Home prices are still ridiculous here (San Diego, Anaheim: real estate, crime, neighborhoods)

[ExeterMedia]

I think you may be right. midnightfapper/ghetto ivory/STORM-SHADOW is back on the attack!

[LuvSouthOC]

It's funny since he is obviously not a dummy. However, I think he really has it out for California and some of his criticism is not really constructive, and is more like cynicism than anything else. A lot of people really feel like he does on the East Coast I found.


NEWS from Miami:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...ealth-gap.html

[craezie]

I've lived in the midwest and Texas, as well as here. As always, it comes down to exactly what you define as "quality of living". I find that minimalists at heart will get the most out of living in Southern California--even though the accepted culture and prevalent attitudes would tell you otherwise.

Some people love to stay in their homes, and having a large space and yard with lots of stuff is important to them. If you like to stay home, watch TV and bbq, you might love another city where you can get a lot of property for your money. Others who have an adventurous spirit like to explore places and cultures and live outdoors--they will love southern California. I remember growing up in the midwest that we would drive for 4 hours just to go to some crummy lake to waterski. Here, I can be at amazing beaches, mountain vistas in the Sierras, the Sequoias, gorgeous desert and any number of other experiences in a short drive. I prefer to live for experiences rather than stuff, and the geographic AND cultural experiences of California are unparalleled in the U.S.

If you can co-exist well in shared space, its for you. We enjoy the beach, the mountains, the many miles of trails right behind our neighborhood, the unparalleled city parks -- but those spaces are not just ours. Its a different mindset. While you can learn to time things to avoid crazy crowds after a while, other people are a fact of life here. I love the diversity personally, so I embrace and enjoy others as I enjoy the things my state has to offer. As for the weather, I think that's worth quite a lot, but I detest the cold and especially the drizzle.

The other thing is that I believe that California offers one of the best business climates for innovators than any other state. On paper, its a terrible place to start a business--high taxes, high regulation, etc. However, paper doesn't give you customers. If you have a great idea, customers are more willing to take a risk with an innovator. My husband and I have built several successful businesses from scratch here that just wouldn't be possible anywhere else. I do think that the jobs market is a bit better than suggested; last I checked Irvine was one of the fastest growing cities, with a jobs growth rate well outpacing the national average and projected to continue.

[ccm123]

It's obviously worth it, because people are paying these prices for homes here. "Location, location, location", as they say.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by ExeterMedia

What didn't you like about Denver compared to OC, if you don't mind me asking? Interested to hear from someone who actually moved away.

Late add - It's snowing on May 11th in Denver. I had to cancel the outdoor party for Mothers day. Just another reason why SoCal is so good, it's not just weather it's that the weather dictates your life.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Mach50

I said the same thing 3 years ago when we first moved to Denver . Now I (as do many others) realize that SoCal weather and culture is worth quite a bit. Come back to this thread in 3, tell us what you really think.

What SoCal "culture"? You mean illegal immigrants, douchebag surfer bros and rich pompous *******s? Yes, such great culture here! Try starting a conversation with someone in SoCal and they will look at you like you are nuts, thats if they understand and speak english. Go to most any other state where strangers actually acknowledge each other with a greeting or where the people are much more friendly and approachable. Now thats culture!

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Can you tell us why Texas property taxes are the 3rd highest in the nation while California's are 33rd?

Dunno? Maybe because different places raise their revenues different ways? Huh.

....and the property taxes on this 2200 sqft house in Anaheim built in 1957 are about six times higher than it would be in TX on a bigger and much newer house despite the slightly higher tax rate because the value of this house here in CA is so overinflated. So whats your point?

[som3on3_10]

Originally Posted by mbell75

What SoCal "culture"? You mean illegal immigrants, douchebag surfer bros and rich pompous *******s? Yes, such great culture here! Try starting a conversation with someone in SoCal and they will look at you like you are nuts, thats if they understand and speak english. Go to most any other state where strangers actually acknowledge each other with a greeting or where the people are much more friendly and approachable. Now thats culture!

If the culture in Cali is sooo bad then why are you starting a thread about how it's so expensive to buy a house here? Why would you want to buy a home in a state where the culture sucks so bad? Sounds like sour grapes of you being priced out of the market to me.

[som3on3_10]

I never understood why some people complain about certain places being so expensive to live. It's pretty simple really. You either move to another state or take the necessary steps to make more money so you can stay. Instead of wasting your energy on complaining, spend that energy on your career or business (if you are an entrepreneur) and things wouldn't be so expensive. Pretty simple if you ask me.

[Gemdiver]

Originally Posted by mbell75

....and the property taxes on this 2200 sqft house in Anaheim built in 1957 are about six times higher than it would be in TX on a bigger and much newer house despite the slightly higher tax rate because the value of this house here in CA is so overinflated. So whats your point?

but the problem is you would still be living in Texas.