Posted on 06/09/2010 11:37:43 PM PDT by A Navy Vet
We are done with California. We are looking at Arizona area between Phoenix (too hot) and Flagstaff (too cold. Sedona is to expensive. We're thinking about mid-way up I-17 to Camp Verde, Spring Valley, and/or Lake Montezuma.
We looked at Prescott and spent some time there looking at properties, but it is too far from the Interstate Hwy and airports.
(Excerpt) Read more at maps.google.com ...
Welcome to the California Refugee Club.
I’m a Cali native who left L.A. and landed in North Texas four years ago. Best move we could have made, in my opinion.
Good luck in your Arizona quest.
What’s Lake Havasu City like?
I have advice for you based on many people’s experiences, even if it’s not the advice you seek. I do hope you will at least think about this:
I would suggest, that since you are not that familiar with the areas, where you would like to move, to RENT, do NOT buy at this time. Test it out, see if you like it, before you make a serious commitment and actually buy. If you like it, you become familiar with the places and you can buy in a year or so, if you don’t like it, you didn’t put yourself into a situation you can’t get out of.
When you sell your house in CA, you get homeowner’s exemptions (check with tax accountant with exact amount), so hopefully you won’t end up with any taxes, and even if you do, it’s cheaper, than putting yourself into an untenable situation to save a few thousand dollars.
I know not one, but many people, who moved, bought houses and then found out that they did not really want to live there, and some overpaid for the house, because sellers/brokers do take advantage of out-of-state buyers. Then they were stuck, not being able to sell, not being able to afford to move back to CA, and ended up being miserable, with no way out. People think the grass is always greener, and so on.
Depending on the payment you have on your CA home, you might consider renting it, rather than selling it — first of all, right now it is not a good time to sell, second of all, if you don’t like it where you are going, you can always come back, easily.
Good luck and don’t rush your decision.
We have looked at Las Vegas properties that are the most depreciated, but, again, too hot. We could sell our house in Orange County for about $700,000 even in this depressed market and get the same for about half. We have a prime location in Mission Viejo, CA.
Real Estate agents/brokers are welcome to give us Freepmail input. Please don't sell your services on this board.
I am going to insist that my wife, her daughter, her parents, and my dog get the hell out of this State. I'm done. I just need some guidance on where to move that has similar Southern California weather but more freedom. Reno is a thought. West Texas is another, as to avoid the humidity and bugs.
I know this is a vanity, but there is a political Constitutional back story and I hope the Admin folks don't delete it. We simply want to be in a place that supports Constitutional principles. Okay?
such a shame for a beautiful state. we live 6 hours North and won’t ever drive across that state line for any reason.
we like our God given rights too much.
Will you be commuting to either Flagstaff or Phoenix to work? Or are you just looking to settle in?
any help?
“where to move that has similar Southern California weather but more freedom”
Therein lies the problem — to my knowledge there isn’t any place in the US where you have both the nice weather and freedom. You can have one of the two.
A lot of nice places, but they are mostly too hot. As I said, I know a lot of people who moved, and can’t stand the heat. It’s different when you live somewhere 24/7.
Some people move and like it, but if you like the CA weather, even if the politics is awful, think hard.
People tell me Costa Rica is nice...
Har! "CFC"! Works. Thanks for your reply. So which part of Texas has the least humidity and bugs, and has a small town feel along with some city life access and not far from an Interstate? I know it's a lot to ask.
We're thinking around the Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland area. We want to avoid the liberal Austin types, but don't want the New Mexico hippie overflow nor be too rural. What say you about those regions? Thanks for the input and feel free to give me other suggestions for Tejas that doesn't have the lib mentality and crappy weather and bugs. God Bless Texas! I think of living there almost every day.
Best to you.
I’m going to echo post #4. I’m a Cali realtor, inactive, and not in your area so I can’t properly serve you.
In non-bubble areas (you mentioned Reno, for one) you are missing absolutely NOTHING by renting for some period of time. You will be missing zero appreciation and possibly saving yourself from getting into a situation where you become a property owner in a place you don’t like and lose 5-10% getting out of it, assuming prices are stable where they sit. IMO, prices will decline farther in most areas.
Rent for a year. It is ONLY in certain time periods, generally in CA, where you missed big appreciation by not owning. If you are not going to live in CA...it doesn’t apply. That kind of appreciation, as far as I’m concerned, is pretty much inconceivable over the next few years. If you’re thinking about outlying areas such as Ariz, NV...I cannot imagine you’ll be missing any kind of appreciation. If you have kids in school, that’s a whole other story, but otherwise, I can’t stress enough that you should rent for a year. Be in no hurry.
