[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

It appears you don't work..so for a place to go and die, it would still beat the likes of LA, DC, Boston, etc.

But, there are still plenty of people moving to those cities.

[moguldreamer]

There is a classic meme that should be posted here:

"Welcome!

You came here from there because you didn't like there and now you want to change here to be like there.

We are not racist, phobic or anti whatever-you-are, we simply like here the way it is and most of us actually came here because it is not like there, wherever there was.

You are welcome here, but please stop trying to make here like there.

If you want here to be like there you should not have left there to come here, and you are invited to leave here and go back there at your earliest convenience."

[movin1]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

I don't get this sentence (in red above).

The statement was "A lot of people who moved from California to Las Vegas after 2008 did so not because they wanted to, but because they had to."

You don't understand why that happened? Google 2008 Economic Recession.

The US economy crashed. People lost their jobs and homes. They couldn't afford to live in California any more, so they moved to Las Vegas where the cost of living is much lower. There is no state income tax, prices of homes, and property taxes are substantially lower in Las Vegas.

I don't know how most people afford to live in California. You have to earn, or have, a lot of money to live there. You pay a substantial amount of your income in taxes to live there. Unless of course you are super wealthy and don't pay taxes because your accountants have found a way around that.

[aces777]

Originally Posted by movin1

The statement was "A lot of people who moved from California to Las Vegas after 2008 did so not because they wanted to, but because they had to."

You don't understand why that happened? Google 2008 Economic Recession.

The US economy crashed. People lost their jobs and homes. They couldn't afford to live in California any more, so they moved to Las Vegas where the cost of living is much lower. There is no state income tax, prices of homes, and property taxes are substantially lower in Las Vegas.

I don't know how most people afford to live in California. You have to earn, or have, a lot of money to live there. You pay a substantial amount of your income in taxes to live there. Unless of course you are super wealthy and don't pay taxes because your accountants have found a way around that.

Just rambling on a Friday night after the movies....that new Michael Keaton movie was great by the way...so....here it goes.

exactly correct with this post above.
like I mentioned previously the value of living in California (and I am referring to Southern California mostly here), is gone when you consider the taxes, cost of living, and other stress. the only thing missing is the beach and slightly better weather. it has become an area for the wealthy to dominate, while the lower classes battle for the crumbs.

Vegas, unfortunately, is becoming LA 2.0, with the rising cost of living. Vegas has jumped the shark for so many middle class families.

In my opinion, a person (especially true if you have a family) needs to find a city where they can secure a stable job, and then find a home in a stable community with low crime. It is just not smart to rent your entire life, and not settle down. this way of living is just not productive for a "fun" and "meaningful" life. having a home that is yours is a worthwhile endeavor.

I know I am rambling a bit here. But, I want to emphasize that people research and find those cities where they can accomplish those goals. Vegas was a city to do that, about 20-30 years ago, but no longer.

A quick look at the county has me pointing to college towns like College Station, TX or El Paso, TX, as possibilities to consider, to build a future, for middle class families. There are others, but I think college towns are great, when you think about the educated population (likely to have lower crime), and the value you will get for your money.

[Chappy 62]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

It appears you don't work..so for a place to go and die, it would still beat the likes of LA, DC, Boston, etc.

Don't work is pretty strong. I work around the house every day. I retired when I was 48. I will be 62 this year. I may even see a social security check.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by movin1

The statement was "A lot of people who moved from California to Las Vegas after 2008 did so not because they wanted to, but because they had to."

You don't understand why that happened? Google 2008 Economic Recession.

The US economy crashed. People lost their jobs and homes. They couldn't afford to live in California any more, so they moved to Las Vegas where the cost of living is much lower. There is no state income tax, prices of homes, and property taxes are substantially lower in Las Vegas.

I don't know how most people afford to live in California. You have to earn, or have, a lot of money to live there. You pay a substantial amount of your income in taxes to live there. Unless of course you are super wealthy and don't pay taxes because your accountants have found a way around that.

We haven't been back to So California since we left in May 2002, but my wife's older sister still lives in Ontario and she has told us many, many times how bad the traffic is there. She sometimes drives down to OC to see her daughter's family and has told us how bad the traffic is.

