Single Gal: Sticker Shock in Silicon Valley (San Francisco, Orange: condo, buying a house)

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by NatureGirl26

Mystical tiger, I'm not selling my house or even renting it out. I'm getting my neighbors and family to keep an eye on it while I'm away.

This one year in the SFBA is just going to be for the life experience, the natural scenery, and the dating experience. I have every intention of moving back to where my soul is happiest.

Ok, well you can't say you didn't know what you were getting into by moving here.

To the best of my knowledge, Los Gatos to Mountain View would be a reasonable commute by Silicon Valley standards. Personally, I wouldn't want to do it, but I am spoiled in that I live a block away from my job. Once you have that setup, almost any kind of driving every day to work seems like pure insanity.

But you are right...the room could very well be gone by the time you get here. The housing market here is very tight at all levels.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by otterprods

I lived In SV for about 15 years and have now lived in Denver, or just south of it, for about 6. And so…

• Denver has year round sun (even in winter) = False. It is often sunny, but that does not really offset the cold if you're used to Mediterranean or other warmer climates.
• Booming economy = False. I've done some pre-emptive job searching and my prospects look extremely grim compared to the Bay Area … It's relative though I guess, and will depend on what field you're in and of course your own resume/skills/etc.
• Getting more diverse every day = True. Same as just about everywhere.
• Highly educated = True. or False. Depending on who you talk to… I guess you'd have to go by stats if that's a big factor.
• Outdoor Mecca = False. Most of Denver proper is not what most people would consider very close to what they're expecting in terms of great outdoor recreation. Boulder, Golden, and many other suburbs are are closer but still not IN the mtns like a lot of people think. However, as a major metro, it does have better high country access than the Bay Area. It also has some other great semi-rural open spaces close by, but so does the Bay Area.
• Tons of 30's single people w/$ - True. I guess… is that a + ?

@ 1/2 the cost of the Bay Area... TRUE. For sure, at least 1/2…! Local paychecks sort of reflect that, but it's still proportionally more affordable in Denver as a whole. Just don't expect an astronomical difference once reality sets in.

Sorry, Mach50, no offense intended. But most people coming to CDF are looking for the good AND the bad. Most of what Mach said is the same as what regional tourist marketing would say, which does't necessarily make it true or false, but it's something to consider. Overall I much prefer living in CO though, in case you don't have time to read all my previous posts. This probably belongs in a different sub-forum at this point anyways… sorry. I just wish people had told me certain truths before I moved, just for the sake of accurate knowledge & expectations.

No offense taken.

I moved to Denver (proper) from the Bay. It sounds like you moved to Monument which is really far out there...

My field is Software Engineering and I actually make more in Denver now than in San Mateo county 4 years ago. I find it by far less competitive here for jobs in my area.

Denver is absolutely an outdoor mecca when compared to other business centers... Boulder is a small niche area where they have to drive to see a concert in the big city.

Denver is not perfect, I would actually prefer to move back to SoCal myself.

With that, I think the OP should checkout Denver it has a lot of what she is looking for.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by Mach50

No offense taken.

I moved to Denver (proper) from the Bay. It sounds like you moved to Monument which is really far out there...

My field is Software Engineering and I actually make more in Denver now than in San Mateo county 4 years ago. I find it by far less competitive here for jobs in my area.

Denver is absolutely an outdoor mecca when compared to other business centers... Boulder is a small niche area where they have to drive to see a concert in the big city.

Denver is not perfect, I would actually prefer to move back to SoCal myself.

With that, I think the OP should checkout Denver it has a lot of what she is looking for.

I honestly don't mean this to sound condescending at all, but. How long ago did you move to CO? 4 years? If it was much more recently than that, it might be interesting to compare notes agin in a few years. Otherwise, we'll just disagree in an amicable way. It's all pretty off topic for this sub forum anyways. (my bad)

I do love it here, but I too would honestly prefer to move back to SoCal… In the year 1950!

[Mach50]

By no means was I trying to sell Denver as some paradise to the San Jose crowd (it is far from it)... just throwing a more affordable option out there.

Good luck with cash money man hunt - NatureGirl26! looloolololol I'm sure some IT nerd would love you

[NatureGirl26]

Heck no! I'm not saying I would give half the title on my house to my husband. Not after my parents gave me a substantial amount of $ to make a down payment and all the equity I've built up through my own payments over the years.

Whomever I choose to marry will have to agree to move to Atlanta, so we can live in my house. It took me a year to figure out my decor scheme and furnish it. I just can't deal with spending the rest of my life in a 1950s shoebox with shoddy carpeting, no crown molding, untrimmed windows, etc. I need hardwood floors, crown molding, trimmed windows, and nice appliances especially a double oven.

