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Old 10-04-2006, 12:17 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 859,802 times
Reputation: 143

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You hit the nail on the head regarding being able to upgrade to a better and nicer home. Those in Group 1 are stuck in sardine can homes while they've long outgrown them. It's a really tough argument to win against moving away to places where you can get so much more for your money and still have more to spend or save at the end of the month! All my CA friends are clueless about anything outside of CA because they can't afford to travel, or do anything for they have to be so frugal. All my non CA friends...they're always going on vacations, buying new cars, trucks, you name it. They have much more disposable income and don't even need to earn as much as CA people.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaligirl View Post
This is so true.......This is it exactly Socketz!! "The housing boom somewhat created 2 classes of people in San Diego, actually 3"

You have describe it all.....let me add one more thing..... The people in number 1. Who bought before hand, if it was a starter home, there is no moving up, the family size has increase, but there is no expanding homes on tiny lots with HOA restrictions that forbid it. So it is too, I say that I am one of them, strongly considering and researching "out of state options".
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Old 10-04-2006, 12:23 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 859,802 times
Reputation: 143
I love CA but will agree with you 100% that it is a terrible mess, from North through South. It has become a place where you can work a job with pretty good place but can't even afford to buy a home. That's pretty darn bad. And even though you work your job, you're thinking...how am I going to buy a home and if I did, how can I ever pay for it and forget about retirement...you'd have to work 'til you're 100 to pay for it. The enormous greed by people who used the low interest rates to buy "low" and sell high jacked up prices like crazy. In the SF Bay Area (where I am now), you see junk looking houses for $800k. Houses that look terrible, unkempt or horrible looking yards, ugly landscape, old insides, etc. etc. Sellers want you to pay with gold for a piece of coal. And the sad thing was during the real estate boom, people not only bought that piece of coal with gold but wanted to throw diamonds at the sellers too.


Quote:
Originally Posted by shannon94 View Post
Traffic IS getting bad in Texas!! Much worse than when I moved here 7 years ago. Alot of people have moved out here in the last few years. Luckily I don't live in Dallas, I live in the metroplex between Dallas and Ft. Worth. Takes me 7 minutes to get to work....hubby works from home. Thank God!! It's nothing like the 805 or 5 in SD or the 101 in LA. People do drive stupid out here though...that's for sure! At least California drivers have a rhythm!! lol
Anyway don't get me wrong.....I don't hate California...I just think it's a mess right now. And we do disagree on supply and demand and the weather being a factor for the high prices. It's creative and predatory lending coupled with historically low interest rates that are the cause of the run up in prices. People are getting into homes now that wouldn't have been able to just ten years ago.
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Old 10-04-2006, 12:30 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 859,802 times
Reputation: 143
Correction. Texas has two national parks - Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Big Bend has the Rio Grande running by it. Texas does have lots of places for skiing, etc. They have lots of lakes. You'd see lots of people with boats there. Texas goes from this: Dry (West) to Wet (East). In the North-east area, it can get really pretty in the Fall for they have quite beautiful fall foliage there. Yes, leaves turn green, yellow, gold, etc. It doesn't even look like what you might imagine Texas to be in the Fall there. I've been there, seen it.

I will agree that you will be house confined because of the heat unless of course you are a heat worshipper. But you can't have it all in life, I guess. I suppose if you have a good A/C unit, eventually things will pan out. I am in Northern CA now and looking at the house prices, etc. really give me heart burn and sleepless nights figuring out how many years I will have to work to pay it off. Forget about just borrowing money. I will need to find a way to borrow more years to live just to pay it all off.


Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmarg View Post
You say there is more to life than the weather. Well San Diego and Cal in general has it all. plus you can do it all year round. Texas is flat, doesnt have anywhere near the outside activities of Cal. And you are basically house confined for months. There is no ocean, no mountains, no national parks, forests, skiing surfing, all types of things to do that are not in Texas.
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Old 10-04-2006, 12:51 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 859,802 times
Reputation: 143
CA is great for so many things - career opportunities, weather, culture and the list goes on. I love CA. But I am not at all blind to the issues which are so many as well. In the end, it's really to each his/her own and what you want and find is most important to you in your life. Most people leave because they look into their crystal ball and see a life of high mortgage and servitude to companies. You have to work, work, work, and work to pay, pay, pay and pay. No matter how you sugar coat it, that's how it is. Call it whining if you want or call it dealing with reality if you need to. Unless of course you struck rich (Lotto or otherwise), that's how it will be. Given the state of the country and government with super rising health care costs, stagnant wages, thin retirement plans and it's arguable as to how much social security you can have when you retire; one cannot overlook these issues at all. They are very real and they will happen. If you are someone who has no desire to buy a home and are completely contented with renting, then all these are non issues for you. So you have to look deep in your soul and ask yourself what you want and value in life. Great weather, beautiful scenery but little to not much money to spend at all, live in a sardine can home, bad traffic or hot weather, not so good scenery, more money to spend, big/nice house. It looks like it's easy to choose on a theoretical basis as to which place is better but it's not at all. But I think one would not at all be responsible to oneself or family if you did not assess these issues in your life and do some projections. All of these are very personal issues.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna7 View Post
Johnmarg, please accept my apologies for not responding sooner; I waned to thank you for your response to my question as to where you're living now. I have a school friend that I just met up with 25 years later, and he is now a single dad, lived in San Francisco, and absolutely loved it. I asked him why he moved back here to NE OH; he responded that he moved here with his two adopted sons because his family is here, and he wanted the boys to know the grandparents. He is itching very badly to get back to CA. I asked him where he would go, he said, anywhere in CA. He told me that you get what you pay for. I have to agree. I see the mass exodus to promised lands such as the Carolinas, and while they are beautiful in their own way, they aren't filled with manna either, nor are they the solutions to everything that is "perceived" as "bad" in CA. I have to concur 100% that we get one opportunity in this life-time, and if at all possible (I'm one that believes that anything is possible if one believes and dares to make dreams come true), it is worth it to pay a little more and enjoy one's surroundings.

Thanks again, I enjoy reading your posts. They are a departure from the whining and complaining about how bad CA is. I don't doubt that there are problems, but for anyone to believe that any other state is going to be totally different, that there will not be OTHER problems (I think the key word is "other problems") - that's an illusion as well. Perhaps we each need to decide which problems we can live with, and which ones drive us absolutely insane, warranting making a move to somewhere we can have some peace, and feel is "home."

Last edited by speedoflight; 10-04-2006 at 01:00 PM..
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Old 10-04-2006, 08:14 PM
 
Location: California, Bay area
170 posts, read 472,757 times
Reputation: 148
Speedoflight, I have to disagree with you. You paint this horrible picture of everyone renting with no nice cars no money etc. Its quite the opposite. The state is thriving. We have a nice house couple of new cars, get out a lot and love to travel, hike bike etc all of which can be done year round. I see lots of people out and about. I think you are taking some and trying to extrapilate it to the whole state. Its not true.
I can tell you this, I have seen much more poverty in Texas than in this state. Despite the cheap housing, many have no money and min wage jobs. I also hear many complaints of 800 dollar a month electric bills and extremely high prop taxes and homeowners ins. Highest in the nation except for florida.

The national parks and other sights in Texas cant compare to Calif. Its like a Rolls vs a Chevy. Today was another stifling hot day in Texas and its Oct. Its bad from May to Oct.
We have great weather, scenery great outdoor activities and many of us have lots of money. Dont forget prices have gone up so high, many have taken out money in equity to remodle, spend etc. We all dont live in sardine cans as you state. If it was so bad, why are there so many people who own homes and willing to pay the price? Why are Texas homes so low priced? Supply and demand
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Old 10-04-2006, 09:59 PM
 
4 posts, read 14,872 times
Reputation: 12
Default We're leaving too!

