5 Reasons I opted to live in Virginia & Not California nor Florida – For now.

5 Reasons I opted to live in Virginia & Not California nor Florida – For now.

As I retired from the Navy, nearing the completion of my PhD Dissertation, establishing our MVOSS Creation LLC Business and receiving various career calls  here in Virginia while enjoying R&R, I had a year to select (5 months remaining now) my permanent home to help me move my family (anywhere I chose, even overseas being recruited from the Philippines).

Considering that I really wanted to move back to California to be closer to my mother and also reading this text about 33 Reasons why West Coast is Better – I would probably have been more convince and really persuade my son & wife (who likes it here in Great Neck Fort Henry area) to live back to California BUT I still opted to stay & live here in Virginia.  Let me tell you why:

My ideal place to live permanently is a place where me and my family can enjoy a good place to meet our network & friends & of course family (mom in California is a big plus to move back there).  We also want to live near the beach & lots of parks and museums, near the city but less traffic and MOST importantly above 8.0 middle school rating for my son.

I know you cannot get this one perfect place to live, we learned our lessons after living in Connecticut & California and visiting many fine cities around USA and moving coast to coast 4 times while I was in the Navy.   

·         Beach in California is way too cold.  I remember living along the coast for over 15 years and wearing my wet suit even on summer while I boogie board.  I don’t need that in Virginia Beach.  I know this is a very shallow reason but properties near the beach is usually where the best school (except Port Hueneme, where I lived for a while) and value of property is worthwhile.

·         Virginia Beach is more culturally diverse and active than when I was living in Ventura County – an hour north of Los Angeles.  Of course I can’t compare Virginia Beach with Los Angeles or San Francisco but imagine how much mortgage or rent I have to pay to live there with the same convenience.  Except LA or San Francisco – Virginia Beach has a great cultural community we can relate to that has its own Philippine Cultural Center, blocks of Asian food.

·         In my 15 years living in Southern California I’ve done less  day trips outside of the state more than my 3 years living in Virginia:  Washington DC, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida while I went to Las Vegas & Phoenix only.  There is so much history, sights, diversity in the East Coast with the same proximity combined.  I am not saying California is over rated if you compare it to Santa Monica, San Diego or San Jose (and other Saints - I guess California is so blessed they name many cities to Saints) to Virginia Beach (which is more laid back) but there are more choices.

·         Four seasons.

·         Great education (above 8.0 rating) and activities for children.  Excellent recreational centers, public library all across almost every 5-10 miles from our home.

To be fair, I would say – I don’t mind going back to Southern California if everything else is equal – if I was offered the:

·         The right career opportunity (Silicon Valley, University, USA Air Force Civil Service)

·        Good house near the beach (or good neighborhood) at the right price.

·         8.0 Middle / High School Rating.

·         Near mom.

Give me those four and then we can move to Florida or California or even Germany.  My household move military retirement benefits expires this year on August 31st.
If you have any suggestions or wanted to correct me to help me decide even better, feel free to post your comments.