ryle

iTrader: (19)

I currently live around chicago, but just heard about an opportunity from a friend in Morgan Hill, CA. I am seriously considering it, but I don't really know what kind of price differences to expect. As it stands now, I can rent a 3BR house w/garage for $850/mo +utilities. Is it possible to find anything like this out there. How are the gas prices there? how about groceries? what does it cost to go see a movie? What is the sales tax? anything else you can think of...

I know emissions laws suck there, but I have another thread on here asking about that... Yup I'm a true Gearhead... Talk starts about moving to Cali, and the first thing I think about it whether I can keep my car the way it is

ZexGX

iTrader: (28)

The mobile homes in the trailer park start at $160,000 to buy. Not sure on rent. Should tell you something about California... Movies in my area are about $10 a ticket for the evening shows. Groceries I really can't comment on (I eat out too much... ). Gas is around $2.00 for premium right now, $1.80ish for regular. You can forget about passing emissions properly. Your car won't pass with longtubes and true duals, and probably also with that cam, although there's ways around the whole emissions thing.

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

I Orange County, a 3BR house might be (guessing) $2500 a month for rent and utilities. But Morgan Hill is near the Bay Area (Nor Cal) and it doesn't look like there is much around it, so it's probably cheaper.

OEM_TA

Pick another state.
California is a great place to visit but I discourage anyone from living here.

Rent for a similar house in a neighborhood you can live peacefully will be about $1300 / mo. and up.
Bread is $2.45, Milk $4.30 / gal. and gas is around $2 for premium at the moment. But bear in mind that Ca. has the 2nd largest tax on gasoline so we are always about $.50 higher than the rest of the country.
Bringing a modified car in will be a large hassle.
Here's the link to the Ca. Air Resources Board
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...es/amquery.php
They decide what parts you can have on your car. No C.A.R.B. Executive Order number for an aftermarket part = Fail.
There are places you can 'drop a few hundred' on the floor to look the other way but unless you already know someone out here they will be tough to find. And if you go that way and are stopped by a LEO having a bad day you will get a ticket requiring you to go to a referee station (state operated) who will go over the car with a fine tooth comb. Result will be at least having to replace all none-CARB certified parts with approved ones.
Not worth the risk, if you are caught without CATS its $2500 fine. That's federal law so its the same in any state, but the odds of getting caught here are very high.

The gun laws suck out here also. Takes an act of God to get a carry permit. Only the criminals have guns outside in public.

Plus the state is all but bankrupt, our taxes will be going up very soon.
And this state is one of the best for figuring out all sorts of fees to charge in order to do just about anything.

Like I said ' Pick another state'

ryle

iTrader: (19)

that's the General vibe i'm getting. the more research I do, the less I like Cali. It's nice and warm, but like you said, I think it would be a better place to visit than to live

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

yup..that's why i live in Texas now...homes are really cheap, the weather aint that really great. summer sucks the most cuz of the humidity but its only for about 1month or 2 the most...and it sure aint as cold as Illinois. Food is the same as in cali, gas for premium(93) is $1.95 last time i checked..and more job opportunities, well depends in which city. Dallas, Fort Worth have lots of jobs....well make your move wisely and think about cali really good, its really nice weather but expensive,and Texas is nice depends where u move too. but weather aint that great..i would rather have weather not as good as calis but dont have to worry about loosing my job or high house payments in cali...

ryle

iTrader: (19)

^^ If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide on Texas?? Texas and Florida are two states I am considering seriously.

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

Florida i heard has lots of humidity, and i hate that ****..why i moved to Texas? better way of living, homes are cheap, people aint loosing there jobs as much as in Cali,and i can see myself buying a home here and opening my own business, and every time i look at yahoo news when i turn my computer on i read what catches my eye like them talking about the US in a recession and which states are going down the drain and what not...and cali was one of the main ones they talked about, same with new york, I didnt wanna get stuck in a Ahole state that is going downt he drain. If i can find some of those videos ill post them up. IF i was you and you wanted to live in cali and u had a job that pays good and u know u can handle all the bills and **** like that go for it..

ryle

iTrader: (19)

well, The job will handle bills for the time being, but if prices go up(like they are supposed to) I don't think it would be a wise decision in the long run.

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

and plus Texas has some fast cars...I would only move back to cali if things would calm down over there...they said homes where suppose to drop in price in summer of 09..so if things went back to normal people didnt get laid off gas would drop in price more and steady jobs yeah sure i will move back in a heart beat,,

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

i dont think prices are gonna go up, if anything gas prob in the summer..but thats all i think and hope so..

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

http://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance

FormulaZ

iTrader: (1)

Guess its a must that I answer this post as I grew up in Morgan Hill. Its definitely still small town environment (its made up of four main streets so if you blink you may pass it), however, a slightly upscale version for what it is. With housing prices down, rent or buying isnt too bad right now. Gas is about $2 a gallon as mentioned. With groceries and such, there will always be sales, theres a safeway and a target for that. As far as your car, as mentioned, there are ways around that.

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

I've lived in HI, WA, and CA. I like CA a lot, OC expecially.

LS1Adam84

iTrader: (21)

Morgan Hill isn't that up by Los gatos?? if so I remember Morgan hill being pretty expensive and I grew up in Santa Clara by San Jose south bay area. I just can't remember where Morgan Hill was, shoot move to Gilroy not too far of a drive and its not too expensive, well then again I live in L.A county and I pay $1,150 for my large one bedroom apartment, only utilities I have to pay is electric and the unit is all gas.

I shoulda stayed in the ghetto man it's cheaper there, damn pasadena Alta dena border.

TITAN

iTrader: (1)

Actually that's wrong....it's the opposite....Morgan Hill (and the rest of the bay area) is much pricier than socal (and the OC)....

A 3br house there is probably closer to $3k...

LS1Adam84

iTrader: (21)

Yeah dude our xmall 3 bdr house my parents were renting in the mid 90's in santa clara had a lot of issues appraised at 498k in 1996, and the rent was $1900 a month, and that was the cheapest rent in the area, the bay area is way nicer than anywhere in socal, less pollution well unless you go to milpitas or alviso where they used to be garbage dumps and built a city on top hehe.

ZexGX

iTrader: (28)

Kidding... Right? Perhaps the oceanfront property... But inland...

uLs1a

iTrader: (22)

Morgan Hill is a boring small *** town man, I used to live there and I hated every day of it

THE PUNSSHR

^^ Yes, Morgan Hill does suck *****.. A few friends of mine live in Morgan Hill. One pays $1,000 a month for a two bedroom condo and the other pays $1500 for a bedroom house. With everyone being broke right now, you can find a good deal on renting a house since people just want to pay the mortgage and not lose the house. I live in San Jose, rent up here would be more. I've been looking for a nice apt right now and everything i like is around $1,500-$2,000 a month for a two bedroom. California is an expensive place and our laws do suck. I love it here though, and I don't mind paying more money just to stay here.