Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My significant others job may be relocating to the St. Louis area. It looks like his new place of employment would be right near Maryville University. Being that we live in San Diego and both grew up in CA, we aren't sure what areas to look in as far as living goes. We are in our mid 20's no kids and enjoy going out now and then, but don't want to far of a commute (although living in San Diego I am not sure how the commute would relate to here). Any help, advice, thoughts are appreciated!!
If you bring your 300 days of partial sunshine and weather(not to mention moutains and Ocean) I will help you.
Weather is all 4 seasons and usually in extremes, as in hot, cold, etc...never too long and the next one comes around.
Maryville U is in Town&Country as mentioned and the areas in it and around it are upper middle class suburbs about 20-30 minutes from downtown. People are referring to the large hwy project which will not be completed til the end of 2009. It isn't bad yet...but beginning in 2008 it will cause inconveniences for 2 years.
St. Louis is VERY inexpensive compared to San Diego. You can get a ton more bang for your buck in many categories. Gas prices are among the cheapest in the nation to name just one example. You will win big in cost of living. You will need to decide if you want an urban or suburban or rural lifestyle. .....Generally speaking metro STL and its burbs are 30 minutes and in ...in all directions. ...though some outer ring burbs extend further to 45 min etc...but many options closer, and many city options as well.
You are not too far for a city commute or closer to the action commute for a mid 20's couple. Where your work is located is suburban....soccer moms, upper middle class.
Clayton/U City is a tradeoff area that is still suburban, but closer for your commute. Otherwise a commute from the city out isn't that bad....20 minutes for now. It will increase with the construction etc....but very doable.
Lets just put it like this; if you have a decent house in San Diego that is paid off, and you sold it, you could buy 2 nice houses in the upscale parts of STL.
I dont care how much they are going to pay you here, STAY IN SAN DIEGO. I lived in San Diego before making the dreaded decision to come to Missouri (coincidence it sounds like Misery? I think not). Take it from a fellow Californian, pay the 'sunshine tax' and stay there.
First you will be horrified at all the dilapidated buildings, it seems as if no one comprehends aesthetics here. Almost every building here was built in the 60's and no one bothers to tear them down and build nicer, newer ones. Take a stroll down Olive Blvd, and you'll know what I'm talking about. It is utterly depressing, especially coming from such beauty as San Diego. They have just kept filling in buildings with new establishments, so basically an old drive-thru restaurant is now a bank. Pathetic.
If you're young, like most Californians (I once felt young before I got here) then this is definitely not the place for you. Cities become ghost towns after 9pm ON WEEKENDS.
The sights: Haha. When we had visitors in San Diego we couldnt fit in all the places for them to see no matter how long their trip. The Zoo, Seaport Village, Coronado, La Jolla, Sea World, etc etc. Here: An arch. If your visitors are lucky to come during bearable weather, you take them here. Plan a whole day for this sight. LOL. A huge, pointless (pun intended) mammoth. Nothing for friends to do, just sit there and look at this thing.
Last and definitely not least, the weather. Ahhh the beautiful "four seasons" argument they bring up. They talk endlessly about the spring and fall seasons, and downplay the winter and summer months. Here's the irony, they seem to feel enduring the winter and summer is worth the glorious spring and fall. Uhhhhh, if you love spring and fall then why not move to California? Our winters are basically fall and our summers feel like spring in Cali. The best part is that spring and fall last a total of a few weeks, so youre stuck in Misery for the rest of your time here. I'm talking bone-chilling cold and humidity that is unexplainable. I would kind of compare it to walking out of your bathroom after the hottest shower you've taken. Air so thick you can't breathe. Trust me, waking up everyday and having it dark and gloomy, or deceptively sunny but disgustingly humid will take a toll on your energy and happy California spirit.
If you'd like I can give you more details, just email me. I'm just trying to stop you from making a HUGE mistake.
LivinInMisery gives a whole new meaning to "bloom where you are planted"... Wow, I hope I'm never so unhappy wherever I might live.
So just for fun... I went on weather.com and compared St. Louis weather and San Diego weather for today... Today will be a high of 81 in StL with max humidity of 45%, and San Diego will be a high of 69 with max humidity of 71%. I kind of like 81 with low humidity because I don't have to wear a jacket.
I know the San Diego weather is superior to most weather in this country, but I think LivininMisery paints an unfair picture of this area. It can be bitter cold, and extremely hot and humid, but we've had great weather the last week and the upcoming week is looking quite nice. I'm curious how long LivininMisery has been in the area. I've been here for almost 5 years, and I find the Fall and Spring to be very nice.
Also, there is more to do than just the Arch. The St. Louis Zoo is great, the Botanical Gardens are unbelieveable and The Science Center is great (if you have kids or just like science). There are great sports to enjoy, the Fabulous Fox Theater is a great place to catch a show, The MUNY is fun for a summer family night out, and the medical centers here are wonderful. There are old, rundown buildings in different parts of town, but there are also some old buildings that have seen significant improvements and are architecturally beautiful to look at. And about the Arch, there is more to do at the Arch than just look at it. The Lewis and Clark exhibit is very interesting, if you enjoy US History, and I personally enjoyed learning about the feat in building the Arch. I could see, though, where some might find it boring. It is not for everyone. It is a good place for a picnic, though.
If weather is your number 1 determining factor in where you live, by all means, San Diego is the place for you above about any other place in this country. For me, and many other area folks, there is more to life than just good weather. I think you have to consider all the factors that are important to you when looking at an area. I think calling Missouri Misery is a bit harsh. If something is "not for you", don't spoil it for the rest of us. A little tact and diplomacy can go a long way. Just my never-to-be-humble opinion.
