""nothing personal, but poor and moderate income people need hsg. advice too (Los Angeles: top neighborhood, for sale)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

So true. Housing is the single biggest expense in most people's budgets and that's the one thing that's so much more expensive than the rest of the country. If something you spend $100/mo on is twice as expensive in California, no big deal. If something that normally consumes 25-33% of your budget is twice as expensive, that's a BIG problem. With as much money as has been lost in real estate over the past couple of years, the areas I'd want to live in and raise a family in are still way too expensive unless they're 50 miles from a job.

Are there any economic reasons why Southern California housing prices will not become in line with Southern California incomes (like the rest of the US)? Are Southern California incomes significantly higher than elsewhere? If not, then how can those housing prices be sustained? It may take some more time, but it is happening now.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

There are a couple of places you can live in California (even near the coast) for $30,000 a year or so. What I've noticed is that many people simply don't want people moving in so they don't mention these towns. I survived on 15k a year while going to school and had a nice little studio apartment about 15 miles away from the coast.

If you know where to look and are willing to compromise on a few things, you can make it work. I'm renting 3 bedroom detached house with a big backyard (accepts dogs, too!) for $1100 a month, and I can hear the ocean from my backyard. VERY low crime (close to nonexistent) and lots of natural beauty.

It can be done, but it takes little luck and a lot of perseverence. I would recommend talking to locals...we got our rental through word of mouth.

But you were going to school and that is a lot different. You can live on almost anything, but let's be real, living on say $30,000 or less in most of Ca isn't easy. If you have medical problems and need to be near hospitals, doctors etc it becomes even harder. If you are renting 3 bedrooms for $1100 a month, I wonder where you are living. I don't think anyone is trying to keep people from moving into their towns, most of us are just realistic.

Nita

[Mach50]

Sorry OP, everyone moving to California are assumed to stretch each dollar they can to fit into the list of CD approved towns and cities. You don't make 150k a year? Then don't even bother moving here....(sarcasm).

If you can afford Santa Ana or Anaheim, get ready for people to discourage that move and point you to a Irvine or Newport place 2-3...N times the cost. Same thing for the Bay, people will auto-reply a list of towns to live in, notice hardly anyone recommends Redwood City, because it is not packed with 10 schools.

I call it the "auto-snob" service, be glad that it is free.

[ElectroPlumber]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

There are a couple of places you can live in California (even near the coast) for $30,000 a year or so. What I've noticed is that many people simply don't want people moving in so they don't mention these towns. I survived on 15k a year while going to school and had a nice little studio apartment about 15 miles away from the coast.

If you know where to look and are willing to compromise on a few things, you can make it work. I'm renting 3 bedroom detached house with a big backyard (accepts dogs, too!) for $1100 a month, and I can hear the ocean from my backyard. VERY low crime (close to nonexistent) and lots of natural beauty.

It can be done, but it takes little luck and a lot of perseverence. I would recommend talking to locals...we got our rental through word of mouth.

Hey . . . don't be shy. Share with us where you can live near the coast for $30,000 a year income in CA.

[Jonotastic]

Realtor.com

Search Results for 3 bed, 3 bath home/condo up to $250,000

Redwood City, CA: 0 results
Anaheim, CA: 1 result
Petaluma, CA: 0 results
Santa Clarita, CA: 0 results
Oakland, CA: 6 results
Hayward, CA: 3 results
Oceanside, CA: 7 results
Los Angeles, CA: 36 results
San Francisco, CA: 0 results
San Diego, CA: 20 results

---

Las Vegas, NV: 6,339 results
Denver, CO: 402 results
Houston, TX: 654 results
Cleveland, OH: 570 results
Orlando, FL: 314 results
Atlanta, GA: 848 results

You are misleading people who want to live in a safe and nice area by saying, "oh you can get a 3 bedroom home for $1100 per month near the ocean".
I'm not saying you're lying, but for every 100,000 people who move to California, I bet only 1% to 5% will be able to find a similar deal.

I just mentioned Redwood City and there are currently no 3/3 houses or condos for less than $250,000, NOT EVEN ONE!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Charles

Are there any economic reasons why Southern California housing prices will not become in line with Southern California incomes (like the rest of the US)? Are Southern California incomes significantly higher than elsewhere? If not, then how can those housing prices be sustained? It may take some more time, but it is happening now.

The bubble took it to crazy heights, but it's been relatively expensive to buy a house in an established part SoCal for at least 30 years. The difference is that the affordable boonies just keep getting farther and farther away.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by Mach50

Sorry OP, everyone moving to California are assumed to stretch each dollar they can to fit into the list of CD approved towns and cities. You don't make 150k a year? Then don't even bother moving here....(sarcasm).

