Possibly Leaving San Diego :( (Riverside, Victorville: HOA, insurance, home)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by ndindy

Property taxes are not the same in TX as in CA. We have friends whose 600k townhouse has $19k/year in property taxes. The same price of home here sits at $6600/year in property taxes. That 13,800 difference lets you to make about $230k in income in CA and it’s a draw. If you make less income you would come out ahead.

I am not saying you can’t get more house for your money in Texas. But I don’t think homeowners are saving money in equivalent priced housing in CA versus TX.

Can you even find a 600K condo in Texas? What's it on 20 acres?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

You might not dislike the IE, but it is still expensive for the amenities offered. IE Compare the IE to Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Tucson. Those metro areas have similar climates, lower general living costs, and fewer hassles.

Well I lived in Murrieta and had all the amenities I wanted or needed except the beach and it was easy to get to both OC and SD beaches, if one left at the right time.

What lack of amenities????

[Podo944]

Well, this has been an interesting thread with lots of good advice!
We're renting in OC, and the things keeping us here are my hubby's job that he loves, and family... somewhat. Kids are grown and out, grandkids would just have to come out to visit if we moved somewhere.
There's a chance my hubby's job could go remote in which case it opens up possibilities for sure! We'll see.

Anyway, things will eventually fall into place for you OP. I don't have the same problem you have worrying about being too unhappy where I lived. I've always been pretty easy going, adaptable and don't worry about being surrounded by "Mormans", "Democrats", "White Hispanics: etc. etc. because I've always found people I can hang out with, and don't need many cause I'm an introvert.

As far as Utah goes, if I lived in Salt Lake, I'd get a place that has room for a small RV and take advantage of all the beautiful National Parks in the state, my goodness, that place is a gold mine for scenery, hikes etc. not to mention it's not all that far from other great places like Yellowstone, Colorado, etc. Yeah, I could totally live there! I don't ski, and snow is a pain, but we'd be saving so much money we could hire some kid to shovel for us, lol!

What surprised me the most though about your situation is how underpaid a recognizable local TV news anchor makes! And you say your income is combined, so the 85K isn't just his salary? Dang it, why did he mention to his boss he was putting off the SLC offer? Unless of course the boss needed to see the offer letter.

Anyway, it sounds like you do love SD, if you don't want to move, then you'll need to suck it up pay the price.
If you do move, take mama with you, get a property that has a guest house in the back or build one for her. You might then even afford to get some in home help for her.

Good luck to you!

[Curious.In.California]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

Had a few questions...

1. How long are the typical contracts for the position? Are there any different terms in the other areas?
2. Career goals? Are there any inherent advantages for his career for staying/leaving (eg. better exposure or moving to a larger market that leaving here might work?)
3. Life goals. You addressed the life you dont want to want to leave right now, but would you feel better knowing that you could always come back a bit wiser and financially secure?

1. TV contracts do vary between markets and stations. Typically they run between 2-3 years. In his contract with San Diego, he has "outs" which means he can leave if he finds something better. The SLC contract does NOT allow outs which means he'd be stuck. We couldn't just accept it and try it for a year and then decide to leave if we didn't like it. If we left before his end date, they'd sue us. So that was one factor we didn't like about the SLC offer...that it didn't include "outs" in the contract.

2. Bigger the market, the better. San Diego is a bigger market than SLC but not by much. Sacramento is actually the biggest market of the three. Unfortunately for San Diego, LA claims some areas which should be counted as part of SD but they don't. For example, Temecula. They are part of LA's market, not SD.

3. We could always try to come back but there's not a lot of options here...there are only 5 TV stations here and of those, what are the chances of their being a male anchor opening during a small window of time right before his contract would end in SLC. Since they're not offering any "outs" in the contract, he'd have to time it out just perfectly and that's very difficult to do. That's why "outs" in a contract are so important.

Originally Posted by Podo944

don't worry about being surrounded by "Mormans", "Democrats", "White Hispanics: etc. etc.

