If you had the chance to move to northern Cali, would you?

nope

 

Any of you guys ever stop to think WHY it's so expensive? Obviously, Santa Cruz is geographical isolated and way different from the rest of Silicon Valley (and a LOT more liberal) but I couldn't see living anywhere else. Lot's of hot rods, music, food, surf, killer weather, beautiful countryside. Everytime I get back from a trip -- no matter where I go -- I'm stoked to be home. Sounds like everyone from east bumfuck has an opinion about Nor Cal, but take it from someone who lives here, if you can land in THIS part of Nor Cal, you've landed in heaven. Yep, the prices are high, but there's a reason for it.

 

Just moved from Nor Cal. I've lived there all my live from Monterey, San Jose, San Francisco and Sacaramento. I love it there only because of my friends and family. Cost of living sucks there and traffic sucks. Living here the last 5 months has taught me that I was getting raped on gas prices the last few years. I've been seeking help for it and I'm finally making progress, I'm on step 8 of 12.

 

I always wondered why California LOAN companies were so busy in Cali.....Live there a while and you'll find out!

 

The reason the price is so high is because the state has to be able to afford to build new BRIDGES when California breaks off and floats away in the "BIG ONE"!

 

Grew up in Fremont. I was there 33 years left in 96 just before the boom and have not looked back. Ya I do miss the Santa Cruz hills, would go there a lot. But it just costs too much to live there. Good luck and do your research....Danny...ps I love it in the NW, even all the rain.

 

It's always real interesting the way that the people who seem to have the loudest opinion of California are the one's that don't live here and have no idea what it's all about.
Yep, the prices of houses are outrageous compared to the rest of the country.
But so are the salaries to go with them.
In the bay area I can go on a Thanksgiving day run and a Valentine’s day run.
Where else in the country can you do that.
If it is so bad here, why do more people move here than any place else on earth? Because it's beautiful. You buy a house here, keep it 5 years, sell it for twice what you paid, and get a beautiful place to stay in any other state off of just the profit from that one house. We get about 20” of rain here a year. Not 200. And half the state doesn’t blow away every other year.
We get a good earthquake about every 20 years at one end of the state or another. We repair and move on.

My recommendation, check out your options. Don't sell your place in Washington for a year or so. Keep your car's registered there. Make sure your wife's new salary is compensatory with the local or you won't be able to afford a nice place.

The rodders here are just like any where else. Good people willing to help out. And you can go to a run every weekend of the summer without having to drive 8 hours.

Look me up when you get here, I'll be glad to show you around.
I’m sure it won't be as bad as all the non Californian's are telling you.

Craig

 

[ QUOTE ]
Any of you guys ever stop to think WHY it's so expensive? Obviously, Santa Cruz is geographical isolated and way different from the rest of Silicon Valley (and a LOT more liberal) but I couldn't see living anywhere else. Lot's of hot rods, music, food, surf, killer weather, beautiful countryside. Everytime I get back from a trip -- no matter where I go -- I'm stoked to be home. Sounds like everyone from east bumfuck has an opinion about Nor Cal, but take it from someone who lives here, if you can land in THIS part of Nor Cal, you've landed in heaven. Yep, the prices are high, but there's a reason for it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well said

If Ca sucks so bad, why are so many people moving here? I live in placer county, I haven’t checked lately but last I heard this was the fastest growing county in the USA.

Don’t listen to the non Californians they just havent found a way to deal with there jealousy.

Sacramento---> birthplace of the custom.
Los Angeles---> birthplace of the hot rod

California rules, always has, always will.

 

Man, how do you guys afford 600 thousand dollar houses?, I mean seriously, what does the average joe make in that area?

 

Go and check it out for yourself. Northern Californios are the nicest, most tolerent people you might meet. Real estate prices are insane, but it's nice to rent and see if you like it. I will warn you not to let them think you are from Southern California. Everybody there hates the people from So Cali. Maybe they can explain why, I sure can't…

 

I don't think the average Joe can aford a house here any more. The average Joe who do own there own home here bought it a few years ago. Although the current intrest rates and what the lenders are willing to lend (way too much) is part of the reason. I don't think wages are all that much better here, certainly not high enough to justify the cost of housing.
And personally I think were in for a correction here soon. I know people have been saying that for years and the prices just keep going up (20-30% a year), but It does have to stop. I'm going to go look at 700 sq. ft. 2/1 fixer with a bad septic and a falling down garage this weekend for $500K...I can't imagine in my wildest dreams that someone will pay a million for it 3 years from now. I could move up to Washington and pay $60K for the same home. And I know wages aren't that much lower up there. I do love it here and wouldn't ever think of moving if it weren't for the home prices.

