In 2021, we sat in an IHOP parking lot and made that heartbreaking decision not to move to California. My husband and I had been talking about moving to California for years–it was our dream. But it felt impossible. My husband would have to find a new job, our boys were little, my family was in Colorado. Everything we read suggested that moving to California was just too expensive. So, we decided that we’d just have to stay in Colorado.
But everything changed at the start of 2024.
We had a brand new home in Colorado Springs–it was our dream house. We had 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a three car garage, and a huge backyard. Our large windows at the back of the house framed our unbelievable view of Pikes Peak.
But something just wasn’t right. Our neighborhood, our community, our town–it did not feel like home. We struggled to find things to do in our free time. Our Saturdays consisted of a lunch at Chili’s and a visit to Target. If the weather was decent, we would find a park. If we were feeling adventurous, we would explore Manitou Springs or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. But, ultimately, it was a culture desert. We loved California, and we spent our entire year counting down to our next California adventure.
We wanted more for our sons.
We started to explore the idea of moving to California once more. This time, we got serious. We watched every single YouTube video we could find about different neighborhoods in Southern California. Eventually we decided that the Temecula Valley region had everything we were looking for. We reached out to a realtor in Temecula, and we reached out to our realtor in Colorado.
And the stars had aligned, making the shift easier: my husband and I were both working remotely, our sons were attending school virtually, and we were so far away from family at this point. The time was right.
We got the ball rolling. And we never looked back.
The process wasn’t easy, by any means:
- We had to sell our home in a really tough market (thank goodness for assumable loans, which allowed us to sell our house). The process took forever (four long months), and we were not sure we would even close.
- We had to find a way to move our things from Colorado to California.
- We had to find a place to live in California, sight unseen.
- We had to break it to our friends and family that we were moving.
- We dealt with a ton of weird reactions from friends, family and strangers alike.
I was born and raised in Colorado, and had never lived in another state. Moving to another state was such an unknown for me. And I expected it to be so much harder.
As I write this blog, we have been here for almost a year. We purchased a home, and we are settling in. And the one thing I know is this: I am so glad we took the leap. I love California, and I love our life here.
Building Our Life In California
After moving to California, it has taken us some time to realize that this is our home. We don’t have to rush to do “all of the things” because we live here. And there is plenty of time. Our first year has been full of theme parks, beach trips and exploration.
Now we get to create our traditions. We get to find the things that we love. Our sons get to grow up in SoCal, with endless opportunities at their fingers. We are surrounded by zoos, botanical gardens, the arts, beaches and unique experiences. And I am so excited to see what the years ahead hold for us.
Have you ever made a big move that changed your life? I’d love to hear your story.
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