So, with this in mind, there must still be plenty of folks that live/work in So California. There is, and has always been lower-income areas of So Calif. and people still live in those areas.

IOW, no city, big or small, in California, is empty of people. There are those, like my wife's sister, that will never/ever move out of So California. And, she definitely isn't rich or "well off" at all.

[BabyBoomers2]

When talking about "changing a city", that has happened to Henderson and Las Vegas. There are those that have lived here for years, but due to the changes, they don't like the area anymore. People in Henderson and Vegas blame the changes onto folks from California. Well, don't totally know about that.

Do know that "changing a city" has happened to numerous cities in America. The word "progress" comes to mind and when "progress" sees the opportunity to happen, generally it does. The entire Henderson/Las Vegas metro area (Valley) has seen, and will continue to see "progress". Some residents like the word, while others don't.

Vegas "is what it is" and it's only going to get bigger and bigger with more and more people, traffic and crime. The exact same thing happened to Denver, CO, of which people from northern Colorado call "Colorado's version of Los Angeles".

Everyone has their reasons for either loving Henderson/Las Vegas metro or completely disliking it. But, what is so funny to me is, for those that dislike it, they aren't leaving. Guess it's easier to complain that do something about the complaining. As for us, BB2, we complain, but plan on moving. We don't need jobs, so that's in our advantage.

[Matt Marcinkiewicz]

Originally Posted by aces777

Just rambling on a Friday night after the movies....that new Michael Keaton movie was great by the way...so....here it goes.

exactly correct with this post above.
like I mentioned previously the value of living in California (and I am referring to Southern California mostly here), is gone when you consider the taxes, cost of living, and other stress. the only thing missing is the beach and slightly better weather. it has become an area for the wealthy to dominate, while the lower classes battle for the crumbs.

Vegas, unfortunately, is becoming LA 2.0, with the rising cost of living. Vegas has jumped the shark for so many middle class families.

In my opinion, a person (especially true if you have a family) needs to find a city where they can secure a stable job, and then find a home in a stable community with low crime. It is just not smart to rent your entire life, and not settle down. this way of living is just not productive for a "fun" and "meaningful" life. having a home that is yours is a worthwhile endeavor.

I know I am rambling a bit here. But, I want to emphasize that people research and find those cities where they can accomplish those goals. Vegas was a city to do that, about 20-30 years ago, but no longer.

A quick look at the county has me pointing to college towns like College Station, TX or El Paso, TX, as possibilities to consider, to build a future, for middle class families. There are others, but I think college towns are great, when you think about the educated population (likely to have lower crime), and the value you will get for your money.

UTEP is in El Paso, and I'm sure other colleges and universities are as well, but El Paso is too big to call a college town. College Station, on the other hand, is kind of given away by its name, heh

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by movin1

The statement was "A lot of people who moved from California to Las Vegas after 2008 did so not because they wanted to, but because they had to."

You don't understand why that happened? Google 2008 Economic Recession.

The US economy crashed. People lost their jobs and homes. They couldn't afford to live in California any more, so they moved to Las Vegas where the cost of living is much lower. There is no state income tax, prices of homes, and property taxes are substantially lower in Las Vegas.

I don't know how most people afford to live in California. You have to earn, or have, a lot of money to live there. You pay a substantial amount of your income in taxes to live there. Unless of course you are super wealthy and don't pay taxes because your accountants have found a way around that.

Depending on the tax year, over 45% of California state income tax revenue is paid by the top 1% of earners.

It is a common myth that wealthy people have accountants who find ways around the state income tax system. No such way exists.

[aces777]

Originally Posted by Matt Marcinkiewicz

UTEP is in El Paso, and I'm sure other colleges and universities are as well, but El Paso is too big to call a college town. College Station, on the other hand, is kind of given away by its name, heh

Yes, that makes sense.

There are other places, like Stillwater, Oklahoma or Norman, Oklahoma, that offer excellent value as well. If the cold weather is not an issue, then consider Big Ten Schools in the Midwest, like Bloomington, or West Lafayette, Indiana, and Lansing, Michigan.