The Big "California Housing Prices" thread (was:Home prices are not going down, so why stay if you can't afford it? (Fresno: find a job, to buy)

[MtnSurfer]

Those on the forum who are looking through rose colored glasses at that next place to live have to realize something important. It will have quite a few cons which CA doesn't have - bottom line. While some 'learn' to live with those cons many others decide the cheaper, bigger house ultimately isn't worth it. Why? because every day you wake up and you are still in... Waco or <fill in the blank>. This isn't simply theoretical, it is reality for many who make that jump to those greener pastures only to discover major flaws they really don't like. QOL goes far beyond simply a big house with a cheap mortgage. There's a reason they're that cheap, BTW. Rather, this is a multi-dimensional problem which is different for everyone.

We tried it and moved to CO as did quite a number of our friends living the big, cheap house 'dream.' While some stayed even more ended up leaving after a number of years including us and I'm a research nut. No matter how much you visit and research a place nothing compares to living there through all seasons year after year... nothing!! Until you do you will not really know if it will work out for you in the long run. That said, I don't regret the experience and enjoyed parts of living there. What I learned most was what QOL means for me vs. the next guy down the street or on forums such as this. That's what really is important. If you're unhappy where you are living then its probably time to move whether that be in CA, TX, FL, CO, OK, AZ, etc...

The next time we leave CA which we've been considering it will be with that knowledge that there is a chance we may want to return someday. Or at the very least that next shangri la will have downsides of its own, some more major than others even if houses are cheaper than CA. And yes, CA does have the best weather among other strong benefits. Its also why it has the largest economy of any state as well as population.

Derek

[Finper]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

I was going to say, we have smog too. Tucson is cleaner, but that's expected, as they have only 1 million metro population compared to our 5 million

I was in Flagstaff, Sedona and Paige. Georgous there clean air, only crowded in Sedona, no traffic.

[aewan68]

Cuz...it's better to burn out than fade away...

[JGC97]

This is the air quality for the entire U.S. Notice there is no place that gets an "A"

[aewan68]

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

This is true. Weather isn't worth money and things to others either.

May Gray, June Gloom and it's a dry heat doesn't seem to sway many.

[aewan68]

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

This is the air quality for the entire U.S. Notice there is no place that gets an "A"

You think that's bad, visit China sometime, we are incredibly spoiled in comparison.

[JJonesIII]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Those on the forum who are looking through rose colored glasses at that next place to live have to realize something important. It will have quite a few cons which CA doesn't have - bottom line. While some 'learn' to live with those cons many others decide the cheaper, bigger house ultimately isn't worth it. Why? because every day you wake up and you are still in... Waco or <fill in the blank>. This isn't simply theoretical, it is reality for many who make that jump to those greener pastures only to discover major flaws they really don't like. QOL goes far beyond simply a big house with a cheap mortgage. There's a reason they're that cheap, BTW. Rather, this is a multi-dimensional problem which is different for everyone.

We tried it and moved to CO as did quite a number of our friends living the big, cheap house 'dream.' While some stayed even more ended up leaving after a number of years including us and I'm a research nut. No matter how much you visit and research a place nothing compares to living there through all seasons year after year... nothing!! Until you do you will not really know if it will work out for you in the long run. That said, I don't regret the experience and enjoyed parts of living there. What I learned most was what QOL means for me vs. the next guy down the street or on forums such as this. That's what really is important. If you're unhappy where you are living then its probably time to move whether that be in CA, TX, FL, CO, OK, AZ, etc...

The next time we leave CA which we've been considering it will be with that knowledge that there is a chance we may want to return someday. Or at the very least that next shangri la will have downsides of its own, some more major than others even if houses are cheaper than CA. And yes, CA does have the best weather among other strong benefits. Its also why it has the largest economy of any state as well as population.

