tommygun32

So, after having lived 20 years over-seas (Middle East) my wife and I are toying with the idea of a change and moving back to the States.

I left San Diego as a young single guy in '92 and would be returning as a husband and father with 2 kids. Having said that, there's a lot for me to think about. As much as I love SD, is it the right time for Cali? Are there better places to move to? Better for kids, better schooling, better home prices, better job opportunities for my wife, etc?

And is this really the time to move? Both my wife and I are gainfully employed here and thankfully are still able to save. Work for me is easy as I'd be working from a home studio and already have a decent stable of clients. I can do my job from anywhere with internet access and the right equipment.

I do realize the grass isn't always greener on the other side, but we both feel we've reached a plateau in our lives and need a change. I obviously will not be basing our decision purely on your responses, but I would really like to hear your thoughts and ideas on this.

*EDIT!*

Please keep opinions, ideas and suggestions to the rules. No politics, religion, etc in your posts. This thread was locked once already and I'd really like to keep it open for a bit.
I really enjoy hearing about where you live and your suggestions. I like to know about climate, landscape, lay of the land, schools, outdoor/indoor activities, etc.

Appreciate it.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

I would stay clear of California...

Ttam Says Blarg

Says the dude that lives in Texas. Not to offend you but Texas is hot, humid and miserable. Ive been to fort worth and I pretty much wanted to kill myself.

I would say this is the best time if ever that your going to get moving back into the states. If you have the money to buy a house you can get them real cheap.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

I lived in Boerne, which is in the hill country... it was actually pretty mild. It isn't like Houston or anything.

Now I live in SC, just north of Charleston. Humidity is ridiculous here.

FahrtAutoRC

And Ohio, and this is coming from a guy who has lived here for 24 years. My old lady and I are looking into either Florida, Texas or Southern California when we get out of college. Anywhere but Ohio. The only thing here that sucks worse than its job opportunities is its weather and people.

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

California's budget woes have no impact on the quality of life here and I don't like how we are somehow a purely 1-party state. Sooner or later the public unions will lose their grip on the state like Wisconsin and our budget will get back in line. SoCal is still an amazing place to live with a ton of job opportunities. It was 80 degrees yesterday. I was in shorts and a t-shirt at the San Diego Zoo last weekend. Haters can hate, most critics have never lived here. This is still a sought out place to live.

Plus on another note, the RC scene is blowing up here right now. SDRC is a superb indoor offroad track and they are about to open SDRC south for 1/8 and 1/5 outdoor offroad.

tommygun32

Thanks for the replies guys

Pro, I've lived in Brownsville & El Paso, have visited Austin and South Carolina as well. I did have a good time, but those days are over for me being married and with kids . My Grandparents, although getting married in Chula Vista, both hail from Texas. It's a place that holds sentiment in my heart .

From what I've heard, there are good opportunities in Houston although as has been mentioned, the weather can be harsh, having said that, I've lived in Dubai for the past 20 years, I'm used to the heat, but it's also one of those niggly reasons we want to move.

TSB, from what I've researched so far is that Cali, especially NoCal and SoCal can still be quite expensive, especially around the San Francisco and San Diego area, etc.

Dale, you echo my brother's sentiments.

quietnas1

I can give you my take on Florida. South Florida which consists of Palm Beach County, Broward County, And Dade County is great to live in. Yes it does get hot and humid but the beach is only a maximum 30 minute drive away from your furthest point and the breeze coming from the ocean is awesome. Housing is really cheap now here. There is no state income tax so you get to keep more of your money.

There is alot of diversity here. For example here in Miami you have people from everywhere. Germany, France, Canada, England, Cuba, Domimican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti, Native American Indian, West Indian, Jewish, Middle Eastern, your native Floridian Red Necks (crazy cool bunch), I mean the list goes on and on. You will never have a shortage of new fits to try, and new cultures to explore.

Now the education system here is not the greatest. Public education sucks. Thee are a few really good public schools but you have to live in the district. I live in a great school district and refuse to move anywhere else until my daughter is done with school. You also have the option of private schools.

There is no shortage of entertainment. From night clubs to ballet to sports and everything in between. You have big city to swamp land. Parasailing to great fishing. There is lots for the family to do. Disney and Universal are just a 4hr drive away. You have the Florida Keys for great fishing or just to relax. There is Bush Gardens, Kennedy Space Center, and more.

Jobs are here in South Florida. I would not say there are plenty of jobs, but there is no shortage either. Example: I worked fit T-Mobile for 7 years and got laid off in March 2011, by April 2011 I had a new job working at the airport. I was out of work for 3 weeks. The pay really depends on your experience and your field.

I'm from New York originally and although the education system is better everything else is not and again I managed to find great schools in my district for my daughter.

That's my take.

saucySavy

My Feedback: (2)

Canada!!!

tommygun32

Thanks quietnas, I've lived in St. Petersburgh for about a year and had a great time. The only thing I know about South Florida is what I've seen on Police Women of Broward County..hahaha

I'm really not interested in clubs and bars and stuff like that. I do love great mom & pop diners, drives and dives that use locally available/organic/free-range products. Good places for the kids is a bonus. As far as private schools, I'm already in that vicious circle and don't like it. It's one of the reasons we're looking at this move. Unfortunately, out here, public schools are not available to me....and damn it's expensive. [:@]

Coming from San Diego, fishing is a massive incentive for me, but isn't a make or break factor. Neither is RC racing/flying sights...although that would be icing on the cake [:-]. My kids and the family welfare come first.

tommygun32

Saucy, as much as I love the outdoors and such, it's probably harder for me to emigrate to Canada than to Thailand, France, Italy, etc....[&o]

HJJFFFAA

What kind of area do you want? Rural, suburban, urban? Are there certain freedoms you would like to have? (i.e. if you like guns it's probably not a good idea to move to say, New Jersey.) Are you into cheap land?

tommygun32

Cheap land (that has potential, ie grouse, geese, pheasant, deer hunting as part of land conservation / hunting / fishing camp) with guns....I'm a big fan of. I've always dreamed of doing something like that. I don't mind working hard for a good thing.

