I had an aunt who was originally from NY and relocated to Calif in the 70s. She had a daughter living in OK that convinced her to move out there in the 80s. After about a year, she moved back to Calif with the immortal words "I'd rather be a bag lady in Calif than a millionaire in OK".
People who move away Calif seem forever morose about their loss. (Yes, Mildred, you really can't just drive to the beach/mountains/park whenever you want, in any season, and in perfect sunny weather, anymore.) Then, after about 5 years (if they can make it that long), real estate prices have once again gone up so much that they're pretty much out of the game.
I have a sister who moved to TX around 7 yrs ago (yeah, the pretty "hill country" around Austin [snicker] - she would like to come back, but she knows she's done. Her house hasn't appreciated anywhere close to where it needs to be to make it back. (That being said, after each of her kids reaches 18, guess where they head?)
People who move away Calif seem forever morose about their loss. (Yes, Mildred, you really can't just drive to the beach/mountains/park whenever you want, in any season, and in perfect sunny weather, anymore.) Then, after about 5 years (if they can make it that long), real estate prices have once again gone up so much that they're pretty much out of the game.
I have a sister who moved to TX around 7 yrs ago (yeah, the pretty "hill country" around Austin [snicker] - she would like to come back, but she knows she's done. Her house hasn't appreciated anywhere close to where it needs to be to make it back. (That being said, after each of her kids reaches 18, guess where they head?)
Shhhhh!!! Let them leave.
Honest, folks, those other states are paradise. Get out of California while you can.
I was fortunate enough to attend college in another state. It was beautiful and a great experience, but it showed me I am a Californian at heart. In fact, I came running back during an economic downturn in California. Otherwise, I too might have been tempted in recent years to follow the crowd to the newly discovered wonders of living in Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and so on.
I hope everyone who can be happy in other states heads out and has a great life and leaves more room for those of us who truly love and NEED to be in California.
(It cracks me up. Some of the people I know who have "retired" to other states always seem to be here "visiting." One couple even has rented an apartment here for their frequent "visits.")
I think it's about moving home. I think if California is home for someone , then yes, they'd probably be "morose" living somewhere else. But, if leaving California is returning home then the move means more than a financial upgrade. If I were at home here, then the chance of selling our house and buying an especially nice one with cash left over wouldn't be appealing. I think that the Okies leaving California is only partly about retiring with a wad of money left over from the sell of your CA house. It's about not being at home here. I know born and bred Californians who say the same thing. There is a feeling of not being home which adds some appeal to the "sell your house" plan.
You could find parking at the beach?
You could get to and from the mountains without half a day in bumper to bumper coming and going?
You could go to a park, with your kids, and not end up regretting it more than half the time?
After the smack dealer moved in across the street, watching my boy in little league being coached in Spanish, and realizing that 3x my income would qualify me for a 2 bedroom shack in Inglewood -- I had enough.