I work for a company that hires game developers. Not, you know, full-fledged EA-type game developers. Small games for movie websites. We're always looking for experienced developers. As I understand, you'd probably need to be in or near the city if he was working at their offices.

But everyone's right when they say: CA (particularly LA/Orange, or any other major urban area) is super-expensive. Housing is in such a state right now that there are tent cities again. Who knows where we'll be in 4-5 years, but it's definitely a mess right now. Even when it's going well - as it was when we bought - let's just say that my home is 2/3 the size of my sister's (she lives in the suburbs of Indianapolis, with a lawn - we're in a condo) but about 3x the price.

Also, another concern is that LAUSD is a pretty bad system right now. I know several LoTters have found success having made it through LAUSD, but lots of the programs that were available back then are no longer available. It's pretty low-rated as school systems go.

I would suggest having him try to get satellite work with a company that is where you want to live, and after much happy experience with them, THEN move closer.

In 5 years you'll have equity in your home, but there's no telling what real estate here will have done in the mean time. Keep an eye on the markets, if everything starts moving upward, be prepared to make your move sooner.

Remember: if you're going from a less expensive home to a more expensive one, and prices rise 10% on everything, you'll be better off to have sold and bought on the bottom end of the market than after the rise, because any increase in your current home's value will still be outpaced (dollar for dollar) in what you could have done owning the more expensive home while prices were rising.

So my first advice is to keep your schedule flexible and be prepared to move sooner if necessary. But you'll need a couple years where you are to recover from the current market and build some equity in your new home.

I'm not sure I'd tell you to avoid the IE, since really, it would be an easier transition, financially. Mostly it depends on the job thing. If R's job is a deciding factor, then he should come out first and try to land a position, so that you know where you're going. If it's somewhere that allows you access to a less expensive place to live, lucky you.

In OC some areas are cheaper than others, and some areas you wouldn't live in for any price. I'm obviously partial to Lake Forest, as it's a relatively affordable area, but sandwiched in between two of the safest cities in America (Mission Viejo and Irvine often hit the top ten), there's also Laguna Hills, or if these areas are still a bit much you can look at Anaheim and Fullerton, where single family houses can now be found in the mid-$400s with relative ease.

If you need to go cheaper, you're going to have to go inland, to areas like Corona, Hemet, Riverside, etc. The problem is that living there means a long commute. If you get lucky enough to find employment out that way, it can work out well though.

Most of all though: if you're going to do it, do it.

I can't and won't do anything until the boys are out of the house.

R is going to school (soon) so no- he is not educated in the industry yet.

Lots is still in the learning phase-

Look super hard at your finances. There is a saying that you can move out of CA, but you can never afford to come back.

Everything is a lot more expensive. Food, gas, utilities, entertainment, vehicles, registration, insurance. Yes, we have the beach, Disneyland and a million things to do. But they aren't fun to do if you have no money to do so.

Also look at the school systems for the areas you are thinking of moving to. They are all severely underfunded. As bad as this sounds, you'll want to make sure that they aren't under quota for white students. There are weird demographic requirements and if they are, you'll have a heck of a time transferring little R somewhere else if you need t/want to. You'll also want to make sure that they are teaching to the true grade level, and not what "level" most students are at thanks to social promotion.

You'll also want to look at the type of atmosphere you're moving into and the schools in that area. Yes, all schools have the snobs and the outcasts. Some areas are worse than others. Would Little R fit in better at a school in Coto de Caza (super ritzy rich) or a school in Costa Mesa (more middle class).

It'll be awesome if you can move out here. I don't think anyone wants you to do it blindly. These are a lot of things that people may not think of when moving.

Come to Australia.

You don't have parks in your town ? We have a lovely park around the corner. BBQ's and everything ! ;)

We have finances in Australia too !

Come join us !! Forget those DL fiends. Come be an Aussie.

I say do it.
Don't look back.
:)

Moving's tough. In fact, I seem to recall an entire thread devoted to looking back.

As far as home prices go, I read an article suggesting that lots of property in northern California, specifically along the Hayward fault, is scheduled to depreciate dramatically this October.

I thought that Australia was pretty strict about letting outsiders move in?

Or was that NZ?

Yes, moving's tough. Life's tough.
If you want to do it bad enough you'll do it.
Looking back's fun and tough, too...
:)

Fact is though I can not and will not do it until we are a family of three- when the boys are moved and gone and on their own.

That is just reality.