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Finally left California


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2015 Nov 29, 12:06pm   61,344 views  236 comments

by joshuatrio   ➕follow (4)   💰tip   ignore  

Took my west coast salary and profitable LLC with me - after I pay 2015 taxes to CA, the state won't get another dime from me.

Ended up moving to the Southeast. It's pretty nice here. Gas is dirt cheap, tons of food options, lots of jobs, good gun laws, friendly people, low taxes and seems like a decent place to set up shop. While the traffic sucks, I'm near bike trails that will get me directly to work.

I'll be paying cash for a house in the next few months, and then quitting my day job to pursue my own ventures. It's a lot easier to do that out here. No more slumlords.

F U California. And damn it feels good to finally get out of that state after 8 years. I'll miss your coastline, but nothing else.

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90   Strategist   2015 Dec 7, 8:45am  

B.A.C.A.H. says

The Strategist sounds like he's coming from the perspective of The Asian Contagion in the Bay Area.

From where they come, the horribly overcrowded and overexpensive (and Cool And Hip) Bay Area is the Wide Open Prairie, at Bargain Prices.

They cannot fathom there's a higher quality of life in other parts of the US, and cannot fathom that there's other stuff of Value besides the Money, The Equity, the API, etc.

Hello B.A.C.
I look at the BA and California from a different point of view. The BA is actually the cheapest place to purchase a home in all of America. Where can you get 6%+ appreciation, at a cost of 4% for the loan. You are actually getting paid to live there. :)

91   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Dec 7, 8:50am  

Yep.
Told'ya. It's all about The Money, The Equity, (and maybe The Standardized Test Scores in your neighborhood School, fancy German Sedan). At Bargain Prices!
You think the rest of the USA has more to offer in Quality of Life? You Stupid Podunk Haolie Devils!

92   mell   2015 Dec 7, 8:55am  

Strategist says

I look at the BA and California from a different point of view. The BA is actually the cheapest place to purchase a home in all of America. Where can you get 6%+ appreciation, at a cost of 4% for the loan. You are actually getting paid to live there. :)

You get the 6% appreciation maybe for a 10 year max boom cycle (if you're lucky), but the mortgage at 4% interest is usually 30 years. The time to get out is near. Take a look how fast prices and rents crashed in 2008, there wasn't much time to react. Watch the venture money, once it starts drying up get the hell out of dodge. The cracks are already visible.

93   Strategist   2015 Dec 7, 8:59am  

B.A.C.A.H. says

Yep.

Told'ya. It's all about The Money, The Equity, (and maybe The Standardized Test Scores in your neighborhood School, fancy German Sedan). At Bargain Prices!

You think the rest of the USA has more to offer in Quality of Life? You Stupid Podunk Haolie Devils!

California, especially So. California has the best quality of life. It's December and I can hike with just a T-shirt. And getting paid 6% appreciation at the same time. If that makes me stupid, I'm glad to be stupid.
And you ought to be ashamed of being a racist. You will never amount to anything in your life with that bitter attitude.

94   Strategist   2015 Dec 7, 9:04am  

mell says

Strategist says

I look at the BA and California from a different point of view. The BA is actually the cheapest place to purchase a home in all of America. Where can you get 6%+ appreciation, at a cost of 4% for the loan. You are actually getting paid to live there. :)

You get the 6% appreciation maybe for a 10 year max boom cycle (if you're lucky), but the mortgage at 4% interest is usually 30 years. The time to get out is near. Take a look how fast prices and rents crashed in 2008, there wasn't much time to react. Watch the venture money, once it starts drying up get the hell out of dodge. The cracks are already visible.

Honestly, all I see is a very bright future in the next 20 years. We will have:
A long period of growth.
Energy costs, especially with solar will drop like a rock.
New inventions will make life better for all.
Our living standards will jump.

95   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Dec 7, 9:07am  

Sticks and stones!
You'd be surprised. There's a whole lotta non-white Californian Americans, including maybe even me, who aren't impressed when someone Pulls The Race Card.
It ain't about race, pal. There's Americans of all Colors and all Stripes, including ethnic Asians, getting priced out and pushed out by the tsunami in recent years.
It's not race.
It's culture. And it's a
Subset of Culture, "The Elites".

96   Strategist   2015 Dec 7, 9:11am  

B.A.C.A.H. says

Sticks and stones!

You'd be surprised. There's a whole lotta non-white Californian Americans, including maybe even me, who aren't impressed when someone Pulls The Race Card.

