Big Move

[Finn]

Have any of you ever done two big moves in less than 6 months?

I'm up for an interview with a permanent teaching job in the San Francisco area. It's a great opportunity and it is a biotechnology teaching job. My old career plus the two degrees make me perfect for the job.

The move would be about twice the distance than between Louisiana and Virginia. We would be okay if my wife got a job there as well. Her sister lives there, right in the heart of San Francisco itself. I've got a cousin who have been living in the city for a couple years as well.

While I do like Baton Rouge and my coworkers, there are issues that make me want a job with more security. There are a lot of mixed feelings. There are good reasons to stay down here. But the benefits of taking that job is great.

 

[trampledamage]

If you have family there then that'll make the move easier - and job security is always good! As with all things, weigh up the pros and cons and then go with your instincts

I've only ever done one big move - England to Canada was enough for me

 

[Kestra]

I think if we moved again it would be easier the second time around. I don't have a million things tying me to this area. That being said, I love the bay area so make the move!!!

 

[doubleohfive]

Six months? Try two weeks!

In August 2006, I'd been seriously leaning toward moving from DC to LA, and finally after a quick weekend visit, decided to say "fuck it!" and offered my two weeks notice at my job.

I moved out of the townhouse I was living in and back in to my parents house for those final two weeks, and when those two weeks were up, I got on a plane and moved to California.

I was lucky in that my parents kept most of my things in their garage over the next three years (which I would ship slowly via FedEx or in my luggage any time I returned home or when the family would visit me) and I stayed with my uncle and his family here the first few months after the initial move.

About the only thing I regret was the lack of planning involved and that in my haste to finally get out here (for other, more important reasons - at least at the time, they were) I had not really saved as much money as I probably could have to help me last while looking for work.

But it was a great choice I made and one of the balls-y-er ones of my time. For all the sturm and drang, for all the drama and pain that accompanied it all in the following years, I wouldn't reverse that choice for anything.

 

[Kestra]

I think he means doing multiple moves? Or did you do that too, 005?

 

[doubleohfive]

Well, between moving out of my townhouse in DC in September 2006 and then finally settling in my apartment in August 2007 all on my own in Hollywood, I moved a grand total of 8 times:

My townhouse -> My parents house
My parents house -> My uncle's first house
My uncle's first house -> My girlfriend's house
My girlfriend's house -> My uncle's first house
My uncle's first house -> My uncle's second house
My uncle's second house -> My first apartment (Long Beach)
My first apartment (Long Beach) -> My parents vacation condo
My parents' vacation condo -> my second apartment (Hollywood)

I stayed in that last apartment for three years. And it still wasn't long enough to make me want to actually move again!

 

[RevDMV]

I've done the multiple move thing a couple of times. Always ended up the better for it.

As far as moving to the Bay Area, since you have people in the area you've probably been warned about the cost of living. That big raise won't seem big once you get here. I've seen that sticker shock on peoples face enough. It's hard to understand just how much more expensive it is out here.

On the plus side, things are happening here in tech. My job at a solar firm imploded suddenly in December, but I immediately started working on a new start up business with some of the folks from the solar company who were let go.

Good luck on the move, and job.

 

[RoJoHen]

BIG moves? No.

But I have moved 13 times in the last 8 years (all but one of those moves was local). This is actually the first places I've lived in longer than 1 year!

 

[Finn]

I've done the multiple move thing a couple of times. Always ended up the better for it.

As far as moving to the Bay Area, since you have people in the area you've probably been warned about the cost of living. That big raise won't seem big once you get here. I've seen that sticker shock on peoples face enough. It's hard to understand just how much more expensive it is out here.

On the plus side, things are happening here in tech. My job at a solar firm imploded suddenly in December, but I immediately started working on a new start up business with some of the folks from the solar company who were let go.

Good luck on the move, and job.

It might help that we've lived in DC with almost no money for a while. I don't know. I know it's really expensive over there. But the job will be worth it.

 

[thestrangequark]

^If the job is worth it I'd say go.

Personally, I've moved 14 times in my 29 years.

 

[Finn]

Yes. If the interview goes well next Friday and I get the offer, I will take it for sure.


Any advice about moving to the Bay Area will be appreciated in advance. The job's in Fremont. I'd like to live within walking distance of a BART station (walking distance for someone who likes long walks). I'll be fine if I have to walk 20 blocks.

 

[Kestra]

Yes. If the interview goes well next Friday and I get the offer, I will take it for sure.


Any advice about moving to the Bay Area will be appreciated in advance. The job's in Fremont. I'd like to live within walking distance of a BART station (walking distance for someone who likes long walks). I'll be fine if I have to walk 20 blocks.

If you want to be by a BART station, you can't go further south than Fremont. I'm not sure what prices are like there, but it seems like there are some nice areas otherwise. We've thought about moving there. You'll want to look at Fremont, Hawyward, and Union City for nearby cities with BART. At least those closest.

The rest of us have to manage with the VTA. If you're open to living somewhere without BART, and you want something a little more inexpensive, you might want to look at Milipitas. It's not flashy (far from it) but you could probably find a place with VTA within walking distance, and take that into Fremont.

It really depends on why you want to be close to BART and what else you're looking for. Fremont is pretty far from the city so would you want to move closer? Don't care? What do you want to be near, and what are your priorities? What do you and your wife like to do in your off-time? Do you want to be in a more diverse area (priority for me). Do you want to live somewhere where it's more urban, do you want to rent an apartment or house, etc.?

 

[Finn]

Yeah. My sister in-law lives in the heart of San Francisco (Nob Hill). My wife would appreciate being able to hop on the train and head into the city to spend time with her time to time. However, we would rather live close enough to Fremont so we won't have to spend more than 1/2 an hour driving to work. I like your suggestion. We will see how the interview goes then look into it.

We would like to live in an area where we can walk to places, and take the real Finn out on long walks