I'm looking at moving out there for a job within my company and am curious what you like and what you dislike. They have many openings in different positions there. I know this may be a strange place to ask this, but stranger questions have been asked. I currently live in Minnesota and I'm looking for a warmer climate.
Anyone from California?
- Thread starter schi0249
- Start date
Don't do it!!!!
I've lived in CA for 3 years and I'm absolutely sick of it. The ONLY nice thing is the weather. (And sometime the job opportunities)
Rent and Homes are 2 to 3 TIMES as much as most places in the rest of the country. No exaggeration.
Traffic is terrible. There are so many freaking people here everything is crowded. Highways are always clogged. Parking lots are always full, and drivers are rude.
Many people come here for the jobs because they are here. Unfortunately, they don't pay much more than other states. There are thousands (maybe millions) of Mexicans crossing the border for most of the minimum wage jobs. There are so many, there is just as much Spanish around here as English.
The state economy is also in bad shape after Gray Davis screwed the state over.
I'm moving out of the state for good in a few months. My wife has lived here all her life and even she is counting down the days till we move.
I've lived in CA for 3 years and I'm absolutely sick of it. The ONLY nice thing is the weather. (And sometime the job opportunities)
Rent and Homes are 2 to 3 TIMES as much as most places in the rest of the country. No exaggeration.
Traffic is terrible. There are so many freaking people here everything is crowded. Highways are always clogged. Parking lots are always full, and drivers are rude.
Many people come here for the jobs because they are here. Unfortunately, they don't pay much more than other states. There are thousands (maybe millions) of Mexicans crossing the border for most of the minimum wage jobs. There are so many, there is just as much Spanish around here as English.
The state economy is also in bad shape after Gray Davis screwed the state over.
I'm moving out of the state for good in a few months. My wife has lived here all her life and even she is counting down the days till we move.
Pearl Jammzz
Established Member
I have visited Cali and all the ppl were ugly, haha. I was in the Sacramento though, I hear S. Cali is a lot nicer.
lemme emphasize the biggest thing is the cost of housing.
If you own a house and sell it, and then plan on buying one here.
You better be ready to have a major downgrade.
$250,000 can buy you a very nice house in most place of the country.
$250,000 will buy you a small house in a bad neighborhood in CA.
If you own a house and sell it, and then plan on buying one here.
You better be ready to have a major downgrade.
$250,000 can buy you a very nice house in most place of the country.
$250,000 will buy you a small house in a bad neighborhood in CA.
Wow, only $250k?
A friend of mine who inherited his parents' house in Brooklyn, which is in not the best neighborhood by any stretch of the imagination (it's next to a run down warehouse) now currently has the value of $2.5 million.
And it really isn't all that nice. No, he isn't selling it, he likes living there.
A friend of mine who inherited his parents' house in Brooklyn, which is in not the best neighborhood by any stretch of the imagination (it's next to a run down warehouse) now currently has the value of $2.5 million.
And it really isn't all that nice. No, he isn't selling it, he likes living there.
We keep trying to talk my in-laws into moving too.
They house is kinda small and old. Always stuff to fix.
My father-in-law is retired and money is fairly tight.
They could easily sell their house for well over $300,000, move somewhere else, buy a new house for like $200,000, buy a new car, and pocket the rest.
But they've lived in CA all their life and they're kinda stubborn.
They'll probably end up moving after we have kids -- even though they won't admit it.
They house is kinda small and old. Always stuff to fix.
My father-in-law is retired and money is fairly tight.
They could easily sell their house for well over $300,000, move somewhere else, buy a new house for like $200,000, buy a new car, and pocket the rest.
But they've lived in CA all their life and they're kinda stubborn.
They'll probably end up moving after we have kids -- even though they won't admit it.
I pay $900 for my one bedroom.
As for houses, you can't hardly find a house at all for under $300,000.
My wife and I looked at some houses to get ideas for when we build ours.