It ain't about race, pal. There's Americans of all Colors and all Stripes, including ethnic Asians, getting priced out and pushed out by the tsunami in recent years.

It's not race.

It's culture. And it's a

Subset of Culture, "The Elites".

Then what was the point of making silly racist remarks? If you are getting priced out, move to where you said the quality of life was better.

97   Tenpoundbass   2015 Dec 7, 9:13am  

You sound more confident and lucid joshuatrio, have you been working out?

Something different about you...

98   bdrasin   2015 Dec 7, 9:36am  

joshuatrio says

MMR says

If you did the same thing from an hour out of the Bay Area you would find more reasonable prices although definitely not 75/sq ft

I don't think you get it. The large majority of public schools in CA are garbage. We were already sending our kids to private, so if we do that in GA, no biggie. An expense we are prepared for. A house with good schools in CA will fetch $600-800k usually. You can get east Cobb schools and a decent home for $250k.

We can go back and forth, but your money goes a lot further out here and my commute isn't any longer because I was already dealing with traffic in CA.

Trying to compare the two is like comparing apples and oranges. They are nothing alike and one is 2-3x the cost for less amenities.

Congratulations on your move. If what you have isn't working for you, then you have to find something that does and I'm happy for you that you found it.

99   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Dec 7, 10:26am  

bdrasin,
Your remark.... That's the difference, you're not some Smarty-Pants who wants to Prove Joshua Wrong for his Balanced Perspective on deciding What's Best for His Family.
One thing's for sure: They won't be Pressure Washing the flesh of Joshua's kids from the Caltrain rails.

100   Strategist   2015 Dec 7, 10:47am  

B.A.C.A.H. says

One thing's for sure: They won't be Pressure Washing the flesh of Joshua's kids from the Caltrain rails.

Ha ha ha. You are just as funny as you are crazy. The best thing that ever happened to you was to be born in America. If you were a Saudi, you would have been a suicide bomber.

101   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Dec 7, 11:12am  

Yep, Keeping Face and Getting In The Last Word, part of the Recently New Reality in the Coveted Bay Area!

102   ja   2015 Dec 7, 1:39pm  

zzyzzx says

Not really, it was 50% more expensive than Baltimore. And it's not like you have any way of knowing in advance if a rental unit is properly insulated. It's not like the building was particularly old. It even let in too much humidity which damaged some of my personal belongings (and made it difficult to add gas to my car once).

Sounds to me you were unlucky

Today there is lots of people who move thinking on the (relatively) low price or housing. It's an oasis in the middle of redneck country. Still lots of land to build
https://www.rentjungle.com/average-rent-in-raleigh-rent-trends/
https://www.rentjungle.com/average-rent-in-baltimore-rent-trends/

103   Mick Russom   2022 Sep 17, 12:31am  

joshuatrio says

And damn it feels good to finally get out of that state after 8 years

I left in 2019 and made it to somewhere near water (but not too close) in central Florida. I always remembered this post. I wish I had made it here sooner. Its like heaven on earth for my family and I compared to California.
As you said - gas is cheaper, tons of food options (getting surprisingly good), job is remote, gun laws are not perfect but way better than California, friendly people, no income taxes and I've been here a while and its a decent place to set up shop. Traffic is a fraction of what I was used to. If I had made it here in 2015 instead of buying in 2018 I would probably have 3 houses instead of one. Now my house is paid off and kept the same job I had in California.
104   BayArea   2022 Sep 17, 6:37am  

Metro-CA can be pretty awesome if (and only if) your household income is at minimum in the ballpark of $400k and/or you are grandfathered in with real estate.

Otherwise, no, I would leave.
105   Al_Sharpton_for_President   2022 Sep 17, 7:00am  

Spent my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind to make a new start
Going to California with an aching in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair

Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let 'em tell ya that they're all the same

Oh, the sea was red and the sky was grey
I wonder how tomorrow could ever follow today

The mountains and the canyons start to tremble and shake
The children of the sun begin to awake
Watch out

It seems that the wrath of the gods got a punch on the nose
And it's startin' to flow, I think I might be sinkin'

Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there, where the path runs straight and high

To find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings, la-la-la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born

Standin' on a hill in the mountain of dreams
Tellin' myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
106   SoTex   2022 Sep 17, 12:15pm  

I'm out this week!
107   Eman   2022 Sep 17, 2:20pm  

just_passing_through says

I'm out this week!


