Anyone consider leaving DC metro area?

[Anonymous]

DO NOT EVER COMPARE DC TO NYC. No comparison. None. NYC is a fun city with so much more to offer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

DO NOT EVER COMPARE DC TO NYC. No comparison. None. NYC is a fun city with so much more to offer!

On brother, NYC is a cesspool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DO NOT EVER COMPARE DC TO NYC. No comparison. None. NYC is a fun city with so much more to offer!

Yes! Lots of unemployed financial wonks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the feedback. I am from CA so I don't find DC to be as diverse and fast-moving as what I experienced growing up and I've assimilated. I simply want the core things which are important to me. I don't have family here and neither does he so I think that makes it easier to uproot and not look back. Again, I'm in the minority. DH agrees he's "open to it" but my conversations around moving anywhere not just the Texas area get very little response. I simply want to give my children what I had: family time, trips, a nice house and big yard to play in. Right now we're both so exhausted from work, save, work and I look around and wonder what's it all for?

OP, I know I'm being picky here but your first comment about not finding DC as diverse and fast-moving as growing up in "CA" struck me as kind of funny. I'm a native Californian too and I feel the opposite as you do (only found diversity, etc. after I moved to DC), so I definitely wouldn't generalize - which you probably didn't mean to do. (I'm from the San Joaquin Valley, FYI...one of the parts of CA that kept Prop 8 from being defeated.) Anyway, FWIW, I lived in DC for 11 years and loved it but eventually DH and I decided it was time to move on to a "quieter" place that was more affordable and family friendly to raise our family. We live in Portland, OR now and though I had a much harder time with the transition than I could have ever imagined and missed DC a lot more than I thought I would - things seem to be turning around now and I can honestly say it's a great place to live. Many of the benefits of Northern Calif. w/o many of the negatives. (Just don't move here w/o a job.) We also strongly considered Texas - Austin, though, as DH is from San Antonio and went to grad school in Austin and we have family there. I'd never think of moving to the Dallas or Houston area but Austin is wonderful for sure. And, sometimes we still struggle with the question of why aren't we there when we could have family support vs. going it alone. Though, DH and I still think it doesn't hold a candle in terms of things to do, culture and beauty as the Portland region/Oregon does.

Good luck! It's always amazing to me how many of these posts I see on here of people looking to get out of the DC area. In Portland most of what you hear about is how much people love living here. Funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: OP, I know I'm being picky here but your first comment about not finding DC as diverse and fast-moving as growing up in "CA" struck me as kind of funny. I'm a native Californian too and I feel the opposite as you do (only found diversity, etc. after I moved to DC), so I definitely wouldn't generalize - which you probably didn't mean to do. (I'm from the San Joaquin Valley, FYI...one of the parts of CA that kept Prop 8 from being defeated.) Anyway, FWIW, I lived in DC for 11 years and loved it but eventually DH and I decided it was time to move on to a "quieter" place that was more affordable and family friendly to raise our family. We live in Portland, OR now and though I had a much harder time with the transition than I could have ever imagined and missed DC a lot more than I thought I would - things seem to be turning around now and I can honestly say it's a great place to live. Many of the benefits of Northern Calif. w/o many of the negatives. (Just don't move here w/o a job.) We also strongly considered Texas - Austin, though, as DH is from San Antonio and went to grad school in Austin and we have family there. I'd never think of moving to the Dallas or Houston area but Austin is wonderful for sure. And, sometimes we still struggle with the question of why aren't we there when we could have family support vs. going it alone. Though, DH and I still think it doesn't hold a candle in terms of things to do, culture and beauty as the Portland region/Oregon does.

Good luck! It's always amazing to me how many of these posts I see on here of people looking to get out of the DC area. In Portland most of what you hear about is how much people love living here. Funny.

Hey, this is the poster who is moving to austin again - I actually am a bit envious of your move to Portland. It sounds slightly more my speed than deep in the heart of TX, but there is no WAY we're ever getting my husband's family out of TX. Austin was a compromise since my mom and dad are willing to come with us - benefit of being an only child, though.

Glad you are happy in POrtland - hoping we will be in Austin, too.

[Anonymous]

We've lived in the DC area three different times each time for about three years. We always enjoy it for a couple of years. But we are always, always, always ready to get the hell out of there.

Sorry if that offends. But my idea of quality of life does not include long hours for my husband, horrible weather, super competitive helicopter parents, traffic, insane cost of living, on and on and on.

