Move Dilemma - uproot everything for perfect weather and active life? (San Diego: sale, rent)

[MoveDilemma]

Originally Posted by Pedro2000

It will also depend on where you live. Not sure about the Dallas area, but besides the housing costs, many places in SD have HOAs, Melo Roos, etc that could cost you as much as other peoples mortgages in some states. So on top of $800K you also have property taxes and HOAs/Melo Roos.

So COL could mean $1000 in state taxes, $1500 in Melo Roos, a house that won't be as big or have a yard like what you're used to in Texas. Those are things you might have to think about as well.

Property taxes for our house appraised at 600K by county ( actual market value is much higher) is 15K a year and HOA $2500 a year.

We don't have Melo Roos... Is $1500 Melo Roos a month for a house appraised at $800K?

To be honest , our small family of 3 , donot need a 4000+ house , except for 2 bedrooms, kitchen , family, study for home office, media room for movies on weekends we don't use much of the house. We can easily settle for 2000 sq ft with little backyard for some privacy in the patio.

Here even with huge backyard, most of the days, can't sit out in the beautiful Patio and cookout in the outdoor kitchen without bitten by bugs and HEAT. Just enjoy the patio & backyard "view" from the windows of climate controlled family room

[Cardiff Kook]

Originally Posted by MoveDilemma

To be honest , our small family of 3 , donot need a 4000+ house , except for 2 bedrooms, kitchen , family, study for home office, media room for movies on weekends we don't use much of the house. We can easily settle for 2000 sq ft with little backyard for some privacy in the patio.

I agree with what you are saying but I still chuckled at this part of the post because houses in Texas are so massive and cost a fraction of homes in SD. I bet what I paid for my 2/2 would have gotten me a 3k sq ft new construction in Texas.

What you described above is at least a 3 bedroom house with a media room. So basically 4 bedrooms (using one as an office and one as a media room) and 2k sq ft. You can make it happen with your budget but its going to be an big adjustment from the space you are used to

[deadcoder]

Originally Posted by MoveDilemma

Thanks for the detailed response. I work for a top financial institution in US and have been working from home office since 5 years or so. You are right, I work EST hours (NYC office) but that is actually a plus for me as I like to start early and finish early. Even in Dallas , I wake up at 5AM , start work at 7 AM and be done by 3 or 4 PM , in CA it will be start work at 5 AM or 6 AM and be done by 1 or 2 PM. Then check emails now and then....

Here in Dallas, one full salary goes straight to savings a/c. And the other salary of $120K takes care of mortgage, play school, 401K ,all other expenses ( even this salary have savings in form of maxing out 401K )

Not looking for beach living just proximity to beach in 30min or so. Priority is good neighborhood with great schools. Not sure if it matters , we both work in IT , moved to US from India a decade back

If I were you, I would stay in Dallas and spend $ for quality vacations (beaches, islands, Europe, etc) during bad weather. By doing that you can still keep your same living style with addition to outdoor activities when needed.

I'm from Texas (recently moved here) and I know that how well a family can live with that income in Texas. But once you move here, you will lose the financial flexibility which you currently have (one income directly going to saving account, child private school cost, etc).

What about Austin? Weather wise Austin is far better than Dallas (Dallas is very dull in almost all respects). Again there are several outdoor activities which you can do in Austin. Again Austin is closer to San Antonio where you can also spend free time. Just my 2c.

[photo4fun]

I have a coworker who moved from Houston to SD for the exactly same reasons: weather, active life, top notch public schools. He doesn't regret at all.

[WorldKlas]

20 years ago we were faced with the same dilemma. We decided to stay in Dallas. Now we are retired and spending as much time as possible in San Diego. We regret not making the move. The kids grew up here, married here and now the grandkids are here. Very hard to move now.

[MoveDilemma]

Originally Posted by deadcoder

If I were you, I would stay in Dallas and spend $ for quality vacations (beaches, islands, Europe, etc) during bad weather. By doing that you can still keep your same living style with addition to outdoor activities when needed.

I'm from Texas (recently moved here) and I know that how well a family can live with that income in Texas. But once you move here, you will lose the financial flexibility which you currently have (one income directly going to saving account, child private school cost, etc).

What about Austin? Weather wise Austin is far better than Dallas (Dallas is very dull in almost all respects). Again there are several outdoor activities which you can do in Austin. Again Austin is closer to San Antonio where you can also spend free time. Just my 2c.

Thanks for your 2c every 2c helps as husband has to decide in next few days whether to move forward with the offer.

In the link you shared, except for housing , everything else seems just a little bit higher. But we are not looking for same sq ft house with huge yard in CA. We are looking at half the size of what we have in TX.

When we bought house in Dallas, we thought the same....we have DFW airport ...will take vacations to all over US.....but it is not that easy to take vacations (managing time off from both our jobs, one of us has some thing going on in at work and vacations can't be scheduled much in advance) compared to just drive to a scenic place or beach on a whim....that too with a 3 yr old.

We have close family members in Austin and is actually not much better than Dallas that will be worth to uproot everything to move

True that we might lose some financial flexibility we have currently.....and thus the dilemma....hopefully we will decide in next few days

[loveautumn]

I doubt $600k will get you the kind of house that you are looking for or are used to but $800k could. I think you could find home in Encinitas as that is about the median price these days. But you won't be saving the kind of money you are now, and the lots and house won't be as big, houses are closer together. Just depends on what you are willing to give up to live here...we all pay the price for just about perfect weather (which is pretty much why we're all still here). I'd try to stay as near the coast as you can, as that's the point of being here anyway, isn't it? If you move much more inland, it does get hot ((not too much humidity though) but would need the A/C during the summer if you live inland.

Having said that, Scripps Ranch is nice family oriented community too.

There was another poster on here from Dallas recently that had $1 million to spend and had a really hard time finding what they wanted (similar to your requirements), she dropped off so I don't know if they ever ended up coming here or not.

[deadcoder]

Originally Posted by MoveDilemma

Thanks for your 2c every 2c helps as husband has to decide in next few days whether to move forward with the offer.

In the link you shared, except for housing , everything else seems only a little bit higher. But we are not looking for same sq ft house with huge yard in CA. We are looking at half the size of what we have in TX.

When we bought house in Dallas, we thought the same....we have DFW airport ...will take vacations to all over US.....but it is not that easy to take vacations (managing time off from both our jobs, one of us has some thing going on in at work and vacations can't be scheduled much in advance) compared to just drive to a scenic place or beach on a whim....that too with a 3 yr old.

We have close family members in Austin and is actually not much better than Dallas that will be worth to uproot everything to move

True that we might lose some financial flexibility we have currently.....and thus the dilemma....hopefully we will decide in next few days

If you are fine with having half of the size of the house you have in TX, then I think it will be fine if you move here. I left Texas for the exact same reasons and I don't regret at all. Only huge differences are, we don't have kids and do not plan to buy a house soon, so it was easier for us to make our decision.

This city is so beautiful and there are so many things you can do here.

[MoveDilemma]

Just saw these houses online on delsur living website. There are houses in delsur community starting in low $600K and low $800k. This community is 16-18 miles from La Jolla office. I see elementary school is Delsur elementary rated 10 on greatschools. What's the catch here?

Residence 3 - Prado At Del Sur - San Diego Home for Sale | Standard Pacific Homes

[loveautumn]

one plus as far as vacations go...you won't have to worry about taking vacations because there's plenty to do in SoCal and it's not that far to go to the Bay Area either. Vegas is relatively close by too. You could do weekend trips easily from here. You'd be living where everybody else comes to vacation