At my age, I don't plan on living like a 20-year-old college student in some dumpy-looking shoebox.

[milvine]

Hi,

I moved to Silicon Valley very recently from Europe (Stockholm) and have been having moved feelings about this place. I have been writing a blog about all the Silicon valley challenges including rental at

Milvine | Once an immigrant always an immigrant.

Maybe it can help somebody with questions.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by NatureGirl26

Neutrino, I don't do roommates. Let alone 21-year-old male roommates. I haven't had a roommate in over a decade. Not even a pet. Not even one goldfish. Yeah, I'm spoiled with over 2500 square feet of house and I don't date men who don't own a house either. Maybe, Silicon Valley is not the best place to meet a man with his own house and no roommates (sigh).

What does a single woman need with such a large house?

I find it funny that people complain about the higher COL in CA and than live in places like GA an TX and buy more house than they need just because it is more affordable.

There was a thread awhile back from an elderly couple who left CA for AL, bragging about how big their house was and how many acres they had, all I could think of is wait till one of them gets sick. They moved away from family and have more house and property than they're going to be able to handle.

I love these posters.

"I can pay the same price for a two bedroom two bath house in CA that I can get a five bedroom four bath house in TX"(yes you can in flat as pancake freeze in the winter and roast in the summer TX)....when they're single or a couple with one child and don't plan on having anymore.

Instead of getting a more modest home and saving/investing their money.

While Georgia is a pretty state, the heat and humidity is beyond oppressive.

To each his own, I think you're better off staying put.

[MediocreButArrogant]

I think the OP is a troll. She wrote that stainless steel appliances made her happy. However, in case she really is just a naive 37-year old:

1) Your FOB isn't going to be one of those educated, worldly men whose company you enjoy. He probably isn't going to make that much money either (probably <$200k)
2) He isn't going to be able to find a good tech job in Atlanta. Those jobs in Atlanta with tech companies are mostly sales jobs
3) Any guy you meet who seems like a catch is either a) already taken, b) doesn't want to settle down, or c) gay
4) There is no shortage of men in Silicon Valley, but there is a shortage of eligible men
5) Most people will find your materialism very unappealing
6) Hang out at Fry's for your best selection of dorks

You may find this article helpful: The 'Cougars' Of Silicon Valley Prey On Tipsy Programmers

[NatureGirl26]

Sea in Dublin, a 2500 sq. ft. house is not considered a large house in the Atlanta metro. Any smaller and I'd have to get a townhome. I'm not a fan of those. I like my space and a yard with lots of trees, a lawn, and a plot to grow flowers and vegetables. My family lives here, so that couple in AL circumstance doesn't apply to me.

For the record, I have three bedrooms and 2.5 baths in my house. I like having a spare bedroom for my guests and the other bedroom is a study. It's not a lot of rooms, but the rooms are large and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I do need all the space.

I enjoy my house tremendously. It's beautiful, updated, and I take a lot of pride in keeping it that way.

Atlanta is no Alabama. We have the world's largest airport, Coca Cola, CNN, The Weather Channel, Delta Airlines, UPS, Home Depot, the U.S. headquarters of dozens of European multinational companies (look up UCB) and major operation hubs for AT&T, Verizon, ADP, IBM, HP, McKesson. We have GA Tech and Emory.

Yes, it's still mostly black and white but there is a significant Cuban, Korean, Indian, Vietnamese, European (many Germans, Brits, Swiss, French, and Italian executives), and Nigerian population.

We have 3 months of heat and humidity and it isn't anywhere as bad as Houston, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Tampa, or Miami. We have air-conditioning everywhere and the evenings are cool enough to go hiking to Kennesaw Mountain or kayaking on the Hooch.

[NatureGirl26]

Mediocre,

1. How would you know that? Can you look into the future? Just because someone's from another country doesn't make them uneducated or ignorant or not well-traveled. You just seem so ignorant!
2. Clearly, you have never spent a significant amount of time in Atlanta.
3. How do you know that? Have you been dating lots of men in SV, lately?
4. I need just one. It can't be as bad as Atlanta anyway.
5. I'm not materialistic. Most people in the country (California and NY are not like most places) aspire to own their own house. I have no desire to listen to my neighbors talk or watch TV or listen to their music through thin walls. I don't want to smell a neighbor's curry or cigarette smoke. I have no desire to get a roommate at my age. I hate moving from apartment to apartment or watching my rent go up. I hate moving period. I like the permanent nature of my house, knowing my furniture doesn't have to be moved every year or two, painting my walls any color I want, my cute walk-in closets, my own laundry room, and having a huge bathroom that resembles a tropical forest. There's no way I could all of this in a 1950s shoebox.