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Sea Esta
01-03-2003, 08:51 AM
A firm in LA is interested in chatting with me about a possible move. What is the traffic really like? The firm is located in the 11000 block of Olympic Blvd. If this pans out, where would be the best “affordable” living locations, considering boating is a priority. :) It appears salt water is right there but fresh water ???? :confused: It would be a big move from the Midwest. In addition finding the wife employment. Just thought I’d ask and get some real info. Head hunters always give you the good info but not the bad.

Havasu Hangin'
01-03-2003, 08:56 AM
IMHO, that is a rough area to live...which means commute.
Traffic? you bet. Patience is a virtue.
Don't forget the higher cost of living in your new compensation package.

THOR
01-03-2003, 09:07 AM
Depending on what time you plan on commuting depends on the traffic. I have a rough commute as well from Huntington Beach to LA, roughly 32 miles. I leave at 5:45 am and it takes me 1/2 hour. I leave to go home between 2:30 and 3:30 and it takes about 1 hour. If you can live with that, then you should be fine, depending on where you want to live.

jm2drvr
01-03-2003, 09:20 AM
before you make your final decision, have your company spring for a trip out here to check it out, and keep in mind, that homes are at an all time high if your are thinking about buying.

LeE ss13
01-03-2003, 10:16 AM
THOR:
Depending on what time you plan on commuting depends on the traffic. I have a rough commute as well from Huntington Beach to LA, roughly 32 miles. I leave at 5:45 am and it takes me 1/2 hour. I leave to go home between 2:30 and 3:30 and it takes about 1 hour. If you can live with that, then you should be fine, depending on where you want to live. Thor ... the address he gave is West LA. Almost Santa Monica. My wife worked out there and it added 1/2 to 1 hour each way. The traffic is very bad and there is no place to park. I work in Downtown L.A. and the commute to and from, is not too bad because there are so many ways in and out. If you're on the Westside on a Friday and it starts to rain, you can plan on a 3 hour drive home. If it's Friday before Memorial Day just find a hotel.

Havasu_Dreamin
01-03-2003, 10:28 AM
First, come out here during the week and check out the traffic for yourself. Everyone can tell you what it's like, but you really should experience for yourself, afterall, you may be in it everyday. Also, ask the new company if they have any vanpool options. I don't know how big the company is, but the large firms in Southern California are MANDATED to offer vanpooling to reduce the smog and the number of cars on the road.

Sea Esta
01-03-2003, 10:37 AM
Thanks all!! I will definitely have the firm fly me out and check the traffic situation. This firm has over 130 employees. The address is 11500. We are still in the talking stages and presently the wife isnÂ’t ready to move. SheÂ’s a VP/CFO of a consulting firm and has it pretty good. Will take quite a bit for her to change her mind. She was calculating I would need a hefty increase in salary just to break even due to housing. And then she would need to find work. Number of things to ponder, pluses and minus. IÂ’ll keep you posted if we get to a negotiating phase in the process. :)

mbrown2
01-03-2003, 10:45 AM
My personal opinion is California is great, but based on what your situation is, it might not be the right move for you. Your wife is doing quite well, and I am assuming you are too with the opportunities cropping up in other states. I work in SoCal just outside the Los Angeles County line, and I would not want to work on the West side. The West Side and South Bay are nice places to visit, but crowded and expensive. So what if you have the beach there..In St. Louis you have lakes. You would would have to have some hefty comp unlift and your wife find another job to make the coin to afford house for house what you can probably get in your neck of the woods. Its good advice to come here and see it, but if I were somewhere else doing good, I would question moving here.
Also, the local lakes in this area are marginal...it is rare I go anywhere other than the river to do my boating...Cops are too strict, no space to run fast, and its like amature hour out there on some weekends.
[ January 03, 2003, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: mbrown2 ]

Kilrtoy
01-03-2003, 10:49 AM
You don't need to live in west L.A. Its way too expensive for so little. You can move to the San Fernando Valley where it is way cheaper, just make sure you look in the west SFV (West side of 405 fwy). The drive isnt far , but traffic is aweful. As far as fresh water it depends on what you have . You have PYRAMID, CASTAIC and PIRU

dankirk
01-03-2003, 10:53 AM
I know that area well, it is right off of the I-405 freeway. The 405 is a real mess all day long. I use to work in that area and commuted from Castaic, approximately 35 miles away. On some days it would take 2 hours to get home. There is no place near there that I would like to live in and could afford. As far as boating is concerned, you can live in the SCV and boat at Castaic lake or Pyramid, but as I said, the commute down the 405 is a bear. Good luck with your decision.
oh ya, houses start at 300-400K around here.
[ January 03, 2003, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: dankirk ]

