For the complainers.......DFW COL v. pay rates near the top among large metros - and yes the data is fresh. (Dallas: apartment, buy)

[NP78]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

You're assuming a lot about me.


Nobody said "struggling." I said "squeezed." As in there's not a whole lot of benefit cost-wise to staying here (for us) anymore.


Also, I'm female.

Since you are a homeowner who would like to relocate out of DFW, aren't the price increases here a positive for you?


One of the historic problems with owning a home in DFW is that peers in other cities would see their wealth increase as a result of home appreciation while folks here in DFW didn't get the same increase.


Let's say two families that both landed a job in Denver as a Database Developers, one moving from LA the other from Dallas. In the past, the family moving from CA would have large amounts of home equity to put towards a purchase in DEN, while the family from DFW would not (Even if both had originally purchased a home for the same price).


Now, however, recent home appreciation in DFW doesn't put you as far behind other parts of the country when relocating.


The problem comes to folks who plan on staying in DFW. Not much benefit, only higher property taxes.

[kyam11]

Originally Posted by Hacker1234

DFW is not very cheap for what it offers. It used to be, but not anymore.

Really? Again what is the alternative?

You get great schools, great entertainment, great restaurants, great sporting events, great concerts, great museums, great access to all over the world, great place to raise kids, incredibly clean.

Every single other alternative that comes close to what DFW has to offer is 2x+ more expensive except Atlanta, Houston, Austin/SA, and maybe Phoenix. All are similar priced or slightly more so DFW one of the cheapest for what is has to offer.

Anything cheaper and you have to compromise on different things.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by NP78

Since you are a homeowner who would like to relocate out of DFW, aren't the price increases here a positive for you?


One of the historic problems with owning a home in DFW is that peers in other cities would see their wealth increase as a result of home appreciation while folks here in DFW didn't get the same increase.


Let's say two families that both landed a job in Denver as a Database Developers, one moving from LA the other from Dallas. In the past, the family moving from CA would have large amounts of home equity to put towards a purchase in DEN, while the family from DFW would not (Even if both had originally purchased a home for the same price).


Now, however, recent home appreciation in DFW doesn't put you as far behind other parts of the country when relocating.


The problem comes to folks who plan on staying in DFW. Not much benefit, only higher property taxes.

It would be if we planned to move right now. We're not...we're planning to move "someday," which means we're stuck paying the same higher utility rates & property taxes as everyone else.


Higher real estate values are only positive if you're A.) selling or B.) trying to pull a lot of cash out of your home equity.

[Hacker1234]

My point is that what DFW has to offer is not worth it anymore to me.

[kyam11]

Originally Posted by Hacker1234

My point is that what DFW has to offer is not worth it anymore to me.

OK. You made the decision that you were willing to pay more to live in Seattle. You felt Seattle had more to offer you and that the increased costs of Seattle were worth it to you to go there. I can't argue that at all. When DFW was 1/4 of the price you felt DFW was worth staying, but at some point the gap closed to the point that Seattle (while still more) was more desirable for you.

There was compromise since for the exact same amount you had to live in a lesser city in a lesser house than you would in Seattle.

[Hacker1234]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

You're assuming a lot about me.


Nobody said "struggling." I said "squeezed." As in there's not a whole lot of benefit cost-wise to staying here (for us) anymore.


Also, I'm female.

Yup we were feeling the squeeze too, priced out of our hood if we wanted to buy now vs couple years ago. Taxes out of control, tolls insane. Electric bills very high, you name it we were feeling it.

[Hacker1234]

Originally Posted by kyam11

OK. You made the decision that you were willing to pay more to live in Seattle. You felt Seattle had more to offer you and that the increased costs of Seattle were worth it to you to go there. I can't argue that at all. When DFW was 1/4 of the price you felt DFW was worth staying, but at some point the gap closed to the point that Seattle (while still more) was more desirable for you.

There was compromise since for the exact same amount you had to live in a lesser city in a lesser house than you would in Seattle.

That is correct, also interesting is that with the increased wages our cash flow is higher now. Despite having to pay almost double for a home.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by kyam11

Really? Again what is the alternative?

You get great schools, great entertainment, great restaurants, great sporting events, great concerts, great museums, great access to all over the world, great place to raise kids, incredibly clean.

Every single other alternative that comes close to what DFW has to offer is 2x+ more expensive except Atlanta, Houston, Austin/SA, and maybe Phoenix. All are similar priced or slightly more so DFW one of the cheapest for what is has to offer.

Anything cheaper and you have to compromise on different things.

Yes, you can "compromise" by getting less traffic, more outdoor beauty and recreation, better weather, less driving, more historical "character", fewer strip centers, a less consumption-obsessed culture and better (read: less cookie-cutter) housing stock in many, many mid-sized cities. Yes, DFW is cheap for a very large metro. But it's also a less desirable place to live than most other large metros. It should be cheaper.

There are all sorts of smaller cities that are comparably priced that I would rather live in. You say they entail compromise. I say you value the wrong things. DFW entails compromise -- unless you think people look foreard to sitting in their cars for over an hour per day or spending the entire day inside because it is still 95 degrees at 9 o'oclock. People in DFW go shopping for entertainment. Going to the mall is sh*tty entertainment.

You are talking past everyone else on this board. No one is disagreeing with your point that DFW is cheaper than most big cities. They are saying it has gotten "expensive." That is a subjective claim that is not synonymous with "DFW is more expensive than comparable cities." You said that "logical people compare like things." The problem of course is that people here aren't making the comparison you think they're making. You're using the language wrong. "DFW has gotten expensive" can simply mean "I have a hard time affording DFW." "Expensive" is an inherently subjective term. You are treating it as though it is objective.

[kyam11]

Dupe

[kyam11]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

Yes, you can "compromise" by getting less traffic, more outdoor beauty and recreation, better weather, less driving, more historical "character", fewer strip centers, a less consumption-obsessed culture and better (read: less cookie-cutter) housing stock in many, many mid-sized cities. Yes, DFW is cheap for a very large metro. But it's also a less desirable place to live than most other large metros. It should be cheaper.

There are all sorts of smaller cities that are comparably priced that I would rather live in. You say they entail compromise. I say you value the wrong things. DFW entails compromise -- unless you think people look foreard to sitting in their cars for over an hour per day or spending the entire day inside because it is still 95 degrees at 9 o'oclock. People in DFW go shopping for entertainment. Going to the mall is sh*tty entertainment.

You are talking past everyone else on this board. No one is disagreeing with your point that DFW is cheaper than most big cities. They are saying it has gotten "expensive." That is a subjective claim that is not synonymous with "DFW is more expensive than comparable cities." You said that "logical people compare like things." The problem of course is that people here aren't making the comparison you think they're making. You're using the language wrong. "DFW has gotten expensive" can simply mean "I have a hard time affording DFW." "Expensive" is an inherently subjective term. You are treating it as though it is objective.

Too much opinion here. I don't disregard it, but I can afford to live in any major metro area and I choose DFW above many of them. In other words it is more desirable than most other large metros to me. I certainly respect and understand why someone would choose some other place, but I value a large metro area over anything else and I don't shop and rarely drive more than 20 minutes.