How do the middle class survive in SoCal? (San Diego: mortgage, equity)

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Jumbo

That "massive amounts of equity" is only as good as the uninterrupted supply of suckers who are willing to move to the s***hole that much of California has become, and financially able to plunk down or borrow $600k + for a modest home in an average neighborhood. In other words: IT AIN'T GONNA LAST!!! Get out while you can!!!

Home prices could fall 250k and there would still be thousands that could cash out and buy a home outright somewhere else.

My brother: bought his house in 1991, paid 135k, currently worth 450k
my mother-in-law: bought house in 1992, paid 500k!!, currently worth about 800k

They will never ever sell!!!!

[modster]

Originally Posted by Stevedr83

Modster,

Why would you want to leave a place when you live in a mansion?

I've gotten over the urge to leave. my house is no mansion, in so many neighborhoods that are more in demand, houses like mine get buldozed all the time so people can put up 5000 - 7000 sq ft McMansions. (I don't care for the whole "Tara on a quarter acre" thing that is so prevalent here). 3000 sq ft is considered average here in Houston. I have heard people from California talk about it being hard to make ends meet there, I guess I just assumed people all made a ton of money there to have the same quality of life and offset the high housing costs. I guess that is not the case. But again, there must be a lot of things people love there, because they make those sacrifices to stay.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by modster

I've gotten over the urge to leave. my house is no mansion, in so many neighborhoods that are more in demand, houses like mine get buldozed all the time so people can put up 5000 - 7000 sq ft McMansions. (I don't care for the whole "Tara on a quarter acre" thing that is so prevalent here). 3000 sq ft is considered average here in Houston. I have heard people from California talk about it being hard to make ends meet there, I guess I just assumed people all made a ton of money there to have the same quality of life and offset the high housing costs. I guess that is not the case. But again, there must be a lot of things people love there, because they make those sacrifices to stay.

They don't stay because they WANT to, sometimes it comes to not knowing where to go. Also, saving up the money to leave and making sure there are JOBS where your going comes into play as well.

I for one, am doing research on where I want to move next and trying to save up the money to get there. Thank goodness it's just me I have to worry about. Imagine if I had a family?? Whoa, don't even wanna think about it.

[Cattknap]

We are hoping to be able to sell our house in 18 months and move to the south - my husband has been an officer with the LAPD for almost 35 years. We have a nice life here except for the pollution, tremendously high cost of living, the crime that surrounds our area and the traffic every where you go. The weather is great, the services wonderful but we are ready to move outta here.

We are middle class and we bought our home 25 years ago, that is how we survive....we couldn't afford to live where we do if we had to buy in our neighborhood today....we have seen the greener pastures that exist in other states...we will miss our friends and family and the fabulous weather but I doubt if we will ever come back here except to visit any of our children that decide to settle here after college....both of us were born here.

[lizblue61]

I cannot agree more. I lived in the south bay area (Torrance) as a child moved to Riverside County in 89 Have bought, and sold a home. And lost one to foreclosure. I now live in a mobile home it's cheaper than rent. Around 700.00 a month I can afford to go out a little. I feel like a minority. Everywhere people are speaking spanish. It seems they have taken over everything I've seen California deteriorate! It's true it's expensive to live here.
But where do you go that I could afford?

[modster]

Well come on over & check out Houston. Whatever people say positive or negative about it, the one thing about it is if you can't make it in Houston, you just can't make it. I'm sure it doesn't have many of the things that make California special, but jobs are plentiful and the cost of living is very reasonable. Property taxes are high, but there is no state income tax which kind of makes up for it. It isn't the total Bubba-ville or anthing either. Thriving arts scene, good shopping, good schools, etc. Houston does not benefit from a positive image like places such as Seattle or even Austin for that matter, but in many respects I think Houston is under-rated. Of course I am a little prejudiced....
So if you are looking at other places, consider this your open invitation to visit!

[gfluneedit]

Originally Posted by Perdu

We survive but don't thrive. Eventually the lack of disposable income caused by ever increasing living expenses in L.A. means you do nothing, can't affford to. All those "pluses" about living here mean zilch, and you start researching on the internet where your salary means you could thrive as well as merely survive. Then leave.

It's not that there is nothing to do.

There is paying taxes and watching the state being invaded by gangs from mexico.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by modster

Well come on over & check out Houston. Whatever people say positive or negative about it, the one thing about it is if you can't make it in Houston, you just can't make it. I'm sure it doesn't have many of the things that make California special, but jobs are plentiful and the cost of living is very reasonable. Property taxes are high, but there is no state income tax which kind of makes up for it. It isn't the total Bubba-ville or anthing either. Thriving arts scene, good shopping, good schools, etc. Houston does not benefit from a positive image like places such as Seattle or even Austin for that matter, but in many respects I think Houston is under-rated. Of course I am a little prejudiced....
So if you are looking at other places, consider this your open invitation to visit!

Agreed, Houston is so underrated. It never gets anything except bad press, totally unfair. I lived in Austin previously, and it would take a lot to get me back there, it does not offer nearly as much as Houston does.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by modster

Well come on over & check out Houston. Whatever people say positive or negative about it, the one thing about it is if you can't make it in Houston, you just can't make it. I'm sure it doesn't have many of the things that make California special, but jobs are plentiful and the cost of living is very reasonable. Property taxes are high, but there is no state income tax which kind of makes up for it. It isn't the total Bubba-ville or anthing either. Thriving arts scene, good shopping, good schools, etc. Houston does not benefit from a positive image like places such as Seattle or even Austin for that matter, but in many respects I think Houston is under-rated. Of course I am a little prejudiced....
So if you are looking at other places, consider this your open invitation to visit!

How do they feel about black people in Houston? I've heard not to good things from professional african americans saying that there is subversive racism in Houston (or Dallas). For example, being steered to traditionally black neighborhoods rather than the "diverse" ones that were requested.

I'm black, so I wouldn't be able to deal with that. I've lived in mixed neighborhoods my entire life, so living in an all black enclave would be a step backward for me.

The neighborhood I live in now in LA is 90% latino, which took a bit of getting used to, but I can't afford to live in the diverse neighborhoods of West L.A.

[modster]

Originally Posted by marilyn220

How do they feel about black people in Houston? I've heard not to good things from professional african americans saying that there is subversive racism in Houston (or Dallas). For example, being steered to traditionally black neighborhoods rather than the "diverse" ones that were requested.

I'm black, so I wouldn't be able to deal with that. I've lived in mixed neighborhoods my entire life, so living in an all black enclave would be a step backward for me.

The neighborhood I live in now in LA is 90% latino, which took a bit of getting used to, but I can't afford to live in the diverse neighborhoods of West L.A.

I am surprised to hear that. Houston is far more progressive IMO than Dallas or Atlanta. Houston is a very diverse city. It does have some very wealthy beautiful predominantly African-American areas such as Riverside Terrace, but really no part of Houston is absent of a mixed profile. I would plant my lily-snow behind in Riverside in a heart-beat, if I could afford it. (I actually tried to buy in there once a few years back) Some areas are more diverse than others. I have read on the Houston Architecture forums where people who were in inter-racial relationships did not get "the looks" in Houston that they got in Atlanta or Dallas. I'm sure there are some backwards folks, there always are, but as a society, no I don't see that being an issue at all here. Of course I am not subject to it, so I could easily miss it.



I think part of the problem from the people you heard from is whomever they were dealing with probably really didn't understand what "diverse" meant. I think some people just don't get it & think that it means a predominantly minority neighborhood, not really a diverse one.