Move to Southern California?

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Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    As someone born and raised in SoCal... Nice place to live? There are places like that? ;)

    Just kidding. Avoid Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley - that whole part of SoCal. Really. Since it's been a while since I lived there myself, I can't say I remember any specifically "nice" places, but I sure as heck can tell you where to stay away from! Haha.

    If you're moving from another Western state, it shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, but if you're out East (like I currently am) you're in for a world of Different. :) Feel free to message me to chat if you like. I haven't lived there in a while, but my sister does so I keep up with a lot of it.

    Riverside isn't that bad.

    I moved to SoCal from Michigan 5 years ago. It IS. a culture shock.

    The coastal cities will be pricy, so I recommend looking more inland. Temecula and its surrounding neighborhoods are affordable and can be gorgeous.
  • Jlennhikes
    Jlennhikes Posts: 290 Member
    I am a bit slighted in my thinking, but San Diego is one of the best areas of SoCal you can find and our traffic is a fraction of that in the LA area. The north coastal part of SD is my choice, but again as others pointed out it comes with a price tag unfortunately. You have to pay for the "sunshine factor" to live her. Good luck and feel free to reach out with any questions. I have been in SoCal area over 25 years and dont ever plan to leave :)

    Please don't tell people about North County. It's a bit crowded already.
  • Jlennhikes
    Jlennhikes Posts: 290 Member
    You don't want to live in Southern California. It's already too crowded.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    As someone born and raised in SoCal... Nice place to live? There are places like that? ;)

    Just kidding. Avoid Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley - that whole part of SoCal. Really. Since it's been a while since I lived there myself, I can't say I remember any specifically "nice" places, but I sure as heck can tell you where to stay away from! Haha.

    If you're moving from another Western state, it shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, but if you're out East (like I currently am) you're in for a world of Different. :) Feel free to message me to chat if you like. I haven't lived there in a while, but my sister does so I keep up with a lot of it.

    Riverside isn't that bad.

    I moved to SoCal from Michigan 5 years ago. It IS. a culture shock.

    The coastal cities will be pricy, so I recommend looking more inland. Temecula and its surrounding neighborhoods are affordable and can be gorgeous.

    Agree with Whierd ~ Riverside isn't bad at all. Temecula is very real. Friends of mine own wineries and vineyards there ~ a calming place to go to for me over the weekends, when I want to remove myself from Los Angeles. It's family oriented ~ very country, but not so much so where you feel you are in some kind of time warp. If you were to work in Los Angeles, then you might want to consider getting an Electric car ~ to save on petrol. Filled up the Range to full tank ~ one way cost $40 ~ so it is certainly something to consider.

    AND WHIERD ... STOP telling everyone about Temecula ~> Send them to Los Angeles or to Santa Barbara or Palm Springs or Big Bear!! ;P Temecula is a gem of a SECRET for us down-homers!!
  • Mobilemuscle
    Mobilemuscle Posts: 945 Member
    Born in fallbrook, grew up in temecula till I was 12, then San Clemente till I was 24, moved to Del Mar in San Diego and now I split time between Del Mar and my place in Hawaii.

    Cali is a nice enough place to live, I prefer Hawaii....but I like keeping ties to the mainland and my whole family lives here in Southern cali.

    As far as cost goes I hear its expensive....Ive never known anything else so its not too big of a deal. I have a 2 bdrm/2bath 50 yards from the Del Mar beach that I pay under $2000 a month for. Is that expensive?
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I am a bit slighted in my thinking, but San Diego is one of the best areas of SoCal you can find and our traffic is a fraction of that in the LA area. The north coastal part of SD is my choice, but again as others pointed out it comes with a price tag unfortunately. You have to pay for the "sunshine factor" to live her. Good luck and feel free to reach out with any questions. I have been in SoCal area over 25 years and dont ever plan to leave :)

    Please don't tell people about North County. It's a bit crowded already.

    Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas isn't too bad! :tongue:
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    As someone born and raised in SoCal... Nice place to live? There are places like that? ;)

    Just kidding. Avoid Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley - that whole part of SoCal. Really. Since it's been a while since I lived there myself, I can't say I remember any specifically "nice" places, but I sure as heck can tell you where to stay away from! Haha.

    If you're moving from another Western state, it shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, but if you're out East (like I currently am) you're in for a world of Different. :) Feel free to message me to chat if you like. I haven't lived there in a while, but my sister does so I keep up with a lot of it.

    Riverside isn't that bad.

    I moved to SoCal from Michigan 5 years ago. It IS. a culture shock.

    The coastal cities will be pricy, so I recommend looking more inland. Temecula and its surrounding neighborhoods are affordable and can be gorgeous.

    Agree with Whierd ~ Riverside isn't bad at all. Temecula is very real. Friends of mine own wineries and vineyards there ~ a calming place to go to for me over the weekends, when I want to remove myself from Los Angeles. It's family oriented ~ very country, but not so much so where you feel you are in some kind of time warp. If you were to work in Los Angeles, then you might want to consider getting an Electric car ~ to save on petrol. Filled up the Range to full tank ~ one way cost $40 ~ so it is certainly something to consider.

    AND WHIERD ... STOP telling everyone about Temecula ~> Send them to Los Angeles or to Santa Barbara or Palm Springs or Big Bear!! ;P Temecula is a gem of a SECRET for us down-homers!!

    I lived in Palm Springs for a couple of years, it is gorgeous but hot as hell in the summer! Santa Barbara is gorgeous as well...same with Big Bear!!!

