Leaving SD for Orlando

[jameswenn]

I agree with Brian, weather and topology are great, but little else.

My family moved down to SD 3 years ago, because housing was cheaper, but found that everything else costs more, private schools, orthodontists, even cars and bicycles. We also miss good restaurants, theater, and shopping.

The makeup of the place is strange too. It’s supposedly republican, but so many people have government jobs, which i feel is just a step above welfare, but still a handout as far as i’m concerned. Sounds like southern democrats to me.

It’s close to the border, but it’s hard to find decent mexican food here, WTF is French Fries on Mexican menus?

[LesBaer45]

[quote=Nor-LA-SD-guy][quote=briansd1]Compared to other cities, San Diego is a very large city (the distances are longer that LA) bisected by freeways, hills and canyons.

Because of that, people don’t drive to parts the city that they don’t frequent. I’m willing to be bet that the majority of people who live in Carmel Valley have never been to Encanto or South Park.

Other cities have long boulevards that cross the whole city, and you may have to drive through the city to get to places.

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa (where the weather is warm, the economy is good and growing, and the costs are lower) are good cities to raise a family on a comfortable middle class income.[/quote]

Hmmm Economy good and growing ???

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area was even higher – 12.4 percent, the same as in November.

http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/22/florida_unemployment_rate_rises_again

Generally there are reasons why most of these places are cheaper.

Not trying to be a buzz killer but need to add balance and reality as well,[/quote]

You should probably strike Charlotte and Raleigh off that list as well. Not much of anywhere in NC is doing well.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/04/05/daily26.html?surround=lfn

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/03/22/daily59.html?surround=lfn

Plus we have that redneck / muscle car / pickup-truck-with-guns thing going as well. At least we don’t have to worry about briansd1 moving here.

[LesBaer45]

[quote=Nor-LA-SD-guy][quote=briansd1]Compared to other cities, San Diego is a very large city (the distances are longer that LA) bisected by freeways, hills and canyons.

Because of that, people don’t drive to parts the city that they don’t frequent. I’m willing to be bet that the majority of people who live in Carmel Valley have never been to Encanto or South Park.

Other cities have long boulevards that cross the whole city, and you may have to drive through the city to get to places.

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa (where the weather is warm, the economy is good and growing, and the costs are lower) are good cities to raise a family on a comfortable middle class income.[/quote]

Hmmm Economy good and growing ???

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area was even higher – 12.4 percent, the same as in November.

http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/22/florida_unemployment_rate_rises_again

Generally there are reasons why most of these places are cheaper.

Not trying to be a buzz killer but need to add balance and reality as well,[/quote]

You should probably strike Charlotte and Raleigh off that list as well. Not much of anywhere in NC is doing well.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/04/05/daily26.html?surround=lfn

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/03/22/daily59.html?surround=lfn

Plus we have that redneck / muscle car / pickup-truck-with-guns thing going as well. At least we don’t have to worry about briansd1 moving here.

[LesBaer45]

[quote=Nor-LA-SD-guy][quote=briansd1]Compared to other cities, San Diego is a very large city (the distances are longer that LA) bisected by freeways, hills and canyons.

Because of that, people don’t drive to parts the city that they don’t frequent. I’m willing to be bet that the majority of people who live in Carmel Valley have never been to Encanto or South Park.

Other cities have long boulevards that cross the whole city, and you may have to drive through the city to get to places.

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa (where the weather is warm, the economy is good and growing, and the costs are lower) are good cities to raise a family on a comfortable middle class income.[/quote]

Hmmm Economy good and growing ???

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area was even higher – 12.4 percent, the same as in November.

http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/22/florida_unemployment_rate_rises_again

Generally there are reasons why most of these places are cheaper.

Not trying to be a buzz killer but need to add balance and reality as well,[/quote]

You should probably strike Charlotte and Raleigh off that list as well. Not much of anywhere in NC is doing well.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/04/05/daily26.html?surround=lfn

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/03/22/daily59.html?surround=lfn

Plus we have that redneck / muscle car / pickup-truck-with-guns thing going as well. At least we don’t have to worry about briansd1 moving here.

[LesBaer45]

[quote=Nor-LA-SD-guy][quote=briansd1]Compared to other cities, San Diego is a very large city (the distances are longer that LA) bisected by freeways, hills and canyons.

Because of that, people don’t drive to parts the city that they don’t frequent. I’m willing to be bet that the majority of people who live in Carmel Valley have never been to Encanto or South Park.

Other cities have long boulevards that cross the whole city, and you may have to drive through the city to get to places.

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa (where the weather is warm, the economy is good and growing, and the costs are lower) are good cities to raise a family on a comfortable middle class income.[/quote]

Hmmm Economy good and growing ???

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area was even higher – 12.4 percent, the same as in November.

http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/22/florida_unemployment_rate_rises_again

Generally there are reasons why most of these places are cheaper.

