Last year, Business Insider published an article entitled “I moved my family from California to Austin, Texas, and regretted it. Here are 10 things to consider before making an expensive mistake.” According to Mr. Alder, escaping the formerly Golden State, as many are doing, would be silly, and costly, mistake.
Being one of the California ex-pats who also left the state, I can tell you that the only mistake you’d be making is leaving the way Mr. Alder did. He uprooted his family, having done no research, no planning, and no good reason for the move to start with – and he is upset that Austin didn’t throw him a giant housewarming party. And I quote:
“Let me get this straight: I uprooted my family, moved across four states, and that’s the welcome I get?”
If you expect your new neighbors to thank their lucky stars because you bestowed your presence upon them, you’ll be just as disappointed as Mr. Alder. In my own experience of moving to Florida, and from those of my friends who moved to Texas, their neighbors were actually quite welcoming. Suffices to say that I knew more of my neighbors in 2 months of living in Florida than I did in 30 years living in California. But regardless, it is up to you to adapt to your new environment, and not blame your new state for not meeting your expectations.
Let’s start from the beginning: why did Mr. Alder move his family to Austin?
“A lot of people, including myself, move from California to Austin because of the hype and the perception that California and Austin are reasonably comparable in lifestyle.”
The decision to leave the place you call home takes a lot of soul searching and it should never be done lightly or spontaneously. Moving involves financial costs, disruption of the family routine, career and / or salary change, and separating from people you love. It is very hard on you, and doubly hard on your children, if you have them. You would be beyond irresponsible to attempt such a drastic change based on the “hype” or “perception” of any kind. Moving is not like changing your wardrobe – you don’t do it because CNN thinks it’s “a hot trend.”
The two main reasons grownups move are career and family. Getting a new job or a promotion, or your company moving to a different state, occasionally requires relocation. Moving for family reasons – getting married, desire to be closer to your grown children, or caring for aging parents or other family members, are all serious reasons for moving to a different state.
Recently, however, political divisions became a major driving factor for people to move. During Covid, restrictive measures became a burden that made life in some states too uncomfortable for many. California is a prime example – Covid lockdowns took away most advantages the Golden State had to offer. Your multi-million-dollar house gives you cabin fever if you can’t leave it. Remote work made it possible for people to reduce their mortgage payments significantly by moving to a less restrictive state while keeping their California paycheck.
The deteriorating quality of life in California, especially in San Francisco and LA, also contributed to people’s decision to leave the state. Generally speaking, the standard of living in California no longer justifies the cost of living there, for most people. Other blue states face the same situation, and that’s the main reason people continue to leave.
Regardless of the reason you are considering a move, be ready to invest time in planning. If you are not bound to a particular destination, look at more than one, and compare the pros and cons of each. The Internet is your best friend. Even the smallest town has a website listing pertinent information for people moving or visiting. TripAdvisor gives you an idea of local attractions and activities. Joining a Facebook group based on your prospective location, your profession, and your children’s ages, will provide you with local resources as well as experiences from people who may have undertaken the same journey. All this research will take most of the guesswork out of your move.
Here are the most important things to think about when choosing your new place.
Cost of living
“Austin, like California, is not affordable” – laments Mr. Alder. Later, he completely contradicts himself by complaining that Austinites tend to live in large houses, which, apparently, is a bad thing. He admits that a nice house in Austin will cost you much less than it does in California, but other things cost more.
The price of your house, or your rent, is a major expense. Paying less for property taxes, insurance, or utilities, will not make up the difference of a real estate purchase. Thus, even with higher property taxes in Texas, or exorbitant insurance premiums in Florida, your cost of living will be significantly less than what you pay in California. Even if your company slashes your salary by 20%, you’ll still be better off financially. There are other things that are more expensive in California – like gas, restaurant bills, and obviously, taxes. So, comparing the “unaffordability” of Austin (or any other place) to California is disingenuous.
Regardless, to avoid annoying surprises, you can (and should!) research how your monthly payments would compare to what you are paying in your current state. A local real estate agent or search engine will tell you everything you need to know, and if paying high property taxes does not justify having a nicer house, then living in Texas will be extremely annoying.
The weather
Local climate is just about the most important factor to consider when you are moving. If your body does not tolerate heat, you should not be living in Texas or Arizona. If the thought of a hurricane terrifies you, Florida is not a good choice. Barring a pressing circumstance, avoid moving to a climate that doesn’t agree with you. If you are knowingly moving to a place where the weather makes you miserable hoping that “it can’t be that bad” as Mr. Alder did, you have only yourself to blame.
Fortunately, you can find out all you need to know about local climate spending 15 minutes on the internet. The city or county website, the weather channel, or even a Wikipedia page will give you all the information you need to avoid the destination you will surely hate, or how to best prepare if the move is unavoidable.
Things to do
Mr. Alder spends a great deal of time describing how Austin has “no public lands” and “no places to go” – revealing, once again, that he did not bother to inquire before moving. Any person owning a map knows that there are “no snowy mountains, no raging rivers, and no soaring arches” anywhere in the vicinity of Austin. If you can’t spend a winter without a skiing trip, you are much better off in Nevada than in Austin. But if your company requires your presence in Texas, simply plan for allocating a larger vacation budget and look for savings in other places. Planning is everything.
