Demographics and changes in the outer East Bay (San Francisco, Oakland: real estate market, home)

[WizardOfRadical]

Lamorinda is white because long time owners are white, and new buyers have to be at or near executive level pay grade to buy there. Asians are typically not represented well at the executive level of most industries, thus most asians can not afford to buy in Lamorinda.

The reason certain areas are white in the bay is because only white executives can afford to buy there (Alamo), or because it is filled with redneck cops/firefighters (Brentwood)

[Ultrarunner]

Asians are well represented in the medical fields...

About half of the MD's and RN's are asian where I work...

[hsw]

Varies by age, industry (tech vs finance vs other), Jewish vs non-Jew white, Indian (FOB vs US-born), Chinese (similar FOB vs US-born), etc etc...whether looking at most costly parts of SF or Woodside vs Ath vs Palo...or BH vs BelAir vs Brentwood vs Palisades or Manhattan vs Greenwich, etc etc

Lots of folks who can "afford" to live in costliest parts of US' wealthiest regions simply self-segregate....funny how that works...

[drewjube]

Originally Posted by WizardOfRadical

Lamorinda is white because long time owners are white, and new buyers have to be at or near executive level pay grade to buy there. Asians are typically not represented well at the executive level of most industries, thus most asians can not afford to buy in Lamorinda.

The reason certain areas are white in the bay is because only white executives can afford to buy there (Alamo), or because it is filled with redneck cops/firefighters (Brentwood)

That hardly explains the higher levels of Asian homeowners in cities such as Cupertino (and many other South Bay cities) and San Ramon, which have home prices equal to or higher than Lamorinda.

What I think happens is Asians tend to be more comfortable living in areas already having a "critical mass" of Asians, which offers them a level of comfort as well as specialized services and amenities. In Lamorinda, for example, there are few good Asian restaurants, TCM doctors, Asian churches, etc.

There is also the fact that many non-whites don't like living around white people, which we can see from the attitude in your post and that of many others on this forum. People like this would not be comfortable in a "traditional" suburban area, such as Lamorinda.

[Dave Coe]

Originally Posted by WizardOfRadical

Lamorinda is white because long time owners are white, and new buyers have to be at or near executive level pay grade to buy there. Asians are typically not represented well at the executive level of most industries, thus most asians can not afford to buy in Lamorinda.

The reason certain areas are white in the bay is because only white executives can afford to buy there (Alamo), or because it is filled with redneck cops/firefighters (Brentwood)

Overall the trend in the Bay Area seems to be the ultra wealthy areas(ex.Southern Marin, Alamo, Atherton) tend to be white, while moderately wealthy area (Cupertino, San Ramon) and middle income areas(Fremont, Dublin) tend to be more Asian. However there is a growing number of ultra wealthy Asians in the Silicon Valley and also the large numbers of foreign Chinese buying up real estate. I see the same trend in Southern, California where upper middle class Irvine is Chinese while ultra wealthy Newport and Laguna Beach are still mostly white. The ultra wealthy parts of LA's Westside are dominated by Jews in Hollywood and oil rich middle easterners, but less Asian the Bay Area, San Gabriel Valley, and Orange County.

[Dave Coe]

Originally Posted by drewjube

That hardly explains the higher levels of Asian homeowners in cities such as Cupertino (and many other South Bay cities) and San Ramon, which have home prices equal to or higher than Lamorinda.

What I think happens is Asians tend to be more comfortable living in areas already having a "critical mass" of Asians, which offers them a level of comfort as well as specialized services and amenities. In Lamorinda, for example, there are few good Asian restaurants, TCM doctors, Asian churches, etc.

There is also the fact that many non-whites don't like living around white people, which we can see from the attitude in your post and that of many others on this forum. People like this would not be comfortable in a "traditional" suburban area, such as Lamorinda.

Also East Asians are more likely to live in white areas while South Asians tend to concentrate in areas that are already majority Asian. There are tons of South Asians in Dublin but few in Lamorinda and Walnut Creek.

[WizardOfRadical]

Originally Posted by drewjube

That hardly explains the higher levels of Asian homeowners in cities such as Cupertino (and many other South Bay cities) and San Ramon, which have home prices equal to or higher than Lamorinda.

What I think happens is Asians tend to be more comfortable living in areas already having a "critical mass" of Asians, which offers them a level of comfort as well as specialized services and amenities. In Lamorinda, for example, there are few good Asian restaurants, TCM doctors, Asian churches, etc.

There is also the fact that many non-whites don't like living around white people, which we can see from the attitude in your post and that of many others on this forum. People like this would not be comfortable in a "traditional" suburban area, such as Lamorinda.

San Ramon real estate is not as valuable as Lamorinda. Are you smoking sherm?

Cupertino is no where near as exclusive as near by cities of Saratoga and Palo Alto, which are white.

Doctors do not make as much as executives in Tech or Finance. Doctors are professionals and are considered upper middle class. Only poor people think Doctors are rich. Unless of course you are the head of the Hospital, than yea you are rich.

I grew up in an upper middle class burb next to the luxury burb *Manhattan Beach*. I know what wealth looks like. There is a huge difference between someone who has 2 million in the bank, and 20 million.

[drewjube]

Does anyone smoke "sherm" anymore? Last time I heard that word was in '70s anti-drug school films. You seem fond of using it though.

Moving goalposts, I see. If we are just talking money, as you were in your first post, then your argument falls apart -- Cupertino average house prices exceed those of Lamorinda.

Now, you're talking "exclusivity". A subjective term as I would not call Palo Alto exclusive. Expensive, yes; exclusive, no. Lamorinda is also not "exclusive".

According to Zillow, the median home price in San Ramon is $911,000. Median home price in Moraga is $1,055,000. Is the additional $144,000 pricing out a ton of Asian buyers? I doubt it.

Palo Alto is 64% white, 27% Asian. Are you smoking "sherm" in you say Palo Alto is white?

The truth is, many many non-whites do not want to live in suburbs that are perceived as predominantly white. You're not white: be honest -- would you live in Lamorinda if you could afford it?

[Dave Coe]

Originally Posted by drewjube

Does anyone smoke "sherm" anymore? Last time I heard that word was in '70s anti-drug school films. You seem fond of using it though.


Palo Alto is 64% white, 27% Asian. Are you smoking "sherm" in you say Palo Alto is white?

The truth is, many many non-whites do not want to live in suburbs that are perceived as predominantly white. You're not white: be honest -- would you live in Lamorinda if you could afford it?

I would estimate Palo Alto is about evenly divided between Asians, White Gentiles, and Jews. The Asian population is well above the national average but low by Bay Area standards. Demographically it's more similar to the Westside of LA than it is to the rest of the Bay Area.

[Dave Coe]

Originally Posted by WizardOfRadical

San Ramon real estate is not as valuable as Lamorinda. Are you smoking sherm?



I grew up in an upper middle class burb next to the luxury burb *Manhattan Beach*. I know what wealth looks like. There is a huge difference between someone who has 2 million in the bank, and 20 million.

Interesting you bring up Manhattan Beach. Neighboring Palos Verdes is much wealthier but also a lot more Asian.