If I could live in CA and afford the kind of house I own now, I'd move back. Oh, I'd need my own private roads so I could avoid the traffic.
I lived in SoCal for 3+ years. I
love San Diego, but it's too pricey for me. Getting into traffic jams on a Sunday blew my mind, too.
That said, I've lived in OK, CA, AZ, MS, KY and Japan. CA definitely has its perks, but I'm just as happy here in Phoenix. Yes, I know, the summers can be crushing but you really do get used to it. Also, we are now on that sharp equity climb that CA has experienced for years. That'll be real nice here in about 3 or 4 more years
I'm from small town OK. I grew up in that environment and miss it more than even I can believe. My wife would never move there, though. When I say small town, I mean
small town: I grew up in a town of 2,500 and also lived in a town of 500 for a short while.
So trying to argue that state X is greater than state Y doesn't really work. Everyone prefers their own thing. CA or TX may be just right for
you but not necessarily for me.
