Canadians wanting to move to California - good idea or bad???

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unsinkable777

unsinkable777

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2011
Posts
20
Location
Chilliwack, British Columbia
We just returned from our maiden voyage in our 5th wheel, having spent 7 weeks in California, and loving it!!
I (Karen) have dual Canadian/American citizenship, but my hubby does not. Anyone have any info on whether or not we could buy real estate down there and just move?? OR is there a long, expensive process involved?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
God Bless  :) :)
Karen

P.S. Would the IRS come after me (at age 62) for income tax $$$ ?
 
[quote author=unsinkable777]Anyone have any info on whether or not we could buy real estate down there and just move?? OR is there a long, expensive process involved?[/quote]

Anyone can buy real estate here, at least in California. We first bought real estate here while we were UK residents.

Would the IRS come after me (at age 62) for income tax $$$ ?
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Good question. It all depends on how much time you spend in in the US. Try searching the IRS web site. Separately, you should research the tax rules for the relevant state. For California that would be the Franchise Tax Board.
 
Unsinkable777,

Ardra and I lived there for over 30 years and we still feel it's a great place to live.  We lived in both Southern California (near Los Angeles) and Northern California (near San Francisco).  Beyond that we traveled the state from end to end (north/south) so we know the state well.  Follow your dreams, you'll love California.

It is an expensive state in which to live.  Things cost more there and the tax rates are higher than most other states.  Also, most folks complain about the traffic, and rightly so, but if you are retired and do not have to commute daily to and from work you can easily schedule yourself around times of the worst traffic.

CALIFORNIA IS A GREAT STATE IN WHICH TO LIVE!!!

JerryF

 
There are places near enough to California that might be a better choice of residence, from the perspective of cost, rules & regulations, etc.

As for buying property, anybody can, in any state in the USA. Whether a Canadian citizen can just move in and stay is another matter and one that needs to be officially addressed with the US government. I would think that a permanent residence visa would be quickly granted since you have US citizenship, but the immigration business is complex and my opinion is meaningless anyway. Next question would be are you emigrating or just  a long term visitor? And what about your Canadian health insurance, taxes, etc. Many, many questions to be investigated carefully before you make a leap like that.
 
We really enjoy visiting CA but to live there,  I don't know. To the op, why not have the best of both worlds? Scoot south when frost appears on the pumpkin and stay for the allowed six months. Then come north to escape the summer heat.
 
You can move there easily enough as you stated you have both citizenship's but your husband is another story. Ordinarily he would be restricted to a 6 month visit at most. You should be verifying his status with US Immigration and following their information before making any plans in that regard. If you don't, the Tax people will be the least of your worries :-*

And yes, you can buy property there as a Canadian but be aware of the property rules and tax implications etc should you wish to sell later. You will undoubtedly have a problem with credit should you need it as you do not likely have a credit rating in USA as needed for mortgages, credit cards etc.
 
Agree with Stu about checking out the immigration rules. Your husband will have high priority if/when you  sponsor him, but there's still a pecking order and limits on how many immigrant visas are issued by country each year. There's also a defined process you need to follow. That will get him a green card and, if he keeps out of trouble, he'll be eligible for naturalization in another 5 years.

You can read a lot of it for yourself on the USCIS web site here, but you would be well advised to talk to an immigration lawyer. It can be done on the phone, and you'll be charged for an hour of his/her time. You'll get a lot of information in a very short time from someone who lives and works the rules and system daily.

Let me know if you need a referral to someone who can help. I'm not in any way connected with them, but have used their services for various immigration-related situations over many years. Last time around, I opted for phone consultation - money well spent.
 
No one has mentioned this yet, but for better worse California is VERY firearms UNFRENDLY. So if either of you enjoy any sort of target shooting or hunting, probably not the place to live.
 
Don't forget to figure health insurance into you cost figures.  We know lot of Canadians that go to the Palm Springs area each winter, live in park models and have the best of both countries.  Regards, Dick
 
.... California is VERY firearms UNFRENDLY. So if either of you enjoy any sort of target shooting or hunting .....
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Firearms are illegal in Canada, but legal in California.
 
Tom said:
Firearms are illegal in Canada, but legal in California.
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But still quite restricted as to which ones, how carried. etc.  Now Montana is concealed carry except in certain towns, Federal Buildings, courthouses, etc.  For the towns, it is fairly easy to get a permit though.
 
Greg 110 OVI said:
No one has mentioned this yet, but for better worse California is VERY firearms UNFRENDLY. So if either of you enjoy any sort of target shooting or hunting, probably not the place to live.
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I live in So Cal.  I have had no problems in buying or owning guns.  I use them for shooting and hunting on a regular basis. "California is VERY firearms UNFRENDLY" sounds like an urban legend.  It's certainly not accurate.
 
I was raised in the San Francisco Bay area. Met my wife, a Canadian there and we had our first house, beach front in Half Moon Bay. We left there in 1967 and moved to PA where we now live in the Pocono Mts. The weather where we lived in CA was great! the environment was good, but the number of people is now just beyond reasonable for us. I can remember when all the hills around the bay were covered with grass. Now it's all houses. We frequently go back to visit friends and relations, but every time we leave, we always remark,"what a great place, but to many people and to much traffic for our comfort". The taxes and cost of living there are another reason we're glad we're not there any more, especially since PA does not have any income tax on retirement income.
 
I've lived in the San Diego area for 35 years. It's a beautiful part of the country to live in. I've got easy access to the mountains, desert, ocean and lots of big city activities. And, of course, the weather is usually great (and I've been a cop for more than 30 years so I legally own lots of guns). HOWEVER... this is a relatively expensive place to live. Our tax rates are some of the highest in the country and the price of owning a home is also relatively high. The political climate pendullum has started swinging even further left in recent years and we have a huge illegal immigration population (the largest in the country). That issue alone significantly impacts our state's ability to educate our children and make available needed social services and medical services (don't get me going). And at last count, I think the State's budget was 18 billion (with a "B") in the red. Would I move here and do it again? (The Navy brought me here originally.) Knowing what I know now... I doubt it, but I'd really have to think about it.
 
Contrary to popular opinion, California is not restricted to the Southern California/LA/San Diego area or the San Francisco Bay area. I wouldn't live in either location!!!! That said, there is plenty of places in this beautiful state to live without having to deal with too many folks or too much traffic. My wife and I are native Californians living the good life in the sierra Nevada foothills. we have both traveled extensively in the US and Canada, and come home to Cali. Can't think of a place I'd rather live. Come on down!!!
 
Well said Mr Wizzard. Our kids live in the foothills above Nevada City, CA, and we live on the CA delta.
 
Tom said:
Well said Mr Wizzard. Our kids live in the foothills above Nevada City, CA, and we live on the CA delta.
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Tom and I are natives of California, many generations back.  I was raised in the San Joaquin Valley, Tom in the San Franciso Bay Area.  We lived in the Bay Area for most of our working years.

We lived in Sebastopol, CA nearing retirement as the area transitioned from apple orchards to vineyards.  Then, lived in Redding, CA and enjoyed Shasta Lake, Whiskeytown Lake, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and the proximity to the NorCal Coast. 

Tom's family crossed Donner Summit in a wagon train.  Mine arrived in CA in 1910 via the early railroad.  We now live in Oregon, but not as a protest to California.  We have lots of family in Oregon, too, as we have ancestors who traveled there via wagons on the Oregon Trail. 

The bashing of California has become the "thing" for some who have either never been here or have only viewed the state through a narrow, stereotypical, cliched vision.  It's their loss and their missed opportunity. 

Margi

 
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