Places to live - input please?

I don't want to go into a lot of details right now, but for awhile I had been considering moving to another state. Hadn't brought it up to my husband until the other night. He was actually open to the idea. I know there are a lot of things to consider, and before we actually seriously start looking into anything, we need to at least start with a pro/con list of staying here vs. moving. In the mean time, I want to get an idea of what else is out there. I have friends and family in other states, but I want to get wider input too.

So where do you live, have you lived, and what are the pros and cons of living there? Any place you absolutely LOVE, and why? Any place you absolutely HATE, and why?
Tell me anything and everything about it you desire: climate, landscapes, job market, housing marking, cost of living, attractions, activities, politics, religion. This isn't a debate about what is or isn't better, because that is all in the eye of the beholder. I just want to know what else is out there. I was born and raised in California, and while I've vacationed in other states (and even out of the country), I've only ever lived here. So my experiences are very very limited.

I live in Minnesota far north. Our weather is messed up ha 100 in summer -30 in winter and yesterday it was 45 and raining lol. I love the woods and up here is perfect for that and cost of living is cheaper then most places and starting to expand again with new mines opening up so lot of new jobs and people coming up here

It is a beautiful climate with a variety of animals. Is is not very crowded where I live, which is a plus to me. The weather is pretty extreme, getting 100+ degrees and -30 in the winter. It is very safe and lovely here, I just don't like how there aren't any reptile shops.

Tori are you Minnesota too!!

I've been in NC since 1994. Mountains on one side, beach on the other. Weather isn't too extreme, lots of state parks and wildlife, great economy (if you're near Raleigh), some of the best state schools in the country. Cost of living is generally reasonable. The downsides include a ton of judgemental religious fanatacism and the thinking can be a bit 1950s if you are outside of the metropolitan areas.

Well we are currently in Wa state due to the Navy and San diego before that.....
And I would gladly stay up here FOREVER!!! (Silverdale, WA) We are originally from Tampa FL. And even after a year of being here I still love everything!! The views are fabulous and there is so much stuff to do! We are outdoor people and love going hiking and just being outdoors in general and we take our dogs everywhere! This is a very friendly dog state that we have seen. I even like the weather. Like did you know there really are FOUR seasons every year! LOL, seriuosly FL doesnt! And everybody thinks it rains all the time here, so not true!
Being military I really dont know about the jobs here. But the is a big Boeing Factory that everybody talks about.
Groceries are definately cheaper here than CA. Our car insurance dropped in half!! We live on base but our friends have a 1200 sq foot apartment and they pay $800 a month. Cable is the same as CA. Our cell phone service is the same.
I love Pikes Place Market! Canada is only a little boat ride away. Ferries are so much fun to ride on (thats how we get to Seattle)! Loads of skiing here. Tulips start growing in Feb and it looks just like Holland!
Here's some pic I took this year!

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...ps19d795a2.jpg

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5b016eb3.jpg
http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4738f6d3.jpg

Not sure exactly where id wanna live if i could pick. Id have to visit the state once or twice first.

Do not move to CT. I could go into detail, but ill keep it short: this state sucks for the most part.

Pennsylvania's not so bad. One of the nice things for us animal nuts is that you don't have to live too far outside of any of the cities to be in a rural area-- for example, drive 40 minutes west from downtown Philadelphia and you're seeing farms on all sides. There are tons of midsized towns too, which is nice. Our weather scans between 100+ in summer and 0+ in winter, I can't remember the last time it went below zero.

Thanks for the descriptions so far! keep them coming. :)

There are just so many options out there, it is pretty overwhelming. Every bit of info helps. :)

I live in Texas. I will list the pro's first.
Herp friendly
No state income tax
Great job markets
Relatively low cost of living
Endless recreational choices
Gun friendly

Con's
Hurricanes down south
Tornadoes up north
Can have extreme weather swings

Az is awesome.... California sucks (do I even need to elaborate?)

