Everyone asks us why we have come back to the Bay Area. We also get a lot of questions asking us what were our favorite places and why. (We traveled 30 states in 5 months in a small RV). So here goes—
Top #1 reason we are back----The WEATHER!
That’s right --- you can listen all you want about how it doesn’t snow much any more in other parts of the country but there are also rainy seasons, mud seasons, and much muck in between. We are truly blessed here to be close to the ocean yet have varied terrain and geographical access to the mountains (Lake Tahoe), the wine country (Sonoma, Napa), the desert (Death Valley), a fabulous city (San Francisco), and beautiful countryside (North Bay). And we can accommodate any activity you would ever want- tennis, golf, sailing, hiking, biking, etc. So go outside- it’s nice!
Okay, Okay- so we pay through the nose for this beauty (high housing and state income tax) but you should see the property taxes some states are charging! Wow! And there is no cap on that folks. So thank your lucky sunshine state for a 1.125% fixed real estate tax on your property.
Top #2 reason- DIVERSITY
Sure, sure there are a few other states that have a diverse population but the sunshine state doesn’t just have a diverse population--- we embrace it. There is a natural desire here to know other cultures (not just accept them). Indian, Japanese, Afghani, Chinese, etc. restaurants and people all thrive here. In other words, we can all just get along –and like it.
Top #3 reason- INNOVATION and CREATIVITY
Again, there are other top notch scientific and tech areas in the US, but nothing like our own Bay Area. You can find cutting edge art, medical, scientific, business, architecture, and business models here every day. That makes it an exciting and interesting place to live and work. Believe me, you don’t find that every state. That also means lots of job growth here. When the rest of the country dives into housing downturns and high unemployment, the sunshine states holds up quite well during every economic downturn because we have the innovation taking place at all levels.
My next post will be our fav places!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It was a very beautiful day....
Okay, it's official. The LaRoccas are back in town. After 5 months on the road in an RV, we came back to the Bay Area for a lot of reasons. We visited friends and family in the south bay, east bay, north bay and south san francisco. We looked at houses to buy and got a feel for the communities and the housing prices all over. While we loved how much house you could get for the money in the east bay, that bridge and tunnel (BT) is a commuting nightmare. Since Joseph will be working in tech we decided not to anchor there. We both love Marin but had no idea how hilly it was. I guess that's why it is a mountain biking haven.
Yikes! I didn't know how difficult it would be to find a ranch style home. There were a lot of ranches in San Rafael and Novato- but again, the commute would be too difficult. So we explored the south bay. I adore the Los Gatos/ Saratoga area. Lots of ranch homes, and cute shops all at the base of the mountains--but after talking to friends there-- Yikes! What a commute to get out of there! I guess we were a little naive about just how bad the traffic is in the Bay Area. So we settled on Los Altos. Right in the middle- great schools- lots of ranch style homes on cul-de-sacs lined with big old oak trees. Easy to get to from 101 or 280, and a bustling little downtown with local shops and restaurants. Meanwhile we got an apartment at Cherry Orchard - a new apartment complex in Sunnvale. We can walk to Trader Joe's and Borders and Starbucks and there is a pool and gym here, too. Stop by and say hello.
Menawhile life is about working with my coaching clients, writing, meditation, catching up with friends, looking at real estate.
I will cover all those "reasons" we came back in my next post. Sorry I had to turn the comments off. The spammers invaded my site. But I am working on an upgrade so you all can post once again.