condo costs in so. s.f. or san mateo area

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Well, that's just the average for my profession... if you work in IT or other tech/business jobs, it's typically closer to $75-85K. I could make that much in my field, but not until I move up in ranks a bit (we have a specific ranking system for public libraries). Other states are fairly equivalent for librarians, usually ranging from $32-45K, and obviously the costs are lower. But I'm fine with living here for now, especially since my sister is starting a family soon... I want to be around for my niece/nephew, as I didn't get to grow up near my relatives. It's also a great place to live, other than the traffic & road-rage - which actually bothers me more than the cost-of-living!

I would never get $75k as a computer tech or engineer. We had a guest speaker represent herself for a network engineering company and she said base salary is $35k up to $50k. I wouldnt be supprised if they started me off at $35k. The federal poverty line is about $10k a year for a single person but I would consider myself living at near poverty on $35k a year in WPB, FL. This is not enough to afford anything but a mobile home. Its only 2/3 enough to afford a small 1/1 condo!(600-750 square feet) Sadly a $75k salary doesnt even come close to affording anything in the greater bay area. Lucky for you your rent is only $900 a month, the landlord is renting at a loss to you! I would be able to stay in south Florida if housing was much cheaper or if someone was willing to rent to me at like $400 a month.

I know, isn't that crazy?? Obviously those are the extreme examples, but we do see plenty of dumps in high price ranges... that's why I said that condos are often the better deal, since you're likely to find something nicer for the same price (as a detached home). My friend bought a beautiful condo in Santa Clara for about $399,000 in 2002 - it's worth around $500,000 now, I think. But the interior is perfect, since it was literally brand new at the time of purchase... has top-of-the-line appliances, marble counters, nice linoleum/tile, etc. It's also a pretty safe neighborhood, and a big complex with lots of amenities. But of course that's Santa Clara, and not San Francisco.

Thats what the website is for. Its sorts of a paraody using extreme examples to make fun of those insane prices for a dump or shack! Some of those examples were hilarious! One house for like a million had a huge driveway. Someone responded and said "great for your fleet of limos" Another one was $985k for a 1080 sqft Cupertino home - magic word? "teardown!" I laughed then realized it would cost at least half a million to build something better might as well buy something better in the first place or *ahem* relocate anywhere else, you cant go wrong really!


Condos obviously are cheaper or for the same price are bigger, newer and nicer because the savings on land space(and building surface area) is passed to you. Its much cheaper to build one condo building that can house a dozen people than its to build a dozen detached houses of equal square footage!
But some people still prefer a detached house anyway

[Peninsula gal]

I am a Realtor in the San Mateo area. A 1-bedroom condo can come as little as $350,000 up to $500,000, so it depends on where you want to live. A studio runs less. If this is the price level you are thinking of you can also consider San Francisco, too.

[mags4giants]

I just love the "snobbish" or so-called intelligent comments posted here. I just wish some of these members would learn how it is to struggle for survival even though one works hard all of his/her life.
I was raised in Shoreview. My dad came from El Salvador in 1941, enlisted in the Army to help defend this country, bought a home in a new subdivision "Shoreview" in San Mateo in 1950 (I was 1). He worked hard to keep it up for us, paid it off and before he died, asked us never to sell and we haven't. My brother was laid off from a good job and other family members have been in and out through goodo and bad times. Please don't call Shoreview dangerous. There are just as many MURDERS in Hillsborough. Read the news. Nice way to sell real estate....

[calisnuffy]

homes.com --- input San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City ect.

[sonarrat]

I hope they're enjoying their upside down pied-a-terre..