Congrats man. Hope you’ll like your new place. Both sides of our family are here so I don’t see us moving anywhere. It is what it is. Make the best of it here.
108   BayArea   2022 Sep 18, 12:46am  

just_passing_through says

I'm out this week!

To?
109   porkchopXpress   2022 Sep 18, 7:55am  

I left CA for TN in late June. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!
110   SoTex   2022 Sep 18, 10:01am  

BayArea says

To?


SA, Tejas
111   AD   2022 Sep 18, 10:08am  

joshuatrio says


I don't think you get it. The large majority of public schools in CA are garbage. We were already sending our kids to private, so if we do that in GA, no biggie.


Yes, I could not believe I saw the US News rankings for public schools K-12 and California is ranked near bottom at 40 and Florida is ranked 16.

When did California become that much of a sh*thole because I recall years ago when California was praised for having the best K-12 public school system.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education

.
112   BayArea   2022 Sep 18, 10:14am  

The public schools in CA are great… if and only if you live in a neighborhood where the median home price is around $2M or greater.

Read my post above about needing an absolute minimum of $400k household income to start to live well in CA. Yes, I said start to.

Trying to make it in metro CA on $300k, $200k, or $100k is insane. I would leave instantly
113   AD   2022 Sep 18, 10:17am  

BayArea says

The public schools in CA are great


California has been ranked near bottom for several years as far as public K-12.

All of what you wrote does not change that California is ranked near the bottom with New Mexico and Mississippi.

,
114   BayArea   2022 Sep 18, 10:20am  

You completely took what I said out of context, why?
115   SoTex   2022 Sep 18, 10:22am  

My cousin went to elementary school in the bay area in 1979 (one year, 1st grade) then moved to Houston. He was so far behind they made him redo 1st grade in 1980. When our family made a similar move a few years later to San Antonio I had a lot of catching up to do. My first year was in 5th and they put me in the 'bad kids' class because I had to catch up as well. I was in honors classes soon though.
116   AD   2022 Sep 18, 10:51am  

BayArea says

The public schools in CA are great… if and only if you live in a neighborhood where the median home price is around $2M or greater.


Yes, I understand your context. If you are fortunate enough to live in a white liberal or Asian neighborhood, then you will fare well. But they are the exception in California as it has become a small pocket of rich or elite, and the rest are working class stiffs living in barrios with an ample supply of homeless.

And hair-gel Newsom wants to only focus on Florida and its governor. LMAO.

.
117   AD   2022 Sep 18, 10:55am  

I guess if you are looking for good public K-12 in California, try to find a zip code with an Asian population of at least 35%.

That is enough of a percentage where you have strong-minded parents who are willing to make sure the local public K-12 are held to a high standard.

.
118   WookieMan   2022 Sep 18, 11:39am  

ad says

That is enough of a percentage where you have strong-minded parents who are willing to make sure the local public K-12 are held to a high standard.

Leave any urban(ish) area with a population above 20k. Under that you can get real control if you want to work for it. Above that you have to suck cock to get what you want done or have mucho $$$$$$. Someone else will have a lot of money too, so you're fucked either way.
119   AD   2022 Sep 18, 4:05pm  

ZipperTits says

Won't stop the infiltration of woke bullshit like Z tits teacher abs worse. Those schools will only slow it down.


Yeah, I guess the Asian moms will tolerate this as long as their expectations on academic standards are being met, such as helping their children to ultimately score high on tests like the ACT or SAT.

.
120   Blue   2022 Sep 18, 5:12pm  

At this rate woke can not be stopped including in Asians majority areas. In fact places a bit away with more conservatives standing up against woke and telling openly that there are only two genders. This is my observation around in Bay Area Ca so far.
121   SoTex   2022 Sep 18, 8:05pm  

After I finally pass through this week (25 years of constipation) I'm considering changing my name to Deplorable_Ultra_MAGAlogmanic.
122   SoTex   2022 Sep 18, 8:06pm  

Nobody better steal it.
123   SoTex   2022 Sep 23, 9:03pm  

I'm out! Currently in Tucson. Interestingly I didn't see any signs saying, "Now leaving California", on my way out. My car just told me, "Welcome to Arizona!".

Maybe they don't want to advertise. Taxes are swapped in ADP to Texas as of today with my gig in SF. That means none lolol.

I'll be looking up @Bd6r at some point soonish but it'll take me a few month minimum to get settled in Texas.

