Thinking about moving

[Dave_L]

So i'm thinking about moving somewhere with a warmer climate. Im thinking about California, Arizona, South Texas, or Florida. I was wondering if anyone has lived in any of these places before and knows how the cost of living is and how the job market is. Any input would be helpful.

[stu]

Is this so you don't have to have two cars? lol

[Dave_L]

Is this so you don't have to have two cars? lol
No lol. I still want two cars to keep the miles low on the M3. I just hate cold weather and snow. After living here in Colorado for almost 11 years I think its time for a warmer climate and lower elevation.:cool:

[celica man]

California = too expensive
Arizona = too hot
Florida = too many hurricanes

South Texas = never been there but i hear Corpus Christi is nice

[Dave_L]

California = too expensive
Arizona = too hot
Florida = too many hurricanes

South Texas = never been there but i hear Corpus Christi is nice
Thats what i was thinking. It seems like everywhere with warm weather has one downfall except for Texas. I like Colorado summers but im tired of Colorado winters.

[celica man]

Thats what i was thinking. It seems like everywhere with warm weather has one downfall except for Texas. I like Colorado summers but im tired of Colorado winters.
:werd: if my wife and i were to ever split up, texas is where i would move to.

[Dave_L]

Im looking at apartments down there too and they are only like 750 for a 1,000 sq ft 2 bedroom apartment.

[Maxx]

I was just reading some article on real estate and Texas was among the lowest in housing costs. I imagine there is a reason for this though.

I think alot of it will depend on your income potential. While housing costs might be lower, your salary might be also.

I grew up in California and loved it. It is expensive and they have a lot of stupid rules, but the scenery is great. Plus, everything automotive is in California.

[Bedlam]

I was just reading some article on real estate and Texas was among the lowest in housing costs. I imagine there is a reason for this though.

There are only 2 things that come out of Texas....

-Bedlam

[JL LGT]

What's wrong with Colorado winters? LoL

A friend of mine recently moved to Arizona (Phoenix) and he tells me that so far things are going good. He had no problems finding a job or an affordable apartment. This coming from a guy who has no skills (let alone ethics) in the work field.

We're coming out of our drout though....so I'm looking forward to snow-pact streets again. Maybe even a decent blizzard! I LOVE snow...just don't have too much affliction for the people who get really scared driving in it and making mistakes.

[Dave_L]

If i had a SUV winter wouldnt be so bad but i still hate shoveling and dealing with the snow. I would rather live somewhere where it is nice year round and you can have car meets any time of the year.

[s92dx]

I live in northern california. An hour north of San Francisco in the Napa Valley. I love this state but the only places that aren't crazy expensive are the desert and little hick agricultural towns. If you do move to Cali choose Northern... So much better than SoCal, unless you're a big beach person.
So if you're willing to pay over $1000 a month for a tiny, crappy Apartment in a bad neighborhood move here.

[Dave_L]

I live in northern california. An hour north of San Francisco in the Napa Valley. I love this state but the only places that aren't crazy expensive are the desert and little hick agricultural towns. If you do move to Cali choose Northern... So much better than SoCal, unless you're a big beach person.
So if you're willing to pay over $1000 a month for a tiny, crappy Apartment in a bad neighborhood move here.
Is it hard to find a good paying job out there? Or at least enough to cover rent, car payment, insurance, etc.

[Jackrabbit]

A lot less pansy liberals in Texas.

Unless you're a pansy liberal, then move to Kalifornia, we don't need you here.

;)

[Steve_C]

Is it hard to find a good paying job out there? Or at least enough to cover rent, car payment, insurance, etc.
it's better to have a job waiting in california. and housing is freakin expensive. my friends just moved down there and they paid clost to 450k for a duplex that's 1800 sq ft.

[Ashton]

Housing in Cali and Florda are outrageous... but the real estate market is about to start dropping in cali thus the prices will start to drop... how do i know this? because the real estate market in colorado is picking up and cali is always a exact opposite.

[rmcdaniels]

I'm from Florida, most of my family is still there, and cost of living is cheap, much cheaper than here in NC. Plus there is no state tax in Florida, and the economy is good. The climate is very nice on the east coast near the ocean, but it kind of sucks mid-state like in Orlando. I'd go back in a minute if I thought my wife would go, but she's a northern girl and this is as far south as I could get her. I still remember getting up on Christmas morning, pulling on shorts and a tee shirt, and going out in the yard to play frisbee with the dog.

[Conrad]

I dont care what you say but you cant beat the weather in San Diego... I lived there for two years... I had a 2 bedroom 900 square ft apartment my rent was 800 a month.. And I lived 4 blocks from the beach. I miss PB!

[B20civic]

texas - atleast they hate mexicans










j/k mexicans :)

[SpeedStar91]

I lived and grew up in Southern California. I still love that place even though I rarely went to the beach. I lived in the valleys and it was really hot during the days and got a bit nippy at night (but you could still wear shorts and a t-shirt and still be quite comfortable). If there's anywhere that I would consider moving it would definitely be California. There are definitely cons but I think that the pros more than compensates for it.

[ailachami]

texas is nice and housing is very cheap. my uncle bought a 4 bedroom house with swimming pool in houston for 100k. weather is nice in winter but summer is too hot. i had lots of fun over there.

[JL LGT]

Or...you could pick up some beat up 4x4, and hire some neighborhood kid to shovel your driveway!

