My Experience after "Leap of Faith" move to SD (Long Post) (San Diego: for sale, foreclosed)

[Ndividual]

Thank you for this post. I'm looking to relocate to SD from Seattle, WA. A fresh, new start is needed for me. I too, have been apprehensive, being that I would be starting over at age 33 after being established up here. Reading your experiences gives me more hope

[rvabrendan]

Wow – so many inspiring posts. It’s very encouraging to know that people are in the *same* boat as me. Somehow after reading this thread, the reality of relocating from Virginia to SD seems closer and closer. The fact that I’ve been living well below my means has helped me learn to survive on very little and I’m realizing with proper forthought and a plan, this relocation won’t be nearly as abysmal as people would make it out to be.

I’m excited about finding a cool little house to share with roommates – I feel like moving across country with no friends or family will require me to get to know people so I can get plugged into the social pipeline – and having new roommates makes that a heckuva lot easier and much less lonely at home. I mean, I’ve seen 2 and 3BR houses on Craigslist for rent forlike $1600-$2000…split that 3 ways and it’s much cheaper than having your own place.

Again, thanks for the encouragement everybody!

[loveautumn]

huh???? I hope you realize that people in SD do get colds and the flu and sinus and allergies and all other types of illnesses, just the same as everywhere.

[Just1Lion]

Originally Posted by Ndividual

Thank you for this post. I'm looking to relocate to SD from Seattle, WA. A fresh, new start is needed for me. I too, have been apprehensive, being that I would be starting over at age 33 after being established up here. Reading your experiences gives me more hope

this thread has given me some much needed hope as well. i turned this year and was starting to think that it was too late. i am too established where i currently live with a wife, cush gov't job, house.....but still...not content.

[scratchNsniff]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

huh???? I hope you realize that people in SD do get colds and the flu and sinus and allergies and all other types of illnesses, just the same as everywhere.

Whooping cough is making a comeback here too.

[scratchNsniff]

I'm gonna present another side to the "SD leap of faith" story, this probably wouldn't happen to anybody but me, I have the best of luck and the worst of luck sometimes!!

I also made a leap of faith move to SD in late 2009. I rented a place sight unseen off of craigslist and everything was going great. Yeah there are some prostitutes walking around ECB and lots of homeless, but you get used to them all after awhile (which only contributes to the problem). I got a great job that paid more than double what I had previously been making in AZ AND it was a work from home thing too, so not having a commute was great!! Everything was going great!! I was living in paradise, had a great job, great house!!!

But then I got this killer headache one night while out in Solana Beach at a bar. I drove home (not the wisest of decisions I realize now), went to the ER and spent 2 weeks at UCSD medical center for some horrific hereditary brain thing that almost killed me. I had no benefits at my job, which was temporary and ended while I was in the hospital (I lost out on some serious overtime too) and because I had been paid well and had some money in savings, I did not qualify for MediCal or medicaid or any help. And while I was loopy on pain meds they asked me about my finances and I totally over exaggerated things!! So now I have 200k+ in debt, not able to work a full-time job & no family out here to help out or move in with, I just can't afford it and will be moving back to Phoenix. Yuck.

I could've swung it out here I think, but with my diminished abilities now (which are thankfully starting to come back but I'm nowhere near 100%) and because I had a work from home thing I didn't really make many friends who I could burden with things like taking me to the doctor, putting up with my anger issues and impulsiveness and a thousand other crazy things that occur with a brain injury, I don't think it's going to be possible to stay here.

But I look at it this way: I moved out here for a vague reason, maybe it was to get the best care with the best neurologists at UCSD who would save my life and not leave me totally disabled or dead.

[scottykick]

Wow, I'm sorry you had to go through that. That actually is more motivation to those of us who dream of living in SD. Because you never know whats going to happen, and you never want to look back and say "What if I at least tried..." at least you tried and when you fully recover, and I sure hope you do, you can take a second try at it.

For now get well, because even living in paradise means nothing if your seriously ill.

[MovingAloha]

Originally Posted by scottykick

Wow, I'm sorry you had to go through that. That actually is more motivation to those of us who dream of living in SD. Because you never know whats going to happen, and you never want to look back and say "What if I at least tried..." at least you tried and when you fully recover, and I sure hope you do, you can take a second try at it.

For now get well, because even living in paradise means nothing if your seriously ill.

+ My thoughts exactly. To they pp I hope things work out for you!

[scratchNsniff]

Yes indeed, my post is meant to be mostly positive, everything went well for me except something that was inevitably going to catch up with me anywhere I was. I was just unfortunate enough to be far away from loved ones & friends at the time.

It's just some food for thought.

But I was also fortunate enough to be close to a high-caliber teaching hospital such as UCSD, so even that is a positive thing for moving out here!!!

[ajnsd]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

I'm all for change and moving to a city you really enjoy but with 2 school age kids I'd say my advice would be not to make a permanent move until you find a job. The unemployment rate is very high in that area so unless you have PLENTY of savings I'd say have a good plan.

If you have plenty of savings then I'd say you could try it out but I've met plenty of people that don't really have a good plan, move to a city with no job lined up and things don't go so well.

Probably if you were young and single with no kids it's worth a "leap of faith" but with kids that really changes the picture.

Yorkjec, I completely agree with the above poster! However, do not be discouraged. Be patient and continue working on your plan. Don't move here until you find a good job that replaces your salary. My situation was completely different than yours. When I moved to San Diego, I didn't have children.

If I had children back then, I'm certain my resolve to move here would have remained equally undeterred; however, my plan would have centered around making the uprooting process as simple as reasonably possible for my children--even if that would have meant postponing the eventual relocation date.

"Uprooting," "relocating," and "moving" are all labels that inherently contain negative and difficult connotations. And while this may generally be true, I personally don't believe this is the case when considering a move to San Diego with a spouse and/or children.

Many San Diego communities have some of the best schools in the nation. Go to GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community, plug in San Diego, and see for yourself. Poway Unified School district is a nationally recognized public school system known for educational excellence and sending its graduates to colleges in high numbers.

If you maintain a positive outlook, the task of fulfilling this dream of yours will not appear so daunting. The single most critical step is getting past the "dreaming of San Diego" stage and progressing to the "actively planning your move" to San Diego stage.

Maintain focus, patience, and work your plan according to your personal circumstances. The simple act of taking regular action in this direction will make you feel better, encourage you, and create new energy and ideas once not available to you. Best of luck to you!

AJ