Is the grass greener?

[XL.Overland]

There's zero threat of hurricanes in Tennessee. I'm a born and bred Tennessean and I have never had to deal with threats of hurricanes.

Tornadoes on the other hand... those happen. We get crazy thunderstorms too, but definitely not hurricanes.

Ok. Tornados then. I get the two confused. For someone on the west coast, I guess we think they're pretty much the same.


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[southernfire97]

They are a bit narrow so be careful if you are pulling a trailer.

No trailer. Running it in the JKU.


2005 Jeep Wrangler
2005 GMC Sierra
2014 Jeep Wrangler

OB#4392

 

[eloist]

Ok. Tornados then. I get the two confused. For someone on the west coast, I guess we think they're pretty much the same.


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Tornadoes just keep ya on your toes

 

[southernfire97]

There isn't anywhere in the U.S. that you can get away from all forms of natural disasters. It will either be hurricanes, tornados, flooding or something. Just know that when it's your time, it's your time. Live where you get to make the most of life, because none of us will make it out alive.


2005 Jeep Wrangler
2005 GMC Sierra
2014 Jeep Wrangler

OB#4392

 

[Glenn]

Tennessee has been on our list for a while. Everything about it seems perfect for us, but there are a couple downsides to it that have kinda pulled us away from it. Those downsides being: hurricanes, and being so far from our families. My Dad is planning on moving to Utah, and the rest of both of our immediate family is here in California. I don't mind being away from any of our family, but we would like to be within a days drive. Right now we're heavily leaning on Colorado, but we won't know for sure until after our family trip there this summer. I have a feeling we're going to love it. Planning a two week trip that starts in California with stops over a few days in Utah's mighty five (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Moab), then on to Silverton CO for 5 days and exploring the surrounding area, then 4 corners monument (I'm and land surveyor and have to see it), then to the north rim of the Grand Canyon for a couple days, and back home. This trip is going to be epic and can't wait. Just hope our middle son's hernia surgery doesn't end up scheduled when we are planning to be gone. That could throw a wrench in the whole plan.


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Now THAT is indeed an epic lineup man...some day all that is on the bucket list trip for us. Hope it works out for you !

 

[JPaul]

I live in the Salt Lake area of Utah currently and both my wife and I want to move out fairly soon, probably within the next couple of years. The economy is super stable and has been growing lately, but unfortunately so has the population. Just in the last 5 years or so it's started to really explode which has been good and bad. Good because my home value went up enough to be able to refinance my two mortgages into one without having to pay mortgage insurance (we had to get two when we bought the house for the same reason, we didn't have any money to put down, this was back in 2006). And now when we go to sell we'll have a ton of equity built up. But the bad is that there are a LOT more people here now, and it's getting way too crowded for my liking. We're also getting a lot of California folk coming out here and it's starting to show with the direction things have been heading lately.

I'm also not a fan of the constant sub 20% humidity. I grew up in southern New Hampshire and while 100% humidity isn't fun, 5% isn't either... I never used chapstick until I moved out west.

We're looking at moving to the north east (and being from NH north means above Massachusetts...), we're taking a family trip out there in the beginning of June to not only have a nice vacation, but to scope things out as a family and see how we feel about it.

I lived in Colorado Springs for a while before I ended up in Utah, but honestly Colorado isn't all that appealing to me unless I go live up in the mountains. But Colorado is getting ruined faster than Utah is by the Californians...

The only major problem we see is finding good work in our respective fields. My wife is a grade school teacher and while the jobs out there pay better, it's a little harder to find openings. And I'm a Linux admin, so while there is work out there for me there isn't as much unless I commute down to MAss, but then I have to pay their darn income tax. I could always change careers, but it'd be hard for me to keep making as much as I do now I think. We'll be looking into it more probably after this upcoming trip.