On the upside is it makes car parts seem cheap in comparison..."Gee that '32 frame is only one weeks mortgage payment"!

 

What do you mean by the Silicon Valley "area"? It's like people calling Orange County "LA", or Tacoma the Seattle "area". If you know exactly what town she's working in, then the people who live here could probably give you a more definitive answer.

I too find it funny how people from WI, OH, and SC are so quick with their judgements.

Just come on down and see for yourself. Some people like it, some don't. It is more expensive than many places, but there is a reason.

I personally can't stand the south bay and penninsula (probably because I grew up there), but the north and east bay are great. But you might like the opposite.

There's also the question of what your girl's future plans are. Is this a job that can lead to other, bigger things? You don't have to stay here forever.

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Any of you guys ever stop to think WHY it's so expensive? Obviously, Santa Cruz is geographical isolated and way different from the rest of Silicon Valley (and a LOT more liberal) but I couldn't see living anywhere else. Lot's of hot rods, music, food, surf, killer weather, beautiful countryside. Everytime I get back from a trip -- no matter where I go -- I'm stoked to be home. Sounds like everyone from east bumfuck has an opinion about Nor Cal, but take it from someone who lives here, if you can land in THIS part of Nor Cal, you've landed in heaven. Yep, the prices are high, but there's a reason for it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well said

If Ca sucks so bad, why are so many people moving here? I live in placer county, I haven’t checked lately but last I heard this was the fastest growing county in the USA.

Don’t listen to the non Californians they just haven found a way to deal with there jealousy.

Sacramento---> birthplace of the custom.
Los Angeles--> birthplace of the hot rod

California rules, always has, always will.


[/ QUOTE ]
You guys nailed it, as did a few others. I am a native Californian and proud of it, lived in the San Francisco Bay Area my whole life, it is a fabulous place to live. But yes, very expensive if you didn't buy in years ago. I can go to lots of great car shows, car racing at Sears Point of Laguna Seca, dirt track racing at numerous venues, etc. practically all year long, I can hop on my bicycle and do an incredible road ride out into very rural countryside, I can mountain bike on some of the sweetest trails you've ever seen, I can be in SF for the city experience, I can ski at Tahoe, etc, etc. All this and more practically right out my front door. It is a great place to live.

 

I've been to Cali enough times, and everyone I work with is from/lives in California. And they all love it.
Yet when I was out there this summer, I couldn't see the mountains because of the smog. No joke. By the end of the week, my lungs hurt.
The whole place looks like it needs a good bath to wash the haze off.
Insane commutes and traffic. Totally nuts.
Incomprehensible housing prices, and you get NOTHING. Postage stamp sized yard.
Gang tags everywhere. The whole place looks like Escape From New York: every building has a fence around it with razor wire or spikes on the top.
Everyone who lives there thinks it's the center of the universe--and yeah, everyone who is happy with where they live thinks their state is the tops, too.
But it's no place to raise a kid, that's for damn sure. Nice weather seems to be a big reason people site: It rained here the last two days, but hearing rain is nice, so is seeing the leaves turn in the fall.
Everyone always says "you can go to the mountains or the beach in 4 hours!" I have YET to meet anyone who actually does go to the mountain or beach that doesn't live right there. I can do that, too--it's called a vacation, or a weekend get-away.
Why does everyone move out there? Dunno. Why does the second row of lemmings keep running after they just watched the first jump down to the sharks? Better question is why does the LAST one keep running?!
I guy I work with went to SEMA and had to walk two blocks to the show every day--because he doesn't make enough money to pay $5 a day to park in the convention center's parking lot. He has the opportunity to move out of California, and won't even consider it.
For me, way way way too many checks in the Minus column. Especially compared to living in other parts of the country.
-Brad

 

[ QUOTE ]
The rodders here are just like any where else. Good people willing to help out.

[/ QUOTE ]

I moved here from the UK just over 2 years ago, its cheaper here than there!!

And the car guys are GREAT!!