Last edited by CellarBelle; 10-14-2007 at 08:59 AM..
Reason: typo, typo, and more typos
wow, okay that reply about Misery concerns me too...and the dilapidated buildings etc and everything run down. I too am used to living in a city that is very clean and well kept up. I would say 80 percent of things here are new and it's Orlando, so everything looks like Disney...manicured, freshly painted and lots of palm trees lining the streets. San Diego is a beautiful city too. I would definitely compare it to Orlando (with the exception of the humidity and lack of mountains here). But, they have a similar feel to me. I would love to live in San Diego...but I can't imagine how to afford to live there. We are used to having A LOT to do at our fingertips as well and places to take visitors. I can't even name them all. It's the tourist capital of the world here. HOWEVER, all those things ALSO cost a lot of money. We get annual passes to the theme parks. We love dinner shows and stuff, but all that is VERY costly. Even tho St. Louis has few things to do in comparison, it seems that a lot of those things are either free or a fraction of what we pay for our entertainment here. So, I agree with the previous post in that it depends on why you are moving there. My husband has an amazing job opportunity that could really launch his career and he's been waiting for a long time for a door to open as this. Missouri is not either of our first choices of places to live, but we are trying to be very open minded about it. Before coming on this board all I had ever heard were the bad things about it, such as the crime and stuff...but I feel there have been some people on here who have been encouraging to those of us used to living in areas where we love the weather and lifestyle.
wow, okay that reply about Misery concerns me too...and the dilapidated buildings etc and everything run down. I too am used to living in a city that is very clean and well kept up. I would say 80 percent of things here are new and it's Orlando, so everything looks like Disney...manicured, freshly painted and lots of palm trees lining the streets. San Diego is a beautiful city too. I would definitely compare it to Orlando (with the exception of the humidity and lack of mountains here). But, they have a similar feel to me. I would love to live in San Diego...but I can't imagine how to afford to live there. We are used to having A LOT to do at our fingertips as well and places to take visitors. I can't even name them all. It's the tourist capital of the world here. HOWEVER, all those things ALSO cost a lot of money. We get annual passes to the theme parks. We love dinner shows and stuff, but all that is VERY costly. Even tho St. Louis has few things to do in comparison, it seems that a lot of those things are either free or a fraction of what we pay for our entertainment here. So, I agree with the previous post in that it depends on why you are moving there. My husband has an amazing job opportunity that could really launch his career and he's been waiting for a long time for a door to open as this. Missouri is not either of our first choices of places to live, but we are trying to be very open minded about it. Before coming on this board all I had ever heard were the bad things about it, such as the crime and stuff...but I feel there have been some people on here who have been encouraging to those of us used to living in areas where we love the weather and lifestyle.
Actually you are the first person to be concerned of livinin misery's post....you said concerns you "too."
Anyone on a message board can have an opinion, whether factual or not in their post. I wouldn't know where to begin with all of that lol. If you are going to let one internet message board post affect you that much, ....well....then I don't know what to tell ya. Don't believe everything you read. I'm well versed in both geographies.
Don't worry FL2MO! You will be just fine with the right attitude and an open-mind. I always say "as long as I have my family, I can live anywhere". A good attitude and something to look forward to like a new job, new friends, new city, & new places to explore, will take you far. I've found that folks that let things like the weather bring them down in the dumps really probably have other things going on that are making them unhappy, which is very sad. It sounds like you and your husband are looking forward to his promotion and a fresh start in a new city. You'll be a-okay here! And I promise you will make some great St. Louis friends!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Florida2Missouri
wow, okay that reply about Misery concerns me too...and the dilapidated buildings etc and everything run down. I too am used to living in a city that is very clean and well kept up. I would say 80 percent of things here are new and it's Orlando, so everything looks like Disney...manicured, freshly painted and lots of palm trees lining the streets. San Diego is a beautiful city too. I would definitely compare it to Orlando (with the exception of the humidity and lack of mountains here). But, they have a similar feel to me. I would love to live in San Diego...but I can't imagine how to afford to live there. We are used to having A LOT to do at our fingertips as well and places to take visitors. I can't even name them all. It's the tourist capital of the world here. HOWEVER, all those things ALSO cost a lot of money. We get annual passes to the theme parks. We love dinner shows and stuff, but all that is VERY costly. Even tho St. Louis has few things to do in comparison, it seems that a lot of those things are either free or a fraction of what we pay for our entertainment here. So, I agree with the previous post in that it depends on why you are moving there. My husband has an amazing job opportunity that could really launch his career and he's been waiting for a long time for a door to open as this. Missouri is not either of our first choices of places to live, but we are trying to be very open minded about it. Before coming on this board all I had ever heard were the bad things about it, such as the crime and stuff...but I feel there have been some people on here who have been encouraging to those of us used to living in areas where we love the weather and lifestyle.
Never buy or receive information from Realtor's, 90% of what there saying is fluff. Go search for yourself, you are the best realtor, because you are the CONSUMER!!! My friend is a realtor and he just talks to the customer until he starts foaming white from the mouth.
By the way, the weather will be a HUGE SHOCK to you. I personally love heavy humidity and cold winters, but most people DON'T! Hope all goes well. I think you should make some trips in the summer and winter to see how you like it, before jumping in, but it's your call.
-May God bless all your plan richly and direct your paths in all that you do!
Don't worry FL2MO! You will be just fine with the right attitude and an open-mind. I always say "as long as I have my family, I can live anywhere". You'll be a-okay here! And I promise you will make some great St. Louis friends!
Classic Realtor Pillow Feathers!
CellarBelle I respect your occupation, but this is a prime example of shear realtor optimism!
LOL!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Take My Advice