My husband and I will be leaving San Diego as well. We are moving to a small town in Central Minnesota. We can't afford to buy a home here, and don't care to even if we could. The weather is nice, but that's about it. Too much traffic, too many people, poor public schools, and English has become a second language. We don't want to raise our son here.
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Old 10-04-2006, 10:33 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 859,802 times
Reputation: 143
When did I say that everyone is renting with no nice cars and no money? There are people who own and are up in debt to their eyeballs, there are people who own and are OK, there are people who rent and are OK, and the list goes on. But it doesn't change the simple fact that mathematically/accounting wise, that when you have to pay a $3500-4500 mortgage for a basic home, sans property taxes/insurance and all your other debt and expenses, the average person is broke and I'm not talking about some guy working at Mickey D's. I'm talking about someone with very decent pay check. If you insist on arguing, we can all work the math out for you.

The state is thriving, it's growing, it's the biggest economy in the US...we ALL know that. Don't state the obvious. The fact that it's thriving, booming has nothing to do with quality of life, affordability and the list goes on. Listen to what these people are all saying on this board, that they just want a basic better life and that may not be your idea of it and that's totally fine. But respect that their hopes and needs are different from yours. Moving is never an easy thing, particularly going to a completely different state but that they are willing to brave it shows they know they need change. And yes, for everyone who goes, there's another who arrives and the churns comes and goes.

The fact that you're so into comparing shows you totally are clueless about accepting each place for what it has. I have been to all the national parks in TX, been to all of them in CA and will tell you with pure honesty that they're all VERY different. The terrain, the topography, the geological formations are ALL different. Simple fact that both states are located in different climactic regions and parts of the US gives you different effects. So, accept that and quit comparing.

Liking or loving your home state should not blind you to its issues. I love CA but I am aware of all its pros and cons.



Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmarg View Post
Speedoflight, I have to disagree with you. You paint this horrible picture of everyone renting with no nice cars no money etc. Its quite the opposite. The state is thriving. We have a nice house couple of new cars, get out a lot and love to travel, hike bike etc all of which can be done year round. I see lots of people out and about. I think you are taking some and trying to extrapilate it to the whole state. Its not true.
I can tell you this, I have seen much more poverty in Texas than in this state. Despite the cheap housing, many have no money and min wage jobs. I also hear many complaints of 800 dollar a month electric bills and extremely high prop taxes and homeowners ins. Highest in the nation except for florida.

The national parks and other sights in Texas cant compare to Calif. Its like a Rolls vs a Chevy. Today was another stifling hot day in Texas and its Oct. Its bad from May to Oct.
We have great weather, scenery great outdoor activities and many of us have lots of money. Dont forget prices have gone up so high, many have taken out money in equity to remodle, spend etc. We all dont live in sardine cans as you state. If it was so bad, why are there so many people who own homes and willing to pay the price? Why are Texas homes so low priced? Supply and demand
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Old 10-05-2006, 07:03 AM
 
3,035 posts, read 14,412,110 times
Reputation: 915
"I also hear many complaints of 800 dollar a month electric bills and extremely high prop taxes and homeowners ins. Highest in the nation except for florida."

That's not entirely true. I've priced HI insurance and it is only 25% or more than here in San Diego - and the house I'm costing out is 2x the size I have now. Once thing that is different is that the deductible is a % there vs. a fixed amount.

$800 a month sounds right for electricity in a 4000 sq/ft home with a pool/spa running both ACs willy/nilly around the clock - dogs running in/out, no ceiling fans. Most people I've spoken to say 300-500 is more realistic in new homes under 3500 sq/ft. Energy cost per KW hour is actually higher here in San Diego, but then if you live by the cost not as much Electricity is needed. However, most live in the lower cost areas further inland.

