Advice on Moving East Coast to West Coast.?

Question

Ok basically I'm at the end of the line here where I live. I HATE it! I have to move.

I want to move to San Jose, Cali Area. I've never made a big move like this. I need to line up a job before I move out there. Need to find an apt which I have been looking on Criag's List. But I'd like recommendations to what areas to move? Cheap Apts with low crime areas. How much its gonna cost to drive across the country?

Basically I'm still living at my parents house and I have to get out of here cause there are no jobs unless I want to make 15-20k a year. So I don't really care what I have for a job just not food industry and heavy lifting. If you could share cost estimates too that would be great. I don't mind leaving my stuff here and coming back for it. I'd prefer to anyway.

Just pretend like your telling it to alittle kid. Mention everything. First hand experience a big plus.

Answer 1

Silicon Valley is full of opportunity. I have heard it best described as "'Leave it to Beaver' habitated by Stan Lee's Marvel Superheros."

If you are handy around or knowledgeable about computers and electronics technology, nothing can beat this place in my opinon. To me there are two major business cultures in this area: high-tech and infrastructure. You either are a part of the high tech business here or your job is involved in servicing high tech.

To get started, I suggest you avoid San Jose proper and move somewhere in "central Silicon Valley" such as Sunnyvale, Mtn. View, Cupertino, Santa Clara or Campbell. There are always an influx of people that show up all the time trying to find their gold vein. If you are getting out of your parents place, I suggest you hang a lot of the local coffee shops and from there, you can find a place to share.

The best housing deals I have found are shared, free standing houses full of young single people. Four to five splitting rent and other expenses goes a long way around here. These are sometimes called "geek houses." You get into a geek house, the networking opportunties to find jobs from personal references are endless.

Also, remember, everyone switches jobs around here every two to five years. Most companies here don't even last that long. You should do fine. Just keep your nose clean, work smart -- not hard but smart -- and invest well, you'll be paying off your parents mortgage in a few years as an anniversary present.

Answer 2

Oh boy. Well SJ is expensive, so it really depends on where you live. I would say do one of those cost of living calculators where you type in where you live and what you make and pick where you want to move and the calculator tells you how much more you should make to survive. Campbell CA seems to be less expensive. I don't consider too many whole areas to be ghetto in the South Bay, BUT you can have a great apartment complex on one street and right down the street have a downright NASTY complex.

Sounds like a big move and you need to bust out with a job first and then keep on Craigslist for a roommate.

If you have a good job, you can make it, but it is much more expensive, not only rent, but gas/electric, food is more expensive out here, so is gas (I don't know where on the East Coast you are leaving from)...

It's going to cost you about $400 to drive across with just a car and not big truck.

My suggestion to you, get a job with a company where you are that will transfer you to California after working for them for awhile.

Answer 3

You first need to find a job since it is quite expensive to live in this area. You will also most likely need to find a roommate to help share the cost of rent. East San Jose can be ghetto in some areas and so can downtown. Your best bet is to look in the Blossom Hill area, Cambrian area, or berryessa area. Surrounding cities such as Milpitas, Fremont, Santa Clara may also have affordable places to live and are pretty nice cities.

Good luck with your move. The people are nice and the weather is much better then the east coast but my best advice it take a road trip with a friend and check out the area before deciding to move here.

Answer 4

it's a really big change! I don't know if it's a good idea to start out with San Jose though, cuz it's really expensive here. cheap in the bad ghetto areas. apartments here sell for the price of a mansion in arizona (my friend told me).
Anyway, you can always live in the Eastern side of San Jose, which has more schools and better homes. they sell for about $100, 000 average for a small house and an apt. would be about $1500 a month according to my grandma...plus driving across country would use up a lot of gas, which over here is about $2.50 a gallon.
yeah i really don't know what else to tell you, but that moving to San Jose when you barely have money is a bad idea, you'd be stuck with goodwill, living in shacks, etc.

good thing though, weather is great!!! california weather yay!

Answer 5

It should be very safe. There are a few "seedy" and "dirty" areas like Alum Rock, the Tully Rd. area, and parts of Downtown...but they're rarely outright dangerous. I know folks in those areas and have visited them on several ocassions without incident.

San Jose is, in fact, the safest major city in America. Why? There's not much going on at night...

San Jose is basically a giant suburb. It's huge, but there's very little in the way of nightlife or cultural venues. If we want to think of the Metropolitan Bay Area (Population: 7.1 million) in New York City (Population: 8.1 million) terms... San Jose would be Queens, Oakland would be the Bronx, and San Francisco is Manhattan.

Answer 6

If you're in the computer field then San Jose would be OK for you. The best area to live is caled Santana Row- shops restaurants and theaters. We call san Jose Man Jose bc there are like 10 guys to every girl so keep that in mind.