My fellow Californians..Are you struggling with the possibility of leaving? (Los Angeles: equity, property taxes)

[pandabear]

Originally Posted by chitowner

You could move to Chicago and pay $11500 a year for property taxes.Houses here are $500000,$600000,$700000 and up too.

Aside from housing prices per sq. ft. in Cali,its not any more exspensive than here.

You are living in a dillusional world. And I can say that cause i live in chicago too. Houses in chicago suburbs may go for 500,000 and up but you can also find nice bungalows and split levels in the 300,000's. That type of housing just does not exist for that price in california.

As for the actually city of chicago, dont hold your breath, san fran alone has the highest median housing costs in the country well over 750,000, chicago's median home price hasnt even topped 300,000 yet.

[mariners1]

All I know is I can get twice the house for close to half the price in Gig Harbor and living in a city under 20,000 people is music to my ears! Like I said before I can't afford to retire here so why should I stay? We are both 40 and it is time to start the second half of our lives. That will not be here.

[chitowner]

Pandabear I dont live in a dillusional world,I live in the SW suburbs.Most houses here are in the $400000 and above range.Condos in the city sell for $300000 to start...thats for 1000 sq. ft.Maybe you are dillusional.Real estate is high everywhere. Housing is affordable in Chicago if you live in one of the gettos but not in the desirable areas...comparable to a Folsom,EDH area

California has always been expensive and always will be.

Location,Location,Location,remember.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by chitowner

Pandabear I dont live in a dillusional world,I live in the SW suburbs.Most houses here are in the $400000 and above range.Condos in the city sell for $300000 to start...thats for 1000 sq. ft.Maybe you are dillusional.Real estate is high everywhere. Housing is affordable in Chicago if you live in one of the gettos but not in the desirable areas...comparable to a Folsom,EDH area

California has always been expensive and always will be.

Location,Location,Location,remember.

You're right, and let me add higher paying jobs, jobs, jobs.

I know many of you resent this sentiment, and I hope all find their contentment. It kind of brings to mind the old TV show Green Acres from about 40 years ago. I just wish those who want to leave could do so without all of the biterness, and resentment about the situation in California. Realtors didn't make the market, they participated in it. If real estate agents had that much influence, why didn't prices take off in St Louis, Detroit or Cleveland? They have smart agents too.

[Rikrich]

Originally Posted by nonibiz

I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying put, right here in California. For those who want to make it work, they'll find a way. I'm not leaving this beautiful state for anything.

Best wishes to you in all that you undertake in the GOLDEN STATE.

[dogmom]

Be careful what you wish for. We are originally from SoCal, moved to NorCal (Newcastle) and decided we couldn't afford it...we bought at the height of the housing, of course at the time we felt lucky to get the house. We sold that house after only a year and moved to Southern Utah thinking that would be a more affordable area. Well, the home we bought is nicer than what we could get up north, but the 'price' we paid in moving here is higher than any house payment. Wish we had rented here first..dumb. Talk about a place where, if you are not the predominant religion you aren't going to make any friends, neighbors shun you, the heat is unbearable, the whole place is so backwards compared to what we are used to. I can't wait to move back, even if it's to a smaller home. And hope we can sell what we have. We would even rent for a while if we need to. Would consider Auburn, Meadow Vista, Lincoln, Rescue, El Dorado, maybe Placerville, of course our first choice would be Loomis, Penryn or Newcastle, but we aren't going to go above what we can pay. We thought property taxes were high, but in a lot of other states you pay 2-4% compared with CA 1.2%. Like I said, be careful in moving out of state, rent first be sure you WANT to be there.

[wbsacto]

more & more as people retire from State service. They put in their 25 years & bail out to live better. My wife & I bought a new home at Mather in 2004. The builder offered the exact same home in Las Vegas for $121,000.00 less than what we paid here. In recent months I have heard that Sacto is the foreclosure capital of the US? I dont know if that is true, but I see more & more empty homes with "Bank Repo" signs in the yard as each month passes.I cannot see staying here with the cost of living being what it is.

[dogmom]

Be sure you understand how truly HOT it is in Vegas...we are usually a few degrees cooler in St George than Vegas and it is unbearable. We knew it would be hot, but until we lived through that first summer, we really had no clue how all consuming that heat is. I would sure rent first...keep your CA house so you can go back! I wish we had done that first...won't make that mistake again! Just a word to the wise

[dogmom]

Oh, and housing in Vegas has also taken a dump...Lots and lots of for sale and forclosures...not much better than Sac

[4wackyreeses]

We live on the Central Coast of CA and although it is GORGEOUS it is almost impossilbe to afford anything here. My husband makes a very good living and we have two kids I just had our second 8 months ago, and we wish I could afford to stay home with them. We pay 1500 a month to rent a townhome in an undesirable town with horrible traffic issues and a ton of illegal immigrants. We have no backyard for the kids to play in, share a wall with our neighbors and dont even have a garage. In this area this is considered a good deal! We grew up in this area and when our parents came here it was affordable. I would love to move in order to afford a home that we own and quit living paycheck to paycheck......but my husband wants to stay.

Good luck to you in your quest, I hope that you find a place that you are happy with!