Why do people still want to live in California? (Oakland: neighborhoods, salaries)

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by mlb

I had a co-worker in Utah who moved to Coeur d’Alene to escape the diversity Of the Salt Lake Valley.

When Utah isn’t white enough for you........ there’s always Idaho. She was a right wing nut too. A very vocal one.

Wow!

I love diversity. My wife and I were just talking about how much our lives have been enriched by the people we've known from different races, ethnic groups, backgrounds, socio-economic status, etc.

I have known lots of great people who were fellow Latinos, Anglos, Asians. One of my best colleagues and role models in the teaching profession, for me, was a Black lesbian woman I worked in the adjacent classroom with. Her and her partner are amazing people and we love them dearly!

I have had the good fortune to enjoy cuisine from Brazil, Cuba, Korea, El Salvador, Peru, Argentina, Britain, India, France, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Persia -- and these are just my local places here in Palmdale!

When I go back over the hill to Los Angeles, there's German, Ethiopian, Greek, Cambodian, Russian, Moroccan, Yiddish delis, etc.

I'm a Democrat, but I occasionally enjoy the company of reasonably-conservative Republicans and always curious to hear their views.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by mlb

I had a co-worker in Utah who moved to Coeur d’Alene to escape the diversity Of the Salt Lake Valley.

When Utah isn’t white enough for you........ there’s always Idaho. She was a right wing nut too. A very vocal one.

Interesting. I always thought that most people in Idaho were fairly open minded and free spirited.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Why so much? I'm looking at my renewal for an '03 F-150 for $213.

yeah, I couldn't quite figure that one out either.

[Veritas Vincit]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Interesting. I always thought that most people in Idaho were fairly open minded and free spirited.

Well, no, clearly they are mostly members of the American Nazi Party in Idaho because someone said so on City Data.

[mlb]

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2020/0...f-north-idaho/

It’s been a known thing for DECADES.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Interesting. I always thought that most people in Idaho were fairly open minded and free spirited.

More so back in the 1970s and 1980s, yes. I teach an evening PoliSci class at community college.

Continuous waves of very conservative Californians have made it less so since the late 1990s.

There are now a lot of Redoubt people in Idaho, along with Birthers, Militia types, Doomsday preppers and people who push the QAnon garbage.

[GBPACKERS1200]

I’ve noticed that most of the California defenders on city-data are middle aged or retirees who bought their homes 20-30 years ago at much lower prices. Then you have the people who live in outlying rural areas of CA, lol.. Good for these folks who can enjoy California’s beautiful weather and scenery without the stress of working to stay afloat.

It doesn’t make sense for young middle class families to live in a state where they will never have the opportunity to get on the property ladder. Good luck saving for that $200k downpayment to buy a home in a bad neighborhood in the Bay Area while paying $2500+ each month in rent. Even if you are capable of getting into a home, you then have the privilege of paying $4-5k each month for 30 years in mortgage + taxes. In order to support this mortgage, you need either a dual-income household of professionals each making $100K+ minimum or have one partner working as senior level SWE at FAANG. These jobs are incredibly stressful, how often will these people really be able to enjoy the natural beauty of California or spend time with their kids?

Looking at Southern California, the salaries are no where close to Bay Area level yet housing prices are only marginally lower. Most people will end up far inland to live in more affordable areas so they will rarely take advantage of the beaches. At that point you may as well move to Arizona or Texas.

[mlb]

Originally Posted by GBPACKERS1200

I’ve noticed that most of the California defenders on city-data are middle aged or retirees who bought their homes 20-30 years ago at much lower prices. Then you have the people who live in outlying rural areas of CA, lol.. Good for these folks who can enjoy California’s beautiful weather and scenery without the stress of working to stay afloat.

It doesn’t make sense for young middle class families to live in a state where they will never have the opportunity to get on the property ladder. Good luck saving for that $200k downpayment to buy a home in a bad neighborhood in the Bay Area while paying $2500+ each month in rent. Even if you are capable of getting into a home, you then have the privilege of paying $4-5k each month for 30 years in mortgage + taxes. In order to support this mortgage, you need either a dual-income household of professionals each making $100K+ minimum or have one partner working as senior level SWE at FAANG. These jobs are incredibly stressful, how often will these people really be able to enjoy the natural beauty of California or spend time with their kids?

Looking at Southern California, the salaries are no where close to Bay Area level yet housing prices are only marginally lower. Most people will end up far inland to live in more affordable areas so they will rarely take advantage of the beaches. At that point you may as well move to Arizona or Texas.

Hey Packer fan.... we just bought here in California almost 2 years ago. We owned our house in another state outright. Mostly by one of us working full time for almost 30 years - and it wasn’t my husband.

You need double incomes pretty much anywhere to afford a home these days - not just California. We had it easier because NO KIDS. We have owned 3 homes in our lives.... our first down payment was $15K. We built up from there. And our salaries were pathetic. But we figured it out. Most young families do that too. Or they don’t. It’s all about priorities.

We are semi-rural. I travel as much here to shop as I did in Utah - or would in Wisconsin where I am originally from. It’s not that difficult. We’re not in the boonies.

And yes, we have middle class families all around us. With children. Next door neighbor is a high school math teacher and basketball coach. He just bought his house 6 months ago.

So don’t say this life is not for everyone.... because I look around and can prove you wrong. You can have Arizona or Texas .... or Utah and Wisconsin for that matter.

I will say, however, GO PACK GO! Some things are hard to leave behind

[Tulemutt]

And then there are those, such as myself, who don’t want to own property in California. I have a net worth that by most American standards is more than just ‘well off.’ While so many slave to pay not only their principal - but the interest that can double the cost of home ownership ... I lived cheap on my boats and put my earnings to work in other passive investments. No gutters to clean, walls to paint, lawn to mow. Etc. etc. etc.

If I wanted a house now - which I still definitely do NOT - I could buy two or so. Cash. In San Francisco, or San Diego. And have plenty left over to live the rest of my retirement in comfort.

Meh. Slave to real estate? Not everybody’s dream. PITA actually.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by mlb

Hey Packer fan.... we just bought here in California almost 2 years ago. We owned our house in another state outright. Mostly by one of us working full time for almost 30 years - and it wasn’t my husband.

You need double incomes pretty much anywhere to afford a home these days - not just California. We had it easier because NO KIDS. We have owned 3 homes in our lives.... our first down payment was $15K. We built up from there. And our salaries were pathetic. But we figured it out. Most young families do that too. Or they don’t. It’s all about priorities.

We are semi-rural. I travel as much here to shop as I did in Utah - or would in Wisconsin where I am originally from. It’s not that difficult. We’re not in the boonies.

And yes, we have middle class families all around us. With children. Next door neighbor is a high school math teacher and basketball coach. He just bought his house 6 months ago.

So don’t say this life is not for everyone.... because I look around and can prove you wrong. You can have Arizona or Texas .... or Utah and Wisconsin for that matter.

I will say, however, GO PACK GO! Some things are hard to leave behind

Yes, that is how it works. Start where you can afford and over the years you ca move up. No one deserves to be able to live in the best places just because they want to. Work intelligently for it.