Should I move to Cali?

[slayer9019]

Contemplating moving to California in the near future. (Looking at San Fransisco bay area currently). Currently living in the NYC/NYC Area....need a change! Thinking about making a week trip soon out there to get tattooed anyways (not sure who yet).

Knowing that a lot of you guys/gals live in the area, any suggestions/tips/warnings?

[Shannon Shirley]

Im from there, born and raised. pretty exspensive. but your used to that,NY. beautiful city SF is. Whats yer occupation?

[slayer9019]

I am interested to see how much more or less expensive it is. I know NYC can be STUPID expensive if you aren't smart ($15+ beers??) I'm a traveling software consultant and fly all over the place anyway, so I can live pretty much anywhere.

[David Flores]

If I had more money I would move to San Francisco. I don't know the whole story about finances, but I know it's not $15 a beer. I think my friend pays like 900 a month for a tiny studio in the tenderloin but I think it's rent controlled so it would be like 1100 otherwise. Honestly even if i was single I would move there at this point and make it work, but Portland is a pretty close second so that will do for now.

[slayer9019]

900? Wow that is VERY cheap to compared to NYC, so is 1100. My buddy pays 1200 for a studio in the suburbs (45 minuet train ride). I pay an absurd amount currently and might even save money considering. Just paid a ridiculous amount of money for cigarettes (13.50!) today....adds to another reason to move!

[Reyeslv]

I did the move from NY (Long Island) to San francisco. Moved right into Haight/Ashbury. Best thing I ever did, there is soo much to do there. Great skiing, wine country, the Monterrey area. I spent about 3 years there and I've been wanting to move back since I left. Good luck on contemplating the move.....

[Shannon Shirley]

the tenderloin is certainly not a nice neighborhood. youre gonna pay @ $1500 to $1800 for a small one bedroom, but it is a beautiful and generally friendly place. public transportation is exceptional and inexspensive.

[David Flores]

900? Wow that is VERY cheap to compared to NYC, so is 1100. My buddy pays 1200 for a studio in the suburbs (45 minuet train ride). I pay an absurd amount currently and might even save money considering. Just paid a ridiculous amount of money for cigarettes (13.50!) today....adds to another reason to move!

It's not bad at all, but like I said it's rent controlled so I am sure if she ever did give up her place there is a waiting list to fill it. I probably wouldn't live in the Tenderloin with a family, but my friend is a single girl in her late twenties early thirties and she seems to like it and I have never had any problems on visits. Haight seems like a fun street too plus Blackheart Tattoo is on that street, although I have never looked into living in that part of town. I think you are smart to come and visit before you make your decision, plus it gives you an excuse to go get tattooed.

[Shannon Shirley]

Blackheart is in the Mission district on Valencia. Excellent latin food and'' real live'' gang members.hehe

[tammy]

i had a rent controlled apartment in nob hill that we gave up a year ago...it was used as a 2 bedroom around $1k...i had it "in the family" for over 13 years so the rent was REALLY cheap.

the rental market is REALLY tough right now for renters...

[Barbie Doll]

California has everything you could want...beach, snow, desert, beautiful mountain ranges, wine country, great shopping, great food, and you could live in flip flops year round. If you're an outdoorsy person, there is so much to do in the bay- hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, etc. In SF, nothing is more than an 8 hr drive or 2 hr flight. We get earthquakes but we don't get hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat (unless you're in Death Valley), or extreme snow (unless you're in Mountain ranges). Been a lot of places and it's hard to beat the Bay Area climate

[gougetheeyes]

Contemplating moving to California in the near future. (Looking at San Fransisco bay area currently). Currently living in the NYC/NYC Area....need a change! Thinking about making a week trip soon out there to get tattooed anyways (not sure who yet).

Knowing that a lot of you guys/gals live in the area, any suggestions/tips/warnings?

Why are you living in my brain>>??

[MsRad]

why not move to Oakland instead of SF? way cheaper and just a hop skip and a jump away from the city. i suppose it also depends on if you have a car or not, but i wouldn't trade living in the east bay for SF. then again, i'm east bay born and raised.

[Tight-Lines]

then again, i'm east bay born and raised.

[Tight-Lines]

California rules man. Ive been scattered all over this place. Best times have been had in the bay area of course. I dig Marin County a lot, but its pretty expensive and ritzy. East Bay is great for good, cheap food, bars, general activities.

Sacramento is alright as well. Hot as hell, but the downtown/Arden area is quite nice. Plus you are a hop-skip and a jump from places like Tahoe/Auburn and all the adventures of the Sierras.

Ive only visited down south, but hated it. Im obviously bias to Northern California.

[Kev]

You could move to Austin,TX. Then you could save yourself the trouble of moving to California, since most Californians move here anyway = )

[slayer9019]

You could move to Austin,TX. Then you could save yourself the trouble of moving to California, since most Californians move here anyway = )

Funny you say that I've been told that quite a lot recently. Two of my buddies live in Austin now. While Texas will be a place that I will buy a house in the next couple of years, I'm not too sure if I will live there just yet. I'll be back there again for work soon and maybe get a new opinion but Cali looks awesome so far (weather wise it is EXCELLENT!)

[Tight-Lines]

Austin fuckin rules.

[Barbie Doll]

Just said yesterday how much I wanna visit Austin.

[MsRad]

You could move to Austin,TX. Then you could save yourself the trouble of moving to California, since most Californians move here anyway = )

funny because everyone i know from Austin has left it for California, but they all have great things to say about it, and do frequently visit "back home".

[David Flores]

Blackheart is in the Mission district on Valencia. Excellent latin food and'' real live'' gang members.hehe

You are correct I must be getting it mixed up with another shop, I think Idle Hand is on Haight, I think I went to both places same day.

[kirkson]

I grew up in NY (NYC suburbs), lived in upstate NY, Florida and HI as well, and SoCal is by far the best place I have ever lived. Its cool to hate on LA, but if you haven't lived here, its hard to appreciate it for what it is. Obviously some folks who have lived here hate it too, but definitely give it a long hard look. Incredibly diverse place to live with an area to suit any and every walk of life. No exaggeration. Plus the weather kicks the %! out of NorCal. Way cheaper down here as well, and yes, way cheaper than NYC too. Yeah, I love SF and the Bay Area, really love it, but I'm way more comfortable down here.

[CaptCanada]

Sacramento is alright as well. Hot as hell, but the downtown/Arden area is quite nice. Plus you are a hop-skip and a jump from places like Tahoe/Auburn and all the adventures of the Sierras.

Yey, gotta rep Sacramento. Lived there for 4 years, great place. About the middle of Nor Cal so you are close to everything that make it awesome. Wanna go to the mountains 2 hours, wanna go to the bay 2 hours, wanna go camping 2 hours, just about anything 2 hours away....

Only bad bit about it is job wise, not so many opportunities.

[Kev]

Yeah-the record-breaking drought/ run of 100+ degrees did nothing for our "cool" factor. You can buy the same size house in Austin for a quarter of the price, job market's decent (especially tech experienced), and the scene is SUPER laid back. We have some crime, but nothing like Houston/ Galveston (where I grew up) or Dallas. To be honest, after my SF trip this summer, I'd move there if my kids weren't here and I could find something that could support us- my girl's a sped teacher,so I think it'd be kind of hard for her to find something in the school district. So, if California hasn't slid into ocean in 10 years, I might still be down = D

[Kev]

Also, if any of ya'll want to come out for a visit, drop me a line and I should be able to show you around or at least give you some suggestions on things to do in town :cool: