Considering moving to Cali - what do I need to know?

[Woosta]

I currently reside in Maryland and I'm tired of the winters; bored with the DC/VA/MD region - a friend of mine will probably join up and we're gonna try moving to Cali except we have no idea where to actually live but we'll be researching and will try moving at the end of this year.

I'm looking to go job hunting ( I currently work in IT; web development ) and I might consider a telecommuting gig, I know there are lots of opportunities in my industry.

Would appreciate any general tips, or let me know if you need more information on my background.

EDIT: If you don't recommend Cali, what state would you recommend? Preferably a warm one please.

 

[guyver01]

Tip?
Dont.

California is a suckhole.

 

[DaWhim]

Tips? your fellow ATOT'ers residing in CA do not want you to be in their state.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's not a state I'd move to right now given it's massive problems.

 

[gorcorps]

Tip?
Dont.

California is a suckhole.

x1bazillion

 

[Woosta]

Tip?
Dont.

California is a suckhole.

Explain

 

[Woosta]

It's not a state I'd move to right now given it's massive problems.

List them?

 

[guyver01]

List them?

how about ...

If you owe money on your taxes.. you're expected to pay.. RIGHT AWAY.

If california owes you any money back.. you get an IOU payable in the future.

 

[Mike Gayner]

List them?

I live 7,000 miles from CA and even I'm aware of its severe financial distress.

 

[Kromis]

Tax in the LA area is 9.75% so...

 

[kindest]

how about ...

If you owe money on your taxes.. you're expected to pay.. RIGHT AWAY.

If california owes you any money back.. you get an IOU payable in the future.

i got a check one week after I filed.. no IOU.
CA rules. don't listen to the haters.

 

[iliopsoas]

State tax is high.
Sales tax, depending on location, is usually 8-10%.
Public school system is falling apart.
Exorbitant real estate prices.
Proposition 13 good for old farts, bad for the new generation or people moving into the state.
Lots of entitlement programs.
Massive budget shortfalls.
Taxes will go up or public programs will get chopped (education) or both.

In this state, it's good to be either really rich (in which case, you make too much money to give a damn) or really poor. The middle class gets squeezed.

 

[masterxfob]

Tax in the LA area is 9.75% so...

that should be enough to scare most people away.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I'm a native and have lived in MO and OR.

I love this state, specifically Nor-Cal.

Everything about CA sucks except for the CA lifestyle and weather. The year around weather, the access to snow & surf, and the diversity is a huge plus.

Taxes suck, traffic sucks, gas prices suck, housings price suck, too much diversity sucks, high unemployment sucks.

Seriously - why not come here for 3yrs and enjoy all the state has to offer and then move away once you have had your fill.

 

[yhelothar]

Tip?
Dont.

California is a suckhole.

lol says the guy from the midwest

 

[szechuanpork]

california is the best. you have mountains, beaches, skiing, surfing, and the best mj in the world!

 

[AreaCode707]

What type of person are you?

City or country?
Conservative or liberal?
Social or introvert?
Outdoorsy or indoorsy?
Fast food or organic?
Community-involved or close friends only?
Appearance-focused or personality-focused?

 

[Newbian]

If your building is shaking it's not a fat person running but a earthquake.

 

[guyver01]

lol says the guy from the midwest

Geography fail?

Colorado is the southwest.

I'm two states away from California.

 

[Ns1]

beautiful weather all year round
rare natural disasters unless you're an idiot who lives in a burn area

terrible traffic and severe lack of greenery
horrible government

medical marijuana

 

[ussfletcher]

Better be ready to pay at least $2000/month for a 2 bedroom apartment, or have 400k sitting around for a 1200 sq.ft. house.

 

[DanDaManJC]

it's damn expensive to live out there... but you cant beat the city life you can get in either the bay area or LA. plenty of clubs, nightlife and so on that you just won't get anywhere else -- outside NY or any other mega-city. not just that, but lots of geography... different culture, mexicans... and so on.

 

[yhelothar]

Geography fail?

Colorado is the southwest.

I'm two states away from California.

meh it borders the midwest and the states are similar in composition
plus the eastern part of colorado is still considered the midwest, according to wiki at least

 

[BoomerD]

meh...we've lived here for almost 23 years. It's certainly not the best place we've ever been...but it's far from the worst.

Taxes are mediocre. IIRC, we have the 10th highest overall tax burden in the nation.

What part of Kahleeforneeya you'd like depends on you, your lifestyle, your likes/dislikes, etc., but in IT, you'll probably want to live within commuting distance to San Francisco/San Jose, Greater Los Angeles, or San Diego. Yes, there will be IT jobs of one kind or another in the rest of the state as well, just not as many.

Real estate prices are as varied as the people. In the bigger cities, while the housing crash is still a factor, it's not quite as bad as in the outlying areas.

Traffic sucks almost everywhere...in all major cities in the nation, not just Kahleeforneeya, but consider that LA, SF/SJ, and SD are all in the top 10 largest cities in the nation...traffic is gonna be bad in all of them.

Earthquakes? Yeah, they happen, but depending on where you live, you may never even feel one...or your house COULD come down around your ears..:biggrin: MOST people in Kahleeforneeya have felt quakes...but have never been "inconvenienced" by one, let alone suffered any damage from them.

Like everywhere, Kahleeforneeya has its ups and downs...

 

[Craig234]

how about ...

If you owe money on your taxes.. you're expected to pay.. RIGHT AWAY.

If california owes you any money back.. you get an IOU payable in the future.

Plus interest well above what I could get in other fixed-interest investments.