Why do people keep sayinng Seattle is as expensive as SoCal?

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

Im thinking just a "little" less then Sacramento.

No, a little more. Sacramento prices have been dropping. It's more expensive to live in Bellevue or Kirkland than it is in the foothills, either Folsom or El Dorado Hills or Granite Bay, it seems.

There is a weird phenomenom, it seems. Seattle and Portland prices are the last to shoot up and the last to fall. That is, while Seattle price are still high, California prices are coming down. Right around now, you can get out of an Eastside Seattle home (that is, if you want to) and get a nice home in a slightly inland area of California. This was apparent in 2000, for example. New homes in Bellevue were costing about 379K to 439K and my friend bought the same size brand new home (2,400 sf) in Carlsbad for 359K (they are now going for high 700s, but not selling). Then, it reversed itself, with California prices overtaking Seattle prices, and now the opposite might be happening...again. If you want to go back to Cali, 2008 might be the time.

BTW, none of this discussion applies to the expensive coastal areas of California, that's sort of understood.

So, back to Bellevue or Folsom, I'd take Folsom. Not as sophisticated as Bellevue, nor as snooty, and the sun shines all the time, with the foothills and the High Sierra practically over your shoulder. Having lived in both, one is never at a loss for things to do within a 100 mile driving radius and the people are so much more at ease...after all, it is California.

[TaJasMi]

Originally Posted by ShadowXOR

Either I live in a very expensive part of CA or people are very confused. Compared to what people call the "rich" areas such as Bellevue and Issaquah most houses are $200,000 more and rent is at least $500 more for comparable houses/apartments in my area.

My friend just moved from my town to the heart of Seattle and is paying less for a bigger place. We live in Ventura, CA and we can rent a crap apartment here for $1,400. We can get a better apartment in Seattle for $900 or so. I am browsing Rent.com and prices are cheaper across the board. I don't know where this myth came from but it is WAY off, either that or I'm in the most expensive part of SoCal ever. I just wanted to clear this up for people interested in Seattle because people constantly talking about the high prices was scaring me away since I want to pay less up there, but in reality after I did my research I'll be saving almost $500 a month.

Seattle is almost the same price as California...TRUST ME...here is an example...I moved here two years ago..My apartment(1 bed/1 bath) was 950$ now...it is 1600$ parking is an extra 200$...oh and trying to find a NICE,at least 3 bedroom house here is out of the question unless you have a million or two to spare..I thought it would be better too but eh whatever.(I am actually talking about Seattle and NOT the suburbs..)


PS-Seattle is a fine city..I think it is a bit overpriced though.... that is my opinion.

[wsugrad03]

I think the perception that Seattle is as expensive as SoCal has emerged from the drastically rising cost of living in the past 4 years. Even today, Seattle is far less expensive than SoCal no matter how to rate it.

But, for the first time home buyers who have been living here the past 4 years, trying to save up for their first home, Seattle might as well be renamed to Santa Barbara. Four years ago, I could have bought into the market for half the cost of today. Being priced out of your own city in a matter of a few years is the most irritating thing about living in Seattle. It kinda ruins all other things that are great about Seattle. The people in California can relate to this as well.

I don't know if the housing market will ever return to the "fair and normal" levels of 2003/2004. Home prices have to fall, or incomes have to go up drastically.

[Vripper]

Seattle is much more expensive in one aspect, at least: restaurants. It's so much easier to find cheap, good food in California than it is in Seattle.

[drewba]

Originally Posted by wsugrad03

I don't know if the housing market will ever return to the "fair and normal" levels of 2003/2004. Home prices have to fall, or incomes have to go up drastically.

We know which one almost certainly won't happen

I think that 2003 prices plus 20-25% would probably be a good balancing price point. That would put prices about on par with or slightly ahead of 2003 when accounting for salary increases. Unfortunately, we are still significantly more than 25% above 2003 prices and it will likely be very painful if prices do fall to that point.

[pwright1]

Out of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego put them in order as cheapest to most expensive.

[wsugrad03]

Originally Posted by pwright1

Out of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego put them in order as cheapest to most expensive.

[cheapest]
1) Portland
2) Seattle
3) Los Angeles
4) San Diego (salaries are cheaper than LA while housing is the same)
5) San Fran (by a mile!)
[most expensive]

[berkeleyres]

you could even argue that SEattle could be cheaper than Portland since Washington state has no income tax and oregon's get's up to 9-10 percent