We live in a beautiful suburb in Florida. My home backs up to a lake. My kids are in excellent schools. My youngest rides his bike to school every day. My husband's commute is about 20 minutes...and he works across town. There is no traffic. None.

People stop and talk to each other. I know all my neighbors....well. Kids don't have "play dates"....they just go outside and play. They come home from school, grab a snack, and then head outside. They know to come in when the street lights come on. We have one of the best public universities in the country. It's as difficult to get into University of Florida as it is to get into an Ivy League school. Yet, my kids will go FREE! Florida pays 100% of in-state tuition at any state school for kids with decent grades.

There are some good things about living in the DC area. But I can't understand why anyone would willingly stay in that place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: OP, I know I'm being picky here but your first comment about not finding DC as diverse and fast-moving as growing up in "CA" struck me as kind of funny. I'm a native Californian too and I feel the opposite as you do (only found diversity, etc. after I moved to DC), so I definitely wouldn't generalize - which you probably didn't mean to do. (I'm from the San Joaquin Valley, FYI...one of the parts of CA that kept Prop 8 from being defeated.) Anyway, FWIW, I lived in DC for 11 years and loved it but eventually DH and I decided it was time to move on to a "quieter" place that was more affordable and family friendly to raise our family. We live in Portland, OR now and though I had a much harder time with the transition than I could have ever imagined and missed DC a lot more than I thought I would - things seem to be turning around now and I can honestly say it's a great place to live. Many of the benefits of Northern Calif. w/o many of the negatives. (Just don't move here w/o a job.) We also strongly considered Texas - Austin, though, as DH is from San Antonio and went to grad school in Austin and we have family there. I'd never think of moving to the Dallas or Houston area but Austin is wonderful for sure. And, sometimes we still struggle with the question of why aren't we there when we could have family support vs. going it alone. Though, DH and I still think it doesn't hold a candle in terms of things to do, culture and beauty as the Portland region/Oregon does.

Good luck! It's always amazing to me how many of these posts I see on here of people looking to get out of the DC area. In Portland most of what you hear about is how much people love living here. Funny.

Hey, this is the poster who is moving to austin again - I actually am a bit envious of your move to Portland. It sounds slightly more my speed than deep in the heart of TX, but there is no WAY we're ever getting my husband's family out of TX. Austin was a compromise since my mom and dad are willing to come with us - benefit of being an only child, though.

Glad you are happy in POrtland - hoping we will be in Austin, too.

Austin reminds me a lot of the west coast. It may not have the scenery that you get in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, but the mentality there isn't too far off. Austin is still Texas so you get that feel as well but it's really the San Francisco of Texas. If that makes sense. i.e progressive thinking, free-spirits, interesting culture (particularly the music), etc. Most different from Houston or Dallas- you don't see people dressed up to the hilt just to go the grocery store or dry cleaner. I love Dallas and Houston but I'm still blown away that I'm the only without makeup at the dry cleaner. Best way to put it- Austin is very organic. And there are hills! (unlike the rest of TX)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Austin reminds me a lot of the west coast. It may not have the scenery that you get in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, but the mentality there isn't too far off. Austin is still Texas so you get that feel as well but it's really the San Francisco of Texas. If that makes sense. i.e progressive thinking, free-spirits, interesting culture (particularly the music), etc. Most different from Houston or Dallas- you don't see people dressed up to the hilt just to go the grocery store or dry cleaner. I love Dallas and Houston but I'm still blown away that I'm the only without makeup at the dry cleaner. Best way to put it- Austin is very organic. And there are hills! (unlike the rest of TX)

that is the feel I get there and have heard about it, too. Austin is more environmental/outdoorsy than most other TX cities. I've spent more time than I would like in the San Antonio area, and I REALLY dislike it. It might have a lot to do with the idiot BIL and his loser friends and the fact that no one seems to think living at home with your parents at 36 with your young baby momma and 2 young children is a HUGE problem...maybe, who knows? But it is a whole different vibe than Austin. I think it has a lot to do with UT, honestly. It is a youthful vibe all around in Austin. The people on the message board there tell me it is strongly libertarian more than liberal, and that's OK with me. As long as they like open spaces and parks and NOT having to get in their car to get absolutely everywhere, I'm fine.

It helps that the realtor we met there is a woman close to our age with kids and just super friendly - I can't wait to hang out with her when we get there. She just is adorable and fun, plus she is in charge of her mom's group even though she works at least 30 hours/week.

