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Old 11-04-2011, 10:15 PM
 
7,150 posts, read 10,896,236 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alexxiz View Post
Well I saw log cabin kits being sold for about 35K total to build a 600 foot cabin (not including poured foundation) and yurts as well (more expensive)... my understanding was that they'd be required to have a permanent and poured foundation, not sure how the counties would react on those... because I don't see them being build in CA.

Yes with trailer/van living, stealth is the most important I guess, either a trailer that's sitting inside acreage where they can't see it and a dirt road or stealthy van. If it's legally parked in some area where there're apartments and no signs of a person hanging around (cause they're sleeping inside), I guess no one would bother.
There are actually a number of tricks to getting by completely legal, as well as just plain stealth ... stealth works fine with very little effort, too ... I do it lots ... but I can, literally, live nicely and 100% legal in a reasonably nice, relatively crime-free San Francisco neighborhood, walking distance to all kinds of stores and markets and restaurants and attractions -- for under $600 a month ... clean and neat and comfy as a clam at high tide. Nope, won't reveal. People start talking about loopholes and they tend to get closed up

But it's not against the law in this country to think creatively outside the box. You might figger it out, same as I did

btw: I am talking private space ... hot / cold running water ... bath ... view ... heat ... elect. ... cable tv if you want (I don't watch tv) ... real kitchen

Last edited by nullgeo; 11-04-2011 at 10:34 PM..
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Old 11-04-2011, 10:25 PM
 
5,113 posts, read 5,971,185 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nullgeo View Post
I assume you are referring to the pictures I posted?

There's nothing illegal about living the way those photos depict -- depending on how and where you set up. Hint: I live mobile in a converted Air Force tarmac boxvan ... smallest size box van you can find ... 70 sq. ft. in the box .. I also travel and live in a mini-van at other times ... and on two small boats ... I live legally ... I am clean and neat and orderly ... I have income and own income properties in city and country both ... I have net worth and addresses. I am NEVER harassed by police. I am posting this as I sit in my box van right now ... out in the country with a beautiful view. And now I will reach over about three feet and make a nice salad lunch with shredded turkey, a bagel, and coconut date roll desert.
That's just a little too hard core for me ... however I could handle living in my truck with Six-Pac camper pulling my 24' cabin cruiser. It's a mobile two room, two galley, two bed, two bathroom, floating condo

Delux 850



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Old 11-04-2011, 10:30 PM
 
1,027 posts, read 1,948,981 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nullgeo View Post
There are actually a number of tricks to getting by completely legal, as well as just plain stealth ... stealth works fine with very little effort, too ... I do it lots ... but I can, literally, live nicely and 100% legal in a reasonably nice, relatively crime-free San Francisco neighborhood, walking distance to all kinds of stores and markets and restaurants and attractions -- for under $600 a month ... clean and neat and comfy as a clam at high tide. Nope, won't reveal. People start talking about loopholes and they tend to get closed up

But it's not against the law in this country to think creatively outside the box. You might figger it out, same as I did
I think it's way easier to stay in a vehicle in OR and not be chased than in Bay area/CA...
I heard of people installing composting toilets inside their vans, not sure how it worked out though.

How come the thread "owning a home in CA" had turned into a talk about camper vans?
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Old 11-04-2011, 10:39 PM
 
7,150 posts, read 10,896,236 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alexxiz View Post
I think it's way easier to stay in a vehicle in OR and not be chased than in Bay area/CA...
I heard of people installing composting toilets inside their vans, not sure how it worked out though.
I was just adding an edit as you posted ... so you probably didn't catch that I detailed a bit ... including bathroom ... no need for composting toilet ... yes you can add those to a mobile unit, I have friends using them on boats and they like 'em ... I think they're okay but there are other solutions I prefer. No, I mean completely 100% legal ... nothing to be chased away for ... though if the loophole was revealed someone might try to close it.
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Old 11-04-2011, 11:03 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,866,909 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogdad View Post
Average cost in most areas runs between 90-120 per sqft.
Where are you looking? In my neighborhood, it is more like $275/sqft for a condo. Newer buildings are $350. Single family homes in my neighborhood are $430-$500. I can't think of anywhere in my region where it is $90-120/sqft. Maybe in deep East Oakland -- the killing fields. It might be at the top end of that range.
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Old 11-04-2011, 11:16 PM
 
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Someone could get hired as "security" for a place and be there pretty much legally...
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Old 11-04-2011, 11:31 PM
 
28,115 posts, read 63,659,938 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
Where are you looking? In my neighborhood, it is more like $275/sqft for a condo. Newer buildings are $350. Single family homes in my neighborhood are $430-$500. I can't think of anywhere in my region where it is $90-120/sqft. Maybe in deep East Oakland -- the killing fields. It might be at the top end of that range.
Looked at some spacious homes with great city views in the $150 to $175 per square foot range... some on acre lots which allow horses in the Oakland Hills...

Just about anything in the East Bay is much less expensive than the city or peninsula...

My brother recently sold a beautiful up to date home with panoramic 4 bridge Bay Views on a quiet cul de sac for 500k... true it worked out to be $190 a square foot.

It needed nothing... level yard, gorgeous kitchen, baths, hardwood, new windows, A/C, Roof, Paint, etc... the owner had lived there many years and liked to spend money on his free and clear home... health reasons forced the sale.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:07 AM
 
30,896 posts, read 36,949,177 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogdad View Post
A thousand dollar per sqft? That's rediculous unless you are buying a multimillion dollar mansion in Belvedere, Hillsbrough or Malibu.

Average cost in most areas runs between 90-120 per sqft.
It's not rediculous. But it is rIdiculous
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:12 AM
 
30,896 posts, read 36,949,177 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly View Post
We're no longer all that young but feel the same pain. We bit the bullet and bought back in the mid 90s. We did not bite off more than we could chew, but as a result, our place is small and in need of many upgrades, even after having it this long. We live in many ways like people did back in the 1950s, in order to save. We don't have the latest toys, we run our cars into the ground at 250K, we wear old clothes, etc. When we get to a point where either we want to retire, or, economic opportunities here beyond taking care of rich old people and writing code for games, dry up, we're gonna be outta here!
I would say I'm doing a scaled down version of what BayAreaHillbilly is doing. I am 41, single, and rent a studio apartment. I do not ever plan to own (and don't care that much). I put a good chunk of my salary into my retirement plan. If I lose my job, I plan on moving inland to a lower cost Western state (hopefully before the next big earthquake hits).

Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. ends up bankrupt like Greece; so while I try to live prudently, I kinda wonder if it's really going to matter at the rate we're going.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:25 AM
 
30,896 posts, read 36,949,177 times
Reputation: 34521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennychaser11 View Post
People always have been complaining about CA RE prices for decades. Just saying...
This is true, but as a multiple of people's incomes, prices in CA have been much higher in the last 15 years than they were back in the 1980s or earlier.

Maybe sane lending standards will change things, but I'm not holding my breath.
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