San Diego, CA or Coral Gables, FL? (private schools, pros and cons)

[Sun&Sea]

Never mind... we just realized that our California state income tax would be 9.3%... Coral Gables, here we go!

[MisterMark]

Originally Posted by Sun&Sea

Never mind... we just realized that our California state income tax would be 9.3%... Coral Gables, here we go!

You dragged this out for days, only now figuring out that there's a state income tax in California, and abrubtly announcing, "Never mind"?

Enjoy Miami.

[Sun&Sea]

MisterMark: We had been considering SD for MONTHS (not only days) and we sure knew there was a state income tax, but we thought it was 8% flat rate.

The reasons we finally decided on CG are many, not ONLY the CA Income Tax. We learned, for example, that SD is very slow-paced ("American's Biggest Small Town"), restaurants close around 9 pm, the weather is never really hot, it's rather kind of chillyif you are close to the coast, and sea water is really freezing cold. There are very few South American people with a good financial situation like us in SD, and in general it's not so diverse as Miami.

Plus the other details we knew before, 6 airplane hours more to Europe or South America, much more expensive than CG (housing, eletricity, groceries, etc.), etc.

And I said "never mind" because I was trying to get recommendations on neighborhoods in SD and nobody replied. So when my husband and I finally decided that SD was out, I meant to say: "never mind the recommendations..."

Thank you!

[MisterMark]

No problem, Sun. Everybody's got different tastes, and that's good.

I was just in Florida for a few days, and I was SO happy to fly back into California where the temperature was 64 degrees. Florida feels like a nonstop steambath to me.

Anyway, I wish you success in your new location.

[Sun&Sea]

Thank you very much, MisterMark!! I am glad you are happy there!!!

But see, 64 degrees in July is wayyyyyy too cool for my taste! Rather be in a steambath...

Have a great weekend!

[wenzit420]

Coral Gables is REALLY nice I used to live in Boca Raton and loved south fl. If my wife wasn't so hesitant I would prob be back in Fl.

[sapphos]

Sun&Sea, we moved from Miami to Bs.As. two years ago from Miami. I'm American, born in Connecticut and dh is French. Our daughter was conceived, carried and born in Argentina and is a triple citizen. We lived in Bs.As. in Acassuso for about a year and about a year ago we had to come back to the States and need to spend more time here than in Bs.As. We weren't sure we wanted to move back to Miami with a child for some of the reasons you mentioned so we ended up in Chapel Hill, NC where if you read the forums, ALL the Floridians seem to be moving to...well my husband hated it and I was so so.

A job offer took us to San Antonio which was frankly not that bad and this is from someone who thought would never ever move to Texas.

We are now in Savannah, GA and are counting down the days to return to Miami where we'll be living in the Gables (we have lived all over Miami and frankly loved Surfside but are renting an old professors house for the interim). The reason I mention these places is because we thought we wanted that laid back atmosphere of "real America"...but we hate it. I remembered why I left Connecticut twelve years ago for the tropical feeling of South Florida. Will people speak Spanish to you? Yes some will. Is there crime there? Of course just like anywhere else...there were major gangs moving into Chapel Hill. Sleepy town...absolutely not and CG is a great place to raise a child. I can't compare to SD, but I do have good friends who were from California and they loved California but hated the high cost of living and the fires.

So trust your instincts and you'll land in the right place, and yes...it is so much better to catch a direct flight from Miami to BA.

Good luck on your decision and your move...we did it with a three month old, two big dogs, and two cats...wouldn't want to repeat a permanent move again any time soon

[kcda]

Sun&Sea: Even though you've made your decision I should clarify that San Diego is usually well above 64 degrees in July. Usually in the upper 70's and near perfect weather. Also San Diego isn't such a sleepy town, I would think compared to a small town like Coral Gables there is much more going on in San Diego. Well anyway, good luck to you.

[MisterMark]

Originally Posted by Sun&Sea

But see, 64 degrees in July is wayyyyyy too cool for my taste! Rather be in a steambath...

I should have clarified: The 64 degree temperature was around midnight at LAX.

[BrandOnian]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Florida has a bad reputation in the US as being one of the trashiest states in the country and there is a good reason. Everytime you hear about a horrendous crime (usually being comitted against a woman or child) you can be sure it happened in Florida.

Excellent point. I have been arguing this case for a few years now. Florida seems to attract a lot of sketchy drifter-type people. It's as if a bunch of transients hitch-hiked their way down I-95 in the 80s and 90s. A lot of really messed up things happen down there. Sometimes it can be quite the circus down there. Exposing your kids to this type of environment might be ill-advised...And let's not even mention the 2004 "election"

Having said that, I still love Florida--mostly because of its tropical climate and party atmosphere. Warm air, beaches, warm ocean water, palm trees. Great place to visit (if you can stand all the trashy hotels everywhere and the tacky chain restaurants in every cookie cutter city), not a great place to raise a family.

San Diego, and the state of California as a whole, are much more progressive than Florida by far. People are generally better-educated/informed. In my opinion, it is a smarter culture (or society, if you will) to raise a family--trust me on this one.

Move to SD, you will thank me later. This coming from a past North Jersey resident (5 miles from The Bronx/Uptown Manhattan) currently residing in Raleigh, NC.