[Anonymous]

I have family in Texas and there are lots of great things about it (people are warm and friendly, more curteous drivers, great great mexican food, good state higher ed system) in addition to lower cost of living. However, in my experience, to really fit in and gain a sense of community you need to be either christain or jewish and belong to a corresponding church or temple. Since OP mentioned religion is important to her, this would not be an issue for her. IMO, OP and her DH should look and perhaps apply for jobs in the areas she is interested in. And then see what turns up. It's hard to find a new job currently and I certainly would not advise making plans to move without a job lined up.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand all the "I don't like DC" or "I want to leave DC" threads as of late. I think you're all crazy. It's a great place to live.
And, if you don't like it, leave. Or zip it and try to find something positive. If you stew about it, I guarantee your bound to dislike anything.

As for the FLA poster, I will take DC over that overly-foreclosed, overly tanned state any day. Enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Florida is America's penis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the feedback. I am from CA so I don't find DC to be as diverse and fast-moving as what I experienced growing up and I've assimilated. I simply want the core things which are important to me. I don't have family here and neither does he so I think that makes it easier to uproot and not look back. Again, I'm in the minority. DH agrees he's "open to it" but my conversations around moving anywhere not just the Texas area get very little response. I simply want to give my children what I had: family time, trips, a nice house and big yard to play in. Right now we're both so exhausted from work, save, work and I look around and wonder what's it all for?

OP, I know I'm being picky here but your first comment about not finding DC as diverse and fast-moving as growing up in "CA" struck me as kind of funny. I'm a native Californian too and I feel the opposite as you do (only found diversity, etc. after I moved to DC), so I definitely wouldn't generalize - which you probably didn't mean to do. (I'm from the San Joaquin Valley, FYI...one of the parts of CA that kept Prop 8 from being defeated.) Anyway, FWIW, I lived in DC for 11 years and loved it but eventually DH and I decided it was time to move on to a "quieter" place that was more affordable and family friendly to raise our family. We live in Portland, OR now and though I had a much harder time with the transition than I could have ever imagined and missed DC a lot more than I thought I would - things seem to be turning around now and I can honestly say it's a great place to live. Many of the benefits of Northern Calif. w/o many of the negatives. (Just don't move here w/o a job.) We also strongly considered Texas - Austin, though, as DH is from San Antonio and went to grad school in Austin and we have family there. I'd never think of moving to the Dallas or Houston area but Austin is wonderful for sure. And, sometimes we still struggle with the question of why aren't we there when we could have family support vs. going it alone. Though, DH and I still think it doesn't hold a candle in terms of things to do, culture and beauty as the Portland region/Oregon does.

Good luck! It's always amazing to me how many of these posts I see on here of people looking to get out of the DC area. In Portland most of what you hear about is how much people love living here. Funny.

What's the unemployment rate in Portland? How much did its real estate appreciate last year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've lived in the DC area three different times each time for about three years. We always enjoy it for a couple of years. But we are always, always, always ready to get the hell out of there.

Sorry if that offends. But my idea of quality of life does not include long hours for my husband, horrible weather, super competitive helicopter parents, traffic, insane cost of living, on and on and on.

We live in a beautiful suburb in Florida. My home backs up to a lake. My kids are in excellent schools. My youngest rides his bike to school every day. My husband's commute is about 20 minutes...and he works across town. There is no traffic. None.

People stop and talk to each other. I know all my neighbors....well. Kids don't have "play dates"....they just go outside and play. They come home from school, grab a snack, and then head outside. They know to come in when the street lights come on. We have one of the best public universities in the country. It's as difficult to get into University of Florida as it is to get into an Ivy League school. Yet, my kids will go FREE! Florida pays 100% of in-state tuition at any state school for kids with decent grades.

There are some good things about living in the DC area. But I can't understand why anyone would willingly stay in that place.

No dual WOHP households that use after school care in Florida? The schools absolutely suck in much of Florida and the whole state is tacky.

[Anonymous]

This thread is cracking me up as I from FL, live in TX now and we are currently planning our return to DC. I've lived in enough places to know that nowhere is
perfect, it all depends on your values. Different strokes! That said, to the PP moving to Austin, just know that (1) traffic is godawful; (2) those hipsters get tiresome; and (3)no town ruled by Rick Perry is all *that* progressive. Don't kid yourself, it's still TX!

[Anonymous]

The "San Francisco of Texas" sounds roughly equivalent to the best ice skater in Egypt. Not exactly a high bar to clear.