Why do you live where you live?

[Rain Man]

This is about your general community or area, not about your specific house. Think of it as the metro area you live in, or the county you live in.

Poll coming as soon as I file of change of address form for it.

For me, I live in Denver because I got a job here. I didn't know anyone here and had never seen the city. However, I had always thought it would be a good place to live. My wife and I were generally targeting the region of the US that was west of the Austin-Minneapolis line, and generally excluding the Pacific coast states (per my wife's preference on the latter). A job came through in Denver and we jumped on it. That was 25 years ago, so obviously it was a good outcome.

[eDave]

Saudi Arabia

[scho63]

Originally Posted by EPodolak

Was raised in this State, my Pop was transferred here from KC back in '73. I want to relocate, and probably will in the next few years. What has kept me where I am beyond my desired time is the cost of living, steady job, also a young step-son and a shared custody arrangement. When the time comes I want to put myself in a coastal area.

I spent 3 days in Tulsa when I came across the country last year to begin a new life in Scottsdale.

I was somewhat impressed with what they had to offer. It wasn't for me but my former next door neighbor I grew up next to in NJ as a kid has life there with her husband for something like 25 years and her brother moved there about 15 years ago as well. They live an OPULENT life there in a 7,000 sq ft house a Ferrari and Porsche and Mercedes. I got to hang out there for three days at their house. Living la vida loca

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Can't beat the weather 8 months out of the year. 1 hr flight to the beach and to Vegas. Beautiful scenery when you get out of the cities. Hub of my industry. That being said I would be shocked if I don't end up back in KC one day. For some reason, I love you people and your midwestern ways. I may be mentally ill

Summer in KC and winter in Scottsdale - that's the ticket!

[Rain Man]

I find this fascinating. It appears that only about 20 percent of us targeted an area and chose our own place to live. The rest of us (me included) ended up somewhere because of habit or family, or because we randomly got a job there, or because we ended up in an area and decided that it was 'good enough'.

It seems like picking a place to live is a very important thing that can affect our happiness profoundly, but most of us are just feathers floating in the breeze.

I suspect there's some conditioning involved - if you grow up going fishing in a rural area, or going to theaters in a big city, or lounging in your big back yard in a suburb, that might affect what you like and want in a location, and would favor where you grew up. But that still doesn't mean that it's the BEST place to do those things.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We made the same decision to raise our son in Lee's Summit because of the schools. The KC area because we loved it.
The sand on our beaches here get to the very top of every beach list. Some make it to the top of the world lists. You have been here right?

Been there many times, and you're right, as far as sand goes it's better than most. But sand for me is like snow for others, some kinds are better than others but I really don't like any of them. I prefer grass or concrete walkways that lead to piers/docks that have dive boats tied-up to them.

Sand was one of God's bigger mistakes...

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by scho63

Summer in KC and winter in Scottsdale - that's the ticket!

Questionable plan, IMO.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's where my wife told me we were going to live

I hear that happens a lot to married fellas!

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

So you lived somewhere else and targeted your area for these reasons? How did you make the leap? Did you move without a job? Target a job search in the area? Go to college there?

sorry! I jumped in with my answer before I saw your pole

I was born basically in this area...and grew up here....(SF area) . But, my parents were divorced when I was a toddler. My dad was a farmer , basically and my mom is a professor. My dad moved back to kansas, and I spent lots of time back there....and even as an adult after my dad moved , I would visit a lot. He was die hard chiefs fan, and passed that curse to me.


I've also traveled a lot, and have seen the world....

I feel lucky to have had the options I have had , because I love eastern Kansas. When I go there , it feels like home. I know I would be happy there too. And the same goes with where I live now, (northern california)..It feels like home and I love it here.

Sorry for the long answer, but even though I did grow up here I feel like this place is a conscious choice, and I would choose it again. It was a tough call. A big part of me wanted to get married and raise a family in eastern kansas and even be a farmer.

ALso, I did go to college here (CSU), even though I really wish I wouldve gone to K-U or K-state.

What happened in my case was when I was 16 , I fell in love with a girl and decided to stay here instead of going to K-U. I had to get a job in college and I could only go part time so by the time I was done with my schooling & graduate degree I was like 25 and had some roots here....

