Who isn’t escaping California? And why wouldn’t you?

It doesn’t matter where you live in California or what your political philosophy. Many Californians have privately said something like this or a variation of this:

“I hate the idea of leaving California. My family has lived here for three generations. My parents left me this ranch, and I know every inch, every tree, every valley, every trail. We’ve seen good times and bad times, floods and draughts, and we lost our share of cattle during the winter of ’62. In all these years, we always pulled together as a family and got through it all. But California is no longer the California I’ve known. It’s different now. I hardly recognize it. This state is headed on a trajectory that goes from bad to worse, and there’s no turning back anymore. If we don’t sell and get out soon, I’m not sure we’ll be able to a few years from now. It’s a damn shame. The most beautiful state in the union with such grand opportunities is no longer. It has been destroyed, not by global warming, not by any lack of resources, but by politicians.”

Is there any place you can go that is beautiful and reminds you of what California used to be? What if you could find a place that has all these criteria:

1. A mild climate year round
2. Not too much rain, but no droughts either
 (the same rainfall L.A. used to have–16 inches a year)
3. No temperature extremes in winter and summer
4. Low crime issues
5. No traffic congestion
6. Privacy and Confidentiality
7. No hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, snow storms like New York, fires like California, flooding, mudslides, sink holes like Florida, and virtually no threat of tsunamis
8. Real estate at a fraction of California prices
9. Property taxes a fraction of California’s
10. No state income tax
11. Pristine mountains and bays to the ocean are stunning
12. Outdoor recreation is some of the best in the world
13. Access to a private local airport for your jet to anywhere
14. Wildlife and fish and sea life are abundant
15. Where maintaining security on your property is easy by comparison
16. Where the local population could care less about the rich and famous
17. Safely beyond the reach of millions in metropolitan areas (in times of natural disaster or apocalyptic times)

If this kind of checklist is appealing, read on my friend. You might like what you discover in this book. The San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington are arguably the best kept secret of the West Coast.

And while I’m writing, I might as well add this self-promotion. I am an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent for luxury homes in the San Juan Islands. You can review my credentials on my Youtube channel or my real estate blog.