Relocation advice

[ChiSoxCity]

Just go with San Diego brother. I know its expensive but the people are happy. I think San Diego is about as close to perfection as can be had. Will be out there in 2015 if all goes according to plan.

San Diego, and California in general, is just too expensive. I checked into the cost of living and it's far worse than New Jersey. $350,000 gets you a dirt box with 1400 square feet and two bedrooms/one bath. Gas is about $4.00 a gallon, and if you don't live near your workplace the commute is a nightmare. There are other issues too, but you get the gist. Great place to visit, but not worth the stress of living there unless you're rich.

 

[ChiSoxCity]

Is Arizona dry heat or humid?...I was always led to believe that it was dry heat, which lured asthmatic people to move there.

If the OP doesn't like Chicago winters, isn't Denver's winters worse?

From what I've been told, there's not much sunshine on Seattle.

Out of the OP's choices, I think that I'd take a shot at Portland. With that said, Jim Johnson just nailed it above....San Diego is the place to be.

Actually, I've been told the winters in Denver aren't as severe as Chicago.

 

[remydat]

I would recommend Kansas City. I got a two bedroom condo with a rooftop pool right downtown next to my office for under 300k. That shit would have cost 1 million + when I was living in Boston or London. I also was looking at a 4 or 5 bedroom home/town home with full basement on a golf course for the same price. Point is shit is cheap as **** here. Other reasons it's a great place to live.

1. Google Fiber (Internet is fast as ****)
2 Affordable sports teams (Chiefs, Royals, and Sporting KC)
3. Sprint Center (they put on a lot of concerts and other shows) and is in the heart of downtown which is walking distance for me.
4. Public transportation sucks but driving is great as the traffic situation is pretty awesome. I can leave for a Royals or Chiefs game like 30-40 minutes before kick-off and be in my seats before the game starts most days.
5. The airport is fucking great as it takes like 20 minutes tops to get through security. Only problem is not as many non-stop flights.
6. It's got some good cultural shit (museums, blues/jazz clubs, theaters, etc.)
7. People are mostly friendly and chill here.

 

[Nail Polish]

Is Arizona dry heat or humid?...I was always led to believe that it was dry heat, which lured asthmatic people to move there.

If the OP doesn't like Chicago winters, isn't Denver's winters worse?

From what I've been told, there's not much sunshine on Seattle.

Out of the OP's choices, I think that I'd take a shot at Portland. With that said, Jim Johnson just nailed it above....San Diego is the place to be.

Arizona is dry as a bone..last time I was there, it was 106, and I didnt even feel it till I started getting dizzy at their zoo..I had to go inside for a while..The attendant said that happens a lot to tourists cause they dont even sense the extreme heat...

Now Sedona Ariz is a higher elevation, and the temps arent quite as bad..I love that place..Flagstaff is even higher and probably 15 degrees cooler than Sedona even

 

[fenderpfunk]

The great Tower of Power doing their hit song What is Hip. This band has been together for 50 years now

[video=youtube;fcL23m9QuaM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcL23m9QuaM[/video]

**** yes Ommy. Rocco is my favorite bassist ever.

 

[ShiftyDevil]

Hi everyone,

I could really use some relocation advice. After seven years of high taxes, annoying people (east coast is wow:wacko, and bad food, the wife and I are ready to get out of New Jersey.

Some things to consider: Chicago is my hometown, and I miss it. I haven't lived there in 20+ years though. My only real concern is the long, frigid winters. Call me a wuss, but I'm not a fan of six months of subzero temps and snow at this point in my life. I love Chicago in the summer and fall though.

Comfortable weather, reasonable cost of living (low property tax), and close proximity to a major city (development in the suburbs) with housing in the $250,000 to $350,000 range is preferable. We're not interested in locations on the east coast, mid-atlantic or southeast regions. California would be great, but housing and taxes there are insanely high. Texas is too humid.

The areas we've considered so far are Chicago, Arizona, Seattle, Denver, and Portland. All comments are welcome, thanks in advance.

Depending on how close to the city you want to be Seattle is out of your price range.