Please tag these thread “movingstate” - they would be useful for other Freepers who happen to miss the post
so you're finally gonna take the plunge. GOOD on ya'. Give me a call and I'll give you the name and phone number of a realtor in LHC/Mohave County.
★ FREEDOM! ★
You might want to consider any of the smaller towns surrounding the DFW metroplex... That being said west Texas definitely has less humidity. I live just outside a small town up near the Red River and love it. Just enough winter to remind yourself how you hate winter. Can get hot in the summer, but it’s summer, so no surprises there. Good luck with your quest for utopia. (grins)
Congratulations on your decision. The writing is on the wall and you had the foresight to see it and begin to act. People who fail to act in a timely manner end up being “the last white farmer in Zimbabwe”, slaughtered like a lamb. That won’t be you. Again, congratulations.
I like the advice I'm seeing. Rent and scout areas in and around Verde Valley/Prescott. The area I see near Prescott seems nice and may offer a less harsher winter than Flagstaff while not having the heat we have in the Phoenix area. Nice central location to explore the state from.
Real estate all around here is dead. I've been telling friends coming here to sit and wait if they are in no rush. For you it's a matter of acquainting yourself with the area, and I think you'll be in good shape the longer you wait.
The banks can't hold onto all those foreclosures forever, or can they?
People here are as nice as I've ever met. Just wonderful. Cheers and good luck!
I left California last year. It was the best decision I ever made. I have to agree with many who have posted here that you should spend some time in an area before you make the commitment to purchase another house in a new area.
Many California migrants in my area (Idaho), moved up here, bought houses and are now in foreclosure. They paid way too much for their house, and they didn't research jobs and income levels before they bought.
Now, they have lost thier equity and house, and have fewer options.
Don't jump out of the oven and into a frying pan. If you buy in an area and discover it isn't going to work, you are really stuck.
It is becoming increasingly more difficult to leave California with home equities tanking. Don't wait for the market values to rise . . .that will be years (if ever)
By the way, I forgot to turn out the lights when I left. Could you get them for me? Thanks
Uh....ever hear the phrase, "Texas - it's like a whole 'nother country." ?
It really is so big, that unless you've traveled the state for years in some job, you're not likely to know much about all the various cities and regions.
The western half tends to be drier and browner, while the eastern half tends to be wetter and greener. I'm in the green half.
We're thinking around the Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland area. We want to avoid the liberal Austin types, but don't want the New Mexico hippie overflow nor be too rural. What say you about those regions?
Sounds to me like you've narrowed it down quite well for someone who doesn't live here. The cities you mentioned are all smaller metros than Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or Houston. They're drier than where I am, as well. The rule in Texas (as in most places) is, the smaller the community, the more conservative it tends to be.
The thing about Texas is that you can find a semi-rural location that has just the right feel for you, socially, but is also within not-too-difficult reach of a big metro area. I'm in ranch/farm country that is only ten miles away the nearest interstate and a bustling little city. The Dallas metroplex is 20 miles further down the road from there. Gotta tell you that we love it out here.
We'll be taking jobs with us, so no problem if the local job market doesn't pay as much as the big city.
I've had Kingman, Arizona recommended to me. It cools down at night, and isn't as hot as, say, Lake Havasu City or Bullhead.
Right now prices are fairly low. Some people are predicting some rise in real estate prices when the bridge over the Hoover Dam is finally completed, but we will wait and see.
We're hoping to take a road trip by the end of this year.
We're not wedded to the idea of moving to Kingman. I've also had Prescott Valley, Camp Verde, etc. recommended to me.
My first thought was Flagstaff, but the housing prices there are getting kind of pricy. Phoenix is too hot, and I'm not willing to live any further south than that, as I don't want to live near the border.
The only thing I personally know about Havasu is that it gets hotter, temperature-wise, than places further inland such as Kingman. It’s also right on the river, which may or may not be attractive.
You'll have to ask someone else to get the lights. I left California four years ago.
I agree with you about researching an area before you make the commitment to purchase a home there. My wife and I spent months doing due diligence on our move, and still missed some things that made the transition kinda tough.
Hot as hell in the summer. It's a desert area that the Colorado river runs through. Used to go on the Laughlin biker runs every year some years back.
Lake Havasu is about 50 miles down from Laughlin/Bullhead City that we would ride to. There's nothing there except for the lake. The only good thing is that it is Arizona and has no "nanny" helmet laws and you can open carry on your hip...loaded. Arizona has THE least criminal activity of all the States because of that.
