Why Bay Area?

ASML
HTKm41

Go to company page ASML

HTKm41
Oct 1, 2021 40 Comments

My wife and I recently got offers from fang, we lived in east coast. We decided to relocate to the Bay Area, my recruiter (fb) and hers (linkedin) both said we can work remotely from anywhere in US/Canada. At the time, we wanted to move to west coast. We still love California, but life in the Bay Area sucks. Housing is very expensive AND most houses are a dump, schools are bad and traffic is terrible. I can imagine ppl in their 20's could enjoy living in SF, but its hard to raise a family.

We already moved to the Bay Area, and was thinking about moving to South California in a year. The companies seem to be on board and don't care, as long as we pay state tax. Their might be some salary adjustment for me, but I don't care. I have extended family in San Diego and Orange.

Now my question: given the living conditions in the BA (specially for families) and flexibility of employers, why ppl still move to the Bay Area? I know some likes it, but many other hates it there. After COVID, it seems companies are OK with remote roles.

p.s. Its not rhetorical question of course, I think maybe I am missing the big picture.

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 TOP 40 Comments
  • For the hot chicks.
    Oct 1, 2021 7
  • Datadog
    babadrame

    Go to company page Datadog

    babadrame
    There are remote roles available at the usual companies, yes. But many still move to the Bay Area because they have friends, family etc or for career progression which is harder with remote roles.

    People don’t like hearing this but moving up is much harder as a purely remote employee. You can get paid really well of course so it’s still worth it for some.
    Oct 1, 2021 1
  • Apple
    rloebd

    Go to company page Apple

    rloebd
    Moved from a poor country in the tropics to US east coast and then Bay Area.

    Love the weather. Love the diverse immigrant population.

    We’ve always had 30min commutes so no problem there.

    Our jobs pay well enough for us to have a good life. And have set us up for an early retirement.

    Kid is in private school.

    It has its downsides but every place in the world has some downsides and upsides. It’s all about what you want.
    Oct 1, 2021 0
  • Verizon
    1stTube

    Go to company page Verizon

    1stTube
    Is there any whinier demographic than east coasters who leave home for the first time?
    Oct 1, 2021 1
    • Netrix, LLC / Project
      legend.of

      Netrix, LLC Project

      PRE
      AAA, Alliance Data
      BIO
      "Senior Project Manager" at a "Microsoft Gold Partner" IT firm. Aspiring to work at Microsoft.
       legend.of
      Yes. East coasters who moved once then moved back to the east coast
      Oct 1, 2021
  • 90% of BA lovers are boiling frogs who have no point of reference of what is good housing. Many came from poor countries where people share rooms and live in tiny apartments. So for them paying 1M for a 2br condo built in the 60s is OK. I’m an immigrant from Eastern Europe and I lived in cramped conditions as well. But I came to US for a better life

    Moved to SoCal this year and zero regrets. Recommend you to do the same or even leave CA entirely to also save on taxes without getting any benefits for that
    Oct 1, 2021 6
    • New
      i_can_seee

      New

      i_can_seee
      @Meredith, you contradict yourself.

      > and they usually tell me they want to live near people like them, near their churches, they speak their language with their kids, and among their friends, cook their food

      That’s opposite of diversity. Eastern Europeans generally don’t want blacks or latino around.
      Oct 27, 2021
    • Agree. They may not want blacks or latino, but they also will not want to be in a vanilla white region either. So they will find a place in areas wherr the white in not vanilla, ie in areas with russians polish etc …. So i am curious, where in san diego has this? In ny, there are tons of sub areas within brooklyn and other outer cities and suburbs.
      Oct 27, 2021