THOR
01-03-2003, 11:14 AM
LeE ss13:
THOR:
Depending on what time you plan on commuting depends on the traffic. I have a rough commute as well from Huntington Beach to LA, roughly 32 miles. I leave at 5:45 am and it takes me 1/2 hour. I leave to go home between 2:30 and 3:30 and it takes about 1 hour. If you can live with that, then you should be fine, depending on where you want to live. Thor ... the address he gave is West LA. Almost Santa Monica. My wife worked out there and it added 1/2 to 1 hour each way. The traffic is very bad and there is no place to park. I work in Downtown L.A. and the commute to and from, is not too bad because there are so many ways in and out. If you're on the Westside on a Friday and it starts to rain, you can plan on a 3 hour drive home. If it's Friday before Memorial Day just find a hotel. I hear ya. I work in marina del rey and I can only take the 405 to and from work which blows. I am stuck if there is an accident.

burtandnancy
01-04-2003, 02:29 PM
Sea Esta, lets talk trade. You leave me a boat at LOTO and I'll leave you one at Lake Mead...

Thunderbutt
01-04-2003, 03:09 PM
Sea Esta, I did what your thinking of doing 40 years ago. The best move I ever made. Made a lot of money even though the cost of living is out of site and the traffic is worse. When it came time to retire I wanted to live on the water and had very few choices in Ca. so we moved back home to LOTO.(I'm from Fenton Mo) If you are a real boater God forbid you would go through life without seeing Lake Powell,Mead, Mojave, Havasu and especially the River. Go for it

TCHB
01-04-2003, 03:26 PM
Yes there is traffic and the cost of housing is very expensive in that area. My daughter is at UCLA and apartments in that area are $1700 for a two bedroom. I was up that way last week and was suprised it is more expensive than Huntington Beach. You have to remember one thing the traffic in the LA basin is one of the worst communtes in the country. The freeways are jammed from early in the morning to at least 7pm. I would come out and look and judge for yourself. Try Lake Havasu no traffic except at the ramp.

unleashed
01-04-2003, 04:01 PM
I think you are getting very good advice from everyone on the board. I've lived in LA all my life and have traveled throughout the country. But everytime I visit somewhere(Florida, Texas, NY, Virginia, arkansas, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, Colorada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wash, Oregon....I think you get the picture, I find myself missing good ole Southern California. I really think you can't beat living here. There are just so many options as far as entertainment goes. You know lakes, river, mountains, ocean, its all here. Short trips to Mammoth, big bear, palm springs, the river, yosemite, santa Barbara, Vegas, Mexico, Seqoeia, are all options on any given 3 day holiday. If you like sports you have the clippers, Lakers, kings, ducks, Chargers UCLA, USC etc. If you surf, skate, motocross, boat, bike etc. you can't beat the weather, its a year-round thing. You got Newport, huntington, Hermosa, manhattan, Santa monica, Malibu, all nice little beach areas with their own qualities. Disneyland, knotts, Magic Mountain(My favorite) are all part of growing up here. Take today for instance 80 degrees, went to Seal beach and had some pizza on the bike. You can't beat the weather. In the end you give up one thing you might not be able to tolerate and that is your patience in Traffic....Did I say traffic sucks...Hell yeah it does, but there has to be some price to pay to live here. Thats my take on So. California. I just can't live without it...for now. Of course when I get older and retire I'll be looking for a slower pace but in my book their aren't many other options as good as here. If you are still young I'd say go for it. But I hope you have some good coin as it is expensive out here. If you can afford it though Hermosa, Redondo, and Manhattan are great places to live and your commute would not be to bad from these areas. I lived in the So. Bay for 8 years(Unforunatly I had to move as my wife didnt appreciate me being out till 2 every morning). Just make sure you bring your sun glasses because summertime on the beachs offers up some nice scenery and Im not talking about the water!!! :cool:
Deano
Unleashedclothing (http://www.unleashedclothing.com) .

Sea Esta
01-04-2003, 04:42 PM
Again thanks for all the info. I have a phone interview set up for Monday. If it goes further...We'll see. You only live once and So. CA sounds like a neat place for a bit of change. We'll have to see where this goes. :rolleyes: