10 things I won't miss about SV (Los Angeles, San Jose: home, neighborhood, to buy)

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by al_roethlisberger

I personally think that the SV we know today is ideally suited to DINK or single professionals, whose priorities and tastes are often quite different than families. Now, note that I said "different", not wrong. I was a single professional for many years before moving into family mode, and I can say from experience that it is simply a different mindset. And one could easily see that trend in our old neighborhood and my peers/colleagues, as they had families and moved away.

Al

I think that's a perfect summary of who fits best in SV, although I would add immigrants from the 3rd world seem to like it here because it's still better than where they came from.

[mysticaltyger]

No, I've never been to the Gilroy Garlic festival. I experience the garlic breath with semi-regular frequency as I work with the public.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I ...I would add immigrants from the 3rd world seem to like it here because it's still better than where they came from.

LOL - <Did I say that? I just meant to think it/> Oh, wait, that was you!

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Ludachris

The things I love and miss about Silicon Valley (SV) since we moved away (to Denver, CO) 3 years ago:

Strangely enough, we're considering moving back to California so that our daughter can grow up closer to family. But with all of the reasons I stated above, we likely won't move back to the Bay Area. We'll be close enough to enjoy all it has to offer, but we'd rather be just outside of the rat race.

I think most of what you said in your post was spot-on. But what part of California could you move back to that is half decent that doesn't have the rat race? Even cheaper places like Fresno and Sacramento are still considered quite expensive by national standards...and they are probably fairly high on the rat-race scale yet don't have the amenities of the Bay Area.

[butlersingh]

Originally Posted by al_roethlisberger
I personally think that the SV we know today is ideally suited to DINK or single professionals, whose priorities and tastes are often quite different than families. Now, note that I said "different", not wrong. I was a single professional for many years before moving into family mode, and I can say from experience that it is simply a different mindset. And one could easily see that trend in our old neighborhood and my peers/colleagues, as they had families and moved away.

Al

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I think that's a perfect summary of who fits best in SV, although I would add immigrants from the 3rd world seem to like it here because it's still better than where they came from.

Yes, I do like it here...and I am an immigrant. I am not single and my top most priority IS my family. I will put it this way, immigrants working in high techonology who want to move ahead in life do like SV. I have just moved to Bay Area after living in various parts of US (East, South, South West) for the last over 10 years and here are the reasons I moved here -
1. Family
2. High Tech Jobs
3. Ethinic Diversity
4. Weather
5. Excellent health care system (some of you may not agree but living with a Special Needs Chlid we have a totally different perspective).
6. Not feeling out of place - even with Brown Skin!!!

Things I dont' particulary like, but can live with -
1. Ridiculously expensive Real Estate. Price we paid for a 2 bedroom condo, we could have bought a 4 bedroom house anywhere in US.
2. Stares I get while driving an old SUV. So, not every can afford or wants to drive a Hybrid, Lexus, BMW or Mercedes.
3. Lack of personal space (yes, I will agree on that).
4. Unwillingness of [SOME] people to mingle with other races.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by butlersingh

Unwillingness of [SOME] people to mingle with other races.

...west valley...

[Ludachris]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I think most of what you said in your post was spot-on. But what part of California could you move back to that is half decent that doesn't have the rat race? Even cheaper places like Fresno and Sacramento are still considered quite expensive by national standards...and they are probably fairly high on the rat-race scale yet don't have the amenities of the Bay Area.

We're looking at the Roseville/Granite Bay area east of Sacramento. Though it's not necessarily "cheap", it's more in line with the national average and the neighborhoods we're looking at are nicer than the ones we'd be in if we moved to the Bay Area - for about 1/4 to 1/2 the price. All the schools in the area we're looking in are highly rated, which is very important to us. And it's still close enough to where we can visit the Bay Area on weekends if we feel like it, as well as Sonoma, Tahoe, etc.

And though the Sacramento area has grown a lot in the last decade it's still not nearly the same kind of rat race as the Bay Area. I know there's some traffic, but being from San Jose I'm sure I can deal with it. And the area seems to still have a hint of a small town atmosphere in many respects, which is something we like - we've grown used to friendly people living out here in Denver and we'd like to have something similar wherever we move next. Having lived in San Jose for almost 25 years I'm not really interested in living in the Bay Area again, though I wouldn't mind visiting every now and then.