I live in WA state right now (TriCities to be exact) and I LOVE it! As someone already said, we have four distinct seasons. Personally, I could do without winter!
We have desert, forest, ocean, mountains, and even a rain forest! I love taking day trips because in a four hour drive you cross just about every landscape you can think of. I live in the desert region so our summers are hot and dry, which is what works for me. If you don't like the heat so much, you might want to consider a different area. Winter is mild as far as snow, but it can get pretty cold, although not unbearable.

The economy seems to be pretty good. Everyone I know is gainfully employed anyway!

I lived in Michigan until four years ago...in the boonies. I don't even like the idea of going back to visit, let alone live. The weather is crap. Serious winters, humid summers. The economy was tanking long before the rest of the world was talking about it. I didn't live in or near a city though, so maybe it's better there.

I've lived a lot of places :)

Boston ~ My favorite place by far. I loved the city. Tons of History and it's really pretty too...all those old buildings and parks and trees. That's the one place that I'd move back to in a heart beat. You have all 4 seasons and get some pretty good snow but it's not as severe as Minnesota (where I live now) usually.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...507_2713_n.jpg

Denver ~ (Actually Castle Rock, just a bit south of Denver). I liked Colorado's climate a lot. you have all 4 seasons but SO much sunshine! Also it's very dry there so we had zero allergies and very few problems with asthma there. unless you are right in the mountains it is fairly barren...not a lot of trees. This is the view from our apartment.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...507_4654_n.jpg

Minnesota ~ I love our area...we live in the twin cities in one of the older neighborhoods. We walk to school, the pharmacy, the grocery store and the local coffee shop. Our neighborhood is very family oriented and we like it a lot. The seasons are pretty but the cold is a bit much for me!

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...72409722_n.jpg

Northern Wisconsin ~ beautiful in the summer, harsh winters! We lived way out in the middle of nowhere so I can't really tell you what the cities are like! It's very much living in the woods...although there are lots of lakes around. I lived near the Wolf River so we had white water rafting and stuff to add to our list of things to do :)
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...05835393_n.jpg

Arkansas ~ it's ok. Not my favorite place to have lived. We lived in Little Rock which has a fairly high crime rate for it's size. I don't mind the hot summers and I loved the mild winters. it is really humid there. From what I know of northern Arkansas (Fayetteville etc.) it's a lot nicer...a little milder summers and pretty up there in the Ozark mountains.
I guess I don't have any pictures of LR but this is just outside the city...
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...7_264593_n.jpg

Montana ~ I loved the mountains but it was way too remote for me. Lots of cowboys :) That was about 15 years ago so I don't have any pictures. Everyone was really really into Rodeo. They also get very very cold winters!!

Hmmm...I thinks that's it for my adult life :)

Continued thanks! :)

And beautiful pictures!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ridinandreptiles

Az is awesome.... California sucks (do I even need to elaborate?)

---

Since CA (southern part) is where I'm considering moving from... no need to elaborate, I get it! ;)

I do like some things about CA, but there's a lot that really sucks too. Never thought I'd move from this state, but lately that's looking like a better and better idea.

Phoenix! I recently moved to AZ, but had visited many times prior to the big move. Originally I'm from Illinois, and I can tell you that I am LOVING my first winter here. No more shoveling snow for this lady :) The summers can be a bit of a beast, but with very low humidity so I personally didn't find it to be too bad. There's plenty to do recreationally, cost of living is super low, but the job market can be rough, depending on what field you're in. Overall I'm really happy with my decision. Hope that helps!

I've lived in TX (Blargh!), CO (quite nice), CA (for a little while very young) and WA.

Texas is crap, especially in El Paso! Never go there unless you're forced! :)

Denver CO is an awesome place, but we didn't call it the Chimney State for nothing! EVERYONE smokes, or so it seems, and I'm allergic. So yeah, I noticed that. Otherwise, it's pretty, rather warm but not stifling like TX, and has nice enough people and economy.