It simply amazes me that the whiny utopian liberals NEVER ever look at the stats regarding self-defense with home weapons. SO many have used their weapons to stop home invasions and other crimes and it never gets reported. Pfft!
That said: Arizona is our last frontier. They are on the forefront of our "illegal immigration" issue. I was a Minuteman back in April 2005 and watched them simply patrol the border areas and NEVER pull their weapons on the illegals who were just trying to get a job, as illegal as that is. Now, we have major drug smugglers and rapists and murderers on our borders.
It's past time to shoot and kill those murdering scum. Sure you heard or read about all the bodies found in a cave yesterday, with their hearts cut out? And we should treat them civily, why?
I say put the states' National Guard on the border and shoot to kill if they can determine maids/gardeners from coyotes, drug smugglers, and opportunists who rape and murder their own paid crossers.
Dead those monsters. Actually, I take that back. Sting 'em up; shoot them in the knees to extract intell; shoot them in the elbows to get more intel. If that doesn't work, point the small caliber at their testicles.
Yes, I'm a hardcore SOB who has no problem with torture of the bad guys if saves good peoples' lives. Sue me.
In case you don't agree with the above, think about this: How much compassion do you have in your life? Do you have compassion for the sicko freaks who rape and kill young girls? Of course you don't.
Do you have compassion for those who kill innocents in the name of an ideology and/or theology? I don't. And if you don't, why??
Best.
Just Google “William and Cheryl” and you'll find them.
We think about leaving too. Some of my Wife's family moved to MS, and they keep trying to get us back there. Too Hot, Too Humid and Bugs as big as the birds here don't do it for us. Nice place to visit four months out of the year.
We're spoiled by the Weather and the Pacific Ocean is ten minutes from the house. Also have my Elderly Aunt and Father in Leisure World to take care of, so it would be tough.
Good luck. Freepmail me if you need any other info.
Agree with you about the California weather. For someone who was born and raised in California, that’s been one of the toughest things about relocating to another state.
Funny how I rarely appreciated the weather in California during most of my life. When you’re born there, you relate to that weather differently than someone who’s from a state with wider temperature and seasonal swings. For me, the weather was rarely ideal, but that’s the way a native perceives it.
I don’t know of any other area of the country that has such a small temperature differential year-round, as California does. If you’re going to leave there, be prepared to make some mental and physical adjustments for weather.
Look at the Northern Tucson area. Higher elevation gives you a 5 - 10 degree break on the heat and you are right off the highways. Northern areas (Oro Valley etc) are conservative unlike Tucson and south Tucson.AWB
You’re just not going to find anything with SoCal’s weather consistency once you move inland. Once you move just about anywhere 200+ miles inland, you’re going to deal with real weather changes - even if it is from “hot to hotter” in places in AZ, or actual four seasons in a place like Reno.
I’d echo all of those who recommend renting before buying.
Reno, BTW, has several areas with different weather situations. If you’re south of town (including Washoe Valley), you can find there are storms that dump huge winds off the east side of the mountains - like 70MPH in some severe storms. North of Reno, you won’t find quite the same level of wind, but you’d likely be dealing with some traffic if you have to drive into Reno or Sparks for a regular commute.
You also need to be aware that there are areas of Reno that probably ought not have been converted to residential real estate - eg, I wouldn’t live in the houses in the “Double Diamond” area (ie, down on the flat, east of US-395, south of Reno’s airport) if you paid me - they’re build on ground that used to flood in the spring, and the water level can be quite high in the ground there.
You should also not count out the Carson City area if you look at Reno.
Overall, as someone who has lived in a lot of places across the US, I think that northern Nevada (north of US-6) has some of the nicest weather - it has seasons, but they’re rarely extreme (either like the heat in Vegas or Phoenix, or the cold in places like WY/MT), they have a lot of sunshine (usually over 300 days a year). The winters are, compared to northern tier states, quite mild, but they’re real winters compared to SoCal.
Agree with you about the weather. My family in CA dates to 1890, and I was born & raised there. We wised up in 1972 (we were living in the Bay Area at the time) and accepted a job transfer to the Houston area. It took me 2 years to get used to the weather enough to go outside! I live in WI now, with 5 years spent in WA State, and I’m continually surprised by the weather because you never have to plan ahead in CA for weather. 2 seasons — dry and rainy, with dry being the bulk of the year. Anything you didn’t get done in the yard this week can always be done next week. Doesn’t work that way in other parts of the country.
