What's life like in Cali?

It's expensive. ($2600 for one bedroom apartment is a great deal in the Bay Area).

Central California sucks. (100+ every day in summer and dirty).

Don't call it Cali. Natives don't like that.

Yeah, please don't call it Cali. We don't do that.

I'm not a huge San Francisco person. The weather actually really sucks. Culture is good, but the city is pretty dirty despite all effort to be "green." But a lot of larger cities are like that.

Like the above poster said, central California just isn't spectacular. I would suggest going either north or south. North is just beautiful, and I love it. Little more green, open, etc. South is clean (er), large cities with that "California" culture and feel so many look for.

My personal preference is northern Cali(fornia) though.

If you can afford the housing it's an amazing place. By far that's going to be the most important factor. And try to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

Otherwise, it's obvious why people want to live there.

Well I was going to respond with a point by point, but oy vey. You have a very naive view of California. It would take too long to disabuse you of your rose-colored glasses.

So here's my $.02 - try it and see, or you might regret it later - but you need to have a back up plan and be willing to pull the rip cord if it isn't working out. California living is a very thin line between making it and failing spectacularly.

2BD apt in Cupertino south of Frisco is $4500/mo. But you can park an RV in a non-residential area and the police will leave you alone. Cupertino City has social workers with plenty of guides listing 24 hour health clubs (for showers) urgent care, 24 hour stores, etc.

I have experience living in Southern California, and it really depends where you work and if you can afford to live close to where you work. If you can live close to the ocean, then it's nice but it will be expensive. I don't think living more inland is anything special there as it gets really hot but at least it's dry. Also, inland is still expensive to live compared to most places in this country.

There are lots of rough areas there so you have to be careful where you live. school ratings is a good indicator of the area like Brentwood.

Have a child in Stockton and he will grow up to be a badass, 100%.

My wife doesn't enjoy the humidity. We both like heat. After 100 my wife not a fan. Me doesn't bother. Ran in 90+ heat with 60% humidity it's doable.

Property taxes here in cities you are paying a mill rate. For every $1,000 the house is aasessed at is a $1. So mill rates in citues are about a 70 mill rate. Homes in cities are less than $200K but could pay up to, maybe more, $10,000 a year in propety taxes.

Outside of the cities you have low property taxes, but higher assessed homes. Also homes cost more outside of the Cities.

Crime isn't an issue really.

California seems to have more public transportation and encourages use of car pooling.

Higher education outside of private colleges is comparable to higher education where we live. Income tax is about 3 points higher in California than where we currently live.

Sales tax is slightly higher in California.

California is prone to more natural disasters. Our State sits on a fault. Time to time get 2 point quakes. Most ever seen was a 4 point quake. Floods do happen along the Coast. Very little mud slides. Some small wildfires, but not like California. Occasionally a tornado every so year. Winter is a Beast can be tame or get a 3 foot storm or ice storm.

Heating is a bit old in our State. A lot of electric and oil heated Homes. Sometimes utilities can cost $600 a month in the Winter.

My view. Left 40 years ago and would never go back to live. I still have family there so visit frequently. Hard to get around. On the last visit took three hours to drive 70 miles. Expensive in every way.

Traffic here isn't as bad as out there. Few highways get backed up. Main ones can add 30 minutes to 120 minutes to your commute, but become passable after rush hour. Then on snow storms can add another 120 minutes to almost 4 hrs to your commute ha.

California is Massive

You've got the Bay area, central valley, State of Jefferson Central Caast LA Metro, San Diego, Eastern Sierra all very different areas.

I love California, I left for 10 years but have been back for 4.

I love the oceans and mountains and great food beer and wine.

The disadvantages - its really expensive, and can be very crowded.

I live in the north bay and love it.

I have friends and family in California that would never consider leaving. It is all about what you are comfortable with I suppose.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I have friends and family in California that would never consider leaving. It is all about what you are comfortable with I suppose.

I have some family like that.

S-I-L/B-I-L - Ventura County area - they have nearly gone bankrupt three times but for the support of his monied father. They won't leave for anything, but again - rich father to get them through the lean times.

Another family member lives central coast, basically lving hand-to-mouth driving for Uber/Lyft. He loves it, but then he rents a shoebox and isn't able to put away anything for the future. Married no kids and they don't plan on having any, which is good because they couldn't possibly afford it. They are young, but God forbid they have anything medical happen because they would need generous assistance to pay for anything like that. I am guessing "go fund me" is their plan in that case.

dixienormous wrote:

Have a child in Stockton and he will grow up to be a badass, 100%.

If he lives to adulthood...

Cali is a big state so it depends. Frisco and "La La Land" are very different, as is the "Whale's Vagina," as the locals call it. You should look into Bakersfield, the "City of Big Shoulders" or "California's Country Music Capital" as it is known. It's very underrated.

I moved to San Diego for work from MD/DC/VA area 12 yrs ago.

San Diego CONS:

It's expensive. Especially if you live in the cooler area near the water. I'm about 3 miles from the beach and rent a 2BR/2.5BA 1200 sq ft townhouse for $2500/mo w/my g/f. But I also own a small condo I rent out. But living in MD/VA/DC area, it was expensive too if you wanted to be a in a good area. Almost as expensive as here.

Traffic is bad during rush hour but not NEARLY as bad as MD/DC/VA or LA. And rush hour traffic in any big city is never good.

San Diego PROS:

Everything else. Weather is beyond awesome. Be outdoors all year long. Run all year in shorts outside.

I personally don't like real cold weather. I don't like rain or snow. So I love it here.

It's a socialist hell hole, just ask the trolls who don't live here.

47yroldrunna wrote:

I personally don't like real cold weather. I don't like rain or snow. So I love it here.

No one likes cold weather, rain, or snow. A "nice day" weather-wise is defined the same way all across the country and the world. People who try and argue otherwise are just trying to rationalize the reason they live somewhere with crappy weather.

Yeah, going broke non-stop I hear.

How are those Red States doing again?