Washington, specifically northwestern in the Seattle/Tacoma area, is simply the best place on Earth as far as I'm concerned. :D It's one of the last ecologically stable states in the country ;), so we actually have all 4 seasons and they aren't extreme. The natural beauty is stunning and very hard to get tired of, The economy is actually pretty good, especially if you're tech or office oriented, and unless you're in the heart of a big city the cost of living is quite reasonable. I love it in the PNW and wanted to return ever since I left as a kid! And, bonus, we've got the ocean, Mt. Rainier, the only temperate rainforest on the continent, and where else can you drive through a forest just going from one city to the next? :D

Dont come to the DC metro area or Northern VA or Southern Maryland...the only positive to the area is a lower than national lvl of unemployment...and thats only because most of the area is lawyers, government, government contractors, or DoD.

Im actually working my way towards the west coast in the next year or so! lol

Denver/Boulder Co are amazing!! Lived in Boulder for 2 years....super nice people, great seasons, job market is good, rocky mtns are stunning and for the most part the state is a pretty live and let live in a lot of its attitudes...particularly around Durango and Boulder (2 famous remaining footholds of serious hippie type cultures)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

I've lived in TX (Blargh!), CO (quite nice), CA (for a little while very young) and WA.

Texas is crap, especially in El Paso! Never go there unless you're forced! :)

Denver CO is an awesome place, but we didn't call it the Chimney State for nothing! EVERYONE smokes, or so it seems, and I'm allergic. So yeah, I noticed that. Otherwise, it's pretty, rather warm but not stifling like TX, and has nice enough people and economy.

Washington, specifically northwestern in the Seattle/Tacoma area, is simply the best place on Earth as far as I'm concerned. :D It's one of the last ecologically stable states in the country ;), so we actually have all 4 seasons and they aren't extreme. The natural beauty is stunning and very hard to get tired of, The economy is actually pretty good, especially if you're tech or office oriented, and unless you're in the heart of a big city the cost of living is quite reasonable. I love it in the PNW and wanted to return ever since I left as a kid! And, bonus, we've got the ocean, Mt. Rainier, the only temperate rainforest on the continent, and where else can you drive through a forest just going from one city to the next? :D

---

lol I love the pacific NW!!!!!!
But its not ecologically stable AT ALL!!!!! Mt Rainier and the entire pacific NW mntn range are dormant volcanoes, its due for a MASSIVE earthquake and severe tsunami any day now..in fact many scientists say that area is overdue for a mega quake due to the juan de fuca plate sliding below the N. American plate (this would replicate the action seen in the Indonesia megaquake of 2004). Also its snow and glaciers are speeding up in their retreat and shift in snow/precipitation patterns...less and less predictable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MootWorm

Phoenix! I recently moved to AZ, but had visited many times prior to the big move. Originally I'm from Illinois, and I can tell you that I am LOVING my first winter here. No more shoveling snow for this lady :) The summers can be a bit of a beast, but with very low humidity so I personally didn't find it to be too bad. There's plenty to do recreationally, cost of living is super low, but the job market can be rough, depending on what field you're in. Overall I'm really happy with my decision. Hope that helps!

---

I've only ever lived in AZ my whole life, but I love it and don't really have any plans to move. Never lived in Phx, but I've lived in Flagstaff and Prescott/Prescott Valley and I really enjoyed/enjoy living in both towns. Both are small and quiet (which I like) and both are reasonably close to Phx where there's a lot more stuff to do (including the Phx Expo in November :D). AZ is very herp friendly which is a huge plus and the weather in Prescott/PV is practically perfect IMO: not a TON of snow in winter but it still doesn't get super hot like down in Phx in the summers. I lived in Tucson for a little too but that was when I was younger so can't comment too much on that.

