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Old 04-16-2011, 08:33 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles, CA
126 posts, read 326,302 times
Reputation: 107

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I grew up in Williamson County. My parents still live there. I live in Nashville now. I will honestly tell you that other than the cost of living and the weather, you are not going to find Brentwood/Franklin a whole lot different than L.A.. in terms of the people who live there. I really don't mean that offensively. There are some really nice folks who live there. I would not worry too much about it. If schools are a concern..Williamson County is better than anywhere in TN but that is not saying a lot. Just for fairness, Nashville has it's issues as well. We are relocating..after my son get's out of 4th grade. We can't wait to leave.

I have spent a great deal of time in L. A. my husband is a musician. I would compare Williamson County to Orange County but obviously on a much smaller scale..mostly because Williamson County is one of the wealthiest Counties in the country. Which is totally fine. You will be able to afford much more home there and as far as the religion thing goes...I really don't think anyone will bother you about that.

Williamson County has a lot of conviences too. You would rarely have to come to Nashville for anything. Unless you want to go to the Symphony, Frist, ( Art Center ) Ryman..etc.

I know this is blunt and I really don't mean to offend anyone..this is just my take..

cheers
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Old 04-16-2011, 11:55 AM
 
Location: Brentwood
54 posts, read 139,636 times
Reputation: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by HastingsJD View Post
Bwood Bell - wanna switch places? We're dying to get out of California and head back to Nashville

Las Virgenes is an excellent school district. Do they cover all of Westlake Village though? Could be totally wrong about this but I thought some of that area was also coverd by Conejo Valley Schools (good but not as good as Las Virgenes.)
We're just looking in the broad general areas and then we check the schools. If it's a great Conejo Valley schools we're not above that. If all the schools (elem, middle, high) don't have atleast a 9, we cross the house off our list. We're leaning toward Calabassas, but we could easily end up there, Agoura or Westlake.

Are you currently a practicing attorney? We, like much of the country, probably have an overpopulation of attorneys especially since we graduate so many JDs with both Vanderbilt Law and the non-ABA (which is an amazing value if you planned to practice and stay in TN) Nashville School of Law. However, you can also benefit from a cost of living advantage here. Life is typically easier here... unless you're in the movie business like my family There's no one perfect place, there are the places that best fit our needs.
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Old 04-17-2011, 01:29 AM
 
1,316 posts, read 3,897,142 times
Reputation: 328
Quote:
Originally Posted by bwood bell View Post
To the OP, we're actually considering doing the opposite.

We live in Brentwood here. This is actually our hometown, but we've both lived in SoCal previously (before we were married). There are a lot of things we love about being here (probably the schools and our yard the most). I'm quite confused about the person who said people were fleeing Brentwood for the greener pastures of Nashville (or whatever the comment was). We were looking to upgrade our house here to a larger one. Luckily, the house we chose fell through. It gave us a little time to think about going back to LA. Here's why we're doing the opposite of what some other people have done.

My husband also works in the movies. He's a location manager. Of the last 4 movies he's done, only one was here in Nashville. Two were in LA and one in Hawaii. Our health insurance usually is through the MPIPHP (via CA union). We have only had insurance through the TN union once (just for a quarter I believe). We then had to pay a ridiculous amount for COBRA until my husband went back to LA to do a movie and get enough hours to qualify for our CA insurance. I know you said your husband works all over the world, but when he's working in LA he can be home at night. That local work probably won't be replaced here.

Also, the entertainment industry here is pretty closed to newcomers. Not completely, and your husband already has experience breaking in to a pretty exclusive industry. However, I'd say it's easier to get into the movie business in LA (especially when so many people burn out and don't make a long career of it there) than it is to get a job in the music or entertainment industry here.

Yes, we will probably go down in square footage on our house there and the size of our yard if we go back to CA. However, we spent much more time outdoors in CA so we both think it's much easier to live in less square footage there. It's almost like we need a bigger house here because the weather here can just be unbearable. Lately it's felt like 75% of the time we couldn't go outside because it was either too cold, too wet, too stormy or too hot (already - it was 91F yesterday in EARLY APRIL). We also feel like you basically could trade in some indoor square footage here for the outdoor square footage there.

We're actually probably going to spend the same amount on a house there (we're looking in Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village exclusively for the combination of schools, weather, atmosphere, amenities, cost of living, commute) as we would have on our next house here. Yes, we're giving up some indoor square footage and some yard space (that we often can't even use here because of the weather). The schools are comparable to the Brentwood schools we're zoned for here. The prices have come down a LOT in CA. I've seen a lot of 3-4 bedroom houses in the areas we're looking for under $500K zoned for excellent Las Virgenes schools. I've even seen townhouses under $200K.