The wife prefers more of a 'downtown' or 'close to' lifestyle. But if I can find something that's a happy medium...well, that would tic all the boxes.

The Collector1

My Feedback: (2)

So you looking at some place like Pennsylvania, upstate NY, Oklahoma, Virginia.

I would never say move to NYC, I want you to keep your sanity.........seriously

tony0707

hi
i second all that was said of southern Florida
i am a New Yorker that has -retired to West Central Florida
it is about 4 hours from south Florida-one hour above Tampa bay
i live in a regular community surrounded by a large variety of different kinds of farms-big horse farms-cattlealpaca mobile home parks a lot of open and inexpensive land everywhere
the weather could not be better daytime temp is 60-80 Nov to MAY
85-95 summer-thunder storms and lightning many mid summer days
the best RC flying weather all year long-the reason i moved here
Exceptional real estate value in all the state -due to real estate down trend
3bedroom 2 bath-2 car garage 5-6 years oldgoing for about 90-110,000 dollars
Same home on east coast going south-twice to three times the price
The name of my town is INVERNESS FL 34452one hour above Tampa Bay (very large city )one hour to Orlando (Disney )half hour from Ocala ( large city ) one hour from Gainesville (college town )
The weather is much dryer and less hot than southern Floridaoverall better weather here
The bible beltmany god fearing super polite people in the southlow crime rate
They say once you visit Citrus County you never leaveTHE NATURE COAST with names like-Rainbow riverCrystal river very protective of the environmenta very southern country feel
Huntingdeer -turkey wild boreoutstanding fishingboating on the GULF of Mexico (crystal clear water-no effect from oil spill ) and a lot of gunsgrandmas have shotguns here LOL
The only down side is there is not much in the way of work in my tradewould like to do a little work and lot of people work for a minimum wage here
It is a great place to raise a family if you can make a living
OH you said your wife is a nurseall health related jobs are- real good here ( large demand for all medicalmajor hospital in the town )
and you can work from anywhere there you go
The other most important reason i live in this part of Florida is they never had a Hurricane-the most was a tropical storm in my county since 1920
Many people have moved here from southern Florida after experiencing the hurricanes in the southern part and east coast of the state in past yearsnot the last few years
most places that have weather all year round like we do are EXPENSIVE to live innot so in CITRUS COUNTY FLORIDAa big piece of paradise
It is FEB and we have the best weather in the US
Best Regards TONY

suburban_hooligan

how about the Long Beach/Lakewood CA area?  cheaper than SD or Frisco.  yet just as convenient.  got that sublime on the radio so cal lifestyle, the schools are good, work can be found, and the RC scene is blowing up

michaelj878

My Feedback: (6)

anywhere in australia near the coast//////

pmerritt

My Feedback: (118)

Do some research on cost of living vs. income. Which State taxes the pants off of you. If you like smog, go back to California. Highest cost of living west of New York! We fly 10 to 11 months a year here.Lots offlatopen land. Cost of living is one of the best values with jobs and possibilities also. Bottom line, where's the wife's family? Your family? Are the relationships worth being close so they can enjoy the grandkids? Do you like cold weather? Snow? A lot of factors you need to consider. Are the kids going to college anytime soon? Nice thing about Texas is you can water ski one day and snow ski the next.

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

I think as you get older you will appreciate the most the time you will spend with your family both yours and your wife (of course presuming that there is harmony). The gift of raising your kids close to a loving extended family is far more important than how many days of sun or rain you have in a year.
The place is what you make of it. I traveled the world both for business and pleasure and in the end is the quality of your life that "makes or brakes" the place where you live.

Good luck.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

If you have not lived in the USA for 20 years, then you would not recognize it ! Seems like our wonderful elected officials in Washington have done nothing but ruin it, except for themselves and their money grabbing paws.

Personally, I would think about another country, perhaps Australia or a South American country.

wesaysoracing

If you like the out doors and fishing look at mountain home arkansas

3dd

My Feedback: (6)

i can tell you for sure ,if i could get a job that pays decent i would go to Australia in a heart beat

VF84sluggo

My Feedback: (55)

Anywhere other than NW FL.

ma_mulcahy

After living in Chicago for most of my life, my wife and I moved to SE Indiana to get away from that madness. I would rate IL right up there with CA for an example of government out of control. We live rurally, and I would have great difficulty going back to city life. Taxes are reasonable and you don't have the state constantly looking for ways to be a nanny to it's citizens.

Having said that, we're starting to look ahead to retirement, and the US is becoming undesirable in terms of costs and freedoms lost. We will soon be going to check out the Dominican Republic as a destination. Cost of living is lower and the nation wants to draw in residents. Plus, you can get a decent hand-rolled cigar there For you second amendment fans like myself, one can legally own and carry a handgun.

My .02.

Bozarth

My Feedback: (15)

Colorado. We have the most sunny days in the U.S!

Kurt
www.BozarthHomes.com