Do People Actually Move TO California?

[whodunit]

Sorry for the length...

I live and work in rural Idaho, but am originally from central California.

I am in law enforcement and last year made about $35,000, which includes holiday and ovetime pay.

One of my best friends believes he could get me a position with his department in California. It's by no means a done deal, but he asked me to think about the possibility, so I am.

The plusses:

This position would be a promotion.

The increase in pay WITHOUT holiday and overtime would be about $14,500 a year. There is plenty of overtime to be had and paid holidays (my friend made about $35,000 in overtime last year). Additionally, the city would pay my Social Security and retirement (mine here is all deducted from my check). There is also an $800 a year uniform allowance. I pay for everything excpet my vest and my uniforms here.

The benefit package is better. I would have $1000 toward health insurance and dental and vision for me and my family (4 children) is completely paid for by the city. Here, I have to pay just over $40 a month toward my health and have no dental or vision.

I would have a take-home vehicle if I lived within the city limits.

It's also a rural area (by CA standards, anyway).

I would be working with one of my best friends.

There are others, but in the interest of time...

The minusses:

It's California (Do People Actually Move to California?)

I would likely be unable to have the house and property there that I have here. I have a 1000 sq. ft. house on almost 2.5 acres (about $520 a month). My friend recently looked into purchasing a 3 bd/2 ba house in a nice neighborhood and his payment would have been about $2000 a month.

We plan to homeschool and have heard the laws in CA are more restrictive.

We like the homesteading type lifestyle and am unsure whether we could have that there.

We like to camp, hunt and fish and am not sure how much we would be able to do that there.

There are others, but in the interest of time...

I like the varied opinions and ways of looking at things people on this board have.

What are your thoughts?

Any homesteading Californians out there?

[DrippingSprings]

In the words of Monty Python in Holy Grail


RUN AWAY!!! RUN AWAY!!!!

[mightybooboo]

The population is always increasing,must be a reason.Good pay,expensive to live.
I wouldnt leave Idaho for Ca for 7 dollars an hour more.I would think it an economically losing venture.

Since you are a Californian you know that,also south, central and northern Ca should be 3 different states.

IMHO

BooBoo

[LagoVistaFarm]

Yes, people do move to California. Your career is a pretty hot topic around here. The housing market in rural areas has softened quite a bit. There are now some oppurtunities.

Many people do homeschool. There are some silly hoops to go through but they seem to do ok. In our area hunting, fishing and camping are minutes away. If you could narrow down the area for me I could give you a better opinion.

[Topaz Farm]

I lived in Calif for 10 years, northern. We were military so didn't have to worry about housing. It is a beautiful state and I loved to camp in the mountains.

When he retired we wound up in Lancaster. We thought that we would buy a house. The agent showed us two, but worse than dumps at an outrageous price. Now this was about 20 years ago, but doubt things have changed much. After the second house I said no way.

Even with more $$ in the paycheck, I don't see how anyone can afford to live there.

[mightybooboo]

Originally Posted by Topaz Farm

When he retired we wound up in Lancaster.

Couldnt put me there,crime has gone crazy thanks to the LA gangs moving in.

IMHO again.

BooBoo

[Rowdy]

Another C.O. I know makes $100,000-$150,000 a year in cali (that is including his overtime.) I make a tad under $30,000. From what I have seen, talked about the California prison system is somewhat like Texas (In fact, their transport system is based on ours) So I could probably pick it up really quick. And since, at my current job I can leave for up to three years and come back with the same rank, same shift I guess I could try to live out there for a year, sleeping on a friend's couch to bank some cash.

Think I'll just stay here though :-)

[JHinCA]

We moved back to CA from Michigan, because my parents are getting very elderly. We are very lucky to be on the family property, otherwise it is very pricey. Lago Vista is right though that housing prices are starting to level off.

I have friends who homeschool and find the local school district actually supportive. (Our kids are grown. I would NOT send kids to public school in CA!)

[Freeholder]

What part of California were you talking about? Our pastor was an L.A. cop for fifteen years and wouldn't go back there (to live and be a policeman again) for any amount of money. But northern Cal. might not be so bad, depending on where it was.

Kathleen

[JanO]

I was born and raised in CA. Moved out a year ago and I wouldn't go back for love or money.

Between the gangs, bad air, traffic, ect. I couldn't wait to get out! And I was in what was considered a "rural" area!

DD, SIL, and grandchildren are still there. They are leaving too. Although SIL has a great job and makes really good money, it's just not worth it. Don't know exactly were they are going yet, but as far as they are concerned anyplace is better then where they are. Final decision was made when a level 3 sex offender was caught trying to lure 2 kids into his car in front of the elementary school GS goes to. Kids parents caught him, and detained him until the police showed up. Parents ended up being cited for unlawful detainment and law didn't do anything to the guy. Said they didn't see it so it was parents word against his.