Not trying to be a buzz killer but need to add balance and reality as well,[/quote]

You should probably strike Charlotte and Raleigh off that list as well. Not much of anywhere in NC is doing well.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/04/05/daily26.html?surround=lfn

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/03/22/daily59.html?surround=lfn

Plus we have that redneck / muscle car / pickup-truck-with-guns thing going as well. At least we don’t have to worry about briansd1 moving here.

[LesBaer45]

[quote=Nor-LA-SD-guy][quote=briansd1]Compared to other cities, San Diego is a very large city (the distances are longer that LA) bisected by freeways, hills and canyons.

Because of that, people don’t drive to parts the city that they don’t frequent. I’m willing to be bet that the majority of people who live in Carmel Valley have never been to Encanto or South Park.

Other cities have long boulevards that cross the whole city, and you may have to drive through the city to get to places.

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa (where the weather is warm, the economy is good and growing, and the costs are lower) are good cities to raise a family on a comfortable middle class income.[/quote]

Hmmm Economy good and growing ???

The jobless rate in the Tampa Bay area was even higher – 12.4 percent, the same as in November.

http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/22/florida_unemployment_rate_rises_again

Generally there are reasons why most of these places are cheaper.

Not trying to be a buzz killer but need to add balance and reality as well,[/quote]

You should probably strike Charlotte and Raleigh off that list as well. Not much of anywhere in NC is doing well.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/04/05/daily26.html?surround=lfn

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/03/22/daily59.html?surround=lfn

Plus we have that redneck / muscle car / pickup-truck-with-guns thing going as well. At least we don’t have to worry about briansd1 moving here.

[CardiffBaseball]

I’ve spent significant time in the DFW area, Warren, Ohio, and Raleigh, NC before coming here.

So I am familiar with Joe-gun rack, he doesn’t bother me that much. Ironically, though I swing more conservative than your avg. bear, I’ve never really hung around too many red-necks. In school I was a jock and popular with the girlies which didn’t sit well with our local mullets. That element worries me slightly about FLA. All of these towns had good areas and bad though Youngstown-Warren is more depressed economically. You can find it even in Encinitas if you are looking hard enough. For the most part simple economics cancels it out on the coast.

Most signs point to Oviedo as being a pretty nice area. A bit suburban, but for us close to work (near UCF) and avoids the nasty freeways.

[CardiffBaseball]

I’ve spent significant time in the DFW area, Warren, Ohio, and Raleigh, NC before coming here.

So I am familiar with Joe-gun rack, he doesn’t bother me that much. Ironically, though I swing more conservative than your avg. bear, I’ve never really hung around too many red-necks. In school I was a jock and popular with the girlies which didn’t sit well with our local mullets. That element worries me slightly about FLA. All of these towns had good areas and bad though Youngstown-Warren is more depressed economically. You can find it even in Encinitas if you are looking hard enough. For the most part simple economics cancels it out on the coast.

Most signs point to Oviedo as being a pretty nice area. A bit suburban, but for us close to work (near UCF) and avoids the nasty freeways.

[CardiffBaseball]

I’ve spent significant time in the DFW area, Warren, Ohio, and Raleigh, NC before coming here.

So I am familiar with Joe-gun rack, he doesn’t bother me that much. Ironically, though I swing more conservative than your avg. bear, I’ve never really hung around too many red-necks. In school I was a jock and popular with the girlies which didn’t sit well with our local mullets. That element worries me slightly about FLA. All of these towns had good areas and bad though Youngstown-Warren is more depressed economically. You can find it even in Encinitas if you are looking hard enough. For the most part simple economics cancels it out on the coast.

Most signs point to Oviedo as being a pretty nice area. A bit suburban, but for us close to work (near UCF) and avoids the nasty freeways.

[CardiffBaseball]

I’ve spent significant time in the DFW area, Warren, Ohio, and Raleigh, NC before coming here.

So I am familiar with Joe-gun rack, he doesn’t bother me that much. Ironically, though I swing more conservative than your avg. bear, I’ve never really hung around too many red-necks. In school I was a jock and popular with the girlies which didn’t sit well with our local mullets. That element worries me slightly about FLA. All of these towns had good areas and bad though Youngstown-Warren is more depressed economically. You can find it even in Encinitas if you are looking hard enough. For the most part simple economics cancels it out on the coast.

Most signs point to Oviedo as being a pretty nice area. A bit suburban, but for us close to work (near UCF) and avoids the nasty freeways.

[CardiffBaseball]

I’ve spent significant time in the DFW area, Warren, Ohio, and Raleigh, NC before coming here.

So I am familiar with Joe-gun rack, he doesn’t bother me that much. Ironically, though I swing more conservative than your avg. bear, I’ve never really hung around too many red-necks. In school I was a jock and popular with the girlies which didn’t sit well with our local mullets. That element worries me slightly about FLA. All of these towns had good areas and bad though Youngstown-Warren is more depressed economically. You can find it even in Encinitas if you are looking hard enough. For the most part simple economics cancels it out on the coast.

Most signs point to Oviedo as being a pretty nice area. A bit suburban, but for us close to work (near UCF) and avoids the nasty freeways.

