I am looking into Orange County as you suggested and the other places like Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Burbank, Pasadena or Northridge as radiolibre99 mentioned.

Thanks a lot for all these inputs which make me think more and more and help me look at options that fit for my family !

[SA1975]

I live in San Antonio, I love the heat in the summer ! To each his own. I think in Houston it is more humid.