You all know who you are.

I love this area.

But what do I know, I'm just a Brit

Dave

 

[ QUOTE ]
Yet when I was out there this summer, I couldn't see the mountains because of the smog. No joke. By the end of the week, my lungs hurt.
The whole place looks like it needs a good bath to wash the haze off.
Insane commutes and traffic. Totally nuts.
Incomprehensible housing prices, and you get NOTHING. Postage stamp sized yard.
Gang tags everywhere. The whole place looks like Escape From New York: every building has a fence around it with razor wire or spikes on the top.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you were in Downtown LA- The whole friggin' state isn't like that!

 

It's wonderful, and it's expensive. You may find that it's worth it to you (if you earn a lot of money).

I was lucky, moved there (Burlingame, north of Silicon Valley) and found a great house in a great neighborhood for only 4X what I got for my house in MN! But I loved it, and I'm glad I did it.

When my job went away, I moved to LA -- more sticker shock, even though I grew up here. You can have a good time anywhere, and NoCal really is one of the neatest places on earth. You just have to choose whether that's the way you want to spend your money.

 

Craig's got some great points about living in CA. I have mixed feelings about it.

I grew up in CA, been in the bay area since I was 3. I've seen a lot of changes over the years, a lot of it bad, a lot of it good. Some times I get really fed up with living here, but at the same time my whole family is here, and that would be the most difficult thing for me to leave behind.

I'm lucky enough to have been able to buy a house before it got too crazy out here, but at the same time they are developing the shit out of the area... which while it will ultimately drive my property value up, it will also make the congestion out here pure hell. I bought my house for under 300k almost 2 years ago, and a smaller house a few doors up the street just sold for over $400k. Great news for home owners in the area, not so great news for people trying to buy in the area. Good idea is to look for houses that are at least as old as the cars we are all so interested in, they usually have decent lots attached to them. My house was built in 1951, and I am contemplating putting a 2nd garage in my back yard and turning the existing one into a full shop... if I can get the financing together.

Still, this state is in a lot of trouble in some ways. There's been threads posted here and elsewhere about the potential for the new road useage tax to cover the cost of upkeep on the freeways (they are horrible out here!), lots of schools in trouble, closing, etc. I don't have kids, and I'd hate to raise one out here. Yet people manage to do it. Don't get my husband started on the smog laws (he's a mechanic)...

And yet in this area we have some great areas to visit. I have my need to get out among really big trees... so I take a weekday and go to Muir Woods & Muir Beach, or play up at Mt. Diablo. Just don't go during the weekend, it gets too crowded. Mendocino is only a couple hours away, so is Monterey. If skiing is your thing, Tahoe is a few hours' drive away too (granted with weekend traffic and snow, it can take a LOT more than a few hours, but there ya go).

I'll probably end up getting the hell out of here eventually, but I'm not ready to just yet.

If you and your wife can get out here and take a look around, judge for yourself... that would be a good idea. Just like anyplace else you take the bad with the good.

 

[ QUOTE ]

Yep, the prices of houses are outrageous compared to the rest of the country.
But so are the salaries to go with them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's not really true. I've had more than a few offers to move to Cali and the salaries were comparable. If you have the skills especially in a tech related field right now the salaries don't make up for the cost of living increase. They'd have to triple my salary to enable me to afford to live at my current level there. It's not that it's not nice, I love visiting friends and family out there.

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Yep, the prices of houses are outrageous compared to the rest of the country.
But so are the salaries to go with them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's not really true. I've had more than a few offers to move to Cali and the salaries were comparable. If you have the skills especially in a tech related field right now the salaries don't make up for the cost of living increase. They'd have to triple my salary to enable me to afford to live at my current level there. It's not that it's not nice, I love visiting friends and family out there.

[/ QUOTE ]
Once again, we have a person who does not live here, telling me, a Californian, he doesn't want to burst my bubble.
How can you say that without being here?

I don't know what you make, but I do know that if you come out here you can make a good living.
I don't have a degree and I make six figures. I own the house that I live in and two rentals.
Yes, I see a ton of folks who move out here and can't make it. They think they can just show up and land a job for big bucks without doing their homework. It doesn't work that way. But I have seen plenty of non Californians make it good.
Once again, that's why so many people move here. and stay here!

