Why did you move to NoVA from CA? (N/A question for most) (Arlington: fit in, rent) - Northern Virginia - Virginia - City-Data Forum

tsuric · 08-23-2010, 11:42 AM

There are people in NoVA who dream about living in CA.

Yet at the same time, there are people in CA moving to NoVA.

You guys really confuse me. Squash this confusion once and for all.

Oh this question is not meant to offend anyone, I just want to learn.... I respect everyone's reasons for moving here whatever they are!

CaliTerp07 · 08-23-2010, 11:48 AM

I moved from California to the east coast to go to college. In college, all the recruiters on campus came with job offers for DC area positions. It was too hard to interview with west coast companies with no relevant experience on my resume.

I'm still here because my husband and his family are from Baltimore. If there were no family ties in the area, I'd be headed back as soon as I had a job offer in hand, if only for the weather! (Just got back from visiting in the bay area last week...not quite as wonderful as southern california, but still head and shoulders above the heat and humidity here!)

Stephen 81 · 08-23-2010, 11:55 AM

My mother moved here from LA in the 1970's in order to be with my father. Aside from hating DC summers, and missing the majestic beauty of the California coast, she's far happier here, where there are lots of trees and women "above a certain age" don't have to color their hair and have plastic surgery to fit in. I'm not sure how many people here realize that unless you've got a lot of money, most Angelenos live in places with climates far hotter and less pleasant than Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach.

CaliTerp07 · 08-23-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

My mother moved here from LA in the 1970's in order to be with my father. Aside from hating DC summers, and missing the majestic beauty of the California coast, she's far happier here, where there are lots of trees and women "above a certain age" don't have to color their hair and have plastic surgery to fit in. I'm not sure how many people here realize that unless you've got a lot of money, most Angelenos live in places with climates far hotter and less pleasant than Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach.

Agreed, many people have the misconception that all of california is palm trees and 75 degree sunshine year round. That said, I'd still rather live in the desert climate of the inland empire than the summers we have here!

I wanted to experience something new for college...fall colors, snow, the hustle and bustle of an important city...and it definitely taught me to appreciate what I came from that much more!!!

Stephen 81 · 08-23-2010, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

Agreed, many people have the misconception that all of california is palm trees and 75 degree sunshine year round. That said, I'd still rather live in the desert climate of the inland empire than the summers we have here!

I wanted to experience something new for college...fall colors, snow, the hustle and bustle of an important city...and it definitely taught me to appreciate what I came from that much more!!!

Yeah...I thought I wanted to live in California. I spent a summer in San Diego, and thought it was a perfectly pleasant city (and loved missing a gross, sweltering DC summer). On my drive back to the East Coast, though, I drove through a thunderstorm in Oklahoma, right about where you start seeing a lot of deciduous trees, and I got really excited, both about the rain and the greenery. It was at that point that I realized I was an East Coast kind of guy (or maybe a Pac NW kind of guy, but that's another story)

momtotwoboys · 08-23-2010, 12:14 PM

I grew up in CA (Palos Verdes but migrated north for college) but the housing market in the bay area was so crazy and hubby's family lives here so we made the move. I was sort of tired of CA and always loved the east coast so I was excited to have seasons, different pace, etc.

Caladium · 08-23-2010, 12:41 PM

I grew up in Arlington, and couldn't wait to go out to California in my early 20s. Back in the 1980s that was the place for a young person to have fun fun FUN! I lived in Manhattan Beach and soaked up the beach lifestyle for years. That's where I met normie. We both went to American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach and served on some committees together.

Normie was a funny person. She lived in California half the time but also lived in Reston. So, since we were both familiar with Virginia we became friends. Eventually she moved to Nova full time. I think it was job related, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, about 5 years later my husband was offered a job in Herndon. I was thrilled! I missed the four seasons, I was happy to be moving closer to family, and I had outgrown the beach scene (which is really best when you're in your 20s and 30s). I was living in a tiny beat up beach condo and wanted a real house with a real yard.

After we moved I sent normie an e-mail, hoping we could get together for dinner or something. One thing led to another, and she ended up hiring me. (That's how a lot of jobs are found around here.) I miss the beach, and go back quite frequently for vacations, but to be honest I'm happier here.

katyusha25 · 08-23-2010, 02:16 PM

While I'm not there just yet, I am leaving California to move to NoVa in 2 weeks.

I also think it's funny people dream about moving here, but that's because they never have. I've lived here my entire life and I now can't stand it. Honestly, I think California is a ****hole. It's gross and ugly here (in SoCal, anyway). The only reason I don't want to leave is because I'm obviously leaving all my best friends/friends, and it's sad for me

But aside from my friends, I can't wait to get the hell out of here!

My company had an opening over there that I applied for and that's also why I'm moving there

perries · 08-23-2010, 03:16 PM

Caladium that's a great story.

My husband and I were Arlington 20-somethings who met & got married and moved to Reston. He took a new job but the catch was we had to move to San Diego. Sounded great, so we headed out to North County in the early 2000s. I liked so many things about it, found an interesting job at a biotech, and we spent many excellent weekends at Mammoth Mountain (heaven on earth). But then there were other things that were strange to me as a mid-atlantic chick, like the California youth culture (so many moms dressing like children) and the way somehow everybody over 18 seems 'past it,' and yes, the lack of thunderstorms.

As we were looking at whether to buy a place, we noticed that renting was far cheaper, and that the housing market in San Diego seemed really, really crazy. A UCLA economist wrote a book advising people to sell their houses and rent because the market was in such a bubble. There was a blog tracking the insanity of the San Diego housing bubble. The rest of that is history.

The opportunity came up for my husband to transfer back to the DC area within the company. It was a tough decision, and a big part of it was consideration of which region seemed likely to weather a housing bust and/or recession better, but we also knew we liked life in NoVa overall, and it was a known quantity.

So we boomeranged. No regrets except some pining for the Sierras.

CAVA1990 · 08-24-2010, 06:58 AM

I'm a third generation native Californian and moved back here for a job. Left that company several years ago but got sucked into the NoVA lifestyle and stayed. I posted a thread asking people here where they would move if money and jobs were of no concern. Interesting that few, if any yet, have mentioned California. I used to think everyone wanted to live there but I'm finding that's not the case, at least amongst NoVAns.