Several news outlets predict Boston will get Amazon HQ2 (Lynn: homes, construction jobs)

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by tysmith95

I'd like to see Amazon come to Boston as long as the state resists the urge to give Amazon big handouts.

0% Amazon HQ2 is going anywhere without huge incentives. Their goal is an effectively negative tax rate.

[OutdoorLover]

I think it's hard to predict. Certainly I won't be surprised if they pick Boston - I think we'd be a very sound choice. Having said that, I don't think it's a slam-dunk and there would be other, equally reasonable choices. It all comes down to the opinions and the priorities of the real decision makers, and only they know that.

[Brave Stranger]

Amazon is moving 4 to 5 thousand new jobs to the Seaport District, so even if the city does not get HQ2, it is getting a nice runner-up-prize.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by mwj119

For every one article that predicts Boston, four others predict another city. This isn’t news.

And, there is 0.00% chance Amazon adjusts Greater Boston values +30-70%. The vast majority of median incomes in white collar towns in Mass are $100k+. Amazon is saying most of the employment opportunities will pay $100k, but I don’t see how that’s different than any other tech company in this area.

So, yes, marginal increases are to be expected as it will put further strain on an already dry housing market/shortage of homes. Nothing more, nothing less. How much higher can it go? We, so I’ve seen reported, just passed NYC metro in median home prices category. By the way, Amazon is likely to build some corporate housing to alleviate that pressure anyways.

But all that assumes all 40k or whatever Amazon employees are new imports. One of the major reasons Wells Fargo and betting markets are predicting here is the existing talent pool. Marginally more potential employees vying for x+40k jobs (x = existing jobs). That'll push up wages, and that'll push up housing prices. I think that'll be the only major change in real estate prices outside Seaport. There won't be enough new people coming in to affect demand. We already have 150k people moving in every year (and 50k moving out).

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by vision33r

My guess is that Amazon could pick DC or Raleign, NC since Bezos has Presidential aspirations. Boston just not business friendly with the harsh winters. Like I said, while having a good pool for educated local talent is a plus but Boston cost of living is right up there with NYC. Amazon would need to pay a lot of $$ to keep people.

There's a popular trend at Amazon HQ in Seattle, 2 years and done. Most Amazonians could only work at Amazon for 2 years before being priced out of the area even though Amazon is paying them well but can't keep up with the small supply of overpriced housing nearby. It's so bad there because Seattle has many other tech companies nearby that also need space for their own employees.

I have no idea why you think this. NYC is business friendly, heck, Minneapolis is business friendly and a great place to live and it is much colder than Boston.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Minneapolis is...a great place to live

pass

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

pass

Have you ever been? It's a great city. I prefer Madison for its size and culture, but despite the weather up there, its highly desirable.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Have you ever been? It's a great city. I prefer Madison for its size and culture, but despite the weather up there, its highly desirable.

Minneapolis is fantastic. Great place for bikers. Awesome recreation activities nearby. Some pretty fun neighborhoods and lively overall feel. St Paul is also cool, a bit of a contrast from MPLS if you need it. Anyone discounting the Twin Cities like this surely has no or little experience with them, especially not in the last 5-10 years.

[emm74]

My opinion is that this has any relevance beyond being yet another guess.

And then there are the breadcrumbs and clues from Amazon itself. The company’s move to lease to 1 million square feet of office space in Boston in January sounded a lot like the publicly announced “Phase 1” of HQ2 as outlined in Amazon’s original RFP. Amazon execs were spotted visiting sites in the Washington areas this month, fueling further speculation.

RE: the bolded - the Washington Post article they linked tried to make it sound as if the site visit was a clue - while ignoring the reality that Amazon has been visiting ALL of the top 20 contenders. Making predictions based on this sort of thing is just silly, so I give no credence to the guess in this particular article vs. any other guesses.

Doesn't mean Boston or the DC metro WON'T get HQ2, just that none of this speculation is based on anything concrete.

[tysmith95]

Basically the media has no idea or any sort of credible source, so they're just making crap up to fill the void on slow news days.