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Old 06-04-2010, 06:52 PM
 
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....to live in, what is making you still stay and not moving out of the state like a lot of them are doing it already?

Last edited by Texas User; 06-04-2010 at 08:10 PM..
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Old 06-04-2010, 07:58 PM
 
52 posts, read 193,094 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas User View Post
....to live in, what is making you still stay not moving out of the state like a lot of them are doing it already?
Family, climate, and culture...
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Old 06-04-2010, 08:10 PM
 
12,671 posts, read 23,732,817 times
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Originally Posted by chirplet View Post
Family, climate, and culture...
Is it worth it?
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Old 06-05-2010, 12:04 AM
 
Location: Sacramento, Ca
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It's too expensive, so I can't save enough money to move where I want.
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Old 06-05-2010, 08:12 AM
 
99 posts, read 227,378 times
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I have no family here (other than immediate). I generally think most people around here are militantly stupid or intolerable a**holes. The attitude toward culture is generally at the "art history" level - people rather rides their effin bicycles (a child's toy). The constant rain and fog **** me off like nothing else. I could be "retired" nearly anywhere else in the states, whereas here I'm still sweatin' it here. But every time I come home from wherever, I am glad to be back . . .
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Old 06-05-2010, 09:20 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,234,910 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas User View Post
....to live in, what is making you still stay and not moving out of the state like a lot of them are doing it already?
People are staying and some moving in for many reasons: 1-many who wouldn't think of leaving have lived in their homes for many years, they do not pay the high property taxes and they have much smaller house payments, which we all know is a big part of the living costs. Add to it the cost of gas, but as it increases gradually (down recently) we seem to adjust, we ***** about the cost, but we do adjust.

Many stay because they are will to pay the price for living in the state they love, nothing wrong with that.

Many stay because of jobs

Others, several we know, stay because of family ties and still others plan to re-locate after retirement age.

I few stay because they need an IN-N-Out fix daily...

Nita
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Old 06-05-2010, 12:20 PM
 
Location: Pleasanton, CA
2,406 posts, read 6,013,329 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas User View Post
....to live in, what is making you still stay and not moving out of the state like a lot of them are doing it already?

The same question could be asked about many places...even many that don't have a high COL. I know the main reason for me to stay here is just that my roots are here.
There are people all over the country that choose to stay right where they are because that's where their lives keep them, for whatever reasons. Personally, I have a decent job. I live in a neighborhood that I like. I love the natural beauty of the Bay Area and I love the weather.

I suppose that if I had come here from another nice place in the country, I really would think this place is over-hyped. Because I grew up here though, this is home to me. I can overlook the negatives about the Bay Area, because I've been able to mostly live the life here that I want to live and I'm not really struggling to make it. I just work hard and don't splurge and buy unnecessary things. Although the Bay Area is very expensive, many people could choose to do without many things and be able to have more disposable income. The somewhat pervasive materialism in the region tends to make people think they have less than they really have and that they need more than they currently have.

Really, all I have to do is walk out of my office every day where I work in Fremont and look East toward the great view I have of Mission Peak and I'm reminded of how much I appreciate the natural beauty of the Bay Area.
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Old 06-05-2010, 01:14 PM
 
Location: San Francisco, CA
15,088 posts, read 13,397,911 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas User View Post
....to live in, what is making you still stay and not moving out of the state like a lot of them are doing it already?
Simple - we're young, we have good careers here, and we're making enough money to rent quit comfortably. Between the two of us, my wife and I are netting about $200K annually. That will let you live in a decent $2K-a-month apartment in a very nice part of the city while still living well and saving money at a good clip each month (we're not extravagant people who need to be driving the latest Mercedes). BUT...it's not enough to handle the commitment of buying decent property. There are many people like us here.

Yes, we could have landed in other places with lower cost of living that would pay us near what we make here and give us more money for the Mercedes as well...but we landed here. And now that we're in a promising career path, we feel that it's best for us to get some more experience under our belt and on our resumes before making the next move.'

So we live here for now, enjoying the city, getting the work experience we need...and we'll have to figure out down the road whether we'll move up here and afford it or if we cash in our experience/savings ticket into a life somewhere else. We may well do the latter in a few years.
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Old 06-05-2010, 01:20 PM
 
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Besides the natural beauty of the bay area, this is also just our home. I am a native Californian, and I can't imagine living in another state. My family is here, including my elderly father who would be all alone if we left. My mom died last year from brain cancer, and I thanked goodness every day that I lived close enough that I was able to drive to her house each weekend and spend the day with her while she was very ill. I went almost every Saturday for 9 nine months as she underwent chemo, and would lay in bed with her and talk. I was able to give my dad the support he needed dealing with the hospital and social workers, and the day she died I was there for both of them. If I lived somewhere else I would have missed all of this--like my brother who lives in Indiana and was far removed from the situation. He flew in one time during her illness for a weekend and was there for her funeral, but that is just not enough for me.

Now that my dad is on his own, I try to stay very involved with his life to give him support. We have a very small family on my side of it, and I feel that this is an important part of my life. My husband is very supportive as well about it all, as he feels family ties are of the upmost importance.

My husband's family lives in the Los Angeles Area (we live in the Bay Area), but it is a fairly easy one hour flight or car ride to see them. If we moved, this would complicate our frequent trips to see them.

I like where we live in the bay area, and my husband has a stable job in the high tech industry. Sure, if we relocated to Colorado or Texas or Arizona we could get an amazing house and save a ton of money--but that is too big of a trade off in my mind. We live in a very nice community here, but in a very modest 1800 sq. foot older home with our 3 kids. I make the best of it, decorating it in a california cottage style to fit the exterior. I even have grown to love the smallness of it--it makes it easier to clean and we have a lot of family togetherness.

So, to answer your question--there are many ties that keep people in the area that they call "home". California happens to be my home.
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Old 06-05-2010, 01:42 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,234,910 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ambient View Post
Simple - we're young, we have good careers here, and we're making enough money to rent quit comfortably. Between the two of us, my wife and I are netting about $200K annually. That will let you live in a decent $2K-a-month apartment in a very nice part of the city while still living well and saving money at a good clip each month (we're not extravagant people who need to be driving the latest Mercedes). BUT...it's not enough to handle the commitment of buying decent property. There are many people like us here.

Yes, we could have landed in other places with lower cost of living that would pay us near what we make here and give us more money for the Mercedes as well...but we landed here. And now that we're in a promising career path, we feel that it's best for us to get some more experience under our belt and on our resumes before making the next move.'

So we live here for now, enjoying the city, getting the work experience we need...and we'll have to figure out down the road whether we'll move up here and afford it or if we cash in our experience/savings ticket into a life somewhere else. We may well do the latter in a few years.
I have to wonder though, how many are making the kind of money you are and of those who are, think of the cost of child care as well as other out of the pocket expenses..

While you are in Ca enjoy all the state has to offer.

Nita
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