Anyone Else Thinking of Moving Out of Bay Area? (San Jose: felony, high school)

[Azmordean]

Originally Posted by crouching_tiger

The one problem with moving out of the Bay Area is move out but to where? Any semi-desirable place in this country with jobs is not cheap either.

I think people consider moving to say a Milwaukee or Birmingham, visit it, and say forget it...I'll just put up with the tiny home, the traffic and other negatives. California is definitely a personal sacrifice many are willing to pay to live here.

I don't know, I think this is a pretty large overstatement. There's plenty of large metro areas that are nice places to live that are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. You are right that many of them are not cheap, per se -- but they are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. Some examples that come to mind:

- Seattle
- Chicago
- Washington, DC
- Atlanta
- Richmond, VA
- Denver / Boulder
- Houston
- Austin
- Las Vegas
- Indianapolis
- Boston

Now, obviously, these places run the gamut. Some are known for their fantastic suburban areas, some have great cities, some are a bit of both. None offer the "perfect" weather of California -- if a temperature between 50 and 80 about 95% of the time is your only priority, there's really nowhere else in the world you can really live than coastal California. But if you don't mind seasons of different kinds, these cities offer many variations.

The real reason most people are here boils down to one word: jobs. For people in tech, this area offers a vast array of opportunities that simply don't exist anywhere else. Yes, there are tech jobs in other places, but your mobility is far more limited in other places. For people in industries like BioTech, there are other options, but this is one of the main centers.

Speaking for myself only -- I like this area a lot. I like the weather (though I miss winter), I like the outdoor opportunities, I like the food, the beer, and the wine, and I enjoy San Francisco and Tahoe and Monterey. But I wouldn't live here absent the job factor -- I can just get so much more for so much less in so many other places.

[Californian12345]

Agreed, my family and I are moving to Austin - while we are giving up some things the Bay Area has to offer, we're gaining so much in return. It's all about trade-offs. I'll take better schools, a brand new house in a family friendly community, safety, keep my job, and deal with the heat and not being able to go to a Giants game.

When we realized we were going to move out of the Bay Area, our first thought was 'oh god, but where would be go? nowhere is like here'. when we started visiting places (many of them in the thread above Seattle, Austin, Boulder, Raleigh, San Diego) we quickly realized that other places are really pretty nice for a LOT cheaper.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by Azmordean

I don't know, I think this is a pretty large overstatement. There's plenty of large metro areas that are nice places to live that are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. You are right that many of them are not cheap, per se -- but they are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. Some examples that come to mind:

- Seattle
- Chicago
- Washington, DC
- Atlanta
- Richmond, VA
- Denver / Boulder
- Houston
- Austin
- Las Vegas
- Indianapolis
- Boston

Now, obviously, these places run the gamut. Some are known for their fantastic suburban areas, some have great cities, some are a bit of both. None offer the "perfect" weather of California -- if a temperature between 50 and 80 about 95% of the time is your only priority, there's really nowhere else in the world you can really live than coastal California. But if you don't mind seasons of different kinds, these cities offer many variations.

The real reason most people are here boils down to one word: jobs. For people in tech, this area offers a vast array of opportunities that simply don't exist anywhere else. Yes, there are tech jobs in other places, but your mobility is far more limited in other places. For people in industries like BioTech, there are other options, but this is one of the main centers.

Speaking for myself only -- I like this area a lot. I like the weather (though I miss winter), I like the outdoor opportunities, I like the food, the beer, and the wine, and I enjoy San Francisco and Tahoe and Monterey. But I wouldn't live here absent the job factor -- I can just get so much more for so much less in so many other places.

There isn't one city on that list that I would consider living in. I have been to all of those cities and lived in Seattle. I would rather live in Phoenix than any of the cities on your list. I lived in Phoenix but I would never mpve there from California.

Indianapolis is on the list of the 10 worst cities in many categories.

If all I wanted was cheap living, I would live in Brownsville Texas or Yuma Arizona.

The Bay area is great but there are other areas in California that are very nice and a lot more affordable.

The cost of living in San Diego is lower than Seattle and San Diego is a great place to live. We lived there for several years.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by jlhermes

This thread scares me. Husband is interviewing at Apple and we're thinking about moving there from Wisconsin with our two little ones (5 months, 17 months). I adapt well to change and make friends fast, but... Talk of crime and stupid traffic and ****ty schools worries me.

Someone please say something positive...!

