CA housing prices are ridiculous. That is why we left San Diego 5 years ago. Haven't looked back. The traffic is appalling as well. And the pollution.
You might look at Vegas. Growing very fast. Yes, it gets hot, but it is a dry heat. Unlike Atlanta. Ugh. I feel like I am wading through hot water anytime I am east of Dallas.
Good luck! It is very exciting to consider all of the possiblities!
I actually recently read an article about Boise, ID which said it was a great place to live. I think it is a little too small for me, but that may be something to look into as well.
As for cold, I think the east coast has it for cold I lived in CO for 3 years and I moved to the DC area last year. This last winter in MD was colder than any winter I ever had in CO. The east coast also has it for heat. This is the hottest summer I've ever had to endure in my life. I didn't think I was going to make it some days....
In the mountains, yes, but I'm amazed (and pleased) every winter in Denver at how mild it really is. Our snowfall is relatively light, especially compared to the east coast and midwest. Yes, it snows, but it doesn't really stick around and the roads clear up in a day or so. Also, it's a very agreeable climate... I simply must have seasons and there are 4 of them here The only thing I don't like is the "spring tease"- where it will warm up a bit and then that annual storm hits in late March/early April and all of the sudden we look like Buffalo for a week. It is funny when we get visitors who are expecting a winter wonderland in Denver in January and it's brown (like I said, different story 40 miles west)- happens to my dad every New Years and he still hasn't caught on .
The housing market is starting to level off a bit in Denver- it is, by no means, cheap compared to many places, but affordable if you look around.
I love this city. Very different from the percieved "cowtown" of years past. Great downtown, moving economy, and there are TONS of transplants here, so you won't feel alone (ESPECIALLY if you from Cali )
So:
*climate: good
*people: not bad, but it's a very young city, which may appeal to you
*housing: improving
*cost of living: ginormous
*drivers:
*recreational opportunities: amazing
Oh, and we have more days of sunshine/year than San Diego, I think is what the weatherman tells me...
Everytime I've gone through Denver in the winter it has been doing it's Buffalo imitation. I am more familiar with southern CO, Pagosa Springs, Alamosa, Wolf Creek....lots of snow. Up to my knees. Not for me, that's for sure. But then I am a huge wimp and would never even consider moving to the midwest (NE, WI and the like). Brrrr!! I am in New Mexico, the land of perfect weather, reasonable housing prices, and green chile.
If you don't like heat, you can scratch Texas off your list. But re: floods/tornados, I personally prefer my natural disasters to come out of the sky where I can see them, which is why I would never live in California, the land of earthquakes and mudslides.
If you don't like heat, you can scratch Texas off your list. But re: floods/tornados, I personally prefer my natural disasters to come out of the sky where I can see them, which is why I would never live in California, the land of earthquakes and mudslides.
Oh, you have no sense of adventure! We had a huge couple of quakes a few summers back and the joke was that the heat causes earthquakes (think Shake and Bake!). I do wonder about it myself--we live right along one of the biggest fault lines (it runs along I-10) and we're only 6 miles from I-10, so if the "big one" does hit, I wonder what will happen. We're mostly prepared--but I don't think anyone can be totally prepared.
Personally, I'm terrified of tornados and I doubt I'd like a hurricane, either.
Anyway, we're wondering where we'd like to retire to. We loved the Palm Springs area here when we arrived 16 years ago, but we want to retire in a few years and the growth here is amazing. Farm land is being eaten up by housing tracts and country clubs. The cost of housing is going up, up, up. I'm almost thinking New Mexico myself. We're from SLC, Utah originally, and I don't think we want to go back to such harsh winters. I'd love to live in a smaller community, perhaps one that is an hour or so away from a more populous area so we can venture in every month to stock up on supplies.
Hello everyone thanks for the advice. I have to really think about were to move but I have to move some were so I could buy a home soon before my daughter gets older i want her to grow in a perm. home.
I also consider moving. I currently live in Euless, TX, which is just between Dallas and Fort Worth (right in the Middle). I have always wanted to move to CO, but truthfully it's difficult to move, especially when I realize I probably DO live in one of the cheapest areas of the country to live in. A decent house in these parts costs about $200K, but you can certainly find cheaper. And housing prices are dropping right now due to the over-building that is going on. So it's tough to sell...also a clencher to me moving. Texas is nice - we do have a lot here, but I admit I get pretty tired of having the one big long summer that lasts from about May until September or October (we are still in the 90's right now in mid Sept) and only getting one quick cold blast around Jan or Feb. We essentially have two springs - one in the fall months and another the standard time - March/April. I'm a cold weather girl, and of course, as for most this summer has been one of the worst we've had since 1998. I get tired of the heat and long for cold weather. I guess you always want what you don't have. As for CA, so many I know move away and HAVE to go back. I understand it's a tough state to leave bc it has so much. I wouldn't move there bc it would just be too cost prohibitive.
