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Thinking about leaving California in a couple of years

Kneedragger

Kneedragger

Golden Member
Well a little about me I'm 35 married with a one year old and another one on the way. My wife and I combined gross about 160k roughly a year. Been a Electrician for 16 years in the Bay Area and that's about as far as education and work goes.. I have been thinking about taking building inspection classes so I have another feather in my cap but haven't got off my ass to do this yet..

The main reasons for wanting to leave is house prices and rent are out of hand where I live. I don't want to live two hours away from where I work to have cheaper rent or mortgage. Spending that much more time on the road every day away from my family just sounds depressing.

The other reason is seeing how hard it is to get by. I feel like I'd be setting my kids up to have a rough life financially given how rent and owning is right now. Even if they make good money rent will be crazy expensive and buying a house will be a dream. Even if you can save 20% on a home given a home for 800k you'd be financing over 600k.

I really don't know where I'd want to go right now and my wife feels the same about all of this.. I know if I leave I would be making probably half of what I make but if it is that cheaper to live I figure it's still worth it..

So is there any thing I should keep in mind or think about with this whole idea?

Thanks
 
The first thing to understand is that the US is vastly different in people, culture, economics and, priorities. It seems obvious but, most people haven't traveled much around the US. You and your wife need to decide what's important to you and your family other than economics. After you decide, you can start looking for alternatives.
 
I left a bit over 3 years ago after 25 years there.

For much of that time, I was one of the commuters. I drove every day from the Central Valley into the Bay area for construction work...it sucked...but it paid the bills.

It was great while I was working...but once the docs determined I'd never return to my trade...it was time to go.

Keep in mind...all the major cities on the left coast will have the same high real estate prices and costs of living. SOME things will be cheaper...some things may be more expensive. As the cost of living goes down, usually so do the wages...

Have you traveled around scoping out places you think you'd want to go? Before you make the jump, spend some time looking...and once you THINK you've found a place you like...spend some time there before moving. See what it's like during the various seasons. Summers might be great...but winter could be brutal. (remember, you've been Californicated...) 😛
 
Kneedragger said:
The main reasons for wanting to leave is house prices and rent are out of hand where I live. I don't want to live two hours away from where I work to have cheaper rent or mortgage. Spending that much more time on the road every day away from my family just sounds depressing.

The other reason is seeing how hard it is to get by. I feel like I'd be setting my kids up to have a rough life financially given how rent and owning is right now. Even if they make good money rent will be crazy expensive and buying a house will be a dream. Even if you can save 20% on a home given a home for 800k you'd be financing over 600k.
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My brother got offered a job at Stanford and turned it down after seeing house prices out there, he can afford a lot nicer stuff living in Des Moines. However, I think you should consider that moving to another area you may find boring and sometimes education or other services aren't as good. Having certificates and training is probably a good way to move up in the world though..
 
Bay Area Syndrome. Big income, bigger rent.
I was just looking a place that had been gutted out and never put back together, around 1400 square feet. Sold for $716K asking price was $600K.
 
Here is a little food for thought that made me move from Chicago. You can get homes like this in my town on the cheap, and the "major" city, Jackson, is about 40 minute drive where you will make a decent living, and with home prices this low, and a mortgage so low, you can live like a king. The schools are one of the best Ive had my kids in, the people here are great, they wave at you all the time as you drive down the road, though you have no clue who they are. Everyone say hello to you as you pass them in the stores, its like going back in time when people actually liked one another and cared for one another. My neighbor next to me gives my kids stuff every holiday, and my 2 doors down from me that owns the farm behind my house, every year for the 10 I been living here has left me fruit and vegetables on my porch, and both, and across the street have come over to see how we been doing, and just to say hi.

Its been fucking great since moving here. NO TRAFFIC!!!! Everything is cheap, people are great, everyone gets along, they dont care that Im a "yanky", in fact a lot of them love my accent. But anyway, here is an idea of what can be found in my town, and if you work in Jackson, you can still make around $60K a year Im pretty sure.

http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-Rd_Dyer_TN_38330_M71105-83097?ex=TN605268315

Keep in mind, it needs a little paint and stuff, but $47K, almost 2 acres of land, a pool, close to 2K sqft home, and throw some paint in it, and bam, you got one hell of a home.

But if you like put 38330 in there and see the others that can be had, you'll be surprised at what u find 😉

OH and I was 34 when I decided I had enough and moved.....
 