Logistically, it makes sense for our family to go back. Since our husbands are in the same industry I thought I'd share because our lives may have similar circumstances or requirements. Aside from the access to work and health insurance, I will also say we just fit in better back in CA. I'm not exactly sure what it is... maybe it's just being able to hang out with friends in the same industry who don't have to ask you to explain what the heck it is he does. I'm not sure. I love Brentwood. I will always come back here and probably always maintain a residence here, but it just feels right to go back now (especially with the housing prices in CA so much better).

A couple subtle differences I think people overlook when it comes to comparing cost of living. Utilities in LA are much lower than here. The milder temperatures mean less AC or heat to run. Gas costs more per gallon in LA, but I think you drive less there. People here will drive more than 20 miles one way here all the time to go anywhere. LA really is just a cluster of smaller cities/neighborhoods keeping day to day driving (unless you're commuting which your husband wouldn't necessarily be doing) down. There's no income tax here, but our sales tax is a killer.

Also, a lot of things in LA are cheaper. My husband misses Fry's dearly because unless he shops online he can't find anything with those prices. I miss 2 Buck Chuck (they don't sell wine in grocery stores here). I think a lot of food, especially produce are cheaper in LA. There are some great farms here who offer CSA shares, but overall I think it's cheaper to buy food in LA. And this next one isn't by any means a deciding factor but just a little factoid, spa services (everything from getting your eyebrows waxed to microdermabrasion to whatever really) is cheaper in LA. I think that's due to all the competition. Sure, there are places with $200 haircuts, but you can easily find a great place that'll give you a better salon or spa service than here for much less.

I'm sure you could be happy here as many CA transplants are, but as someone who's lived in both places and can relate as far as the job goes, I think CA can be a better choice. Either way, you'll do just fine so good luck with whatever you decide.
I think you're in a for a rude awakening as to how much house you'll end up with in CA - prices there are EGREGIOUSLY higher than anywhere in TN....I saw a totally crappy stucco nightmare only LA could build in Woodland Hills - not exactly Bel Air if ya get my drift. And as for driving less in LA than TN? It's a total car culture in LA - non of it is walkable. Unless you live in westside of LA in a small area like Brentwood -buy a condo and walk to Whole Foods and shops. Or Santa Monica, or The Grove.

Quality of living on everything you touch? - take it down like 10 notches if you go TN to CA for the same money. As for the movie business? Impossibly difficult, unstable, and economically a bad business environment right now in both geographies. Netflix and UTube, and Apple are going to kill what's left of "hollywood".
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Old 04-17-2011, 01:31 AM
 
1,316 posts, read 3,897,142 times
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I've seen a lot of 3-4 bedroom houses in the areas we're looking for under $500K zoned for excellent Las Virgenes schools.


please prove that...I don't buy it...
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Old 04-17-2011, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Brentwood
54 posts, read 139,636 times
Reputation: 37
@12buttons

I'm not in for a rude awakening. We have lived there. In several areas between the two of us. I did live in extremely walkable locations in West Hollywood and Koreatown. My husband lived in an extrememly walkable location in Santa Monica. When I lived in LA, either neighborhood, I almost always stayed within a 5 mile radius. My husband is a location manager. He is familiar with almost every part of LA, Ventura and OC. I'm confidant we know what we're talking about, especially when it comes to our family.

LA isn't one big city like people think. It's a bunch of little neighborhoods that each have everything they need. I drive more here than I ever did in LA. I have more friends here that are probably 15 miles away or more than within 5 miles. Maybe you missed it, but neither my husband or I have typical commute jobs. We work all over and usually outside of rush hour. I stand by saying we drive less there. People here drive 15-20 miles all the time to get a lot of places. I have friends from Clarksville to Murfreesboro. In LA, most of my friends were concentrated in the same area because their lives functioned in the same 5 mile radius as mine.

We also spent much less time indoors - or even at home - in LA so I'm sure that we can downsize easily without losing any quality of life. For the things we'll be gaining, to us it will be worth it. We have a good sized budget and good sized incomes. TN is better for a lot of people, but we can afford CA comfortably. As far as what's out there, just get on any site you can search houses. Go to redfin.com and search Calabasas, Agoura Hills or Westlake Village 3+ bedrooms under $500K. I'm not even looking in Woodland Hills where it is cheaper because it's zoned for LAUSD and that is not an option for us. There are decent houses zoned for great schools. There may not be 4 bedrooms everyday in that range, but they do come (and go quickly obviously). Our budget is actually a lot higher than that, but we probably wouldn't even spend more than $800k because we can get everything we need and want for under that price.

As far as the movie business, I'm not worried that netflix, youtube or apple will starve my family. Netflix and Apple need content which is supplied by the entertainment industry. And youtube will never replace the commercial film/tv industry.
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Old 04-20-2011, 05:25 AM
 
1,316 posts, read 3,897,142 times
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I lived in LA for 7 years and owned a home there - Venice Beach so I know the area like the back of my hand, and once again I don't think there's a decent house under 500k anywhere in LA county unless you're looking at small condos.
I guess our def of decent is different. I need a minimum of 3000 sq ft with upscale kitchen and baths and a private back. good luck in your search! .