Derek

Actually the glasses that many of us are looking through are not rose colored glasses at all. They're financially savvy glasses. Regardless of what one's idea of paradise is (CA, Hawaii, some place in Europe, etc.), if you will be living there eating dog food in your Golden Years because you have an inability to plan and save for retirement due to COL, it isn't worth it. Again, back to the topic....people that are not able to afford it and living paycheck-to-paycheck, but fight it anyway.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by JJonesIII

Actually the glasses that many of us are looking through are not rose colored glasses at all. They're financially savvy glasses. Regardless of what one's idea of paradise is (CA, Hawaii, some place in Europe, etc.), if you will be living there eating dog food in your Golden Years because you have an inability to plan and save for retirement due to COL, it isn't worth it. Again, back to the topic....people that are not able to afford it and living paycheck-to-paycheck, but fight it anyway.

The problem is you are looking at them very 'one' dimensionally - the way the spend their money. If it was really that simple these folks could just move to Blythe or some other dive town and problem solved, easy as that, right? But there really is more to their lives than that which keeps them where they are. They actually have to 'want' to live that town. What you are anyone else thinks is irrelevant if their life sucks living there. Sure, they're saving some money but at that point its irrelevant. So no, its not as simple as you make it out to be. What if all their friends and family live in CA and they're not willing to give that up among other things. What about their jobs? Can they just pick up and go somewhere else easy as that? Can they find a job with equivalent pay that they enjoy? How do you known they wouldn't squander their new extra money on other frivolous things booze and gambling instead of retirement savings? And there are many more variables to consider in your simplistic fix to their situation.

Better for them 'might' be something like the 7 Cheapest Places to Live in California (That Don't Totally Suck) if they really are set on staying in CA.

Derek

[JJonesIII]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

The problem is you are looking at them very 'one' dimensionally - the way the spend their money. If it was really that simple these folks could just move to Blythe or some other dive town and problem solved, easy as that, right? But there really is more to their lives than that which keeps them where they are. They actually have to 'want' to live that town. What you are anyone else thinks is irrelevant if their life sucks living there. Sure, they're saving some money but at that point its irrelevant. So no, its not as simple as you make it out to be. What if all their friends and family live in CA and they're not willing to give that up among other things. What about their jobs? Can they just pick up and go somewhere else easy as that? Can they find a job with equivalent pay that they enjoy? How do you known they wouldn't squander their new extra money on other frivolous things booze and gambling instead of retirement savings? And there are many more variables to consider in your simplistic fix to their situation.

Better for them 'might' be something like the 7 Cheapest Places to Live in California (That Don't Totally Suck) if they really are set on staying in CA.

Derek

Financial independence is very one dimensional (and it should be). And it is just that simple. It's not irrelevant at all. One has to adjust to survive if they're not making it financially. And that includes making the effort to find a job and being versatile enough to learn new skills (there are jobs all over the country). That includes not squandering money on some of the things you mentioned. That includes having to leave friends and family (or being a burden on them in your Golden Years because you don't have the means to survive). Everyone has different things that they deem important in their lives (this isn't about that). We can go on all days with pros and cons (i.e. floods/tornadoes/hurricanes vs Earthquakes, Poor school quality for k-12 vs excellent, etc). Ultimately they all come down to one thing...survival. If I have financial independence, I can afford to travel to places I like. If I have financial independence, I can eat right, have the medical care I need, help out people I care about, etc (might even be able to retire early). That ocean (or fill in the blank for what you like in your paradise) isn't going to do much for me when I can't put food on my table. Again, this is about the paycheck-to-paycheck individual that simply fights it. If for some reason they like living in some remote destination just so they can stay in CA, and it works for them financially with the things that are unique to CA (i.e. taxes, etc.), then enjoy it. Admittedly, I can get somewhere just as fast just hopping on a plane if I have the financial wherewithal to do it. For those that can't, I'm simply saying you will have to adjust (and that might mean leaving the state). That's reality.

[shoenberg3]

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

This is the air quality for the entire U.S. Notice there is no place that gets an "A"

I just dont buy that.
According to the map, for example, Yellowstone and areas around it get D or F.
By any measure, air quality there is pretty pristine.

I think they are applying some ridiculously high standards.