I also vote WA, I moved away 7 years ago and there is still a piece of me there. (That mega earthquake has been supposed to happen since I was 5) I now live in VA, I will say its nice to have all the history and a weekend drive to big destinations like FL or NY but you have mountains and beaches, small towns to big towns. It was a cultural shock moving here cause we went to a small town, became a bit better when coming to Richmond though crime can be an issue in some areas and I feel like anything "to do" costs money. Everything dies in winter especially comparing it to the evergreen state but fall and spring is gorgeous. It is sickly humid in the summer and gets pretty hot and pretty cold in the winter but honestly I acclimated pretty quickly. Right now it's a strange dichotomy of northerners infiltrating vs. Country folk so It's a bit bizarre. While most of the schools are nice and gang filled they do have some of the highest ratings and offer a lot. Economically there are a lot of jobs if you are one to actually want to work (take that how you want) and I feel there are so many areas its easy to find a living arrangement to fit the budget.

Now that I read this it doesn't narrow things down, however that covers it.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

I have to admit, Maryland is not THAT bad. I live smack-dab in the middle of D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, and there's always something neat going on. (Getting people to actually GO to the neat things is the hard part... I've got a bunch of lazy friends.)

But if I had to choose a place to live, Atlanta GA would be my answer. I visited there for 2 weeks and just fell in love with the place. There's just something about the Southern East Coast that calls to me. :D Maybe because I'm from North Carolina originally? I think it has to do with the fact that I DESPISE winter. If the temperature never dropped below 60 that would be a dream come true. :)

I wish I could live in Texas again. I've been to the San Antonio area a lot and it just seems like there's always something to do. Whether you like the city or country its pretty awesome. I like the terrain to, it's this neat mix of hilly, rocky, desert and woodland. I'm not a big fan of Virginia. It's pretty boring here to me. I live in the Tidewater area on the coast. So no country, and heavily polluted water. I will say some pros of the place though are a rich history, a lot of mom and pop pet stores with no shortage of captive bred snakes and last but not least, going down to the river to catch some blue crab for dinner. :P

Move to the Bay Area if you like the urban hipster scene. And oceanic views 24/7!

I vote for you to live in Minnesota! Even though it was 0 degrees with -15 windchill today along with the foot of snow we got it's not that bad haha But putting up with harsh winters makes up for it with the best Summers ever!!! Ever heard of the saying "Minnesota Nice"? Well it rings true here everyone is always willing to help out you would be welcomed with open arms!

Another vote for AZ.
We live about 30-40 minutes South of Phoenix and love it. We don't have to deal with the craziness of the big city unless we want to. Mountains and snow are about 2 hrs away. Vegas is 5-6 hrs away. The CA beaches are 5-6 hrs away. No natural disasters.
The only somewhat negative is the extreme heat 115+ in the summers and yes for the most part it is dry, but July and August can get rather humid with Monsoon season.
It is fairly herp friendly, except venomous and crocodilians. You can possess native non-protected venomous with a hunting license.
And now we have 3 shows a year(2 in Phoenix and 1 in Tucson). Plus the Super Shows in LA and San Diego are close enough to drive to.

I've lived in Illinois my whole life. It's got a lot of pros and cons. Weather isn't too bad, although it's really variable (especially if you're near chicago/lake michigan). Price of living depends on where you are. It's pretty absurd around the city, but even two hours out and it's a lot more reasonable. Much further than that and you hit a lot of farm towns/boonies, which is pretty nice. I've always lived in the northern end near the IL/WI border, so as far as I know everything south of Wheaton (where there's a really great animal expo twice a month) is corn fields and cow pastures ;P One of the definite pros is that we have a bunch of reptile shows, a lot of breeders, and multiple herp groups in the area, so it's really easy to make friends and find quality animals.

Thanks again!

Now after reading replies, I have another question...

