Considering moving to Idaho from California? Our Experience (Idaho Falls, Emmett: lease, loan)

[Hp1167]

Originally Posted by Anak

I appreciate CapitalKid's sharing of experience. It is good to see what can happen. I can believe the story.

At the same time, I believe a different story can be written.

I am looking at moving my family to Idaho, but we are doing it a bit differently. By the end of this summer we will have made our third trip to the area we are looking at moving to. We are already building relationships with people there. It may be several more years before we finally do make the move. Whenever that time comes, we will have someone there who welcomes us.

Yes, coming from California carries a bit of a liability, but that is not an insurmountable obstacle. Those of us who are in that situation simply have to make it clear that we are on the side of low taxes, dirt roads and the freedom of a right to work state. We aren't coming to change the world. We are coming because we like the world that is Idaho.

Taking the time to learn the rules and unwritten codes in advance can save a lot of heartbreak for both sides of the picture. That's one of the great things about this forum. It offers a lot of the personality of an area which the charts and graphs cannot convey.

Thanks to those who participate so the rest of us can learn.

The irony is that the more people that come to Idaho (or similar states), the more things HAVE to change. Dirt roads become paved to handle more traffic. Fences get built. Zoning and HOA's become required (and necessary). Services are increased. Big box stores proliferate. And taxes get raised to pay for it all.

It's a fact of life. I just wish people would stop pretending there is some noble goal in moving somewhere else. There are no noble goals. You're trying to find a better situation for you and your family, and whatever happens because of that move (and thousands like it) happens. If one were truly interested in noble goals they'd stay in their home towns and try to improve them.

[jjkmd]

Sounds like the OP had a horrible time. I just moved up here (north ID) about 1 year ago. It has been a fantastic experience for myself and my family. People have been great, the DMV was awesome and the plethora of outdoor activities have been amazing!

Oh, and we are not white I'm tired of my californian friends always asking me about the rampant racism of north ID. Sigh. But maybe this will keep less people coming up here so we don't have to pave more roads. Those LIDs are driving me insane...hehe

[oh2az2id]

Like JJ, my experience has been fantastic. We moved here 5 years ago and found people a lot friendlier, except one neighbor who expressed his displeasure with us. I have more close friends here then I did in 24 years of living in Phoenix. We are in north Idaho so can't speak for IF.

[norcalmom101]

Life is what you make it, and wherever you go, there you are.

[DEADTIME]

My family currently resides in Kalifornia and we will be moving to Idaho in Oct/Nov, I don't hold it against the people of Idaho for hating kalifornians, I hate this state and most of its residents and I live here.

What do people think of when you say kalifornia: Fake, liberal, self obsessed, pro tax, pro abortion, anti gun rights, anti personal freedoms, pro big government, low moral values, anti religious, etc etc. Why would you want that kind of person moving to your state?

My strategy will be to quickly explain that I'm from Southern Illinois and lived in Alaska for many years, I had to live in Kalifornia for my wife's education. It's not other peoples job to accept me I must earn that acceptance. I'm not entitled to anything I must earn my friends through my personal interactions and actions in the community.

Your whole story sounds like a whaaaa story, or maybe even made up. Why live in a camper when you can buy a mobile home in CDA for 15k? if you don't like the dmv in one town try another.

To those who read this PLEASE understand not all Kalifornians are whinny liberals. Alot of us who move to Idaho are not looking to turn it into taxifornia north, we are moving to Idaho to fit in and be with people just like you.

[KTMMan]

Originally Posted by DEADTIME

My family currently resides in Kalifornia and we will be moving to Idaho in Oct/Nov, I don't hold it against the people of Idaho for hating kalifornians, I hate this state and most of its residents and I live here.

What do people think of when you say kalifornia: Fake, liberal, self obsessed, pro tax, pro abortion, anti gun rights, anti personal freedoms, pro big government, low moral values, anti religious, etc etc. Why would you want that kind of person moving to your state?

