California Movers, Here We Come
California, the Golden State home to Hollywood and the legendary Napa Valley, has just about every landscape, from desert to forest to beach. Whether you are moving to the lush greenery of one of Northern California’s forests or the drier heat of its Southern half, get ready for a state filled with adventure…and new rules!
Relocating to California - Being a New Resident
When moving to Cali, becoming a surfer is optional. Dealing with the DMV is not. Even if you don’t own a car, you will need this group to help establish residency. The California DMV is quite strict with their policies, so you’ll want to make sure to be aware of their rules to ensure a nice, smooth transition. Check out the top priorities at the list below. (Steps 2 & 3 only apply if you own a car.)
- Apply for a California Driver’s license or California ID Card to establish residency. (This should be done within 10 days of moving to California or upon accepting a job offer.)
- Make sure you have car insurance; you will need this in order to register your car. Which leads us to Step 3….
- Register your vehicle; this needs to be done within 20 days of a person establishing residency. (Learn how to do this at: http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/car-registration.php)
- If you’d like to make sure that Arnold Schwarzenegger is or is not the state’s governor again, you’ll want to register to vote in California. The easy process is outlined at the following site: http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/voter-registration.php
Important Information about California Neighborhoods: Must Know for New CA Residents
The stereotype of sunny California is often true; sun certainly is the yearly forecast for parts of the state. There is more variance than one might think though. It snows in the mountains during winter, gets windy in an incredibly chill-inducing way in San Francisco and receives more and more annual rain the closer you get to Oregon.
Each city varies, of course, but as a whole California’s median age for residents is 35.
The state’s median income as of 2012? $58,328.
Due to big job draws like Silicon Valley, the demand for living is high and housing prices are often very high. The estimated median home income for the entire state is $349,400. (However, if you’re looking at parts like Los Angeles or the Bay Area, the number is likely going to be much higher.)
(Information gathered from City Data: http://www.city-data.com/city/Fremont-California.html)
California's Employment Rate & Economy for Moving Quotes
As of Fall 2014, the employment rate in California is 6.9%. This is 1.2% higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.7%.
The unemployment rate has decreased annually the past few years. Many of the high paying job opportunities are those to be considered highly specialized. (i.e. software developers, market research analysts, etc.)
Size wise, if California’s economic size was measured as it’s own country, it would be the 7th largest economy in the world.
(According to US Labor Force Data: http://www.calmis.ca.gov/file/lfmonth/calpr.pdf & AOL Jobs http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/12/16/the-best-jobs-for-2014/)
SOME OF THE BEST CALIFORNIA ATTRACTIONS
California has world famous landmarks such as San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and the leaping Shamu whale of San Diego’s Sea World water park. Some of it’s less known attractions include:
- Castroville (the Artichoke Capital of the world)
- The giant redwoods of Sequoia National Park
- California Caverns (an intricate system of caverns and passages in the Mother Lode region).
For more information & fun facts about California, please check out: http://www.50states.com/facts/calif.htm#.VE6BGr6YXKg