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You're right, but the narrative on this thread is about working class folks supposedly having a better shot at the American dream in the Sunbelt. The Census data indicates otherwise. And obviously, individual results vary. There are people that would be successful anywhere and others who will never find success. It's more personal than locational.
But I am still befuddled over the mania over "cheap homes". I am always hearing "Gee, I can move to Little Rock and get a 3,000 square foot house; ya wanna know what that would cost in Connecticut or Southern CA?". I really don't get this line of reasoning.
Little Rock (not to pick on a city, but just giving an example) is cheap because it isn't in high demand, and the housing doesn't generate a good rate of return. Obviously housing will cost more in Newport Beach, CA or Greenwich, CT. People want to live in these places; they have amenities that are world-class, and real estate is a fantastic investment.
I mean, if you really wanna go cheap, and care about nothing else, move to Honduras, or Afghanistan, or Darfur. Compared even to rural Mississippi, you'll really be getting some dirt-cheap real estate. If safety is an issue, what about rural Moldova or something? Maybe Namibia, which is quiet and safe in the old German colonies. Much safer than the U.S. I mean, who cares, as long as real estate is cheap!
Exactly. You may get that cheap house, coming from metro New York, but get there and be like... now what? Life is different. Amenities are different (fewer) than what I am used to. People are different, politics are on a whole different... I miss home. I know many who have moved South and had the dilemma of "... well now what?" after moving primarily because it's cheaper there. Well yeah it's cheaper for a reason...
Exactly. You may get that cheap house, coming from metro New York, but get there and be like... now what? Life is different. Amenities are different (fewer) than what I am used to. People are different, politics are on a whole different... I miss home. I know many who have moved South and had the dilemma of "... well now what?" after moving primarily because it's cheaper there. Well yeah it's cheaper for a reason...
And I know many who have moved to the Southeast and you could not pay them to go back. So what is your point. I know one person that moved to Charleston, SC and after living here for awhile went back to New York and moved his parents and three Aunts and a uncle there. All love it. He said went he crossed the bridge leaving NYC he said his goodbyes and he would not be back. Oh well.
And I know many who have moved to the Southeast and you could not pay them to go back. So what is your point. I know one person that moved to Charleston, SC and after living here for awhile went back to New York and moved his parents and three Aunts and a uncle there. All love it. He said went he crossed the bridge leaving NYC he said his goodbyes and he would not be back. Oh well.
Probably because they don't care about big city amenities, or all the cosmopolitan-type stuff.
If you just want a cheap house and don't care anything about location, then there is no reason to live somewhere like NYC or CA. I would just find the cheapest place possible, I guess (but I would probably rent rather than buy, as the cheap parts of the Sunbelt tend to be the worst real estate investments in the country).
I can't imagine living like that. If it makes no difference to you if you're in Beverly Hills or the surface of the Moon, then yeah, just find the cheapest place possible. Do these people never leave their house, though? They don't "get" why rural Kentucky is cheaper than Long Island or wherever? I don't get it.
And I know many who have moved to the Southeast and you could not pay them to go back. So what is your point. I know one person that moved to Charleston, SC and after living here for awhile went back to New York and moved his parents and three Aunts and a uncle there. All love it. He said went he crossed the bridge leaving NYC he said his goodbyes and he would not be back. Oh well.
My point is I was agreeing with NOLA regarding why houses in certain regions are so cheap and why it can actually be misleading.
It's great that you know people who moved South and would never go back but cheaper isn't always better; I know it wouldn't be for me. I would miss life and opportunities around here way too much. It's partially why where I live is so expensive and I wouldn't change it.
We tried to move to the south. My hubby was born in raised in NC. After the three years we were required to be there (NWF) I'd had enough. Hurricanes, Flora and Fauna, snakes, bears, oh my. No thanks, I'm definitely a west coast girl. Hubby was more eager to get back to the west coast than I was. I hope people have a Plan B.
The population of the Census designated South is around 120,00,000 now, by far the most populated region of the country.
It's actually generally the least populated region, not the most populated.
The Census designation for "South" is massive and like 20-30 times the size of the Northeast, and even includes the southern half of the Northeast corridor, South Florida, West Texas and other areas no one considers "South".
The actual South didn't start growing rapidly in population until the 1960's, and has never really caught up in terms of economy. It's still the poorest, least educated, most violent, least healthy part of the country.
The South is, without question, the least desirable part of the U.S., not the most desirable. The most desirable parts of the U.S. are the Northeast Corridor and Coastal California.
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