    Ok, I'll stop telling them about Temecula and start telling them about Murrieta! :laugh:
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Ok, I'll stop telling them about Temecula and start telling them about Murrieta! :laugh:

    :laugh: :laugh: Nuh_uh -uh ... Murrieta is still too close. It's not even a shuffle. The men down here are HOT ~ so I would NOT recommend it to a young couple ~ unless he WISHES or INTENDS to LOSE her. Granted, the homes are affordable@ 5bdrm 4bth with an asking price of under $500K new build. So NO! :wink:

    How about Perris? Lake Elsinore?
  • emaren
    emaren Posts: 934 Member
    I live in Orange County.

    Reasonable apartments start at the $1500+ range. Good ones are $2-3k

    Check out http://www.rental-living.com

    Gas is $4.19 this morning

    Taxes are high.

    Incomes are decent.

    The weather is great, there are plenty of places to eat and drink and the beach is ten minutes from my door.

    I have something of a love-hate relationship with The OC at the moment though.....
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    I currently live in Northern CA, but if I had to choose to live in Southern CA, it wouldn't be in the LA area at all. SAN DIEGO all the way!

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
    OP doesn't mention whether she's looking at Los Angeles, San Diego, the Inland Empire, or Orange County.

    For Southern California, climate is an asset if you are reasonably close to the ocean.

    Traffic is pretty bad in general.

    There are good recreational opportunities. The beach, the nightlife, favorable weather for a lot of exercise activities.

    Biggest drawbacks are the high cost of living and taxes.

    The decision of Ohio vs. Southern California would come down to employment options for the couple. I would highly advise against moving to Southern California without a job in hand.
    I have to agree with the earlier poster, avoid the Inland Empire area. It's just desert, might as well live in Arizona at that point :laugh:

    This was a real good bit of advice. Living in Arizona would probably have a lower cost of living than the Inland Empire. Assuming someone chose living in the big Arizona metros (Phoenix, Tucson), they'd have the urbanization that the Inland Empire has without the high CA taxes, gas prices, and housing costs. And in general, I don't recommend the big Arizona metros unless you are ready to retire.
  • Fit2Strip
    Fit2Strip Posts: 280 Member
    I think what you really want is Florida.

    -always sunny
    -government isn't bankrupt
    -no state income tax
    -has Miami Beach and Key West
    -much better traffic
    -can go from rural horse ranch to downtown, in some areas, in 15 min because the cities grow vertically up the coastline as opposed to inland
    -has some of the safest places to live in the country (ex\ Boca Raton and Jupiter)
    -housing prices aren't over-inflated like in California
    -very few people from California live here
    -equal if not better clubs in Miami
    -not populated with wannabe actors
    -every second person you meet hasn't been on a reality show
    -wide breadth of social environments throughout the state that allow you to find a place that fits your desires exactly
    -not California
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    what's your budget? 1-2 bedroom apt in "semi" decent areas range from 1200+ depending ...

    Yep. Emphasis on the +.

    Also, every single other thing will be more expensive too. Groceries are especially costly in CA. I completely hate Southern CA...actually...I don't like any of California at all for living. I think Napa is great for a visit, the beaches are nice, kayaking up north in Sea Ranch was one of the coolest vacations ever, but I absolutely despise living here. I'm a transplant seven years ago from Chicago and I can't wait to get Chicago or farther east.

    Groceries are not more expensive here.

    Agreed, I'm living in the Temecula Valley area now in the IE but am originally from NW Washington State - we did not notice much of a difference in grocery prices when we moved here almost 6 years ago (in fact, in most areas except housing cost and vehicle related costs like registration, things stayed pretty similar)
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    I think what you really want is Florida.

    -always sunny
    -government isn't bankrupt
    -no state income tax
    -has Miami Beach and Key West
    -much better traffic
    -can go from rural horse ranch to downtown, in some areas, in 15 min because the cities grow vertically up the coastline as opposed to inland
    -has some of the safest places to live in the country (ex\ Boca Raton and Jupiter)
    -housing prices aren't over-inflated like in California
    -very few people from California live here
    -equal if not better clubs in Miami
    -not populated with wannabe actors
    -every second person you meet hasn't been on a reality show
    -wide breadth of social environments throughout the state that allow you to find a place that fits your desires exactly
    -not California

    This. ;)
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    Can't say I like living in California myself.
    Hate the crazy heat, too overcrowded, I'm paranoid all the time because everything is made of cardboard..
    Most of the cops are d-bags, just because someone decided to stop in front of me and I got too close WAS NOT my fault, I braked in time, how about getting onto THEM for not using their signals??
    Going to Florida soon.
  • Fit2Strip
    Fit2Strip Posts: 280 Member
    Can't say I like living in California myself.
    Hate the crazy heat, too overcrowded, I'm paranoid all the time because everything is made of cardboard..
    Most of the cops are d-bags, just because someone decided to stop in front of me and I got too close WAS NOT my fault, I braked in time, how about getting onto THEM for not using their signals??
    Going to Florida soon.

    Wise move. Let me know if you need tips on where to move in Florida.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    I grew up in Orange County (Anaheim, Buena Park, Garden Grove) from 1954 until 1987. Loved it, but when I go back to visit, I am reminded how bad the traffic is and how overcrowed it has become.

    If I were ever to move back, I think I would want to live in either the San Diego area or the Santa Barbara area.

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