They were mostly 3 bedrooms and nice sized houses -- nothing fancy.
They wanted over $700,000 for them.
As for houses, you can't hardly find a house at all for under $300,000.
My wife and I looked at some houses to get ideas for when we build ours.
They were mostly 3 bedrooms and nice sized houses -- nothing fancy.
They wanted over $700,000 for them.
Scared0o0Rabbit
Established Member
Having worked in the real estate industry out here, I can tell you this, cost of housing depends on where you live. Having lived in kentucky for a year, then moving back, I would never be willing to live anywhere but the west coast again. More importantly I don't know if I'd ever even want to live in Oregon or Washington.
Just a FYI, but up in the mountains in Northern california, houses are cheap. Down in the populated bay area, expect to pay $200,000 or more than up in the mountains. It REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY matters as to what part of california you live in.
Just a FYI, but up in the mountains in Northern california, houses are cheap. Down in the populated bay area, expect to pay $200,000 or more than up in the mountains. It REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY matters as to what part of california you live in.
True, but most jobs are in the Bay Area.
The smaller towns away from SF are also cheaper. But that will change as those start to fill up.
I just heard the other day that off of the highway between Vacaville and Fairfield (Scared knows where this is), there is gonna be a group of 50,000 homes going up over the next year or whatever. Some developer or something.
But like I said, prices aren't the only thing that bother me.
It's honestly just too crowded for my liking.
Scared0o0Rabbit
Established Member
w00t, more traffic on 80! That is 80 at that point right.... I think it is atleast.... Makes me glad I moved up here now, I have friends up here and it was already a 2+ hour drive up here from my old house lol.
Don't they have those wacky emissions laws in CA where you can't have an "older" classic car? I don't think I could stand emissions so strict. Gutted the cat of my car and its still legal here in PA 🙂
Gotta love it here in PA, no earthquakes, no tornadoe, no hurricans, just snow. We have tons of trees, hills, and open space its awesome. REALLY nice to go out on a drive here, especially during the fall when the leaves change. Beautifull. Just don't move in Philly, they have a wacky mayor.
Gotta love it here in PA, no earthquakes, no tornadoe, no hurricans, just snow. We have tons of trees, hills, and open space its awesome. REALLY nice to go out on a drive here, especially during the fall when the leaves change. Beautifull. Just don't move in Philly, they have a wacky mayor.
Pearl Jammzz
Established Member
Pennsylvania is great. I have been there a few times (have relatives from out there, my dad was born there) and it's beautiful. Never been driving there, but I imagine to to be WAY fun. The roads are like one giant roller coaster out in the country, all twisty and going up and down constantly. The people there are great too, everyone is WAY nice compared to out west here.
One thing I dislike about PA, the humidity. Living in Utah my whole life, I NEED! dry air, w/o it I wouldn't know what to do, haha. I felt sticky and dirty the whole time out there :-\. I guess you are suppost to get used to that after awhile though.
One thing I dislike about PA, the humidity. Living in Utah my whole life, I NEED! dry air, w/o it I wouldn't know what to do, haha. I felt sticky and dirty the whole time out there :-\. I guess you are suppost to get used to that after awhile though.
Scared0o0Rabbit
Established Member
If I recall correctly what score you need on smog is based on the year your car was made, and where you bought it. I could be wrong though, just I think I've heard that. Earthquakes aren't anywhere near as big of a deal as people think too.
If you do end up out here, keep in mind that a lot of californians are EXTREMELY liberal, so don't be shocked or anything. Sure there are those that are EXTREMELY conservative too, but to the unintiated, San Francisco can be downright scary lol (and I've been to new york too, I can compare).
If you do end up out here, keep in mind that a lot of californians are EXTREMELY liberal, so don't be shocked or anything. Sure there are those that are EXTREMELY conservative too, but to the unintiated, San Francisco can be downright scary lol (and I've been to new york too, I can compare).