Many people choose to live in California because of its beautiful natural environment and its proximity to a variety of activities, from surfing to skiing. California is unique in that respect, and if that is what you absolutely require, then you will miss it if you move out. Once again, consider your priorities before you move.
Education
If you have young kids, schools should be up there on your research list. Fortunately, many states have now adopted some measures of school choice, so you won’t be bound by your local public school as you are in California. Mr. Alder’s claim about abundance of “school choice” in California is greatly exaggerated. California is just about the worst state when it comes to education choices. You have only two options: your local public school, or a private school for those who can afford it.
Most California schools have now gone woke. “Gender expression,” critical race theory, and deterioration of education standards are front and center. Math lanes no longer exist even in private schools. Test based admissions have been disallowed in favor of “equity.” Parents have been completely sidelined when it comes to their kids’ education. California is the worst place in the US to raise a child – and that alone should be a serious reason to consider moving.
When I moved to Florida, I was surprised with the number of school buses in my neighborhood. There are dozens that go by every morning, taking kids to every school imaginable – public, private, charter, or religious. Parents rarely drive their kids to school, which is the cause of my envy: we used to have a long commute driving our kids to a private school in the Bay Area. Despite Mr. Alder’s claim, any state is likely to offer you education choices superior to those in California. Still, you must know where your kids will go to school before you move.
Local culture
“Sure, there are bad apples, but by and large integrity is a default way to treat people [in California] … Not so in Austin,” claims Mr. Adler – in a rare feat of dishonesty. I encountered as much dishonesty in California as I did in any other state. Failing to disclose a known defect when selling a house is a violation of the law and real estate ethics, and you can press charges against the seller and / or the seller’s agent. This is just as applicable in California as in any other state, and it is strange that Mr. Alder chose not to pursue it, given his accusations against the seller. Finding honest contractors (which your humble correspondent does for a living) is much easier in Florida than it is in California. Yelp reviews are “hit or miss” in any state, which I can personally attest to, being a very picky restaurant patron.
California presents a great advantage for foodies like me, but it’s been plagued by restaurant closures. Also, your dinner is likely to be ruined by aggressive panhandling, your car window being smashed, and several random surcharges added to your bill. All of that greatly affected our decision to move out of California, because the California food scene was something we used to enjoy. If having upscale dining options is important to you, California still beats most places. Once again, consider your priorities.
Politics
Mr. Alder states that “Austin is not quite a conservative utopia,” conveniently forgetting to mention that California “refugees” like himself are mostly to blame for that. The influx of people from blue states made Texas significantly more liberal. Still, coming from California to any red, or even purple, state, you will find much more traditional American culture. BLM signs, Pride flags, “Science is real!” bumper stickers, and other liberal paraphernalia would be limited to certain areas, or not present at all. As a conservative, you will breeze much easier, knowing that there are many people who share your views. As a liberal, you will realize that there are many people who see the world differently. California is a liberal bubble unmatched almost anywhere. People are much more tolerant of different viewpoints, and wearing a MAGA hat won’t make you a target of physical assault. However, if you prefer keeping your moral superiority, you are better off staying in California. Living among people whose values you resent is not good for your mental health.
“Big luxury home obsession”
“You can buy a home that is really nice by California standards” – Mr. Alder admits, even though, according to him, people do it because of “the pressure,” and not because most just prefer to live in a big house if they can afford it. Many Austinites, “surprisingly,” are “into their houses,” probably because “they have nowhere to go,” according to Mr. Alder – not because having a nice house is nice. Mr. Alder liked his own house, until he found out that “everyone else’s house is much nicer than his.” For a grown-up man, he is shockingly susceptible to peer pressure.
Here is a “surprising” statement: given an opportunity to buy a large house, most people will. If you are one of those people who prefers to live in “less-than-luxurious home,” living in Austin will make you sad. However, if you are like me and having a nice house is a priority for you, you are in luck: you will discover that buying a house outside California is a breeze. My house alone made my move worthwhile. Being able to afford a beautiful home is a blessing – and a welcome change, if the California real estate market squeezes your three kids into one tiny room.
If you think about moving, where you will live is one of the top things to consider. Renting for a few months to help you decide on your final location is a wise option. However, buying a house in some places is cheaper than renting. Connecting with a local real estate agent and figuring out your options is a good investment of time and it will save you money and frustration long term.
Moral of the story
As Mr. Alder said, “It would take a lot of money to buy a California-like lifestyle in Austin,” or anywhere – simply because there is no “California-like” lifestyle anywhere outside of California. But if you are looking for a “California-like” lifestyle, you should not be moving out of California to begin with. Mr. Alder thought that Austin is just a poor man’s version of California – and he was thoroughly disappointed. But instead of doing some research, he decided to find out the hard way.
“If you’re moving to Austin (or anywhere,) make sure it’s because of the things that it offers” – not because you have no idea what you are doing, as Mr. Alder did. Do your research. Join local social media groups. Visit the place, and if you can, spend a few weeks there. Rent an apartment or an AirBnb and immerse yourself in your prospective new environment. Visit schools, libraries, grocery stores, and parks. Identify areas that suit your taste and lifestyle. A couple of weeks’ stay may change your whole life – or convince you that there is no place like your present home.
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