Am I stupid to be moving to California? (Houston, Dallas: real estate market, home)

[Redrover]

No one call make that decision for you but do you really want to return to a state that is falling into bankruptcy and that may soon run out of water? It may be dry and hot here now but it will rain again but that isn't such a certainty in California. The economic conditions in CA are driving businesses away so the job situation can't get anything but worse. Sadly, a huge percentage of whatever meager funds still remain in CA are going to support social, educational and medical services for "residents" that aren't even legal citizens. Is that really your idea of Nirvana? Your call...

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by usc619

Folks I think what the OP is trying to say is the gap between the cost of living in CA/TX. is closing due to the fact that CA wages are higher and Homes are getting cheaper.

One might ask why that is. It took a housing crisis to make that even begin to happen, and it's come at the expense of pretty much the whole California economy.

I say live where you want to, but there's more things to consider than housing costs at this point. If you can't find work, you're not going to be paying the bills anywhere.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Redrover

No one call make that decision for you but do you really want to return to a state that is falling into bankruptcy and that may soon run out of water? It may be dry and hot here now but it will rain again but that isn't such a certainty in California. The economic conditions in CA are driving businesses away so the job situation can't get anything but worse. Sadly, a huge percentage of whatever meager funds still remain in CA are going to support social, educational and medical services for "residents" that aren't even legal citizens. Is that really your idea of Nirvana? Your call...

The OP needs to be careful since the prices could fluctuate.

Red--the quotes on residents is an example why nationalism has destroyed the local community with its unhealthy overview of everything in general happening between the coasts instead of one's community. Wal-Mart and cookie-cutter suburbia are what nationalism brought through concept of "economies of scale."

Don't forget the other transplants--primarily from the Midwest--who continue to clog up California.

[JL]

Maybe in Alhambra the real estate values are about the same as Houston.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

There is something to be said about job security right now. If you work from home, then you can live anywhere you choose, but if you are gainfully employed, why roll the dice with your paycheck? You still have the state income tax in California, and that won't be going down, never. In fact, to make up the shortfall, expect to pay more taxes in California.

CA has a huge population, when the economy is good, so is the fiscal health of the state, but when job losses continue to increase, you are left with the same population, but less income to the state, and even those that do remain will not spend as usual, dealing yet another blow to tax revenue to the state. Guess who will be paying more to make up the difference?

So, you can be guaranteed to pay more taxes to fill in the gaps as much as can be supported by the people. And when things get good again, don't expect your taxes to be lowered, liberal states do not do that as a rule, but you can "hope".

[tstone]

Originally Posted by JamesLang

Maybe in Alhambra the real estate values are about the same as Houston.

He was probably comparing some filthy place in the Central Valley vs. a convenient spot in-town.

[citizen_jane]

I would disagree that the higher wage in CA offsets the higher cost of housing. Been there, done that and it didn't work (in Silicon Valley and that was a salary at Apple).

[MissDaisy]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

There is something to be said about job security right now. If you work from home, then you can live anywhere you choose, but if you are gainfully employed, why roll the dice with your paycheck? You still have the state income tax in California, and that won't be going down, never. In fact, to make up the shortfall, expect to pay more taxes in California.

CA has a huge population, when the economy is good, so is the fiscal health of the state, but when job losses continue to increase, you are left with the same population, but less income to the state, and even those that do remain will not spend as usual, dealing yet another blow to tax revenue to the state. Guess who will be paying more to make up the difference?

So, you can be guaranteed to pay more taxes to fill in the gaps as much as can be supported by the people. And when things get good again, don't expect your taxes to be lowered, liberal states do not do that as a rule, but you can "hope".

Yep.....pretty much wraps that up....and because of California's economic woes, this year the sales tax was increased 1.25%, vehicle registration fees went sky high (which is ironic, since the "governator's" base platform to oust Gray Davis and win the election, was that he was going to reverse Davis' tripling of DMV fees....which he did....for the moment..) Important services necessary for the security of CA residents,i.e. police, firefighters, etc have been drastically cut waaaay back.

And you are right on two more counts:

We, and most people we know, have pulled our spending back, which reduces state tax revenue. No matter what the sales tax rate is, 100 % of nothing is still nothing. And we are being squeezed on what we do spend.

In "good times", the state does not roll back the tax rate...don't get me started again on the liberal crackheads running the state and the state budget

More good news....it is becoming more and more likely that CA will be "paying"
for awhile in IOU's instead of dead presidents...

I know *I* am feeling the love.....

[jzntx]

I just had a chance to go back myself about a month ago. After crunching the numbers, decided to stay. I'm originally from the los angeles area.

[occdn]

I am moving the opposite way. I guess we can trade our spot on the census