I know, the Sac area is looked down upon by most people in the Bay - I used to view it the same way. It's not as chic. There isn't as much to do or see according to most people. But it's got a lot of things that make for a better family atmosphere than the Bay Area (in our opinion) - the first thing that comes to mind is the ability to do without a dual income. We don't want our daughter growing up in daycare. It's a slightly slower pace of life. It's got enough amenities for day to day living. It's still got all of the natural beauty of northern CA. And it's located central to anything worth visiting on the weekend.

Since I'm not tied to the Bay Area for employment, we won't be forced to spend all of our income on ridiculous housing costs on a 35 year old fixer upper. We can live in a more affordable area and spend some of the savings on a pool, some jet skis or something else that our family will enjoy.

It's not a bad choice and it seems that it will our family's needs quite. That's why it's at the top of our short list.

[Ludachris]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I think that's a perfect summary of who fits best in SV, although I would add immigrants from the 3rd world seem to like it here because it's still better than where they came from.

Yeah, my wife probably fits that category. She was born in Mexico City and is now a US citizen. And many would view Mexico as a 3rd world country.

I guess people don't really care if what they say is offensive or not. I'm sure 99.9% of the people in this forum are the product of immigration at some point in their family tree, unless of course you're Native American. We all got here somehow and most of our ancestors came here looking for a better life. But I suppose looking at it that way would require way too much common sense, decency and respect - something the average American doesn't seem to have much of when discussing the topic these days. It's much easier to crack an offensive joke.

My apologies for taking this to heart. I'm just so tired of the hypocrisy and disrespect these days surrounding this subject.

[hsw]

I tend to view SV vs its peers...peers in terms of relative economic/intellectual power...Manhattan/Greenwich is closest rival; LA's Westside and Chic are lesser rivals...

Have lived in SF/SV, Manhattan and LA....and very familiar w/Chic (and many other cities) from business travels...

View QOL in SV to be vastly superior to anywhere else I know of (even after adjusting for the steep COL)....perhaps world's highest concentration of smart, high-achieving people (only rival is Manhattan/Greenwich); superb weather (only rival is coastal LA); naturally elegant topography of Peninsula; some of best driving roads anywhere in mtns above SV; excellent food/produce easily available...easy proximity to LA/LV for wkend entertainment and more attractive young women

If I weren't a car nut, would consider Chic as perhaps best value of any of the world's leading regions....much lower state inc tax vs CA/NY; lower cost of living than CA/NYC; excellent dining; elegant lakeside setting...

Other lower cost regions are lower cost for many, many reasons...mkts aren't very inefficient.....often regions w/powerful economies tend to have higher COL, but also continually attract/produce many young high achievers (many from Podunk US, India, EU, etc) who enjoy a far higher std of living than can be achieved/enjoyed in allegedly low COL regions, which tend to have an underachievement ethos....exactly what many seek to escape by migrating to epicenters like SV/Manhattan....

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by hsw

I tend to view SV vs its peers...peers in terms of relative economic/intellectual power...Manhattan/Greenwich is closest rival; LA's Westside and Chic are lesser rivals...

Have lived in SF/SV, Manhattan and LA....and very familiar w/Chic (and many other cities) from business travels...

View QOL in SV to be vastly superior to anywhere else I know of (even after adjusting for the steep COL)....perhaps world's highest concentration of smart, high-achieving people (only rival is Manhattan/Greenwich); superb weather (only rival is coastal LA); naturally elegant topography of Peninsula; some of best driving roads anywhere in mtns above SV; excellent food/produce easily available...easy proximity to LA/LV for wkend entertainment and more attractive young women

If I weren't a car nut, would consider Chic as perhaps best value of any of the world's leading regions....much lower state inc tax vs CA/NY; lower cost of living than CA/NYC; excellent dining; elegant lakeside setting...

Other lower cost regions are lower cost for many, many reasons...mkts aren't very inefficient.....often regions w/powerful economies tend to have higher COL, but also continually attract/produce many young high achievers (many from Podunk US, India, EU, etc) who enjoy a far higher std of living than can be achieved/enjoyed in allegedly low COL regions, which tend to have an underachievement ethos....exactly what many seek to escape by migrating to epicenters like SV/Manhattan....

I really don't mean this to sound as offensive as it probably will, but for someone who seems to respect and identify with the well-educated and high-achievers in life, 'U sure dont rite/spk well';;; I could not understand half of what you said.