[whodunit]

Lots of good thoughts...

The area is around Jackson which is kind of east of Sacramento (I think, I don't have a map handy!). Some of the cities around there are Ione, Sutter Creek, Pioneer, Molekumne Hill (sp?)

Other plusses:

(May be a minus for DW!) is my parents (pushing 70) would be within a 2-hour drive instead of a 12-hour drive.

The retirement is better...3% of top pay per year of service at age 50. I could take early retirment here at about 53, but with my youngest being 2 years old, I don't think it likely.

The pay would be about $10 an hour more, but like I said, my friend pulled down $80,000 last year (same rank).

I would also be taking about $35,000- $40,000 in equity with me. I also have about $30,000 in a retirement system (not sure about wanting to touch that as a down payment).

I also suspect we may not be receiving a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) this year, which means if inflation is 2-3%, my pay will be 2-3% less in value.

Also, I am topped out in my position which means no more raises, other than COLA which is not a raise.

Keep it coming!

[Topaz Farm]

Originally Posted by mightybooboo

Couldnt put me there,crime has gone crazy thanks to the LA gangs moving in.

IMHO again.

BooBoo

It wasn't all that great when we lived there. I worked in a bakery/deli, there was one person that was a regular, we never did figure out if it was a he or she.

When the moving van pulled out on the day we left, DH said let's find a motel and leave in the morning. I said *Let's not, I want to see this place in my rearview mirror... now.*

[Terri]

Camping is great, fishing is weak (overfished), and I know nothing of hunting.

Man! living costs are HIGH!

[momlaffsalot]

I am a native Californian and you could not pay me enough money to move there again. Northern California used to be nice, parts of it still are, but the gangs have infiltrated every area now. If you have kids, I would think twice about it. They might not be in the school system but they would be driving around, going to the movies, the stores, etc. I had a good friend who was with the LAPD. He moved to Washington because he said since the influx of Mexicans the gangs were completely out of control in California; he felt outmanned and outarmed. Said it was too dangerous to stay.
Good luck in whatever you decide.

[LagoVistaFarm]

There has been some unbeilevable sprawl into that area. I suspect the price of gas is going to produce some bargains there as people retreat back closer to their jobs.

The big jump is in the cost of housing. So for arguments sake lets say the price of housing goes from 100k to 200k. If they both appreciate 20% in some period of time. With 30k down in both cases you would now have 90k equity on the 100k house and 210k on the 200k house.

I'm assuming the large difference in income will cover the extra mortgage costs. California has been a great place to build leveraged equity. There is risk and I'm not taking into account quality of life issues.

[Hammer4]

Check the cost of housing, gas, groceries, utilities before you decide to do it...most likely all of that extra money ( and then some ) will get eaten up in a higher cost of living. If your monthly mortgage or rent goes from $500 to $1500, that will pretty much use all of that pay increase....

[Jerngen]

I was raised in Southern California (I know, it's almost like another state) and have no desire to ever go back. You already live in one of my all-time favorite states so my vote would be to stay where you are! I wouldn't care if there was $150,000 pay difference, it's the quality of life that counts. What that means varies with different people.

[LagoVistaFarm]

If you are going to rent, I'd plan on about $1200 for budget purposes. Bigger house less land. You may have an advantage in Law enforcement getting a rural rental. Many people are afraid of Meth labs and indooor pot farms.

Gangs are not a problem in Jackson. Not every brown kid with an Oakland Raiders jersey is in a gang.

[backwoods]

Originally Posted by Hammer4

Check the cost of housing, gas, groceries, utilities before you decide to do it...most likely all of that extra money ( and then some ) will get eaten up in a higher cost of living. If your monthly mortgage or rent goes from $500 to $1500, that will pretty much use all of that pay increase....

Think about the rise in danger due to gangs and population.Also the gun laws will be different and you may be asked to enforce laws that don't exist where you are and may not like.All the money in the world isn't worth your life,especially to your family.Whatever your decision,good luck and go in safety.

[Freeholder]

I don't think that area is far enough north to be a good place to live. You have to think, also, that while real estate prices *have been* rising astronomically in California, at some point too many of the decent people will have left, leaving the gangs and illegal immigrants in control of things. Also higher fuel prices are making long commutes less and less practical. Those two factors are eventually going to make real estate prices in Southern and Central Cal., especially, start to drop. I suspect there will be a quite drastic drop within the next ten years or so. So don't count on having equity in a place when you retire if you purchase now at today's inflated prices.

Kathleen