WHAT TO KNOW WHEN PREPARING FOR YOUR CROSS-COUNTRY MOVE
Planning on moving from NY to California soon? Your not alone. These days, to due a wide variety of reasons many people are deciding that pack up and moving from NY to California is the right choice for them. Trading the notoriously cold snowy winters of New York for California’s nearly year-round sunny skies is one of best parts of moving from NY to California. While not perfect, there are quite a few advantages in moving from NY to California. One can consider weekend trips to the ample beaches and locations such as Napa Valley and San Diego. Here at Al’s Moving and Storage we are a leading NY to California moving company. If you are considering taking the plunge and moving from NY to California, here is the guide you need to make this long, cross-country move a success:
When initiating your planning for moving from East Coast to West Coast , here are a few important factors to consider:
1. Moving From NY to California- Enjoying the Beautiful Weather!
One of the most cited reasons for moving from NY to California is the beautiful weather California has to offer. When compared to the weather in New York, California offers far more sunny days annually. After all, there is a reason it is called the Golden State! While New York has long cold winter weather, warm temperatures, a drier climate, and lots of sunshine mean that you can spend much of the year enjoying outdoor activities when moving from NY to California. However, a few trade offs you will need to make it monitoring for wildfires and ensuring you have working air conditioning during the summer.
3. Living in California is (Stil) Expensive
Rising costs in New York have led to many residents packing up and hiring cross country movers. However, much like New York, real estate in Caliifornia has become pricey. In fact, cities in the Golden State claim nine of the top ten spots for most expensive real estate in the country. Due to prohibitive housing costs, many California residents have opted to rent. Thanks to this high reliance on rental properties, you’ll find many places that accommodate pets and larger families, as well as several that most luxury amenities. To find affordable housing when moving from NY to California, you may need to be willing to commute from small cities or to live in areas that are further away from Metropolitan areas.
4. Affordable Entertainment
California is one of the main entertainment hubs in the United States. One of the many perks of moving from NY to California is the variety of budget-friendly entertainment. In Southern California, around San Diego and L.A., you can visit free public beaches (Santa Monica State Beach and La Jolla Shores are favorites), inexpensive museums (like those at the rambling Balboa Park), play at amusement parks (including Sea World and Disneyland), or spend time camping out at dozens of state parks. Festivals, farmers markets, and street fairs add to the list of fun, family-friendly activities. Northern California has its own share of low-cost fun that includes miles of coastline (check out the Point Reyes National Seashore), hiking trails, and parks with incredible views like Yosemite and the Sierra Nevadas.
5. The State Boasts a Healthy Job Market
These days, California has booming job market, which makes it a great place to start your career or move up the corporate ladder. The Bay Area (including suburbs of Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Palo Alto) is a tech mecca, home to Google, Pixar, Facebook, Apple, Netflix, and other tech companies. Southern California is full of movie studios, marketing and advertising firms, and law offices. You can find healthcare jobs throughout the state. No matter what field you are in, it won’t be hard to find a job in your line of work. Acknowledging stress factors, like traffic and high housing costs, many employers are willing to consider flex schedules (working four ten-hour days) or permit working remotely.
No matter why you are looking into moving from New York to California, there are lots of reasons you’ll enjoy living in the Golden State. Be ready to take advantage of transitioning to a sun-kissed, low-stress life!
Where Are The Best Places to Live in California? Moving From NY to California in 2020
If you’ve been dreaming about moving from NY to California, but you know that a vacation to the West Coast doesn’t offer nearly enough time to enjoy it, then it may be time to relocate. In addition to a healthy economy, booming job market, gorgeous year-round weather, and ample entertainment, this state also offers lots of charming towns and culturally-rich cities in which to settle down. Consider these six when choosing where to live in the Golden State:
1. Palo Alto
Just outside San Francisco, Palo Alto sits in the heart of Silicon Valley, the hub of the tech world. The headquarters for tech giants like Tesla, Hewlett Packard, and Waze, it’s also home to Stanford University, which attracts some of the world’s brightest minds. Palo Alto is an incredibly diverse part of California, and on top of a highly successful population, it also has buzzing nightlife. There are a lot of clubs and bars here, attracting college students and younger professionals ready to let loose after a long day of classes and work. The area also has loads of daytime attractions, like The Foster gallery, the Stanford Memorial Church, and the Stanford Dish hiking trail. Additionally, Palo Alto boasts a low unemployment rate, a low crime rate, and an average of 261 sunny days each year.
2. San Francisco
So many movies and TV shows depict San Francisco that you may feel like you’ve been there even if you’ve never actually seen the cable cars, the rows of Victorian homes or Golden Gate Bridge in person. The city is relatively small, making it highly walkable and filled with energy and personality.