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yet when I was out there this summer, I couldn't see the mountains because of the smog. No joke. By the end of the week, my lungs hurt.
The whole place looks like it needs a good bath to wash the haze off.
Insane commutes and traffic. Totally nuts.
Incomprehensible housing prices, and you get NOTHING. Postage stamp sized yard.
Gang tags everywhere. The whole place looks like Escape From New York: every building has a fence around it with razor wire or spikes on the top.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you were in Downtown LA- The whole friggin' state isn't like that!

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been in LA, Hollywood, Oxnard (no smog in Oxnard), Pamona, San FanCrisco, and Stockton. In the LA area I can't remember all the cities I've been in, because a border is just a line on the sidewalk, so I've crossed into a bunch of different places all around there. I also spent two days out at the NASCAR track, which is where we noticed we couldn't see the mountains through the smog.
In every one of those cities, there's the prison fences, it seems like every single business has burgler bars on the doors and windows no matter where you are, etc. etc. etc.
Yeah, taking the Pacific Coast Highway is nice, yeah driving through the farm land in the north on the way to Stockton was scenic, but I can get those kinds of views all over the country.
Activities? Other than the redwoods, I'm only a few hours drive from anything being in the Atlanta area, or Chatanooga, Charlotte, etc.
Pay? I've been offered a few jobs out there, and no, the pay scale wasn't even close to the standard I'd have moved from.
-Brad

 

I'd figure all you Northern Cali's would be telling people to stay away, but hell, what's one more family.
I do have a question though, why does the housing continue to skyrocket, has the area gotten over the dot.com bust from a few years ago? Are the salaries that much higher, I thought alot of that type of work has been farmed out to India and places like that. I work for the state of Kansas along with my wife, we are both in IT and we make less then 6 digits together. Are you telling me that if we went and worked for the state of California doing the same thing I could afford to live out there? That I can't buy. Is there much in the way of work class types around or have they all been basically driven out.

BTW I was stationed out at Petaluma for 6 months and the area as a whole is great, go to the city, Sears point, Ukiah for some Memorial day camping, the beach, canoeing down the Russian River. There is a shitpot full of things to do.


Farmall

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Yep, the prices of houses are outrageous compared to the rest of the country.
But so are the salaries to go with them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's not really true. I've had more than a few offers to move to Cali and the salaries were comparable. If you have the skills especially in a tech related field right now the salaries don't make up for the cost of living increase. They'd have to triple my salary to enable me to afford to live at my current level there. It's not that it's not nice, I love visiting friends and family out there.

[/ QUOTE ]
Once again, we have a person who does not live here, telling me, a Californian, he doesn't want to burst my bubble.
How can you say that without being here?

I don't know what you make, but I do know that if you come out here you can make a good living.
I don't have a degree and I make six figures. I own the house that I live in and two rentals.
Yes, I see a ton of folks who move out here and can't make it. They think they can just show up and land a job for big bucks without doing their homework. It doesn't work that way. But I have seen plenty of non Californians make it good.
Once again, that's why so many people move here. and stay here!


[/ QUOTE ]

You're acting just like a dipshit with the Cali attitude.
Ask the programmers over at EA's Maxxis studio if they're making anymore than the guys at Red Storm or Epic. They're not. Ask the guys that work at Earthlink if they make more at the office in San Francisco than Atlanta, they don't. If you'd f#cking read what someone wrote instead of jumping all over someone for telling it like it is. The salaries in Cali do not make up for the cost of living period... maybe if you got of your high horse instead of jumping all over people. Or hey how knowing what the f#ck your talkign about, maybe read what someone wrote...

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Yep, the prices of houses are outrageous compared to the rest of the country.
But so are the salaries to go with them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's not really true. I've had more than a few offers to move to Cali and the salaries were comparable. If you have the skills especially in a tech related field right now the salaries don't make up for the cost of living increase. They'd have to triple my salary to enable me to afford to live at my current level there. It's not that it's not nice, I love visiting friends and family out there.

[/ QUOTE ]
Once again, we have a person who does not live here, telling me, a Californian, he doesn't want to burst my bubble.
How can you say that without being here?

I don't know what you make, but I do know that if you come out here you can make a good living.
I don't have a degree and I make six figures. I own the house that I live in and two rentals.
Yes, I see a ton of folks who move out here and can't make it. They think they can just show up and land a job for big bucks without doing their homework. It doesn't work that way. But I have seen plenty of non Californians make it good.
Once again, that's why so many people move here. and stay here!


