Please share your personal experience moving from California
With so many, reportedly, moving somewhere else from here, wonder if anyone could share his or her experience? I mostly like it here (nature, weather, jobs), some things not so much (taxes, people, voting for more taxes, pre-covid traffic). But most importantly - cannot afford a house here and pretty sick of renting with kids, schools, etc. If you moved - was it as expected? What you like, what you don't like? Etc. TC: around 400K
I have moved and really like it. Best decision.
Moved to Seattle. TC did not change but I started saving a lot more. Only downside I felt is weather. It rains a lof here but it was sweet in California
Even after accounting for pay adjustment? How much was it if at all?
The pay adjustment did not happen. It was by about 4k saving per month. The rent is relatively cheaper, utility is much lower, no income, state and other CA mandatory taxes. And Seattle is more interesting with lots of activities, clubs and caffees more than MTV.
Chicago has been incredible. The cost of living is really good (like super affordable and I think the middle class is a thing here), the food is amazing, and the people and history is great. Winters are brutal though but worth it.
Some place like Naperville? How's the nature / outdoors? I like hiking and such stuff, and the stereotype about this place I have is that it's all flat cornfields? Or am I wrong? How's crime?
property tax is one think to consider in IL?
For the same amount of money you get much better quality of life It is like you already accepted that you spend X monthly and then suddenly for the same X you get much more - like 1.5-2 times better service, things, bigger apartments in terms of sqft and location, fancier entertainments, etc. So this does reduce your stress level definitely. Additionally, you save like 10-13% if you move to tax free state, so you can spend these 4k per month as well and this will reduce your stress level even more You are likely to be happier given this Just make sure that your TC is not adjusted ;)
Effective tax rate on income in any state vs CA, NY is less but not that less. Btw, NY effective tax is the ugliest.
Can’t do remote? And move further away from the Bay Area?
If you are well set and see yourself only in this company for the long term then moving may make sense. But you severely restrict future employment opportunities if you move out of the bay. Nowhere else can you get the combo of great weather, opportunities and outdoors like bay. You could literally double your TC by moving to another job here. Plus all the hot startups are getting created here. I don’t mind paying a bit for the great weather and the opportunities here. Plus the mindset of the people here is always amazingly positive and wanting to create billion dollar startups solving complex problems
What kind of great weather are you talking about? Coastal areas of SoCal beat NorCal any day
Dude great weather is in lots of places in America. The Bay Area isn’t that great unless you enjoy homeless people shitting on the sidewalk. Yes, it’s got the most tech jobs but tech jobs are really picking up in so many other cities that I’d wager in 10 years SF won’t have as much as a tech edge as it does now.
Try ur best to afford any house here. You can still do it with that TC. The wealth creation for the future is not the same as in the bay area. You will live a comfortable life elsewhere but you cannot create wealth with ur equity like in the bay area. Being in the bay area will yield wonders in a 5-10yr timeframe but the same will not anywhere else. You will also increase ur salary every jump u make or every 3-5yrs which may not be feasible once u move to a different state. Different state vs Bayarea = Short term comfort vs long term wealth I stayed for 8 yrs in Atlanta and probably saved $200k but the last 10yrs in the bay area has yielded millions. You can never claim this if you are in some other state
Well if you can work bay area job from LCOL place why not
And how do you spend you millions? Maybe you enjoy your life? Oooh no, you are still in traffic with immigrants from poor countries who cares only about chasing the money
Moved to Idaho very happy
You probably don't have the right attitude for the move. Moving is traumatic, especially for your children and wife, who does not work and is much more dependent on her social circle, same as kids on school friends. They will lash out on you and if you are not confident that you've made a right decision everyone will be suffering in the process. How confident are you when asking strangers on Blind for an advice?
Come on. We moved a lot as kids with the family and none of this happened. It’s a new adventure and when handled with a positivity, it builds resilience. Staying put because you’re comfortable isn’t improving your life.
You moved just because you didn't like traffic? 🤔Most people move either for career or escaping a shithole like California, either way they feel very confident about it.
Why can’t you afford a house on that TC?
That's the only income in the family - my wife doesn't have a real profession. Besides, this TC takes into account recent stock appreciation, if was significantly less before. And with looming (hyper)inflation and crazy bidding wars, when people consider them lucky to get anything for 2mil?
Many believe the housing market will tumble once the memorandums preventing evictions and foreclosures expire and an influx of homes return to the market. Maybe wait a year and you’ll be able to get the home you want for a fair price.