A city surrounded by the Bay, San Francisco’s coastal location invites ever-changing weather. The area is known for fresh breezes and lots of fog in the winters, balanced by sunshine and moderate temperatures during the summer season. The city boasts more than 200 parks, including Dolores Park and the famed Golden Gate Park, making it a fantastic place if you love nature or fitness. There are tons of hills here, too, which can make walking everywhere tricky, but it does wonders for toning your glutes. On weekends, you can pump those legs to landmarks like Lombard Street, historic Chinatown, or the Presidio, or walk to the ferry terminal to catch a ride to romantic Sausalito. In San Francisco, you’ll also be a short car ride from the expansive vineyards of Napa and Sonoma Valleys, when you need a booze-filled retreat from the woes of city life. Though you’ll find San Francisco an exciting and entertaining place to live, brace yourself for the extreme living costs and overcrowding. SF blows the average cost of living index out of the water, scoring a 273 (compared to the US average of 100). You might need to find roommates and work hard to keep your budget under control.
3. San Diego
This major metro area has average temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 degrees, plus tons of sunny weather and a relaxed, youthful atmosphere. There are a lot of major attractions here, like the San Diego Zoo, LEGOLAND, and SeaWorld. On weekends, crowds flock to Pacific Beach to layout, while others catch the ferry to Coronado for lunch at The Del. Younger residents love nights out in the Gaslamp District, which is a great place to go for a specialty craft beer. There are fantastic restaurants in San Diego, a thriving surf culture, and real estate rates that vary significantly based on the suburb you choose. With laidback vibes and a much lower cost of living than the Bay Area, San Diego might just be the place for you.
Tips for a Successful Coast-to-Coast Move from NY to CA
Since you’re already in the stages of moving from New York City to California, you know how different these two places can be. Even if you’re relocating to another urban area, like San Francisco or San Diego, then the weather alone will be a drastic change. To help you plan your cross-country move, we’ve rounded up the must-know tips for a smooth transition
1. Downsize as much as possible.
True minimalists would sell or give away all their belongings and start fresh upon arriving in California. Assuming you want to keep most of your belongings, though, you can still trim down before you pack. Downsizing will cut the cost of hiring cross country movers and will make it easier to set up your new home when you reach California.
Start packing early so that you can take time to go through your belongings and decide what to keep, what to throw out, what to give to friends or family, what to sell, and what to donate. If you hold a garage sale, you may even be able to make a little bit of pocket change before your move. Focus on getting rid of items you won’t need in California, like winter clothing and gear.
2. Prepare for the cost of living change when moving from NY to California
The good news here is that “preparing” means figuring out what to do with all your extra money! While that’s not true for every single part of California (San Francisco is extremely expensive, for instance), New York is so pricey in itself that you’re not going to be shocked by high prices in California. Depending on where you’re moving to, you may even have a lot of wiggle room in your budget now.
3. Find an Experienced NY to California moving company.
Moving such a long distance is scary. You must plan every detail, and you know that if something goes wrong back in New York once you’re in California, there’s a limited amount of control you’ll have over it. It’s best to hire a long distance moving company that has experience in moving from NY to California. Relocating is stressful but having professional cross country movers in Westchester in charge of your belongings can alleviate some of the pressure.
5. Keep specific items packed separately.
Your belongings could take weeks to make the long trek to California, and you may not want to start unpacking as soon as everything arrives. Keep a box of essentials separate and pack it with necessities to get you through the first week or so after your move. Include toiletries, several days’ worth of clothing, a few pieces of kitchenware, and whatever you can’t live without, like your coffeemaker or tech gadgets. Instead of sending these boxes with the NY to California movers, take them with you.
7. Take a fun route on your trip across the country.
If you’re moving from NY to California, make the most out of the experience, whether you have a passenger or are going solo. There may not be another time in your life when you drive across the country, and you’ll regret it if you don’t take every opportunity available to you. By stopping along the way, you’ll see parts of the country you may have gone your whole life without experiencing.
Here’s an excellent tip for driving across the country: try only to fill your gas tank in small towns. Gas prices here are usually lower. Plus, you’ll avoid traffic jams in bigger towns and cities, because you’ll only have to get off the highway in less populated towns.
8. Register your new address when moving from NY to California
Make sure the US Postal Service knows you are changing your address ahead of time, so you don’t still have mail going to your New York address after you’ve relocated. You can have your mail held for a week or so as you move, then forwarded to your new home in California.
Last but not least, enjoy this time in your life! It may be tedious and scary, but it’s also incredibly exciting to move to a brand-new city or town. Congratulate yourself on your move and try to enjoy this time of flux as much as possible.