Additional Coverage:
- After losing too many bidding wars for a home in LA, I bought a 5-bedroom house in the suburbs. I quickly realized it was a mistake. (businessinsider.com)
City Girl Returns After Brief Suburban Stint
After 17 years of navigating Los Angeles like a pro, Lauren Palmigiano thought she was ready for a change. A crazy neighbor situation and the lure of affordable housing sent her packing for Temecula, a suburban city an hour and a half outside of LA.
Trading her one-bedroom condo for a sprawling McMansion with a pool and fruit trees seemed like a dream come true. Goodbye, million-dollar bungalow bidding wars!
Hello, three-car garage!
Initially, suburban life felt like a scene from a Reese Witherspoon movie – charming cul-de-sacs, rolling hills, and plenty of fresh air. Palmigiano and her family reveled in the sheer space of their new home, even using the living room as a makeshift skatepark. But the honeymoon phase ended abruptly as the silence of suburbia set in.
The lack of late-night options (restaurants closing at 9 p.m.?!), the absence of independent businesses, and the sheer distance from friends in LA began to take their toll. Promised weekend visits dwindled as the two-hour drive (often longer with traffic) proved too daunting for busy friends and family. Palmigiano found herself arguing with Alexa about music choices for stimulation.
The isolation became unbearable. She missed the spontaneity and energy of Los Angeles, the weird little theaters, the bustling bookstores, even the exasperating neighbor who used to film her. Temecula, with its matching beige houses and drive-thru pharmacies, felt like a pleasant but artificial screensaver.
Realizing the move was a mistake, Palmigiano and her partner decided to return to LA, trading the spacious McMansion for a smaller rental in a less desirable neighborhood. While they sacrificed amenities like a pool and ample closet space, they gained something far more valuable: their community.
Back in the thick of LA’s vibrant chaos, Palmigiano feels like herself again. She’s happily navigating crowded grocery stores, battling for parking spots, and even fielding sales pitches for collagen powder at the dog park. The experience taught her a valuable lesson: She thrives on connection, the kind that flourishes in the noisy, messy heart of Los Angeles, not the quiet calm of the suburbs.