 

[JimJohnson]

San Diego, and California in general, is just too expensive. I checked into the cost of living and it's far worse than New Jersey. $350,000 gets you a dirt box with 1400 square feet and two bedrooms/one bath. Gas is about $4.00 a gallon, and if you don't live near your workplace the commute is a nightmare. There are other issues too, but you get the gist. Great place to visit, but not worth the stress of living there unless you're rich.

Does it have to be a house though? Have you looked into apartments/condos in Cali? What's wrong with 2 bedrooms/1 bath if its just 2 people?

 

[DrGonzo]

muggy is when your sweat sweats. I was I Arizona working on a church building one summer in the dry season. Really not that bad to be like 110. They said the next month the moisture comes and its unbearable.

LOL. There is a monsoon season in July/August where the southwest gets most of its rain but at its peak the humidity is nonexistent compared to the midwest, let alone the deep south. We've been in a drought for all ten years I've been in NM and this year is the first impressive monsoon we've had, which means it has rained somewhere in the state every few days for a couple of months and at my house maybe once every two weeks.

Personally I'm really interested in Denver, though it might not meet the OP's requirements. My other half is committed to staying in ABQ, though.

 

[ChiSoxCity]

Does it have to be a house though? Have you looked into apartments/condos in Cali? What's wrong with 2 bedrooms/1 bath if its just 2 people?

Renting is for suckers. I have dogs, so a condo isn't ideal either.

 

[Monk]

Arizona is dry as a bone..last time I was there, it was 106, and I didnt even feel it till I started getting dizzy at their zoo..I had to go inside for a while..The attendant said that happens a lot to tourists cause they dont even sense the extreme heat...

Now Sedona Ariz is a higher elevation, and the temps arent quite as bad..I love that place..Flagstaff is even higher and probably 15 degrees cooler than Sedona even

yeah. You gotta watch your pee pee in the dry heat. If its getting dark you're screwed.

 

[botfly10]

Flagstaff AZ, Prescott AZ, Nederland CO, Bishop CA, Grass Valley CA

All winners

 

[botfly10]

And btw, Denver is a shithole

Seattle is the best large city in the country, but you have to be able to acclimate to the shit climate

San Diego is great, north county is better, but you have to be ok with living in a giant sea of development stretching in every direction

 

[Omeletpants]

And btw, Denver is a shithole

Seattle is the best large city in the country, but you have to be able to acclimate to the shit climate

San Diego is great, north county is better, but you have to be ok with living in a giant sea of development stretching in every direction

Denver has the image of being in the mountains but that's bullshit. The mountains are 45 minutes away. Denver itself is one giant strip mall with horrible traffic

 

[Nail Polish]

Flagstaff AZ, Prescott AZ, Nederland CO, Bishop CA, Grass Valley CA

All winners

Salida CO is a winner also

 

[botfly10]

Denver has the image of being in the mountains but that's bullshit. The mountains are 45 minutes away. Denver itself is one giant strip mall with horrible traffic

This is true. If you are thinking of moving to Denver, the place you are imagining in your head is really Boulder. Or Nederland. Or Colorado Springs.

 

[botfly10]

Also, people saying Colorado winters are as bad as Chicago have no clue.

In Colorado (same as in the Sierra Nevada mountains in CA) they have this thing called sunshine. Every day. Storms roll through and often snow a lot, but then its sunny. No 6 months of suicide watch overcast misery. And cause of the sunshine and high altitudes, it can get up to 50 during the afternoon and can feel even warmer if you are in the sun and protected from the wind. Sometimes you can snowboard in a T shirt.

 

[Nail Polish]

I have been to Boulder..Hated it

Colorado Springs is nice though...but expensive

 

[botfly10]

Yes, there are lesbians in boulder. Its a lot like a larger version of Ashville with more money.

 

[Nail Polish]

Yes, there are a lot of lesbians in boulder.

I didnt notice that, but I just didnt like the atmosphere or the people in general

Too many Prius drivers there for my taste...We rented a Ford Excursion, and got flack at the gas station from a couple people for driving a gas guzzler, not to mention we were asked to leave the big box store cause my pal wanted to put a cheap tool kit together for his daughter who was going to school there..He asked for some "Cheap Chinese hand tools", and he was askled to leave for being bigoted.lol

 

[botfly10]

Its funny how that happens more often as the mean education level increases in a community.