When you say "good" or "absurd" in reference to housing prices, what exactly does that mean? :)

Here cost of living is ridiculously high. My husband and I practically STOLE our house, 3 bed/2bath on 0.62 acre for $115K. I found a listing in Tennessee for a similar house on 5 acres for the SAME price. Here, that property would have easily been $500K or more. Rent for an apartment here depends on what city and bedrooms, but averages around $800 for a studio or 1 bedroom. Rent on a whole house is going to be $1500+ depending on city and size of house. These aren't even L.A. prices either! I know other areas are lot less than that though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C&H Exotic Morphs

Another vote for AZ.
We live about 30-40 minutes South of Phoenix and love it. We don't have to deal with the craziness of the big city unless we want to. Mountains and snow are about 2 hrs away. Vegas is 5-6 hrs away. The CA beaches are 5-6 hrs away. No natural disasters.
The only somewhat negative is the extreme heat 115+ in the summers and yes for the most part it is dry, but July and August can get rather humid with Monsoon season.
It is fairly herp friendly, except venomous and crocodilians. You can possess native non-protected venomous with a hunting license.
And now we have 3 shows a year(2 in Phoenix and 1 in Tucson). Plus the Super Shows in LA and San Diego are close enough to drive to.

---

Pheonix is soooo spread-out. And bland-ish...lol. But there's some hip little campus town that's fun to go to. I'm obviously not a big fan of the desert, disregard my negativity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sorraia

Thanks again!

Now after reading replies, I have another question...

When you say "good" or "absurd" in reference to housing prices, what exactly does that mean? :)

Here cost of living is ridiculously high. My husband and I practically STOLE our house, 3 bed/2bath on 0.62 acre for $115K. I found a listing in Tennessee for a similar house on 5 acres for the SAME price. Here, that property would have easily been $500K or more. Rent for an apartment here depends on what city and bedrooms, but averages around $800 for a studio or 1 bedroom. Rent on a whole house is going to be $1500+ depending on city and size of house. These aren't even L.A. prices either! I know other areas are lot less than that though.

---

Honestly it all depends on what you're looking for, how much work you're willing to put in, and what your expectations are. You can find some great deals in just about any area if you do your homework and don't hesitate if you find something you KNOW I worth it. This summer my mom found an absolutely GORGEOUS foreclosure 3,000 sq ft, 4 bed/4 bath with a wooded lot on a golf course near the IL/IN border, we walked away paying 150k. Granted,we spent the entire summer ripping down water damaged drywall in the basement, the furnace was dead, and we had to drag moldy, flea ridden carpeting out of the house in 105+ heat with no A/C, but she now has a beautiful property that is now valued around 500kand can easily be sold for more than that once the market turns around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carlson

Tori are you Minnesota too!!

---

Nope, I'm an eigth generation Vermonter :)

Actually, my AZ recommendation would be Tucson, not Phoenix. It's much easier to escape into the mountains or the desert: 30 or 45 minutes of driving to the trailhead, instead of 60 minutes just to get out of the suburbs. The city itself is older and much more politically diverse, but it still has that Arizona wild west feel going on under the hood. You can hang out at hip coffee shops and protest AZ's immigration policy, or you can take your 4WD out into the wilderness and shoot cans. In the same afternoon, if you like.

And there's lots of horse property 30 minutes from downtown, and yeah, AZ is more tolerant of snakes. If it doesn't rattle, it's probably okay.

And the Sonoran desert is so ALIVE. And you're really in it in Tucson. It's a surprisingly different feeling from the Colorado desert. I don't get that feeling much in Phoenix, it's too built up, too much down in the river valley and the farmland.

And I do have a lot of friends who live in Minneapolis who absolutely LOVE it there. Also Austin, TX and environs. I can't vouch for either myself. (These friends all live in the internet, as far as I'm concerned.)

But if you're leaning towards the Pacific NW, it's hard to argue with that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MootWorm

Honestly it all depends on what you're looking for, how much work you're willing to put in, and what your expectations are. You can find some great deals in just about any area if you do your homework and don't hesitate if you find something you KNOW I worth it. This summer my mom found an absolutely GORGEOUS foreclosure 3,000 sq ft, 4 bed/4 bath with a wooded lot on a golf course near the IL/IN border, we walked away paying 150k. Granted,we spent the entire summer ripping down water damaged drywall in the basement, the furnace was dead, and we had to drag moldy, flea ridden carpeting out of the house in 105+ heat with no A/C, but she now has a beautiful property that is now valued around 500kand can easily be sold for more than that once the market turns around.

