Please help me urgently make the right job choice! (Houston: condo, house)

[4decision]

Originally Posted by Supermac34

Personally, I'd stay with the lesser salary. Due to the cost of living difference you are probably actually making more in Houston.

HP isn't the same company it used to be to work for, but it still looks awesome on a resume, so if you want to move eventually, you'll have HP on there. I would imagine the company in CA isn't the resume builder that HP is.

Question: Have you countered the HP offer? I would bet you could get a little more out of them. $84K is decent, but they pay very well for incoming talent (the yearly adjustments are slim). If they really want you, they'll come up I'd imagine.

If you have not countered their offer, the best way to see if the offer is negotiable is to actually ask. "I appreciate the generous offer, but I was wondering if this offer is negotiable." If it is, they'll ask what you have in mind, if it isn't they'll tell you, or suggest some other method to sweeten the pot (signing bonus, extra vacation, etc).

You are right about HP. I asked for counter offer and they said that is the best they can do without stocks optics. Their benefits except the 401k plan are standard (worse than the other with free benefits). I agree with all replied posts that housing here is so affordable, and no state tax makes the seemingly much lower salary here offset the pay difference. Better things in Houston are most important: family and relatives, light short commute traffic with alternate routes, living within 11 miles of HP, no mortgage to worry (a really deal breaker!).

But if I'm willing to sacrify own personal living standard to opt for much more money saving for a few years including renting out the house in Houston, then taking this job in Cali sounds reasonable.

[4decision]

Originally Posted by Redrover

To me this is a no-brainer, I would stay in Texas. Your money will go a heckuva lot further here than in California. Taxes alone will eat up so much more of your income and you must already know the cost of housing here in Houston is much lower. But it is more about the long-term, California is in dire financial straits and getting worse by the week. Taxes are rising, services are diminishing and companies are leaving the state in droves because the business climate in so un-friendly. Take your vacations to California if you really like the state but keep your residence and your income here in Texas where there is no state income tax. Your decision but that's my two cents...

I agree with you and the rest. It is just me trying to give Cali another shot because I used to have roommates who shared the housing cost in order to save more money. The same question remains here if I'm willing to trade in the personal comfort living in a paid off house for saving more money by living with roommates or in a small studio in California. In addition the company in California is doing very well.

[4decision]

Originally Posted by predatorprey

Why don't you use your offer from Cali as a bargaining chip for even higher pay at HP.

Yes I tried to counter offer with another 10% increase from $84K but HP said that is the best. Well I can again for maybe 5% increase tomorrow. At the same time I don't want to upset either because it is a small world out there

[4decision]

Originally Posted by TimBomb

come back to houston when youre almost 40 and have found a good lady.

Hahaha, I lived in So and Nor Cal for 11 years and still didn't find my lady yet so I moved back to home town Houston. But I probably left a potential gf in the Bay area. Now maybe this is another chance to go back for her. I'll let God decide later on.

[4decision]

Originally Posted by imcurious

What do you WANT to do? Do that.

I can't have the best of both sides which are what I want lol: the same house in Cali or Houston with the higher salary, can I?

[4decision]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Go for it, see what your lifestyle is is Cali with the 31% bump...

I used to live there for many years so I know to have the same apple to apple best personal lifestyle comparison, a paid off nice house in Houston with family and relatives definitely beats even the online salary match calculation like $145K. But if I can sacrify the personal comfort for more money saving like renting an old small studio then it might be worth of moving. The emotional issue here will I want to do that again?

[predatorprey]

Hard decision for ya. Potential for growth is easily on the Cali company but more risk. Stability and safety is with HP. Not job security wise but company wise IMO

[Seoid]

That's a tough call. Having lived alone and then went back to roommates, I can tell you that's rough but you manage.

Good luck

[MNCold]

Both are good offer for you. More importantly, which job do you like better in terms of your career and the people that you will be working with. Which job will give you the satisfaction and the accomplishment at the end of the day? Which job will make you want to drive to work?
As young as you are, it is more important to gain the right experience that will set you well for the rest of the career.

[Oildog]

Given the current economy, I wouldn't play hard ball negotiating salary. Bird in hand...