If you can afford Santa Ana or Anaheim, get ready for people to discourage that move and point you to a Irvine or Newport place 2-3...N times the cost. Same thing for the Bay, people will auto-reply a list of towns to live in, notice hardly anyone recommends Redwood City, because it is not packed with 10 schools.

I call it the "auto-snob" service, be glad that it is free.

I don't think that's a fair assessment in most cases. Sometimes that's true, but generally it's that the poster lists off a wish list of things that don't mesh with their budget. The posts that go along the lines of "great schools, walking distance to the beach, extremely safe, big house, big lot, short commute to high-paying jobs," and, oh yeah, want to buy that 3,000 square foot house two blocks from the beach for $250k. Then when you point out that they can't get that in their target location and they have to either readjust their expectations or consider a different neighborhood or city they get mad and accuse you of being negative and trying to squash their dreams.

Admittedly some areas probably don't get mentioned as much as they should, but that's likely due at least in part because there aren't regular posters who are familiar enough with them to make the suggestion.

Retirees at least have the benefit of not having to live near a job center (and I agree with Nita that a student also has a different situation), and has more opportunities to move to smaller, more remote places (although the hospital thing could be an issue) that are more difficult to relocate to for those of us who have to live within commuting distance of jobs. The cheapest places tend also to have the lowest paying jobs, and/or high unemployment numbers.

When it comes to the general posters who want to relocate to California but don't have a specific area in mind, they are often also drawn to a highly romanticized (and available, but for a price) view of what they want their new life to look like. Most people relocating for the sake of the California dream don't envision moving across the country to live in somewhere like Barstow or Red Bluff or Lodi or Salinas (not passing judgement on any of those cities, by the way), they're usually thinking more along the lines of something with great weather by the beach, and with low crime, cheap housing, maybe easy access to an airport so they can visit the grandkids, etc.

[Mach50]

Uptown_urbanist how many threads are there in OC that respond "live anywhere but Santa Ana"...without even questioning the OP what they might be looking for? I have seen it far too much on this forum.

Over time here on CD I have noticed it is the same list of approved towns recommended over and over by the same people. The OP is right, there is very low representation from even the middle class (or the realistic) here on CD.

We definitely need more grounded and less disgruntled people here handing out advice as well. Anyone who would take advice on moving TO California from a guy with the pseudonym "EscapeCalifornia" needs a Cat Scan.

[uptown_urbanist]

I don't pay much attention to the posts about the OC, so maybe that's true there. I know what you're saying, though; on the LA forum there's often a big rush to tell some non-driver that they "have" to drive in LA, and that they won't be able to survive if they don't. That's obviously also not true, and those of us who take public transportation (or have in the past) try to provide some balance. At the same time, people who are looking for a place to live do need to be willing to spell out what they want, where they're willing to compromise, and exactly what it is that they want in a community. The more details the better, otherwise it's human nature that people are going to assume that someone else likes the same sort of thing that they do.

I agree that the forum needs a diverse range of opinions and experiences to function well. I think it works pretty well for the most part, but more posters are always a good thing! And posters with questions: don't be afraid to add as many details as possible, and to note what are the absolute musts opposed to the "would be nice." Spell out what you mean by "nice," "safe," "affordable," or other terms that can be subjective.

[ElectroPlumber]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

When it comes to the general posters who want to relocate to California but don't have a specific area in mind, they are often also drawn to a highly romanticized (and available, but for a price) view of what they want their new life to look like. Most people relocating for the sake of the California dream don't envision moving across the country to live in somewhere like Barstow or Red Bluff or Lodi or Salinas (not passing judgement on any of those cities, by the way), they're usually thinking more along the lines of something with great weather by the beach, and with low crime, cheap housing, maybe easy access to an airport so they can visit the grandkids, etc.

Yes, I think you are right. Maybe one of the problems is that people living in really depressed areas during the winter time watch the old TV shows (like for example Rockford Files) and they see Jim living in his trailer on the beach in Malibu and they think "Ohhhhhhh . . . . California looks great compared to my present situation with two feet of snow on the ground . . . I'll just pack it up and move out there and get a job . . . heck, if Jim can afford a trailer on the beach, I should be able to get a great house for $1100 per month."

And they tend to think in terms of the cost of living where they live and post to this forum with ideas about having the same cost of living, but living on the beach. They want things to be better than where they live now. They think it's possible and then they get offended when people who live out here tell them they are dreaming.

I live in a suburb of Sacramento which is at least 90 miles from anything resembling a beach and my neighborhood is way worse than anywhere I ever lived in other parts of the country. I live here because it is the best place that I can afford with my salary and I have a job which I did not have where I came from. Most people who want the "California Dream" would be shocked at what you have to settle for on a middle-class income.