At that time, I had a bad breakup with my high school sweetheart and was at a crossroads...but I decided to stay here, in Northern california because I was just barely starting a side business that I saw some potential in.....


anyhow, thats my story and I am sticking to it

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Graystoke

I so wanted to get out of Iowa when I was young.
Then it just grew on me.
Great place to raise a family. Great honest people. Beautiful State with all its seasons.
I never have no intention of leaving Iowa at this point.
However I will gladly go to Mexico in February and March

Yup, I see the coasts as "Fly To" states (for a short visit). They can "Fly Over" all they want, that's what keeps us sane, normal, and honest people.

I liken "the coast" to ships, if you visit them they're like a Disney cruise ship, everything is great, if you live on a ship you're in the Navy, and the Navy could make an Orgy with porn stars suck! From the traffic we suffered in Tidewater, VA (and Sandy Eggo!!), to the tourists, you get to see the people loving it, but you just live there.

But hey, for the people who think the Beach is grand, there's a lot of coastline, knock yourself out...

[tooge]

I've lived in Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago, San Diego, Bay area CA, Okinawa Japan, Plano, Texas, and the Kansas City area, both in Johnson county, where I grew up, and now in Liberty, Mo where I've been the past 23 years. Liberty has, by far, been the best place I've ever lived. Yeah, some of the other places had fun shit to do, but I still visit friends in those places. Light traffic, lots of house for the money, great schools, I can live on acreage, and I'm right smack in the middle of the country, where I'm at most, a 3 hour plane flight from anywhere in the continental US.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

I live where I do because of the architectural diversity and for financial benefit, because of the availability of turn of the century estates that do not have "historical" designation or powerful home owners associations to have to deal with.

This has become a horrible epidemic as builders and developers have passed off all their responsibilities to these Gestapo organizations with some douchebag power hungry HOA president who rules your house like a prison.

Screw HOA's.

Never heard of one that anyone liked yet they govern almost 90% of every new development in the US.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Yup, I see the coasts as "Fly To" states (for a short visit).

You should try going to somewhere without a port...its lot more rural and country than you might think. I don't care for big cities or crowded tourist areas. I don't even care for southern california much at all...


You should check out northern california along the coast if you get a chance..its harder to do..you'll need a car and some time to drive but it is worth it.









Sonoma County Coastline<---- https://tinyurl.com/y88w8hq8



also, the farm country here (a little inland) is really, really beautiful


Sonoma County <-----https://tinyurl.com/yarfwgcr



You cant really make too many broad generalizations about 'coastal' regions, IMO. You're missing out if you think its all crowded beaches with annoying people etc

[tooge]

I've been there many times. Lived in the Bay Area for a while. Problem there is it's too expensive. It is gorgeous, no doubt. I've still got many friends in the Santa Rosa area, San Mateo too. Most say the same thing. As soon as they can, they are getting out of Cali. Little bitty houses cost an arm and a leg. No chance you can get some acreage to live on unless you are a farmer, and then, like all farming, it's a tough row to hoe. I do miss the weather there from time to time, mainly two months of summer and three months of winter, other than that, I'll just visit. More power to ya though. Glad you are happy there.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by tooge

I've lived in Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago, San Diego, Bay area CA, Okinawa Japan, Plano, Texas, and the Kansas City area, both in Johnson county, where I grew up, and now in Liberty, Mo where I've been the past 23 years. Liberty has, by far, been the best place I've ever lived. Yeah, some of the other places had fun shit to do, but I still visit friends in those places. Light traffic, lots of house for the money, great schools, I can live on acreage, and I'm right smack in the middle of the country, where I'm at most, a 3 hour plane flight from anywhere in the continental US.

The wife coached and taught in Liberty when we lived up there for school. Had I stayed in KC after, we'd have liked to have been in Liberty.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by O.city

The wife coached and taught in Liberty when we lived up there for school. Had I stayed in KC after, we'd have liked to have been in Liberty.

Yeah, it's nice. Now, I'm not saying Liberty, Mo is the best place to live in the US. I'm just saying for my family and I it is. If I were retired, and the kids were off on their own, I could certainly find some other places that I'd be excited to move to