I dream of St. Petes Beach, Fl. That's where I go to vacation & eventually retire.

texas is like california
except it doesnt suck.
we havent gotten a tornado here all year. kansas is where you want to watch out for that. also no massive earthquakes, no energy crisis, no lame duck governor, no new wave liberal eco-crap and so on. ill admit when it rains, it does pour.
if i can say one thing for california though it does seem like there a lot more porsches than in dallas and san diego weather in definately more constant (though i prefer the seasons).

i plan to move to germany. singapore seems nice, costal spain would be fun too i bet

I've got the same up here in the foothills east of Redmond/Seattle - lots of snow and then freezing rain on top of it. My dogs are sliding across the ice when they try to squat and do their thing. Funny to watch, but poor guys.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073574806.jpg

Anyway, I've struggled a lot with the where to live question. I'm a west coast guy (life long) and love the climate and beaches of San Diego, but the cost of living is high and the CA taxes are even higher!

Central Oregon (Bend) has a nice 4 season sunny climate, but no ocean (for surfing) and it has gotten expensive there too.

My mom and step dad ended up in Southern Oregon, here: No sales taxes and nice 4 season sunny climate - still a few hours to the ocean.

I made a trip down to Tronconnes Mexico a few years ago - beautiful and a lot of American expate's there year around. But, you are living in a third world country for sure. http://www.troncones.com.mx/

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073665362.jpg

You have to deal with traffic - or live close to work. Gas is still ~ $1.90 for premium, and cost of living is high. But aren't you worth it?

Grew up in San Diego and been in Chicago for 15 years. California ain't what it used to be but still beautiful. You do need dough though to be near that beauty though. And if you're near one of the cities, you may not get to speed much.

Troncones/Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa IS beautiful - growing larger, but still 100 miles of empty beaches to build a home on 10 miles further down the roads. You can drive from Mexico to the US/Canada too. As China wakes up and the EU flexes it's muscles (Airbus), we might be going beyond NAFTA and Mexico could in 20 years be the new Florida/California - land booms, etc. Then again, maybe not....

Never been to Spain, but from what I hear, now that Europeans can move around and work and live elsewhere, Southern Europe is opening up like the American South & West did. It might be starting a Golden Age like California from the 20's - 60's.

I spent nearly 50 years living in SO CAL. I moved to LV 9 months ago.

So CAl when I was growing up was the best place in the world to live. Great weather 365 days a year. You could wake up in the mornining smell the Orange Blossoms, go to the beach in the mornining, be in the mountains at noon, go to the desert in mid afternoon and be Downtown for dinner. The weather hasn't changed, but the Orange Blossoms are gone and it seems everybody has discovered paradise and it's turned into an anthill.

I will fairly shortly have the opportunity again to move to where ever I want to. I know one thing for certain I don't want to move back to the old hood...I've bin there and done that.....

Big Pine Key, Fla.. about 20min north of Key West

Wait a little bit, and you will be able to settle on the moon, if Bush gets reelected :)

Aurel

Problem with Mex. is foreigners can't own land there. The country reclaims it after 99 yrs., so if you're planning to pass down your palatial hacienda three generations from now, it might be a bit hard there.

So much for Cardenas and the Chiquita Banana War in 1942. :(

Big Pine Key is like another country.

my home town is the kind of place that parents don't let there kids come to.. to visit friends and hang out. because of the decadence..

Wifes don't want their husbands to hang in Big Pine Key..
There are many many reasons for that...

tax haven states, etc, etc. are being eye-balled by 70mill educated baby boomers. go figure

I want a home base with access to anywhere.. for as long as I want, whenever I want.

But Lee..
I just read a good science 2p article on deserts. I think it's good enough to mention.. It's in Science News. and maybe send me an e-mail for a scan.

SmileWavy

Ken, you wimp! You know you live in the best place...1 hour from the rockies, world class skiing, great beer, 70MPH speed "limit", hot Canadian women that need to keep warm all winter.
And best of all, opening up the garage in spring to fire that puppy up, hearing that growl, and re-living the first drive experience every year!

Suck it up and have a cold one!

Since I moved to the desert everything has (eventually) has bin goin my way.... House up in value (barring legal suit) the same as the old one in CA on less money invested, Difference in money invested is earning 7% @. Legal suit will go my way...The Stock Market is finially goin my way. No State Income tax, Cheaper cost of living (somewhat). And I get to talk to you boyz all the time! What could be better?? Just need to fix the ole rust finder..an get it going again!

I'm in escrow on this place:

http://www.canadaygroup.com/listings/listing_details.cfm?LstID=367

Good bye Calyfornia :D

Sunset Magazine just came out with the best places to live in the West issue. For neighborhoods, the one I live in was choosen the best. I don't know why as it is just like many other older 'historic' districts in SoCal like Pasadena or downtown Huntington Beach.

Best new developement was in New Mexico, I believe.

Molokai No stop signs you will know everyone in about a month. Honolulu is 20min away. A house can be had for $150k. Beaches are empty, great fishing .Diving, Hunting. Steve

LMAO!
that place can hold back orcs!

The house in "The Surreal Life?"

In a perfect world, I'd like to split my time between Maui and Antibes, France.

Heh, wait until our dollar, which is doing famously against the US$ at the moment, to plunge back down to US$0.50 and take the plunge. We have relative parity for cost-of-living, with the exception of P-cars, which are insanely expensive here. Get liquid and then double your nett worth, instantly!

Check out some Australian property prices and see what your dollar will buy you guys here. You will be impressed. $500k here will buy some very nice property. Our weather is superb, our food & wine are world class and not many of us are anything like Steve Erwin (buffoon).

One of our states even has unrestricted highways! No speed limit!! We even speak the same language (almost!) and girls like American accents. ;)

Lots of space here, guys... :)