[kicksavedave]

I feel you Cardiff, I too am preparing to head out of San Diego, in my case for the 2nd time in 3 years. I left for Colorado in 2007. Came back for a job promotion in Sept 2008, but that job went sour real quick as the economy tanked. I thought I missed California, but it turns out I was happier in Colorado. We had better connections with friends there, a much better and cheaper house(owned, not rented), generally great weather, tons of things to do, and enough culture and food to keep us happy. San Diego has weather and the ocean but we don’t use the ocean, so really all it has is weather.

But for us the decision comes down to this. For our income we can buy around $500-$600K. Here in California we can buy a tiny run down dump with no yard in a crummy part of town. In Colorado we can have anything we want – 5 acres in the hills, a brand new hip loft in the heart of town, a mcmansion in suburbia. We want land and privacy, and we can’t have that here unless we move to Valley Center, which doesn’t work for commute purposes. That, and the connections we made out there were much stronger, better overall quality of relationships out there. We’re also considering the DC area, where I’m from and still have family there, but the real estate difference from here to there is minimal so that is a tough decision.

Either way, I’m totally in sync with your reasoning for leaving San Diego. You may miss parts of this place at first, but in the long run and in the big picture, you will probably be much better off. Good luck.

[kicksavedave]

I feel you Cardiff, I too am preparing to head out of San Diego, in my case for the 2nd time in 3 years. I left for Colorado in 2007. Came back for a job promotion in Sept 2008, but that job went sour real quick as the economy tanked. I thought I missed California, but it turns out I was happier in Colorado. We had better connections with friends there, a much better and cheaper house(owned, not rented), generally great weather, tons of things to do, and enough culture and food to keep us happy. San Diego has weather and the ocean but we don’t use the ocean, so really all it has is weather.

But for us the decision comes down to this. For our income we can buy around $500-$600K. Here in California we can buy a tiny run down dump with no yard in a crummy part of town. In Colorado we can have anything we want – 5 acres in the hills, a brand new hip loft in the heart of town, a mcmansion in suburbia. We want land and privacy, and we can’t have that here unless we move to Valley Center, which doesn’t work for commute purposes. That, and the connections we made out there were much stronger, better overall quality of relationships out there. We’re also considering the DC area, where I’m from and still have family there, but the real estate difference from here to there is minimal so that is a tough decision.

Either way, I’m totally in sync with your reasoning for leaving San Diego. You may miss parts of this place at first, but in the long run and in the big picture, you will probably be much better off. Good luck.

[kicksavedave]

I feel you Cardiff, I too am preparing to head out of San Diego, in my case for the 2nd time in 3 years. I left for Colorado in 2007. Came back for a job promotion in Sept 2008, but that job went sour real quick as the economy tanked. I thought I missed California, but it turns out I was happier in Colorado. We had better connections with friends there, a much better and cheaper house(owned, not rented), generally great weather, tons of things to do, and enough culture and food to keep us happy. San Diego has weather and the ocean but we don’t use the ocean, so really all it has is weather.

But for us the decision comes down to this. For our income we can buy around $500-$600K. Here in California we can buy a tiny run down dump with no yard in a crummy part of town. In Colorado we can have anything we want – 5 acres in the hills, a brand new hip loft in the heart of town, a mcmansion in suburbia. We want land and privacy, and we can’t have that here unless we move to Valley Center, which doesn’t work for commute purposes. That, and the connections we made out there were much stronger, better overall quality of relationships out there. We’re also considering the DC area, where I’m from and still have family there, but the real estate difference from here to there is minimal so that is a tough decision.

Either way, I’m totally in sync with your reasoning for leaving San Diego. You may miss parts of this place at first, but in the long run and in the big picture, you will probably be much better off. Good luck.

[kicksavedave]

I feel you Cardiff, I too am preparing to head out of San Diego, in my case for the 2nd time in 3 years. I left for Colorado in 2007. Came back for a job promotion in Sept 2008, but that job went sour real quick as the economy tanked. I thought I missed California, but it turns out I was happier in Colorado. We had better connections with friends there, a much better and cheaper house(owned, not rented), generally great weather, tons of things to do, and enough culture and food to keep us happy. San Diego has weather and the ocean but we don’t use the ocean, so really all it has is weather.

But for us the decision comes down to this. For our income we can buy around $500-$600K. Here in California we can buy a tiny run down dump with no yard in a crummy part of town. In Colorado we can have anything we want – 5 acres in the hills, a brand new hip loft in the heart of town, a mcmansion in suburbia. We want land and privacy, and we can’t have that here unless we move to Valley Center, which doesn’t work for commute purposes. That, and the connections we made out there were much stronger, better overall quality of relationships out there. We’re also considering the DC area, where I’m from and still have family there, but the real estate difference from here to there is minimal so that is a tough decision.

Either way, I’m totally in sync with your reasoning for leaving San Diego. You may miss parts of this place at first, but in the long run and in the big picture, you will probably be much better off. Good luck.

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