That said, the move was the smartest thing we ever did, even though we missed out on the great property appreciation drive up in prices of the late 70s. I figure that our move may have saved the lives of our children, because I don’t like what I see among some of their old friends who remained in CA.
This is a beautiful country, and there are a lot of really nice places that leave CA in the dust. It’s probably a good idea to not metion that you are from CA until you’ve known your new friends for a long time. They won’t be impressed, and (depending on where you move) may actually become hostile. In WA State the natives call them “Californicators”.
I have lived 30 years in Texas and 30 years in California.
Texas has horrible weather, bugs, and high property taxes.
I’ve found the climate here is perfect for me, having lived in various parts of AZ and SoCal.
My problem is not in finding a place to live: It’s getting the last of the requirements for a special program.
Sho Low.
Tucson.
Carson Valley.
I would say come to Alabama, but if humidity and bugs bother you this ain't the place!
You mentioned Midland Texas...I've never been there, but a lot of my friends have attended benchrest shooting matches there and the words I hear are HOT! WINDY! DUSTY!
The NBRSA Nationals are there next year so I guess I'll be finding out for myself.
“I am going to insist that my wife, her daughter, her parents, and my dog get the hell out of this State.”
Are you really moving or just venting?
;-}.
Years ago, when looking for a place to move closer to my ageing parents in Green Valley, AZ, (south of Tucson), I got out a map. I put my pencil on Tucson (too close), then Phoenix (too hot and too big), and took the pencil north to Flagstaff (too cold, too much snow.)
I took the pencil down the map on I-17, and between Phoenix and Flagstaff, the pencil stopped on a town called Sedona. I checked out the weather (perfect), population (10,000 - perfect), altitude 4,500 (perfect). I drove to Sedona, got a job, found an affordable place to rent, drove back to Colorado, packed up and moved here.
It was probably the best decision I ever made.
I have lived here for almost 20 years, made wonderful friends, married a Ret. Marine, and was close enough to be with my parents when they needed me.
There are many small communities close by, with some good rental rates. Cornville, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Page Springs, Rimrock, Lake Montezuma, Bridgeport, Villiage of Oak Creek, just to name a few. Low humidity, not many bugs, and gentle winters.
There are ‘critters’ to take into consideration, if moving to AZ. None have caused any serious problem - but they ARE here, and were here first.
I love Arizona - but the ‘illegal’ problem the state is having might be something you would want to take a look at.
Green Valley has very affordable homes with club privileges, but is too close to the border to be comfortable. It is about an hour north of Nogales.
Good luck. If you find an area you want to move to, hopefully you can have that local paper mailed to you, so you can check out what is available there (shopping, entertainment, dining, rentals, etc.) Freepmail me if you want any more information about Sedona or the surrounding areas.
Forget the heat - Scottsdale is a magnificent place to live. It’s like California 40 years ago - full of Midwesterners with a whole different mindset from Californians. Rent somewhere in the Phoenix area and try it out first. It’s only hot for four months, 115 in Phoenix feels better than 95 in California due to the very low humidity, and the winters are beautiful.
Lake Havasu City is hotter than a $2.00 pistol in the summer. Try looking south: Green Valley, Sahuarita, or Sierra Vista.
I want out of this state!!!
With a child, it is important that we get her out of this school system.
109 F yesterday.
Quit that!!!!
But it’s a dry heat....
I have heard that you can really save money if you move to Lake Havasu. You won’t have to pay for gas or electric for your hot water heater.
You bring up one of the least talked about factors in people's moves out of California (and other liberal hell holes), and that is considerations about the welfare of their children.
In the couple of years before we finally made the choice to leave, I had begun to notice the gritty side of L.A. beginning to intrude on our out of the way enclave in the Foothills above Burbank. It made me confront the fact that I had gotten somewhat reasonable with myself about the general social decline of the region, because my own little corner was still clean, orderly, and quiet.
The more I looked at this issue, the more I realized that as the months and years rolled forward, I would be less and less able to protect my kids from the worst the city had to offer. Having grown up there, I knew full well how dangerous that might be for them. And, it all appeared to be getting worse and worse.
Seeing this aspect of my family's future in California helped me to make up my mind about relocating to a better environment.
Don’t rule out Sierra Vista or Green Valley. Depending on your job/career requirements, either works. We do get a bit warm in the summer, but Sierra Vista is at 5000’ and only has a few 100 degree days per year.
We get a dusting of snow most winters; although I don’t own a snow shovel and you can’t buy a window scraper in this town.
Albuquerque?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.