I want to move! Where to? (warmer than WI) (1 Viewer)

[Tim Holyoke]

I guess CA would be an obvious choice, but where in CA?

Where else would you recommend? Sell me on your hometown .

Thanks for any suggestions.

Tim

 

[SethH]

Do you have a preference of east coast or west coast? I'm from Virginia and plan to move to North Carlina after I graduate. You could look at the area around Richmond, VA. Richmond is a decent sized city (with lots of rural area around it), but only a couple hours from northern VA/Washington DC. Also, you could look at the area around Raleigh, NC. Raleigh is a decent size with lots of rural area and farming around it and is a couple hours from Charlotte, NC. With both of these you'd have a fairly short drive to both the beach and the mountains. You'd definitely still see some snow (more in Richmond than Raleigh), but you would rarely see more than a foot.

My hometown is Martinsville, VA. If you want rural with extremely low cost-of-living, it's your place, but I really wouldn't recommend it. It is within an hour of Roanoke, VA (~150,000 people or so) and Greensboro, NC.

 

[Richard Travale]

Without having seen much of the US of A, it sounds to me like the Pacific Northwest might be your ticket.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

If you're interested in insurance, then you should probably look into Hartford. There are lots of nice semi-rural suburbs, and you're only 90 minutes or so from NYC.

It gets a bit cold in the winter, but not as cold as Wisconsin!

 

[RichardK]

Texas of course...in order of my preference. I currently live in Dallas, went to school at UT Austin. Cost of living is very good down here. Also, it isnt THAT hot down here... awful humidity is Houston since it is near the Gulf of Mexico...elsewhere not so much.

1. Austin
2. Dallas
3. San Antonio
?. Houston

Bay Area / Southern California is nice too, but very expensive... PacNW is nice as well Portland or Seattle...Cost of living I believe is moderate...

 

[Mort Corey]

Sounds like you want to move to my neighborhood.....one hour from San Diego and ninety minutes from Los Angeles (though I don't care to travel to either). If you like heavy regulation, high taxes, and exhorborant living costs, then California is the place Insurance is a tough business (especially in Kali--foornea as our Governator says).....quite cyclical.

Mort (who wouldn't want to winter in Wisconsin either)

 

[Phil_L]

Washington, D.C. Best city in the world. Wish I still lived there.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Oh sure, one big snowfall and all of a sudden the "I want to leave Wisconsin" threads start popping up.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

You should really consider Wa. or Or. Portland to Seattle Here's why.

It's hella boring. Nothing hardly ever happens here.

40,50,60 degrees in the winter.
70-95 in the summer.
No humidity
No mosquitos or other bugs
Skiing at Mt.Hood or Rainier
The ocean, can't swim in it without turning blue, but it keeps the beaches pretty.
Windsurfing in the gorge, the best in the world.
The gorge period. Hiking, camping, boating, waterfalls, driving...
Saskwatch territory
Can dress like a slob and fit right in anywhere, even at the most expensive shops/resturants.
People get so bored all they do is complain.

 

[Carlo_M]

Well those weather patterns you describe fit West Los Angeles to a tee... (it's currently been around 70, and summers it can get to the 90s and people start complaining about "the heat").

But then you say you want to be in a rural community near a big city...definitely not West L.A.

Maybe go up the 101 and look at some small communities, like Camarillo or Ventura. About an hour outside of L.A. proper, smaller communities. Maybe someone from those areas can chime in here?

 

[Tim Holyoke]

Dave - it's the cold, not the snow .

Chris - I think you sold me. I'm getting on the next flight to Portland.

Carlo - The weather in and around LA, from what I've noticed, would be nice (not taking into account the smog and mudslides).

Bob - I've actually had a lot of people tell me the Carolina's are nice.

Rain and overcast weather aren't exactly on the top of my list, that's why I hesitate to think about the PacNW.

What's the San Joaquin Valley like? Where's the Napa Valley? Are these big agricultural areas?

Thanks for any ideas.

Tim

 

[Pamela]

I would think twice about Southern California. The cost of living is sky high. Even the area around Ventura, which is a nice area, is expensive. Rent, groceries, insurance, gas, utilities—I'm amazed at how much more inexpensive these things are when I travel to other areas of the country. Forget buying a house, unless you're loaded. 2 bedroom condos in my neighborhood (Burbank) go for $400,000 or more. I have friends looking at a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house, a little less than 1000 square feet. It's going for $525,000. My head spins when I just think about it!

 

[Philip_G]

Why not denver? warm in the summer, warm most of the winter too, but with the occasional snow storm.

 

[Kevin_Spradley]

How about Huntsville, AL? The winters range anywhere from 20 deg F to 70 deg F, summers are typically mid 90s with high humidity, but you get used to it. The cost of living is extremely low compared to other technological centers in the US. less than 2 hours from Nashville, Chattanooga and Birmingham, 3.5 hours from Atlanta and Memphis. Great fall weather, beautiful tree colors, nice people, great food. The city is large enough to not feel like a small town, but small enough to get anywhere in a few minutes. Great hiking, cave exploring (the national spelunker society is HQ'd here). We do get the very rare ice storm, and snow flurries.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Forget all the above and come to Britain where without a hint of irony, you can see the following headlines (or permutations of them) on a seasonal basis:

Britain sizzles in the seventies (fahrenheit).

Severe frost expected - temperatures overnight may reach as low as minus two (centigrade).

Leaves on the track cause major delays on main railroad routes (in autumn - sorry, I mean Fall).

Major snowfall brings Britain to a standstill ('major snowfall' = 2 inches - not per hour, but in total).

 

[JoshGivens]

If I were going somewhere I would choose southern Texas. The San Antonio area. Don't have to worry about the earthquakes like in Califonia and not too much about hurricaine activity like in Florida. The weather is nice and I have always loved going to that city. There are a high number of immigrants there, but that may or may not matter to you. They have great Mexican markets though.

 

[Eve T]

I'm in a similar situation. I want to move somewhere warmer to but for several hard reasons.

I have my eyes on New Orleans. Still gets a bit cold at times but it stays pretty warm most of the time.

I'm still thinking.....

 

[Elinor]

>" Where's the Napa Valley? Are these big agricultural areas?"

Napa is N of San Francisco.

The climate is lovely, very Mediterranean. Hot dry summer days (90+/-), cool summer nights (50s) ... good for making nice sweet grapes. Winters are mild, though that is the rainy season and it can pour for days on end.

There are some nice towns in that area (Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino counties). Very agricultural (vineyards and fruit orchards).

 

[Brandon_T]

Hawaii? Never been there, but it always looks perfect. I notice we don't have to many members here that post often from Hawaii, they are probably always just looking at how beatuiful it is. I could and probably am wrong, but just thought I would throw it out there.

Brandon

 

[RobertR]

Makes me glad I bought where I did. 2500 square ft, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, $350k.