Crazy thing is, we actually ARE Mormon ... BUT... we do have concerns about the Utah Mormons because they seem to live in a bubble. We don't want to live in that "bubble" where they're only friends with those who are like-minded. This country is divided enough as is...we're friendly with everyone.

Originally Posted by Podo944

What surprised me the most though about your situation is how underpaid a recognizable local TV news anchor makes!

Crazy, right?! The TV industry has taken a big hit because of the internet and high cable costs...people are cutting cable which affects TV news anchors and reporters. We've had to take pay CUTS because of it. Its hard too because even though he's good at what he does and he has the experience, a lot of the jobs are going to the younger, just out of college newbies because their cheaper.

The business is hard, my husband didn't get into it because he wanted fame (which is why some get into it...some of the diva's out there just want to make money taking selfies, lol). My husband got into it because he wanted to make a difference and to tell someone's story.

When he was young he went to a Dodgers game and he met Tommy Lasorda. Tommy told him, "with a voice like yours, you should be in TV!" So he did! A lot of people who major in broadcasting can't even get on-air jobs because its so competitive but he did. And being able to get one in his hometown was like a miracle. It would be hard to throw that opportunity away. There is already a line of people waiting to take his job (and for less pay) if he leaves.

Originally Posted by Podo944

why did he mention to his boss he was putting off the SLC offer

Actually we didn't...the station in SLC called his current bosses and told them!

But as of this morning, the head boss here just told my husband that they have made room in the budget and are offering him the same anchor job SLC is offering...with a raise too. They said they want him to be happy because they don't want to lose him. So (at least for now) it seems like the right thing to do. The bump in pay is more than what SLC is offering - no, our money won't go as far and I don't think its a long term solution to our problem, but its at least a step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by Podo944

If you do move, take mama with you, get a property that has a guest house in the back or build one for her. You might then even afford to get some in home help for her.

We thought about that but it would be a tough task...mother-in-law is a born and raised San Diegan and with her current health status, she just wants to be in the comforts of home. And even though COL is less in Utah, we still wouldn't have been able to afford a home big enough for a guest house. I would be making less up there too.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

You might not dislike the IE, but it is still expensive for the amenities offered. IE Compare the IE to Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Tucson. Those metro areas have similar climates, lower general living costs, and fewer hassles.

Actually, the IE is cooler in the summer (though still a bit hot) compared to the desert cities

Here is July weather for all 4

Riverside: 95/64
Las Vegas: 105/81
Phoenix: 107/84
Tucson: 100/76

And the cooler nights/mornings are the biggest plus to the IE compared to the desert

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

It's hard to imagine that 80K in Phoenix wouldn't go much farther than 85k in San Diego. If you look at the rent prices in SD, you'll see what I mean.

I have. My apartment in Phoenix is $1,350/month. I can get an apartment for that in San Diego (I really can, have you looked at listings lately?)

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Depends on what you mean by "good".

Not humid in the summer, not cold in the winter, lots of sun

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Yes if you pay the same amount TX is higher, but no State Income Tax. However generally homes in TX are wayyy less expensive than in CA. The home I had in TX would cost well over $1,000,000.00 in CA in a an area similar to where we lived. In TX it cost me $115,000.00 and today is worth about $250,000.00.

Houses on a equivalent level in TX VS CA are far lower in TX except in major Cities, and in most cities around the US those are very similar.

Where in Texas? Because homes in the metroplex are going for $600k to $1million on the north side of the metro (i.e. North Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Carrollton, Richardson, Garland)

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by Curious.In.California

But as of this morning, the head boss here just told my husband that they have made room in the budget and are offering him the same anchor job SLC is offering...with a raise too. They said they want him to be happy because they don't want to lose him. So (at least for now) it seems like the right thing to do. The bump in pay is more than what SLC is offering - no, our money won't go as far and I don't think its a long term solution to our problem, but its at least a step in the right direction.

Glad that worked out in a positive direction

[caliguy92832]

Originally Posted by Curious.In.California

I would prefer a bigger city, less brown, more greenery

How about the Atlanta area?