This will also change things in the months to come:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15130108/ (broken link)

As for property taxes, do the math. Recall that there is no state tax (I paid 12k in state last year in CA) and the homes cost about 1/2.

So....

500k home in San Diego (3Bdr/2Ba, 1500 sq/ft), figure 1.25 prop tax = $6250
500k home in Plano (6Bdr/4Ba, 4500+ sq/ft), figure 2.5 prop tax = $12500

At this point you'll say - see, I told you....

But

Minus my state tax of 12k.

Also, the home I modeled for 500k is at least 2x my home here.

My kind of home in Plano would cost around 175k.

175k x 2.5% = $4375

So apples to apples, it is cheaper there hands down....

Don't get me wrong, I love San Diego and plan to return in 3 years....however, the North-Central Dallas area is really nice. Just make sure you have a pool at your disposal and that you plan your vacations in the Summer months.
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Old 10-05-2006, 09:30 AM
 
Location: Northern San Diego county
8 posts, read 22,958 times
Reputation: 13
Default Anyone Thinking or Relocating out of SD?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarrush View Post
Born and raised here, my family and I (husband and two kids) are ready for a change - sans cookie cutter homes, traffic, etc. We are looking into Washington. Why and where are other people thinking of moving to?
We have lived in southern California since 1952 and have obviously seen major changes in that time. I started out in the San Fernando Valley, then Orange county and have retired in north San Diego county.

For retired seniors like my husband and I, who bought our homes for $20,000 in 1963, it is very affordable here, but for younger people, it can be a problem.

We bought our home in north San Diego county in 1997, and it has almost tripled in price since then. However, at my age, weather is very important, as well as family life. I like to be outdoors and I don't want to be stuck inside during winter or a hot summer. Here, I can be outside comfortable about 90% of the year, if not more.

Since we are far into the north county, it is quieter than other parts of the county.

If we relocated, it would be to perhaps around San Luis Obispo. We do like Oregon, but I think the people who write me about the weather there say we need to like rain, if we move there. It is even more so of Washington state. However, both of these states are quite beautiful.

I doubt we will move. This is a great area for retirees who don't want to deal with cold winters, snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, humidity, mosquitoes and hot summers. I can take cold more than heat.

No doubt, there are many good reasons to stay here, as well as reasons for other people to move. It all depends on what a person wants most. For me, I would rather live in a one room condo here than a huge home some place else. However, we live in a nice sized home, that was extremely reasonable in 1997. Most of my neighbors are young'ish families in their late 30's who bought these homes when the prices were extremely good.

I can't relate to San Diego itself, since we are so far from there...
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Old 10-05-2006, 12:07 PM
 
2,016 posts, read 5,197,712 times
Reputation: 1879
To Speedoflight: "CA is great for so many things - career opportunities, weather, culture and the list goes on."

Exactly, this is why I am looking to buy a home in CA, preferably North County Coastal, specifically, Carlsbad. I have "searched my 43 year-old soul for over 5 years now, and come to the same conclusion that where I'm at is NOT serving me. This is not to say that I won't tire of great career opportunities, weather, and culture, but I'm ready to "suffer" (sarcasm). My husband and I are both professionals. I am a public accountant, and own my own business that does tremendously well in CA specifically; my husband is a pharmacist. We are parents to a larger family, ages 22 down to age 5. We might keep the house here for another few years. Sorry, but if I stay here more than one more winter, I might literally pull my hair out, and that's not kidding either. If I hear one more "yup", "warsh" instead of "wash", and God knows how many more words pronounced like that, I will barf - this is how SICK I am of this area. I'm sorry if some don't understand this, but this is EXACTLY how I feel.

By the way, if you want to see poverty, if you want to come to a land of broken dreams, people who's only idea of making something out of themselves is winning the lottery, then come here. I am beyond sick and tired of this kind of mindset. I could go on more, but who wants to hear it.
************************************************** ********************************************

Northcountygal, you sound very sweet - I enjoyed your posts.
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