[/ QUOTE ]

You're acting just like a dipshit with the Cali attitude.
Ask the programmers over at EA's Maxxis studio if they're making anymore than the guys at Red Storm or Epic. They're not. Ask the guys that work at Earthlink if they make more at the office in San Francisco than Atlanta, they don't. If you'd f#cking read what someone wrote instead of jumping all over someone for telling it like it is. The salaries in Cali do not make up for the cost of living period... maybe if you got of your high horse instead of jumping all over people. Or hey how knowing what the f#ck your talkign about, maybe read what someone wrote...

[/ QUOTE ]
If I'm acting like a dipshit with a Cali attitude, I guess we are allowed to make generalizations.
That would make you acting like an uneducated inbread with not a brain cell in his head making a comment about living in California without ever living in California
You tell me I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about when I'm talking about living in California. I live in California
How can you possibly know more about it than me. You visited at best.
If no one could afford a house here, they wouldn't go for the prices they do.
You make my point for me the more just keep on rambling on about something you have no experience in.



Craig

 

Northern California has some of the most beautiful landscape you will ever see. I mean c'mon...it's where the mountains meet the sea, how can you beat that? The downside is, yes...it can be very expensive. I thought the "Escape From New York" comment was HILARIOUS! Damn dude...you make it sound like Socal is some nightmare post-nuclear war zone...haha My neighborhood doesn't have barbed wire, graffiti, bars on the windows, etc. I'll take the occasional earthquake & constant sunshine over hurricanes, tornadoes & snow anyday.

 

Dude stop being an idiot an read the posts!!

Here is a quick summery

Speedadict-LIVED THERE
Hollywud-LIVED THERE
dondanno-LIVED THERE
z-man-LIVED THERE

 

[ QUOTE ]


If I'm acting like a dipshit with a Cali attitude, I guess we are allowed to make generalizations.
That would make you acting like an uneducated inbread with not a brain cell in his head making a comment about living in California without ever living in California
You tell me I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about when I'm talking about living in California. I live in California
How can you possibly know more about it than me. You visited at best.
If no one could afford a house here, they wouldn't go for the prices they do.
You make my point for me the more just keep on rambling on about something you have no experience in.

Craig

[/ QUOTE ]

If you read what I wrote I wasn't even talking about living I was talking about salaries period. I was talking about how the salaries there vs. the rest of the country don't make up the difference for the cost of living. And I'm glad you made six figures but you're still a dipshit that can't read.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Dude stop being an idiot an read the posts!!

Here is a quick summery

Speedadict-LIVED THERE
Hollywud-LIVED THERE
dondanno-LIVED THERE
z-man-LIVED THERE



[/ QUOTE ]

Since you are accusing me of being an idiot because I did not read the posts, please tell me where z-man says he LIVED THERE
I see where he "had offers" and "visited friends n family" but not that he lived here.
I have no problem with someone who lived her puttin her down. But please don't tell me I'm not reading the post's when I have.
And I did not start the name calling.

Craig

 

Well, ya got me on that one!!

who cares

oh, and I love the veggie "blend" you guys "invented"

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


If I'm acting like a dipshit with a Cali attitude, I guess we are allowed to make generalizations.
That would make you acting like an uneducated inbread with not a brain cell in his head making a comment about living in California without ever living in California
You tell me I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about when I'm talking about living in California. I live in California
How can you possibly know more about it than me. You visited at best.
If no one could afford a house here, they wouldn't go for the prices they do.
You make my point for me the more just keep on rambling on about something you have no experience in.

Craig

[/ QUOTE ]

If you read what I wrote I wasn't even talking about living I was talking about salaries period. I was talking about how the salaries there vs. the rest of the country don't make up the difference for the cost of living. And I'm glad you made six figures but you're still a dipshit that can't read.

[/ QUOTE ]

and how can you know about the salaries if you dont live here. Every company that has offices in different areas has different pay scales for different reagions. You are still talking about something you have no experience in.
I am not bragging about making that kind of money, I am saying it is average. You can call me a dipshit all you want. It won't change the cost of living in California. Just make me glad you are one of the one's that don't make the trip.
If you ever do visit the Bay, drop in

Craig