I don’t know how many of you are in the SD area but I have some questions.  Currently we live half way between SF and San Jose.  My wife and I are looking to relocate.  While I would like to move out of California, my wife, her family and my family aren’t as hot on that idea as I am. I do like San Diego a lot, and if it wasn’t for Californians I would move there no questions asked. My questions are focused on the job market, work culture, and day to day life.

What is the job market like in the construction/facilities sector?  I am currently a building automations systems program manager and would like to do something similar, pm? Fm? Something along those lines. My wife being in healthcare would have no issues with finding work down there.  I think one of the largest negatives to working and living in the Bay Area is the pace of life and the work environment.  I work with great people, for a great supervisor, but, the construction trades here are terrible.  Insane hours, crazy workload, unsustainable work pace, and just cutthroat period.  I expect a little bit of this to still be present regardless of where we live it’s part of the culture of construction. Some insight from any of you working down there in this field would be great.

My other questions are surrounding day to day life and the community.  We have spoken with a realtor and looked at some comps in Poway, vista, rancho penesquito, rancho Bernardo and similar areas.  We feel these places fit our lifestyle. Both my wife and I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, camping, obviously shooting, and I am big car guy both on and off-road.  The biggest disappointment here in the Bay Area for us is the lack of community feeling.  There is none. I could go weeks and not see my neighbors, and I live in a fucking condo.  Even when I do see them they hardly speak two words to you. Part of this is likely the transient nature of the area. People move here for a couple years and then leave after getting the work experience or burning out. Usually when I tell people I was born and raised in the area they look at me like I have a third eye. Add in the liberals and NIMBYs and it’s all around a terrible place to live. I’m ready to get out and hope SD is a viable option to get away from this place.  How is the pace of life, and do you feel like it is a good place to raise a child(our son is 5months old right now)? Anyone here moved to the area and regretted it later? Should I look elsewhere to live? My first choice was outside of Denver but that’s turning into another California and I don’t know how well my aging parents and inlaws would do with the elevation and cold.

I appreciate any insight you guys are willing to share.

As and SD county resident, if your wife will leave CA, RUN don't walk!

It’s better than the Bay Area trust me.  I would love to leave CA it is still what I am pushing for.  Unfortunately any place we have seriously considered is well on its way to becoming like CA or only a few years away from it.  I used my veto power to nix a few places and she has done the same.  Of the three places on the list now, SD realistically fits our lifestyle and job prospects the best.  It’s sucks, I loathe California. However, a family and aging parents on both sides of the equation weigh heavily on our decision.

Have you always lived in SD? What don’t you like about it? What city do you live in? Where do you see the area heading? What is the job market like? Wher would you move to?

I’ve in San Diego since the mid 80s and lived up in the Bay Area prior to that.  The atmosphere is certainly different but it’s swaying to the same side as the rest of this awful state. I am in the same boat as you, aging parents and majority of the immediate family reside in this state.

Problem with SD, it over populated.  Just like the bay allot of out of state transplants.  There are still communities were you’ll get to know your neighbors, but they are shrinking.  Being pushed out by the overpriced rent and housing market.  Just like the the Bay, many over entitled people fill the area.

As for hiking and outdoor activities, we don’t have a lack of that.  But it more of a arid dessert environment compared to the greenery of northern CA.

Also traffic here is a bitch.

Those are just my opinion.

Appreciate the insight, I figured the shittyness of California would start to take over it was only a matter of time.  The Bay Area has changed a lot over the years.  Tech has changed it considerably and most people are only here a few years to get a tittle and pay before leaving and taking the job experience with them.  I have lived in our current townhome for a little over five years and there are neighbors I still haven’t spoken a word to.  Most people keep all the blinds closed and never come out of their houses.  This is pretty tyipical.  My parents neighborhood has turned into this.  The culture here is terrible too.  Your status is highly dependent on what your work is or the instagram persona.  It is ridiculous and not somewhere I want to raise a child.  We will be taking a trip down there in July to scope out neighborhoods and see what it is like during the week.  Both my wife and I have loved every visit to the area but taking a vacation is much different than living somewhere.