South Florida -V- Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego: real estate, condo, income)

[Milwaukee City]

Well it looks like my future hometown is down to two cities. San Diego Area and Boca Raton Area(Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach). We are coming to San Diego for a week in spring for some marathon and we will see if we like what we see. I have lived in South Florida and I love everything about it. Humidity, hot, beaches everywhere, the people, Miami Beach only an hour away. I was wondering your thoughts on the two places, I have lived in San Diego but only a block off of MCRD and never made it to North Country. I actually prefer Florida over any part of Cali but I am not making up my mind until I give So Cal a chance. Plus it's cheaper and I love the style of buildings and the setup of the whole area. Has anyone ever moved to or from the Boca Raton area and what are your thoughts? I also like the fact that everything a lot closer in Miami and I love the whole salsa music scene as well.

[mewzikguy]

Sounds like you love Fla., so go there

[Encinitan]

"... Humidity, hot, beaches everywhere, the people, Miami Beach only an hour away."

If this is what you like about Miami, I'd say Florida is your place. San Diego is not tropical like Florida.

[MyKindOfTown]

I live in Ft. Lauderdale but I've spent quite a bit of time in L.A. and the O.C.

If someone doesn't mind hot, humid weather-and let's face it SoCal gets pretty cold relative to SoFla- then the nod based on cost alone goes to SoFla. If you're a water person-boating, fishing even sun bathing on crowded beaches then Florida wins hands down.

Because I'm a sucker for hills and the beautiful vistas if the cost of living was equal I'd probably prefer SoCal but alas real estate prices are generally 2-3x more expensive in California than their Florida equivalent. Plus California's income tax and lack of friendliness to 2nd amendment rights are negatives. Besides there's few streets in the country with a restaurant scene quite like Atlantic Ave in Delray........

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Well it looks like my future hometown is down to two cities. San Diego Area and Boca Raton Area(Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach). We are coming to San Diego for a week in spring for some marathon and we will see if we like what we see. I have lived in South Florida and I love everything about it. Humidity, hot, beaches everywhere, the people, Miami Beach only an hour away. I was wondering your thoughts on the two places, I have lived in San Diego but only a block off of MCRD and never made it to North Country. I actually prefer Florida over any part of Cali but I am not making up my mind until I give So Cal a chance. Plus it's cheaper and I love the style of buildings and the setup of the whole area. Has anyone ever moved to or from the Boca Raton area and what are your thoughts? I also like the fact that everything a lot closer in Miami and I love the whole salsa music scene as well.

[happ]

Based on your comments & the fact that you have lived in both San Diego & Boca Rotan I would suggest moving to Florida. If you like "hot humid beach scene" year around then, again Florida is a better choice. As you likely know San Diego is much further north of Florida & the Pacific is cold compared to the Gulfstream. By November it is too cold to swim comfortably in the ocean in San Diego & water temps don't reach 70F until July.

It is more feasible cost-wise to live in Florida compared to California though it is less exciting\ dynamic in Florida [also too conservative for the average Californian].

[MyKindOfTown]

Originally Posted by happ

Based on your comments & the fact that you have lived in both San Diego & Boca Rotan I would suggest moving to Florida. If you like "hot humid beach scene" year around then, again Florida is a better choice. As you likely know San Diego is much further north of Florida & the Pacific is cold compared to the Gulfstream. By November it is too cold to swim comfortably in the ocean in San Diego & water temps don't reach 70F until July.

It is more feasible cost-wise to live in Florida compared to California though it is less exciting\ dynamic in Florida [also too conservative for the average Californian].

Your first paragraph Happ is spot on but I somewhat disagree with the last line of your post. As you know demographics are very location specific. Would you consider Poway or the O.C. either dynamic or liberal? Remember too we're not comparing states but regions within two states. While I concede that SoFla "liberalism" is more FDR era Jewish condo voters than hip med-pot smoking screenwriters the fact is Dade, Broward and Palm Beach are decidingly "blue" while the O.C. and until this election SD are reliably "red." Not to mention there is nothing in SD comparable to South Beach. I certainly don't favor one place over another based on which rappers are partying there but the club scene in South Beach is a nightly A-list of movie stars, recording artists and pro-athletes. Comparatively the "beach" towns of SD look pretty pedestrian with their bevy of frat boys and beer bongs.

[happ]

Originally Posted by MyKindOfTown

Your first paragraph Happ is spot on but I somewhat disagree with the last line of your post. As you know demographics are very location specific. Would you consider Poway or the O.C. either dynamic or liberal? Remember too we're not comparing states but regions within two states. While I concede that SoFla "liberalism" is more FDR era Jewish condo voters than hip med-pot smoking screenwriters the fact is Dade, Broward and Palm Beach are decidingly "blue" while the O.C. and until this election SD are reliably "red." Not to mention there is nothing in SD comparable to South Beach. I certainly don't favor one place over another based on which rappers are partying there but the club scene in South Beach is a nightly A-list of movie stars, recording artists and pro-athletes. Comparatively the "beach" towns of SD look pretty pedestrian with their bevy of frat boys and beer bongs.

Yes, I agree with you also. Part of the confusion with this thread is the title versus the summary. If we are comparing So Florida w/ So Cal then it is quite different than Boca Raton versus San Diego. Frankly, I don't really know much about the political situation in So Florida but assumed it was like you suggested w/ a mostly Democratic constituency. And agree that South Beach is "party-central" but so is West Hollywood/LA. And if A-List is a standard than Miami takes a second to Los Angeles.

But San Diego & to a less degree Orange county are not like Miami or LA though the scene in Laguna Beach/ Newport Beach is similar to Palm Beach. If it is an issue of nightlife/club scene then perhaps both areas [San Diego & Boca Rotan] are similar but San Diego is more surfer-oriented & Boca Rotan is more resort beach-oriented.

Within the 2 states, I think all would agree that California is considerably more exciting w/ more things to do & more diverse but that's true when comparing California with any state.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

I agree with everything that's been said so far.

Milwaukee, it sounds like you know what you like, and from what you've described, South Florida would be much more enjoyable for you.

If South Florida weren't so humid, it would be a lot more appealing to me, but then maybe that's just me.

Also, South Florida is in FLORIDA. Lots of things about the culture/political scene there that would drive me crazy.

[Milwaukee City]

Would a conservative even survive in so cal?

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Would a conservative even survive in so cal?

Absolutely. There are vast areas of conservative territory in Southern California. There may be more liberals, but they're packed into smaller areas.