Contrary to what some have said on this forum, San Jose is actually one of the safest large cities in the country. Only San Diego CA is a little safer. San Jose's crime rate is much lower than Milwaukee.

[crouching_tiger]

I'd much rather live in a Condo in California than a SFH in any of the other cities on that list.

There is something you get outside in California that you don't get living in any of those places mentioned and for me the tradeoff in space is worth it. I don't like sitting in my residence much anyways and am outside most of the time.

For some, their only dream in life is a SFH with a big yard and I can understand that.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by Azmordean

I don't know, I think this is a pretty large overstatement. There's plenty of large metro areas that are nice places to live that are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. You are right that many of them are not cheap, per se -- but they are vastly cheaper than the Bay Area. Some examples that come to mind:

- Seattle
- Chicago
- Washington, DC
- Atlanta
- Richmond, VA
- Denver / Boulder
- Houston
- Austin
- Las Vegas
- Indianapolis
- Boston

Now, obviously, these places run the gamut. Some are known for their fantastic suburban areas, some have great cities, some are a bit of both. None offer the "perfect" weather of California -- if a temperature between 50 and 80 about 95% of the time is your only priority, there's really nowhere else in the world you can really live than coastal California. But if you don't mind seasons of different kinds, these cities offer many variations.

The real reason most people are here boils down to one word: jobs. For people in tech, this area offers a vast array of opportunities that simply don't exist anywhere else. Yes, there are tech jobs in other places, but your mobility is far more limited in other places. For people in industries like BioTech, there are other options, but this is one of the main centers.

Speaking for myself only -- I like this area a lot. I like the weather (though I miss winter), I like the outdoor opportunities, I like the food, the beer, and the wine, and I enjoy San Francisco and Tahoe and Monterey. But I wouldn't live here absent the job factor -- I can just get so much more for so much less in so many other places.

None of these places are as unique as California. You don't get to go to places like Napa, Sonoma, Yosemite, Big Sur, Malibu, Monterey, Laguna Beach, Manhattan Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, LA, Pacific Coast Highway etc. on weekends and have perennial sunshine/ mild weather.

[bobby_guz_man]

San Jose Police and Fire Unions are threatening the public again. Which part of "we can't afford to pay you this ridiculous amount" do these guys not understand?

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-...ource=infinite

[Californian12345]

Originally Posted by crouching_tiger

None of these places are as unique as California. You don't get to go to places like Napa, Sonoma, Yosemite, Big Sur, Malibu, Monterey, Laguna Beach, Manhattan Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, LA, Pacific Coast Highway etc. on weekends and have perennial sunshine/ mild weather.

How often do you ACTUALLY go to those places a year? Napa/Sonoma? Once, maybe twice if that's your thing. Yosemite? Maybe every 4-5 years...maybe. Big Sur, been there once in my life. And you can't throw in Malibu/Laguna/SD/PCH as a 'pro' to the bay area. Those places aren't even close. Monterey, maybe 2-3 times a year if you're ambitious (there's only so many times you can go to the aquarium)

I would argue that if you asked people who live in the areas above, they'd say 'nothing is as unique as my town' which will probably be true.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by Californian12345

How often do you ACTUALLY go to those places a year? Napa/Sonoma? Once, maybe twice if that's your thing. Yosemite? Maybe every 4-5 years...maybe. Big Sur, been there once in my life. And you can't throw in Malibu/Laguna/SD/PCH as a 'pro' to the bay area. Those places aren't even close. Monterey, maybe 2-3 times a year if you're ambitious (there's only so many times you can go to the aquarium)

I would argue that if you asked people who live in the areas above, they'd say 'nothing is as unique as my town' which will probably be true.

Ok you have a point I am not saying that this place is the be all and end all. Obviously if you are making enough money and have a great career/business here then this place is worth it. Otherwise you are better off exploring other parts of the country.

I myself am looking to go back to the east coast (NYC) because the NYC metro area is cheaper than the Bay Area and NYC is a much better and well run city than SF.

To me SF is charging NYC and London prices without the excitement, cosmopolitan nature, public transit etc.

[bobby_guz_man]

Originally Posted by crouching_tiger

I myself am looking to go back to the east coast (NYC) because the NYC metro area is cheaper than the Bay Area and NYC is a much better and well run city than SF.

To me SF is charging NYC and London prices without the excitement, cosmopolitan nature, public transit etc.

The Bay Area is a big place. You don't have to stay in SF and deal with the shenanigans there. You can always stay outside it and then go in whenever you want to.