Just a thought!

[computingfuture]

There are only 2 things that come out of Texas....

-Bedlam


which one are you?

[Dave_L]

which one are you?
Well ill be going in to Texas and not coming out of Texas so it doesnt apply to me.

[Storm Girl]

Russ moved here from Texas - and he doesn't regret it for a moment. Yes, the housing is very cheap. But the salaries aren't all that either - unless you get into the oil business, or property business. Different parts of Texas have different climates. He's from Midland - and they have hot and humid summers and mild winters. Houston is about the same. Dallas is good - my family is from Arlington, which is just outside of Ft. Worth. We've spent winters down there, and they have ice storms. But hot summers. Amarillo gets snow. So it depends on what you're looking for, and what you can handle.

I've seriously considered moving to northern Cal a few times. My dad lives just south of San Fransisco. OMG it's so beautiful there!!!! Housing is high, but the pay makes up for it a little- again depending on what you're looking for. There's so much to do there too!! I know there are a lot of car enthusiasts, too. I have a few friends from the Altima club that live in the area. But the job market is tough. It's become more of who you know, not what you know.

I have visited different parts of Florida - and that's all I'll do. It's a pretty state, don't get me wrong - but just too many bugs, too humid, and too many hurricanes. As a matter of fact, I heard that one of the insurance companies can't take any more policies for Florida because the hurricanes nearly ran them bankrupt. The parts I've been to are Orlando, Ft. Myers/Naples, and Tampa. Of all three, I wouldn't pick a single one. Orlando - too many tourist families. Ft. Myers/Naples - too many retired people that don't know how to drive. Tampa - too ghetto.

Northern Arizona is a good spot. Job market is ok, it does get warm during the winters, you will get the hot weather in the summer - but the nice thing is that they're not humid. Cost of living is decent. And the state is beautiful. You still get your mountains. You're closer to Vegas. And there are some import enthusiasts down there too.

Trust me - I've tickled the idea of leaving. But I always stay here - I love Colorado too much. I like the variety of the weather, I love our mountains, and my family is here too. I was born here, I'll die here, too.

Good luck Dave! We'll miss you if you do decide to leave!!

[Dave_L]

Thanks for all the input Angie! If i do decide to move it wont be for probably a year and it will probably be to Arizona. I have lots of family there and its still pretty close to Colorado. It does get hot there but you get accustomed to it just like we grow accustomed to the cold weather up here. You learn to adapt to your surroundings.

[2000SiVTEC]

If i had a SUV winter wouldnt be so bad but i still hate shoveling and dealing with the snow. I would rather live somewhere where it is nice year round and you can have car meets any time of the year.


It hardly even snows around here. We get maybe 1 or 2 bad storms a year.

Oh and florida summers are way too damn hot. I think they are more uncomfortable than the cold of the winter here.

[Storm Girl]

^^^I agree....we get a snow storm, and the next day it's 60 degrees and the snow melts. You practically only have to drive in the snow about twice a month. That's why I don't complain.

[Dave_L]

Ya i guess its not too bad here. I just hate the snow and then there is sand all over the road and it chips your car.

[rmcdaniels]

The parts I've been to are Orlando, Ft. Myers/Naples, and Tampa. Of all three, I wouldn't pick a single one. Orlando - too many tourist families. Ft. Myers/Naples - too many retired people that don't know how to drive. Tampa - too ghetto.


Those all suck. Florida is where old people go to die, it is infested with geezers, but they mostly congregate on the Gulf coast, around Tampa/St. Pete/Ft. Myers. The east coast is real nice south of Jacksonville, the ocean keeps it from getting too hot in the summer like Orlando, and winter is beautiful. The panhandle up around Panama city is nice too, that's where I was born.

[Seved]

I live in Orange County CA, and i will never move, I love it way to much... I drive 5 minutes and i am at the beach, the weather is perfect always sunny... Im not to sure about housing and everything but im sure you could find some, as Steve C said it would be good to have a job waiting for you... this is gonna sound retarded but if you have ever seen Laguna Beach the Real OC in the begining they show the beach with the kid skim boarding and that's my g/f's backyard... It's one of the most beautiful kick ass places ever.

[-=[Juztin]=-]

Houston is so damn humid it's just wrong. I hated every moment of Houston and I regard it as one of the worst cities. Plus there's toll booths every other block so driving around wont necessarily be cheap.

In regards to Floridal, Ft. Lauderdale was an absolute blast and a placed I would like to live if I didnt like it here so much.

[B20civic]

Those all suck. Florida is where old people go to die, it is infested with geezers, but they mostly congregate on the Gulf coast, around Tampa/St. Pete/Ft. Myers. The east coast is real nice south of Jacksonville, the ocean keeps it from getting too hot in the summer like Orlando, and winter is beautiful. The panhandle up around Panama city is nice too, that's where I was born.
my grandma, who lives in florida most of the year, called florida 'gods waiting room' :rofl: so true

[albsjdm03]

My co worker grew up in Odessa Texas and he loved the country but hated the economy there. Like Angie said its in the oil that you make your money. He loves Colorado and does not miss texas. I would not mind living in California. I have been there once for hot import nights and for the drifting event ( can't think of name =brain fart) we are heading back this december for Jgtc and I am looking forward just going back to cali.

[B20civic]

i plan to live most of the rest of my life here in colorado.