---

I understand that, I'm just really looking for averages. For example, a friend of mine lives in Tennessee, says you can find turnkey 2000sq ft 4 bedroom houses for an average of $120K. Not there. When we were looking to buy our house (almost 3 years ago), I could definitely find houses for under $100K, but nearly all of them were better off demolished than renovated. Decent houses were all over $100K, and finding a house with more than a quarter acre for less than $200K was even harder. Of course here it depends on location too, but averages are just that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sorraia

I understand that, I'm just really looking for averages. For example, a friend of mine lives in Tennessee, says you can find turnkey 2000sq ft 4 bedroom houses for an average of $120K. Not there. When we were looking to buy our house (almost 3 years ago), I could definitely find houses for under $100K, but nearly all of them were better off demolished than renovated. Decent houses were all over $100K, and finding a house with more than a quarter acre for less than $200K was even harder. Of course here it depends on location too, but averages are just that.

---

Oh yeah I definitely understand that. In IL, if you want to stick in/near the urban areas, you'd be hard pressed to find a home like that under 100, unless you want to live In the boonies lol. At least in the mid-state/Chicagoland area. Now in Phoenix or some other areas near here, you can easily find move-in condition houses for under 75k. A good deep clean and you're ready to roll! I'm pretty sure the markets picking up here, but I can't remember the exact percentages that I was reading. But both sales and prices are increasing as of now.

I lived all over the place, I gotta say you can't go wrong with Texas.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

I've lived in TX (Blargh!), CO (quite nice), CA (for a little while very young) and WA.

Texas is crap, especially in El Paso! Never go there unless you're forced! :)

Denver CO is an awesome place, but we didn't call it the Chimney State for nothing! EVERYONE smokes, or so it seems, and I'm allergic. So yeah, I noticed that. Otherwise, it's pretty, rather warm but not stifling like TX, and has nice enough people and economy.

Washington, specifically northwestern in the Seattle/Tacoma area, is simply the best place on Earth as far as I'm concerned. :D It's one of the last ecologically stable states in the country ;), so we actually have all 4 seasons and they aren't extreme. The natural beauty is stunning and very hard to get tired of, The economy is actually pretty good, especially if you're tech or office oriented, and unless you're in the heart of a big city the cost of living is quite reasonable. I love it in the PNW and wanted to return ever since I left as a kid! And, bonus, we've got the ocean, Mt. Rainier, the only temperate rainforest on the continent, and where else can you drive through a forest just going from one city to the next? :D

---

As an added bonus, we have more bikini-type coffee stands than you can shake a stick at! And if that's not your thing, there's a Starbucks on every block!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandiR

As an added bonus, we have more bikini-type coffee stands than you can shake a stick at! And if that's not your thing, there's a Starbucks on every block!

---

Bikinis and coffee? What?! Do explain, im listening brandi...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike41793

Bikinis and coffee? What?! Do explain, im listening brandi...

---

They're drive-thru coffee stands where the baristas wear bikinis, lingerie, or are otherwise scantily clad.

What state has that? Are the girls hot?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carlson

What state has that? Are the girls hot?

---

WA, and nah not really imo lol.

I wouldn't leave SoCal. I grew up in N.Y. which is nice but there is no better weather and economy than SoCal. Most folks I know that left wanted to come back but can't because now they cant afford the homes they used to own. The weather here is the absolute best. Try living in a real winter for a year and you will be real sorry you left. Not sure what area you live
In but there are many different areas from city to suburbs, rural farm land, mountains, beach, yuppie, bohemian, you name it. Do your homework because leaving is generally a lot easier than coming back.