So glad to have finally passed through after 25 years. The last 12-13 felt like chronic constipation. First the bay area went to hell and I moved to San Diego 10 years ago. Shit's going downhill in SD after the elections were all stolen in SoCal in 2018 - the warmup for the bigger steal.

I'm in some dank cig smelling super-8 motel because I have so much crap in my car I didn't want to drag through a lobby. It's pointless to shower before morning. But soooo happy!
124   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2022 Sep 23, 9:27pm  

Strategist says

mell says


Strategist says


I look at the BA and California from a different point of view. The BA is actually the cheapest place to purchase a home in all of America. Where can you get 6%+ appreciation, at a cost of 4% for the loan. You are actually getting paid to live there. :)



You get the 6% appreciation maybe for a 10 year max boom cycle (if you're lucky), but the mortgage at 4% interest is usually 30 years. The time to get out is near. Take a look how fast prices and rents crashed in 2008, there wasn't much time to react. Watch the venture money, once it starts drying up get the hell out of dodge. The cracks are already visible.



Honestly, all I see is a very bright future in the next 20 years. We will have:

A long period of g...



Eeesh…I liked Strategist a lot and wish he was still here(maybe is?), but dear God was this prediction off.

Of course who knew in such short time Soros would get a slew of leftist dictatorial DA’s and local politicians who would let homelessness go unabated and crimes go unpunished.
125   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2022 Sep 23, 9:35pm  

ad says

ZipperTits says


Won't stop the infiltration of woke bullshit like Z tits teacher abs worse. Those schools will only slow it down.


Yeah, I guess the Asian moms will tolerate this as long as their expectations on academic standards are being met, such as helping their children to ultimately score high on tests like the ACT or SAT.

.


Everyone at this point should be looking to home school their children and socialize them through church or well screened local social childrens groups, sports, etc.

If I was starting out now, I’d work two years professionally while living with my parents and save every damn penny and move out of state with my two years experience. Top locations; Nevada(only if I could get a govt job), Texas, North Carolina, Tennesse, Florida.

I’d love South Carolina I think but not confident in the job market. I think Texas or Tennessee would be most likely. I’d want someplace where I could meet a more traditional minded woman to marry(took me a couple decades to find in LA) and an income that could support us with only me working. Living super frugally would be fine.
126   SoTex   2022 Sep 23, 9:46pm  

I didn't snap to the fact that this thread is so old until just now.
127   fdhfoiehfeoi   2022 Sep 24, 12:12am  

just_passing_through says

I'm out! Currently in Tucson. Interestingly I didn't see any signs saying, "Now leaving California", on my way out.


Arizona still has it's centennial sign up when you cross the Colorado.
128   Patrick   2022 Sep 24, 12:53am  

ad says


Yes, I could not believe I saw the US News rankings for public schools K-12 and California is ranked near bottom at 40 and Florida is ranked 16.

When did California become that much of a sh*thole because I recall years ago when California was praised for having the best K-12 public school system.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education


@ad That's all a direct and inevitable result of Prop 13. It's pretty well documented in the documentary called "First to Worst", which somehow is not showing up in search engines, lol.
129   WillyWanker   2022 Sep 24, 1:48am  

just_passing_through says

I'm out this week!


Congrats!

I left SoCal in December of 2010 and moved to Las Vegas to buy up commercial/multi-family real estate in Las Vegas. I never liked Vegas, but the business opportunity was too good to pass up though it kept me there much longer than I'd ever imagined. The lack of cultural amenities left much to be desired. Sure, there were lots of great restaurants with top of the line chefs if you are into that, but I missed seeing water and going to Lake Mead with friends on their boats was oppressively hot in the summers and the visual of the water level dropping year by year was disquieting. Then the demographics began to change in Vegas. If you drove up and down the strip or ventured into the old downtown Vegas you'd swear the hotels were giving away rooms free with the purchase of a bucket of chicken. I started noticing that and said, I'm outta here. Was there until 2021 when I sold everything and moved to Spain.

Now, the war in Ukraine has me on edge. I don't get why a non-NATO nation needs to be funded over a territorial war. Russia has nukes. I doubt Putin will back down. Just goes to show wherever you go, life presents new set of problems. But, so far, I love living here. Life is slower and the history and culture is rich and varied. Heck, the basilica up the street was built in the 14th century. When could I ever have said I live near a basilica, much less one from the 14th century while living in the US?

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