Is California turning into a expensive state or something? (San Francisco: apartments, rent)

[wclac]

Seeing how high prices are like the gas, the homes, etc, I'm starting to think that they're trying to make California into a state for millionaires.

Like, I guess if people want to live in Cali permanantly, then they have to be a millionaire if that's the case.

What's going on in Cali? Is there a decline in the state's middle class population or something like that?

[MtnSurfer]

IMO CA has 'always' been an expensive state when compared to the rest of the nation. After moving from CA to CO we are finding many things more affordable, especially gas and housing costs.

But there are a lot great things about CA that attract 'many' more people than other states. So it is really just simple supply and demand.

Yet that doesn't stop the poor and lower middle class from living there. People find a way... Mainly this is through having many people living inside of a single house or apt.

[rkb0305]

Not "turning into" it already is an expensive state. Some areas of the state are more expensive than others.

[wclac]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

Not "turning into" it already is an expensive state. Some areas of the state are more expensive than others.

Maybe what I mean was "extremely expensive".

[Charles]

Originally Posted by wclac

Seeing how high prices are like the gas, the homes, etc, I'm starting to think that they're trying to make California into a state for millionaires.

Like, I guess if people want to live in Cali permanantly, then they have to be a millionaire if that's the case.

What's going on in Cali? Is there a decline in the state's middle class population or something like that?

There are plenty of people who earn $55K a year who buy houses every day in California - just not in Beverly Hills, or on the Beach, or with a view of the city - or anything other place people are impressed with from watching TV shows filmed in LA.

Barstow is in California. So is Mojave, Stockton, Weed, Ridgecrest.....you could live there and not be a millionaire.

In fact you could even do it on one income. It's a myth that two incomes are required to buy a home.

[radraja]

California is actually getting less expensive, in terms of finding a place to live. Home prices are dropping like crazy.

[Havasu]

If you are not happy in CA you can move to a cheaper state, there are plenty of them. I will say the pay for a skilled worker in CA is more then most places. Like Charles said there are other Citys that are reasonable to live in.
House prices have come way way down and I would bet they come down a little bit more even in my Home town

[suzie02]

We just bought a nice house in CA for a decent price. I was pleasantly surprised.

[family first]

Granted California is expensive to most other states in the Union. But, what other states offer living in distinct regions of topography and seasons. Can you name any other state that has ocean, desert, valleys and high mountains? You get four seasons in a lot of the state. On the other hand, can you name any other state that has overpriced housing, 40 million people, rampant illegal imigration and a state congress that never can pass a budget on time. If you can handle all this, than Cali is for you!

[sonarrat]

As long as people like me can still rent somewhat decent apartments within 15 miles of San Francisco, I can't really complain. The quality of life here is all right. It certainly doesn't feel like I'm surrounded by millionaires who are plotting schemes to abduct me and drop me off somewhere in Nebraska, which is the sense you'd get the way people talk about us..