My strategy will be to quickly explain that I'm from Southern Illinois and lived in Alaska for many years, I had to live in Kalifornia for my wife's education. It's not other peoples job to accept me I must earn that acceptance. I'm not entitled to anything I must earn my friends through my personal interactions and actions in the community.

Your whole story sounds like a whaaaa story, or maybe even made up. Why live in a camper when you can buy a mobile home in CDA for 15k? if you don't like the dmv in one town try another.

To those who read this PLEASE understand not all Kalifornians are whinny liberals. Alot of us who move to Idaho are not looking to turn it into taxifornia north, we are moving to Idaho to fit in and be with people just like you.

Deadtime, I was born here, have lived here all my life,(L.A basin), and can't wait to escape. I spent three weeks last summer in Idaho and can't imagine being treated like the OP. But then again, I nor my family are "whinny Kalifornians" and I haven't ventured over to that side of the state. I also believe they might have created some of the
problems they encountered. Oregon sounds like a better fit.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

To the OP, sounds like you had a pretty rough experience indeed and I am sure you are not the first.

However I dont think this is an ID v CA thing as I have seen this in many other places. Having driven with a rented car and New York plates down south into some small towns wasnt the most pleasant. Did I care? Not really, because well, I didnt expect them to be hospitable as I was infringing on their day to day life which may not change much.

As a general rule of thumb, in some cases I think if one is traveling or stepping foot into another city, country, it pays to be humble and observe how people treat each other before engaging in conversation. This is regardless if its a DMV, a donut shop or what have you. Its the locals that still work these places.

On another note, I assume that there are more LA to north folks that migrate to ID? Even in San Diego, the rest of CA is definitely considered liberal.

[cujo1950]

I too have recently moved from southern Calif. to Northern Idaho. I have really been treated well by most everyone I've come into contact with. I love Idaho and most of the people I've dealt with. I didn't move here to try and make Idaho like the place I left, I moved here to become a citizen of Idaho.
Can any of us blame these folks about their feelings about Calif.? All we see on the television is rediculous stories from Calif about the far left and their protests, etc.
Many people from Calif. move here and they do think they're better than others and want to throw their money around and act foolish just as they did down south. I dislike them in Calif. and really dislike seeing them settle here.
I have worked hard my entire life at a factory job, raised my family and like me, there are many hard working, conservative people who want the Idaho life and just want to fit in.
I agree with others that you must have come here looking for problems. No one "plans for years" for a move then spends a couple of weeks and leaves.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure in most states you must have a full time residence in the state, i.e. an address to get state license

[Love_Idaho]

From the look of the lines and waiting time, I'm pretty sure this commercial was filmed at my local DMV, and from the replies by all of you I'm sure no Idahoans can say the same.

YouTube - ‪AT&T - Let's go out to the DMV‬‏
Like some of you have said, how can you really judge the entire state of Idaho on a trip to the DMV? I have to agree completely with DEADTIME.. comparing California to Idaho is like comparing a rock to a diamond in many aspects. Like he said, buy a cheap mobile home if you want to live in Idaho so bad. And go to another DMV if you don't like the cranky lady working at your local one.. don't give up because someone wasn't as nice as they could be.
And you couldn't honestly think that Facebook posts would influence the population's view on Californians, did you? Sounds like another excuse to me..
It's a well-known fact that Idaho isn't job-friendly, especially in non-urban areas. Why in the world didn't you do your research before you came and find that out? And why did you come here just to complain about bad experiences?
Go to the DMV where that happened and find the person in charge there. That's who you need to complain to. Then contact a head person on Facebook. That's who you need to complain to. There's absolutely no point in coming here because anybody has done a speck more research on the state and available jobs won't be influenced by this.

[Osito]

We moved to Idaho Falls briefly when I was a teenager. I myself didn't hit it off too well with Idaho Falls and to the day I left, only made one friend. My mom obviously didn't like it there either but I think that was mostly the weather.

My grandmother lived in Northern Idaho outside Coeur d'Alene and I went up to visit her for a summer and loved it. I wanted to stay there lol.