 

[XL.Overland]

I live in the Salt Lake area of Utah currently and both my wife and I want to move out fairly soon, probably within the next couple of years. The economy is super stable and has been growing lately, but unfortunately so has the population. Just in the last 5 years or so it's started to really explode which has been good and bad. Good because my home value went up enough to be able to refinance my two mortgages into one without having to pay mortgage insurance (we had to get two when we bought the house for the same reason, we didn't have any money to put down, this was back in 2006). And now when we go to sell we'll have a ton of equity built up. But the bad is that there are a LOT more people here now, and it's getting way too crowded for my liking. We're also getting a lot of California folk coming out here and it's starting to show with the direction things have been heading lately.

I'm also not a fan of the constant sub 20% humidity. I grew up in southern New Hampshire and while 100% humidity isn't fun, 5% isn't either... I never used chapstick until I moved out west.

We're looking at moving to the north east (and being from NH north means above Massachusetts...), we're taking a family trip out there in the beginning of June to not only have a nice vacation, but to scope things out as a family and see how we feel about it.

I lived in Colorado Springs for a while before I ended up in Utah, but honestly Colorado isn't all that appealing to me unless I go live up in the mountains. But Colorado is getting ruined faster than Utah is by the Californians...

The only major problem we see is finding good work in our respective fields. My wife is a grade school teacher and while the jobs out there pay better, it's a little harder to find openings. And I'm a Linux admin, so while there is work out there for me there isn't as much unless I commute down to MAss, but then I have to pay their darn income tax. I could always change careers, but it'd be hard for me to keep making as much as I do now I think. We'll be looking into it more probably after this upcoming trip.

If and when I relocate, it wouldn't be to a major city like Salt Lake anyway. I'd much rather be out in the sticks...even more so than I am now. Thanks for the insight though.


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[JoeCool]

I live in the Salt Lake area of Utah currently and both my wife and I want to move out fairly soon, probably within the next couple of years. The economy is super stable and has been growing lately, but unfortunately so has the population. Just in the last 5 years or so it's started to really explode which has been good and bad. Good because my home value went up enough to be able to refinance my two mortgages into one without having to pay mortgage insurance (we had to get two when we bought the house for the same reason, we didn't have any money to put down, this was back in 2006). And now when we go to sell we'll have a ton of equity built up. But the bad is that there are a LOT more people here now, and it's getting way too crowded for my liking. We're also getting a lot of California folk coming out here and it's starting to show with the direction things have been heading lately.

I'm also not a fan of the constant sub 20% humidity. I grew up in southern New Hampshire and while 100% humidity isn't fun, 5% isn't either... I never used chapstick until I moved out west.

We're looking at moving to the north east (and being from NH north means above Massachusetts...), we're taking a family trip out there in the beginning of June to not only have a nice vacation, but to scope things out as a family and see how we feel about it.

I lived in Colorado Springs for a while before I ended up in Utah, but honestly Colorado isn't all that appealing to me unless I go live up in the mountains. But Colorado is getting ruined faster than Utah is by the Californians...

The only major problem we see is finding good work in our respective fields. My wife is a grade school teacher and while the jobs out there pay better, it's a little harder to find openings. And I'm a Linux admin, so while there is work out there for me there isn't as much unless I commute down to MAss, but then I have to pay their darn income tax. I could always change careers, but it'd be hard for me to keep making as much as I do now I think. We'll be looking into it more probably after this upcoming trip.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as most, would like a change of scenery after the last kid is off to college but there is the issue about jobs and state income tax, etc. I am also a systems administrator but for Microsoft, and I think about the same things regarding relocation. The places that pay similar will be heavily populated cities and I'm not big on spending several hours of my day sitting in traffic to commute. A remote position would be ideal with occasional office visits, but those are hard to find.

The biggest problem for me is all of the cool places I used to go years ago (north GA, TN, NC/SC) are all getting so over crowded, which is the reason I moved to central Florida from south Florida in the first place. Now central Florida is starting to get that way. There's just too many people on the planet and the planet hasn't grown fast enough to keep up.

Keep us posted on your decision, I'm curious to see where you and your family call "home". Good luck!

Joe
OB#5011

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Fruita, CO. 300+ days of sunshine a year, epic mtn biking right in town, skiing is less than 45mins away. Moab and SE Utah is right on your doorstep for unparalleled off-highway adventures.