I am currently a single legal assistant, and haven't given up the dream to move to CO one day. My target goal - CO Springs - but I'd settle for Denver if I had to. Tough to leave family...and I guess that's the biggest scary thought
PS...while Dallas is not Colorado or somewhere with mountains, we do have active people here, decent bike trails and some really nice state parks. You might be surprised. I'm an avid Mtn Biker here and there are several trails in the metroplex. Not mountain MOUNTAINs, of course (since we don't have mountains) but they are still pretty nice. Salaries are OK - mean salary is about $40K for teachers for example. I just want to leave bc I want MOUNTAINS...and always have! The question IS...is it worth the risk????
Hmmmp, I notice no one is dying to move to Alaska! We have real mountains, we have seasons (and plenty of COLD), we have reasonably priced housing ($200K will buy you a nice place), and no state income tax! So we have dark dark days in the winter (5 hours of daylight), but that balances with light light days in the summer (19 hours of daylight). We don't have large cities, and food is expensive. Ah, we love living here, and no one on this thread has persuaded me to move yet. Fun to hear what everyone likes about their home state though.
What I would suggest would be to look in the North Sacramento area like Rio Linda and Marysville area and so on. You would be more likely to find a job near a large city and in the northern part you can still find some relatively inexpensive homes. Found this one online today: A 2 YEAR NEW 3BR/1BA Great Location! Only $215,000. Look for an agent that will work with you on a lease with option to buy. Sometimes the owner will do a private loan or will allow you to pay extra monthly on your lease to put towards your down payment. During this time you can still be some what near your family not feeling totally detached and when holidays and what not come around you can still get together. The problem sometimes when people move out of California is that when they want to come back they find it difficult to do so. I am not saying your idea is a bad one it is very common but in your situation I would look at all of your options first.
If you don't like heat, you can scratch Texas off your list. But re: floods/tornados, I personally prefer my natural disasters to come out of the sky where I can see them, which is why I would never live in California, the land of earthquakes and mudslides.
This cracks me up, hear it all the time. I have lived in both TX and CA. TX consists of tornados, hurricanes, feezing temps, excrutiating humidity, ridiculous spontainious rains, the list goes on...SEASONALLY!!! Earthquakes and mudslides are occassional at best. When I initially moved to Tx from Ca (then returned 4 years later) alot of natives asked if the earthquakes bothered me or was I scared to live there...like it was a daily occurance or something.
I lived most of my life in SoCA before moving to Missouri. Nice place to raise a family and buy a home. Depending on what your career is I can't say much about jobs. I moved from there to Dallas and no offense to you Texans...I wouldn't live there again if they gave me a house free! It was a very long 7 months there and I couldn't wait to leave. I am currently living close to Wichita,Kansas now because when I met DH this is where he was and so I moved here because he has a good job and it is a good place to raise kids, the schools are decent and the cost of living is as well. You can find a nice house anywhere starting from about $120,000...depending on what you want and how big. There are lots of Aircraft jobs with having Cessna, Boeing, oops, Spirit now, Raytheon, shoot, there's a few more, just can't think of them. The weather is okay...about every 2 years we get a good snow...last winter was pretty mild, don't think we actually had much of a winter. Summer this year was a hot one but it's only a few months a year so it's not so bad. Tornado's...well, I've lived here going on 9 years now and have yet to see one. We do have some severe thunderstorms but I think all in all it's not so bad. Anyway, good luck with your home search. I hope you find the perfect place to move to!
WaterRat...I would love to move to Alaska! I came close before I met my DH.
In Ca, Earthquakes (large enough to affect anyone) happen only once in like 10 years. Mudslides: only if you live on a hill with no mudslide protection plan(rare)...SB/LA are ridiculously expensive but the climate is best of the best. I would also look into new mexico and phoenix/scottsdale.
some myths:
1.big cities have more pollution. yes they do but pollens can do more harm to ur lungs than dust and some areas like Iowa/kansas have worse air quality index than newyork/los angeles.(cdc)
2.big cities :more crime. if you check the FBI crime rates, places like kansas city have more rates than new york/sfo/la.
3.expensive house:higher salary. Not true. some places like FL/GA have relatively low salaries compared to housing rates.
You could also talk to a real estate agent and tell him your prefernces, make charts etc...and let him suggest.you could also attend some real estate seminars before buying a house if this is your first house. the seminars can be quite informative and helpful.
I lived in CO for 3 years and I moved to the DC area last year. This last winter in MD was colder than any winter I ever had in CO. The east coast also has it for heat. This is the hottest summer I've ever had to endure in my life. I didn't think I was going to make it some days....
The only thing I don't like is the "spring tease"- where it will warm up a bit and then that annual storm hits in late March/early April and all of the sudden we look like Buffalo for a week. It is funny when we get visitors who are expecting a winter wonderland in Denver in January and it's brown (like I said, different story 40 miles west)- happens to my dad every New Years and he still hasn't caught on 
. 