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We'd welcome you and your family in Michigan ;-). Home prices are a lot more reasonable here. I don't know anything about electricians but I'd think you'd be able to get a job most anywhere with that, right?
 
Greenman said:
Bay Area Syndrome. Big income, bigger rent.
I was just looking a place that had been gutted out and never put back together, around 1400 square feet. Sold for $716K asking price was $600K.
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I saw a house, 860sqft, 2bed 1ba, listed in Albany for $675k. 😱

My house in Austin, in a much more desirable neighborhood than Albany, is twice the size and less than half the price.

Currently I'm paying $2k a month to rent a shitty 430sqft apartment in Berkeley... :thumbsdown:
 
Don't need to leave Cali to find more reasonable prices. Up in the hills like El Dorado county, you can find 1100+ sqft homes for ~$1300-$1600 a month. The yards are also much larger, however internet options are quite tight.
 
CA is more than just the expensive coast. Heading north to to Sacramento or its suburbs is much cheaper, plus youre closer to tahoe and yosemite. I wouldnt live in the central valley though.
 
Crusty said:
I saw a house, 860sqft, 2bed 1ba, listed in Albany for $675k. 😱

My house in Austin, in a much more desirable neighborhood than Albany, is twice the size and less than half the price.

Currently I'm paying $2k a month to rent a shitty 430sqft apartment in Berkeley... :thumbsdown:
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Wow to think my base mortgage payment for my house is 800/mo for 1100sqft. I pay 1,200/mo ($600 biweekly) though just to pay it down faster. Paid 165k for the house. House would probably sell for well over 200k now though. There's still lot of houses under 200k but they need some work, like mine did when I bought it.

I don't get why companies can't diversify and build their main offices in smaller cities too though, why do all the jobs have to be in the big areas and drive all the prices up?
 
Yeah I haven't look around at other states so I do have some research to.

I know there are less expensive places in CA if you go inland but I have met a lot of guys that travel to the bay area for work so I'm assuming they don't have much or consistent work in their area..
 
Red Squirrel said:
Wow to think my base mortgage payment for my house is 800/mo for 1100sqft. I pay 1,200/mo ($600 biweekly) though just to pay it down faster. Paid 165k for the house. House would probably sell for well over 200k now though. There's still lot of houses under 200k but they need some work, like mine did when I bought it.

I don't get why companies can't diversify and build their main offices in smaller cities too though, why do all the jobs have to be in the big areas and drive all the prices up?
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Because tech workers don't want to be in BFE.
 
Sonikku said:
160k a year? I'm so sorry...

No advice, but I wish you the best of luck.
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It's all relative. The average apartment price throughout Boston is nearly $2,500, so you get to spend $30k a year to live there without even building any equity. Considering the nationwide average income is about $52k a year (minus taxes) - well, it's all relative.
 
Kneedragger said:
Yeah I haven't look around at other states so I do have some research to.

I know there are less expensive places in CA if you go inland but I have met a lot of guys that travel to the bay area for work so I'm assuming they don't have much or consistent work in their area..
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I moved to CT in the early 2000's. Used to live in San Diego. CT is expensive, but not as bad as Cali, plus you get seasons & no earthquakes (usually...), and you're only 2 hours from Boston & NYC and 5.5 from DC. Snow is a lot of fun for sledding, skiing, snowboarding, etc. If you're into outdoorsy stuff, upper NY state, Vermont, Maine, etc. are all just a half-day's drive away.
 
Kaido said:
It's all relative. The average apartment price throughout Boston is nearly $2,500, so you get to spend $30k a year to live there without even building any equity. Considering the nationwide average income is about $52k a year (minus taxes) - well, it's all relative.
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That's my take on it. It only sounds good if you take your current salary and significantly lower the cost of living. That's not reality most of the time.
 
To repeat obvious known all big cities are expensive and single family homes are affordable to just a few.
And that you get most "space" and best housing for the money in the fly-over zone - all states that are not on either coast.
 
Crusty said:
Because tech workers don't want to be in BFE.
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Beats being in a super busy area with lot of pollution and traffic though. Much better quality of living in less busy places and less hectic. Big cities are fun to visit but I would not want to live in one. To each their own I guess.
 
Red Squirrel said:
Beats being in a super busy area with lot of pollution and traffic though. Much better quality of living in less busy places and less hectic. Big cities are fun to visit but I would not want to live in one. To each their own I guess.
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This is another reason we feel like leaving this area. I grew up in San Francisco and now live in Santa Clara but I still see the same atmosphere just not as bad and no entitled weirdos..
 
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