 

[Randy P]

Fruita, CO. 300+ days of sunshine a year, epic mtn biking right in town, skiing is less than 45mins away. Moab and SE Utah is right on your doorstep for unparalleled off-highway adventures.

What's a "Home Rule Municipality ?"

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[gino]

Why not get in your rig, and go explore? Philosophically speaking, the grass is generally not greener. You have to find happiness within, and it is possible to take that anywhere you go. Now, the lifestyle question simply depends on how you want to spend your time on Earth. [emoji846]

FWIW, I grew up I. Atlanta, lived in the Bay Area for 20 years, Chico for six, Boulder and Denver for two, and now Portland for the past five. Nothing beats the western US.

If I were you, I'd get in my rig, and explore the places in the west I'm interested in, until I find the one that feels best for my criteria. Go!


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[Jorge]

My pick would be somewhere in the Four Corners area between Santa Fe and Rio Rancho (ABQ suburb). A lot of people don't know, but Santa Fe sits at over 7,000ft. I feel northern New Mexico is great because you have the mountains and the desert in your backyard. You have Durango and the Alpine Loop just 3.5 hours North, you have Sedona/Flagstaff/Grand Canyon within 5.5 hours to the West, Canyonlands/Arches/Moab is within 6.5 hours. You'll be hard-pressed to find so many topography changes in a relative small area, excluding California. Colorado is already too crowded and too expensive. I personally feel Northern New Mexico will have an explosion of growth in the next 20 years, it will be the new Colorado years from now. I mean Outdoor Magazine is based out of NM.

 

[XJ.Overland]

My pick would be somewhere in the Four Corners area between Santa Fe and Rio Rancho (ABQ suburb). A lot of people don't know, but Santa Fe sits at over 7,000ft. I feel northern New Mexico is great because you have the mountains and the desert in your backyard. You have Durango and the Alpine Loop just 3.5 hours North, you have Sedona/Flagstaff/Grand Canyon within 5.5 hours to the West, Canyonlands/Arches/Moab is within 6.5 hours. You'll be hard-pressed to find so many topography changes in a relative small area, excluding California. Colorado is already too crowded and too expensive. I personally feel Northern New Mexico will have an explosion of growth in the next 20 years, it will be the new Colorado years from now. I mean Outdoor Magazine is based out of NM.

I completely agree. I'm from TN, but worked (and will be back out next summer) in Northeastern New Mexico at the Scout ranch out there and it's absolutely gorgeous: "where the Rockies meet the plains."

You can go out wheeling in the desert, then 30min later, go fly fishing in Cimarron Canyon or go over to Taos. Damnit I miss it..."I wanna go BACKKKKKKKKKKKKKK to Philmont!"


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[The Raven]

Being from MA, and lived in Maine the past 17 years i can say that every state has good areas and bad. I lived in a bad section of ME and what made it bad was the small town "not from hereitus" in fact it got so bad my family had to sell out after the town decided to stop maintaining my road which resulted in a lawsuit and death threats. Right now we are based out of a different small town and the people here, mostly from away are lovely, taxes are low and the QOL is superior. Small town life is not always what its cracked up to be.

We are on the road now and exploring, we want to experience different areas before we settle. Maine has been enough of a bad experience to have actually caused some mild PTSD issues. Hope to avoid that in the future!

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[Clunky]

I spent almost my entire life in Northern CA (Sacramento and Bay Area) before moving to TX then to Northern AZ. Zero regrets! CA does have the best weather, but there are more than enough negatives to offset that factor.

I say go for it!

 

[HankinWI]

Grew up in California and left 17 years ago, no regrets! Wish I'd done it much sooner. It's a beautiful state with just way too many people. At some point it'll be Idaho or possibly Northern Nevada for me...