- - - Updated - - -

I wouldn't leave SoCal. I grew up in N.Y. which is nice but there is no better weather and economy than SoCal. Most folks I know that left wanted to come back but can't because now they cant afford the homes they used to own. The weather here is the absolute best. Try living in a real winter for a year and you will be real sorry you left. Not sure what area you live
In but there are many different areas from city to suburbs, rural farm land, mountains, beach, yuppie, bohemian, you name it. Do your homework because leaving is generally a lot easier than coming back.

:D The bikini girls vary, to put it lightly. IMHO they're twigs, but a lot of guys go for that so...

And as for the 'mega erruption'...yeah that was supposed to have happened many many years ago, and still not a cough from the big guy. Or even from the little girl (St.Helens) as it were. :D Even living on the edge of the Ring of Fire, we have fewer natural disasters than almost anywhere else...and those we do get I will take over tornadoes and hurricanes any day!

As for actual housing costs, I can only tell you general apartment prices for the different areas. I'm not in the house market, and probably won't ever be so. But it does depend on area a lot. In Seattle, a studio can cost you upwards of $1000! But in the suburbs, such as where we live, you can get a nice 1 bedroom for $700-800. And most complexes up here have good amenities and W/Ds in the apartments.

So yeah, PNW is awesome.:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

:D The bikini girls vary, to put it lightly. IMHO they're twigs, but a lot of guys go for that so...

And as for the 'mega erruption'...yeah that was supposed to have happened many many years ago, and still not a cough from the big guy. Or even from the little girl (St.Helens) as it were. :D Even living on the edge of the Ring of Fire, we have fewer natural disasters than almost anywhere else...and those we do get I will take over tornadoes and hurricanes any day!

As for actual housing costs, I can only tell you general apartment prices for the different areas. I'm not in the house market, and probably won't ever be so. But it does depend on area a lot. In Seattle, a studio can cost you upwards of $1000! But in the suburbs, such as where we live, you can get a nice 1 bedroom for $700-800. And most complexes up here have good amenities and W/Ds in the apartments.

So yeah, PNW is awesome.:D

---

My last apartment was two bed/ two bath, 1000 sq ft for $750. It was a gated complex with a pool and mini gym. I now live in a duplex, two bedroom, full basement, fenced yard, nice neighborhood...$690. But it's under priced. Something comparable is about $850 average.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandiR

They're drive-thru coffee stands where the baristas wear bikinis, lingerie, or are otherwise scantily clad.

---

Wow! It just occurred to me that they don't have bikini baristas everywhere. Is it really a West Coast/Washington thing? Mind blown right now haha what the heck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by STjepkes

Wow! It just occurred to me that they don't have bikini baristas everywhere. Is it really a West Coast/Washington thing? Mind blown right now haha what the heck!

---

I lived in Michigan for 30 years and have spent a lot of time in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and everywhere in between. I'd never seen one before moving to here. In fact, I've never seen so many drive-thru coffee stands in general.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandiR

My last apartment was two bed/ two bath, 1000 sq ft for $750. It was a gated complex with a pool and mini gym. I now live in a duplex, two bedroom, full basement, fenced yard, nice neighborhood...$690. But it's under priced. Something comparable is about $850 average.

---

Cost of living in WA is completely dependant on which side of the Cascades you live on. You'll see considerably lower prices the further east you go and much higher prices on the coast, especially near Seattle.

You guys are too funny!!! :rofl:

I had never heard of those types of coffee shops, something my husband failed to mention when he lived here.... :rolleyes:


So I found a website called "Find Your Spot" .com and filled out their quiz. Then had my husband fill out the quiz. Apparently I am a southern girl at heart, because on their list of 24 places for me to live, about a half dozen were in the Southwest, 2 were in Utah, and the rest were in the South/Southeast. My husband, on the other hand got a variety of locations, including a good number in the Northwest, the ONE place he does NOT want to live! :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

I wouldn't leave SoCal. I grew up in N.Y. which is nice but there is no better weather and economy than SoCal. Most folks I know that left wanted to come back but can't because now they cant afford the homes they used to own. The weather here is the absolute best. Try living in a real winter for a year and you will be real sorry you left. Not sure what area you live
In but there are many different areas from city to suburbs, rural farm land, mountains, beach, yuppie, bohemian, you name it. Do your homework because leaving is generally a lot easier than coming back.

