Californians - What $/sq ft would make you want to go back? (Austin: landscaping)

[midnightbirdgirl]

At this point it is not just the financial cost of living in Cali, that is just one reason we are leaving.
MBG

[CkDedmon]

I recently sold my condo in San Francisco for $600/sqft. As much as I enjoy the Bay Area, I'm slowly trying to get back to DFW where I was born and raised!

[CandyApple]

If prices became reasonable, more people will move there, and the state will be even more crowded.

If crowding *and* price decreases, I'd be there in a heartbeat, but I don't think that will happen unless the US (and maybe other countries, too) experiences a population decline.

Give me a free house in Santa Barbara and I'll move there. If I'm the only one getting a free house, it's not going to affect crowding.

[nooneknowsmyname]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Just curious what the prices are in CA. You are talking about $100-120/sqft, but that is what we would sell our current home for (if we were selling) in SW Austin. It is appraised at ~$111 and we would expect to get ~$120. Just over a year about, I sold my old house in NW Austin (1977 construction, only partly updated) for $110/sq ft. Neither of these are downtown, although both are in the city limits and are downtown 'accessible'.

Given all that, I was under the impression that houses were way more per sq. ft....what am I missing here?

I live in the SFBay Area in a small unicorporated (what would be considered a working class) town that is approximately 25 miles from SF. The average cost per square foot of houses in my town are 300-397 per square foot.

[Jaybee]

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me housing costs aren't the primary issue. Granted, I currently live in rural northern CA where housing costs aren't as inflated as they are in the bay area or points south.

I want to leave this state primarily due to the "looney tunes" socialist politics that make CA the laughing stock of the country and continue to drive businesses (and young families) away.

The upside of the housing costs here is the equity that Californians can cash out prior to migrating southeasterly. With that equity my wife and I should be able to live quite well in another less expensive place. It works in that direction, but once cashed out and relocated, you can't return to CA without "refunding your equity bonus".

Having lived there previously for a couple of years, Texas is our destination-as soon as retirement (or winning the lottery) can make our dreams come true.

[BearBranch]

Of interest, I purchased my Sacramento home for $175 sf in 2004. Sold it for $210 sf in 2005. Homes in that zip code are are now back to the $175.

[Sage113]

Just came back from a scouting trip to California. Yes, the Bay area is outrageous and that includes anything up to about 1.5 to 2.0 hours away. The Sacramento area is cheaper and so are other places. One such we visited was Chico and Paradise. Chico was a cute little college town but Paradise (10 miles away) was in the foothills, very pretty scenery and somewhat affordable real estate. There are houses listed right now for $169,000 to astronomical. Prices look like they are around $180/sq ft.

[USA_Mom]

Like many posters it isn't always about the housing. I would say for me the schools would have to improve, housing about $100 sf within a mile or so of ocean OR 30 minutes of work (i.e., I lived in Canyon Lake/Temecula areas to save money--but I lost time due to commuting), AND I'd want it less crowded. Those things are not going to happen...so if/when I miss Cali enough, I can visit (and several times if I want due to the COL out of state).

[lodilynn]

We lived in Oceanside and sold a 1700 sq ft home on 3/4 acres 1 mi. from beach (w/ views) for $750,000. Bought a home in Lakeway for $700 K w/ 7900 sq ft (w/ views, though not as magnificent).
Would move back to Cali in an instant if we could live RIGHT NEXT DOOR to work...that 20 miles and 2-3.5 hr commute per day was maddening...

[texasdreamin]

Trainwreck, I'm in Northern California and my house is about $560/sq'.