 

[Saints&Sailors]

To break up the echo chamber a bit and be contrarian, I moved to California from the east. I can say personally that the grass is not figuratively greener on the other side of the Sierras. Yes, taxes and cost of living are high in CA. It's not a secret - most places worth living have the same issues. Wages are also higher in CA than pretty much everywhere else (small exceptions here and there for Barrow, Alaska and the like) to help make up for the difference. Not saying it balances out but it does help alleviate some of it. California also has the largest economy which means there are more jobs. Lots of times people move for a job not realizing that they also need to keep in mind where their next job is going to be located, not just the current one. It's not 1960 anymore, companies don't care about you and you can't expect to work at the same place for decades. Perhaps land surveying has a different dynamic than my industry - but, regardless, something to consider. Moving is a big decision, you don't want to get burned. Also, California is one of the few states where you can live in an urban area and have access to oceans, mountains, lakes, forests, world class national parks, etc. all accessible within a short weekend trip. No vacation days necessary. It's expensive but it's a lifestyle choice.

Utah sounds great on paper until you actually spend time there dealing with weak beer, ridiculous alcohol/bar laws, and a state government that is off the deep end. The smog in SLC and the surrounding valley is pretty bad too - with higher rates of cancer to show for it. Don't get me wrong, Utah is a great place to visit - I've been there probably 20+ times and love it but it's not a place that I'd be able to live forever. My uncle and his family lived there for a number of years and they always felt on the "outside" despite all the things they had in common with the state. Eventually they moved.

All of the above being said, if you and your family are dead set on leaving CA, the people who recommended Grand Junction and Fruita, Colorado know something. Beautiful area, far cheaper than the front range of CO, and close to tons of outdoor recreation. I had an old coworker who lived out there and had a great life as a result. Take a trip, check it out and see for yourself. A few hundred dollars in gas is cheap insurance in case you move somewhere and end up hating it.

 

[rzims]

I was born and raised in the bay area and now that the kids are out and I'm nearing retirement, I've been having this discussion.
I'll most likely stay in No Cal since my kids, and now my grandkids are here, but I'm definitely looking for land/house up out of the more populated areas.
CA is definitely expensive, but I think if you're willing to be an hour or two outside of the populated cities, you can do pretty well.

Of course, I'm not telling ya where I'm going because then everyone would go there and you're all the reason I'm leaving (joking obviously)

 

[gargamel05]

Been in Cali all my life. Dying to get out asap...

 

[Glenny]

Wow. This thread blew up over the last couple days. Thanks for all the great replies. A little about me: I was born and raised in California until I was 14 when I moved to Las Vegas to live with my dad and go to high school. Even at that point in my life I knew I didn't want to be in California. I know what you're talking about as far as people not necessarily liking people from California, but all in all I got along just fine. Plus the ladies loved the California boy. After high school I attended UNLV for a couple years until I moved out on my own. I quickly racked up some dept (as we all do), and got in over my head as far as finances were concerned which lead me back to California so my mom and grandparents could bail me out. Found the girl of my dreams, had kids, and now neither of us want to raise our kids here. We're both very "Southern" as far as hospitality and overall helpfulness/courtesy is concerned, so I don't expect us to muddy the waters wherever we land. I am leaning more and more towards Colorado and Utah, because I think it will give us the best of both worlds. Climate we are used to, and wide open spaces. Thanks again everyone.

I moved from Atlanta GA to Sandy, UT about 2.5 years ago and wish I had done it 10 years ago! I am not Morman but that has never bothered my wife or I. We were looking at Colorado due to our outdoor interests when I picked up the University of Utah as a client and everything changed. We both can live anywhere so there were no real limitations. The mountains are so close unlike Boulder where we had planned to move. There is so much to do and see. I may have become bias but I have come to prefer Utah over Colorado. I don't find the silly beer laws overly annoying. I am a food guy so the restaurant scene is a little behind the rest of the country but getting better downtown and near the University and Sugar House. The smog isn't that bad where I am and really only gets bad when pollution from states West of us get caught in our bowl in the winter due to the inversion. Really doesn't last that long. Smoke from forrest fires west of us also gets caught in our bowl but blows out. Home prices are going up but you can still get a lot house here depending on where you live. Coming from California they will probably seem cheap to you unless you want to live in Park City. I can go on but don't want to bore you. You want to visit Utah let me know. All the houses where we are seem to be built for families with 4 kids. It is just my wife and I and our three dogs so we have plenty of room if you want a place to stay and explore the area.


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