AS far as content providers is concerned, the thing that scares the bejesus out of hollywood is that the content will be pulled off the internet - we don't need THEIR approval anymore to "greenlight" a project. Heck even mega watt super Hollywood dude James Cameron edited "Titanic" from his bedroom!

Last edited by 12buttons; 04-20-2011 at 05:35 AM..
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Old 04-20-2011, 12:29 PM
 
374 posts, read 691,843 times
Reputation: 620
Quote:
Originally Posted by 12buttons View Post
I guess our def of decent is different. I need a minimum of 3000 sq ft with upscale kitchen and baths and a private back.
Reality check (gentle reminder) . . . I think you mean you want those features, and I'm assuming because you can afford them. Most people can (and do) live with much less. Especially in high-density magnet cities.
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Old 04-24-2011, 12:20 PM
 
34 posts, read 103,922 times
Reputation: 24
I concur with Bwood Bell that in CA (El Toro, specifically), we were ALWAYS outdoors. All year round. Even when it rained, we could go out and play in it without worrying about tornadoes or lightning striking us. Kansas summers are just brutal, and in the Spring you're always running for underground storm shelters. I miss being able to turn any direction, N, S, E, or W, and finding something to do. Beaches, Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, (tons of shopping but I do not think shopping is fun), etc. It helped that I got to fly free, so I could get on a plane and zip up to San Fran and visit relatives for the day. Also California is the one state where we fit in everywhere. There didn't seem to be a thing about being "from" anywhere. I would say the Central Plains and the Midwest in general are the worst states in the "not fitting in" category. So far it seems that Tennesseans enjoy all kinds of people regardless of where they're from. My dad now lives in Brentwood, and that's about the only hoity-toity place I've found in TN, so far. Brentwood is still a much friendlier place than Johnson County, Kansas.

Strangely, Kentucky is only an hour away from the Nashville area, but the people there are much more like Kansans as far as being suspicious of newcomers, and all.

12buttons -- I myself have no use for 3,000 square feet, but I want what California can't give me and Tennessee can: acreage. I have horses and I'll take a smaller house with 20 acres any day.
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Old 04-25-2011, 09:19 PM
 
5 posts, read 11,707 times
Reputation: 23
Wow this thread took off more than I expected it would!

First off, we made the move 2 weeks ago, we are renting in McKays Mill for the time being and so far love it, the area, the quiet, so much to do....we really feel like we have found home.

We had a really rough time getting out of LA, after 6 months on the market, we finally got an offer on our house, which fell through after a low appraisal two weeks before closing...so it is now back on the market...way below what we paid for it....So yes you can find lots of houses below $500,000, but you better want to stay, because our house was appraised at a declining value, so like a car, if you buy a house in SoCal, it will be worth less after you buy it...
@Bwood Bell, it sounds like you have an affection for Los Angeles, and it was a great place to live for us for a long time, we just grew in a different direction. I was a costumer in the movie industry before having our daughter and worked exclusively in Los Angeles, but decided to stay at home once we had a child. My husband has only worked three weeks in LA in the past three years, so we realized we really didn't need to be in LA for work. The movie biz seems to go through cycles of using LA to film, since we just last year instituted tax incentives, there may be more and more filming.
I have to disagree that you drive less in LA, especially working in the movies biz, you live in your car, especially if you are thinking of living in the areas you are looking in. You will spend at least two to three hours commuting to any studio. I think the difference between the driving here and there is the traffic, in LA you gauge distance in time, not miles. My commute from Glendale to Sony at 1AM would be about 20 min, but at 7pm about 90 min.
I can't speak about schools, I only know in Glendale, I would have sooner home schooled before sending my child to the public one zoned for our house. You cannot beat the weather in SoCal, and I will surely miss it. I wish you the best if you decide to move back, it sounds like it might be the right fit for you and your family.

Thanks again to everyone for your input!
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Old 04-25-2011, 09:57 PM
 
Location: Franklin, TN
6,662 posts, read 13,297,634 times
Reputation: 7613
Quote:
Originally Posted by devonrenee571 View Post
Wow this thread took off more than I expected it would!

First off, we made the move 2 weeks ago, we are renting in McKays Mill for the time being and so far love it, the area, the quiet, so much to do....we really feel like we have found home.
I'm happy that you are doing well with your move. Hopefully that feeling stays with you...just be aware that the weather will change pretty drastically throughout the year...and the huge cicada brood (coming in May) only happens once per 13 years.

Once you settle in a bit, get out and explore the area! Discover your favorite dining, shopping, and hangout spots. Visit the parks, museums, and attend some local sporting events (if you're into that, of course).

Welcome to the Nashville area!
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