Hey kids,

Toying with the idea of moving west in 2009. I'm not very familiar with the territory over there at all. It seems farther from my safety zone than Europe… and I'd like to stay in the US for the next two or three years while my mom is still sort of cognitive.

Anyway, I'm in the process of figuring out finances/real estate business, and it's looking like moving is a real possibility. I'm going out to visit my brother in June, so I might use the trip as an opportunity to scope out some places in Cali.

Never really thought I'd be considering a move that direction, but I need a change. I've got a four year ARMY brat trigger and 2008 is one of the detonation years…

Thanks for info about any specific towns/areas you'd suggest and why.

Thanks!

having lived in LA for several years, I don't recommend living there. I just found it to be cold and detached and I really didn't connect with it. if you do end up living there, go for somewhere like Venice or Santa Monica.
I prefer San Diego, though, if you want to go south. beautiful, by the ocean, laid back from what I remember.

if not SoCal, then anywhere in the San Francisco bay area. if you're looking for a real change and don't want to live in a big city anymore, then Santa Cruz or Berkley are beautiful little towns and still a manageable(sp) distance from San Francisco itself. the towns north of San Fran are also pretty cool. the north is a bit more expensive in matters of every-day things like gas for the car and food, I think. (if I'm wrong anyone can feel free to correct me :))

hope I helped any…

Central CA. Just briefly. Go get your man. Then, the two of you can come further south. Yay!

i love living in San Diego…you are so right story…it tends to be more laid-back here.  The housing/cost of living isn't cheap, but, location-wise, you can't beat it.  Just remember that living near the beach will always cost much more. 

Can't advise anywhere else in CA…this is the only place I have lived…

Awww, come live in DOWNTOWN L.A.!  That's where the fun is.  Santa Monica and Venice are too uppity.

Back in the early to mid 80s' I was stationed in San Diego, which is a completely diff town now than then. Loved it then, and love it there now. The only reason I didn't relocate there after retiring was the taxes and shit poor way the state was being run…knew it was only going to get worse…and I was right. In fact, last I heard, SD as a city was bankrupt…
Still, if I was going to move west to Cali it would be to SD.
Will you be taking your Mom?
JRB

I spent a small amount of time in the Los Angeles area (and visited the surrounding cities), so maybe I'm not qualified to make an educated suggestion, but first impressions are key, I think.

San Diego was very nice, and my relatives (who live in Granada Hills, which is a suburb of LA) unanimously agreed that if they were ever to leave the 'burbs, that's where they'd go.

Santa Monica was lovely, but it struck me as being a very expensive place to live (even for Cali.)

Personally, I LOVE the Venice area, so maybe I was too blinded by the pull of it to evaluate it for practical living potential.

I'm excited for you, and a little envious -- having lived in the same state for my entire life,  I would love to go someplace new. I don't have deep roots, but the wife does so… the likelihood of ever living anywhere but here (at least while her parents are alive) is small.

I've lived in Shebooger my whole life (except college)and frankly am of no use in giving out opinions on where to live.

The times if been in California, I was impressed with San Diego, and San Fran/wine country. The whole area around LA didnt do much for me.

Never been north of San Fran, but I've heard it's much like Wisconsin without the snow. Very agricultural.

I vote Seattle…. for obvious reasons. ;o)