---

I really am torn. I know if we leave, chances of coming back are slim to none. :(

I grew up in Redlands, have family there as well as Orange County, Ontario, and near Palm Springs, and have worked all over the place. I really liked it growing up, but it is getting harder. Currently we are living on my modest income alone. My husband has been out of work for 2 months. He has been applying to multiple places, getting interviews, and then nothing. Like a bunch of dead end streets. It is depressing. Meanwhile I suddenly see a paycheck cut AFTER getting a raise, thanks to taxes, so suddenly we are caught a little off guard with a sudden tightening in our budget. Still able to survive, but things are tight. And commuting sucks. I have done it my whole working life (since I was 15 years old), and I am getting sick and tired of it. My commute depends on where I get sent on any particular day. One of my work sites is 3 miles from home, which is GREAT! My office is about 30 miles from home, not so bad. Another work site is 87 miles from home, that is not so fun. It isn't so much the distance that's the problem though, it is the traffic (something that's pretty much expected for any metropolitan area). Traffic is the worst, and it isn't just the freeways, but surface roads as well (I need to give myself a half hour to drive 12 miles across town from my office to another office where we have our staff meetings). Half of my commute to the office is on surface roads through farmland, and all in all it takes me 45-60 minutes one way. When I have to drive out to Huntington Beach it takes me 2 hours without traffic. And then there's the crime... Crime is getting worse, and will only continue to get worse, and I'm getting sick and tired of it. My house was broken into a couple years ago, my neighbors' houses have recently been broken into, just got done dealing with drug dealing, car stealing, meth addict neighbors after a year. I'm seriously contemplating just moving to a different city, BUT there's no escaping the crime. My dad's house was also recently broken into (and unlike mine, he actually had stuff stolen), my coworkers in other cities are dealing with similar problems, crimes are occurring in all cities all across the map. There's going to be crime in every city, every state, but the difference is the per capita rate of crime and what kind of crimes. Another problem with simply moving to a different city is the affordability: We practically stole this house, getting another house with land for the horses is going to be at least double and on my paycheck alone we can't afford that. Moving further east or north into the High Desert aren't options, because then the commute would be impossible. If my husband could get a job, affordability will change, BUT with unemployment being so high in this state, we really don't have high hopes in that area. I do LOVE the weather out here, and I LOVE having every kind of scenery with just a short drive in any direction. Those are things I won't find any where else. BUT we need to decide what's worth it and what isn't. We have a baby to worry about too. There isn't much else to makes you question your safety and comfort than to have a meth addict hop your fence into your yard at 2AM, looking straight at your security camera and giving the bird, and harassing your horses, and knowing he can't be arrested and held in jail because he's considered a "low level offender".

I haven't worked out a full list yet....
Pros: weather/climate, things to do, landscapes, most of our family lives here
Cons: housing costs, taxes, crime/AB109, high unemployment rate, traffic, high population, hard to find housing with land that's affordable but still near work

the only city that could get me to leave D.C. at this point would be Austin, Tx. strong economy, decent weather (excepting July and August), and no shortage of nightlife or music. admittedly I am in the tank for Seattle, but only because I am firmly stuck in the early 1990s, and haven't heard all too many great things about living there.

good luck with your decision.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wwmjkd

the only city that could get me to leave D.C. at this point would be Austin, Tx. strong economy, decent weather (excepting July and August), and no shortage of nightlife or music. admittedly I am in the tank for Seattle, but only because I am firmly stuck in the early 1990s, and haven't heard all too many great things about living there.

good luck with your decision.

---

Nirvana was in seattle in the early '90s. There nothing bad about that! :D