The real Bay Area lifestyle (San Francisco, Oakland: fit in, buying a home, buying)

[Finn_Cool]

Originally Posted by shooting4life

Paying bills is stressful. Most people have to work 40 years of their lives to pay those bill and in hopes that they can retire some day.

The people who you see that do not stress out are the ones that bought a house some place for 150k in the late 80's that is now worth over a million dollars or a rent controlled apartment that is thousands less a month than their neighbor. They have a pretty easy job, in the twilight of their career, just putting their time in until they retire. Then they say things like "why is every stressed out" Lets walk to down town to grab a bite at this sandwich shop and a local brewed beer and local sourced bread that is $22 because I can afford it because I pay way less in housing than everyone else because I am older and had opportunities that are not afforded to anyone under 40.

Yeah that's true. I bought a small tiny place in the city before the tech bubble. It's not a palace or luxurious but I get offers unsolicited every week to buy it.

I don't buy $22 local bread though, I'm not completely insane.

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by Finn_Cool

Yeah that's true. I bought a small tiny place in the city before the tech bubble. It's not a palace or luxurious but I get offers unsolicited every week to buy it.

I don't buy $22 local bread though, I'm not completely insane.

I'm not mad at people who were lucky enough to have the opportunity and smart enough to take advantage of it. But most of the time those same people act like I have the same opportunity to buy some place that is affordable and near work but instead I choose to live in a "McMansion" in the east bay, though most people don't realize that these "McMansions" people live in are really track homes from the 50's, 60's and 70's and are between 1,000-1,600 sq feet and maybe have two bathrooms.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by shooting4life

I'm not mad at people who were lucky enough to have the opportunity and smart enough to take advantage of it. But most of the time those same people act like I have the same opportunity to buy some place that is affordable and near work but instead I choose to live in a "McMansion" in the east bay, though most people don't realize that these "McMansions" people live in are really track homes from the 50's, 60's and 70's and are between 1,000-1,600 sq feet and maybe have two bathrooms.

oh the horror!

I realize that most folks aren't cut out for my lifestyle (living aboard a small boat). But really. When is 1200 or 1600 sq. ft and two bathrooms not enough? Good grief. And yeah, I mean for a family with a couple kids too.

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

oh the horror!

I realize that most folks aren't cut out for my lifestyle (living aboard a small boat). But really. When is 1200 or 1600 sq. ft and two bathrooms not enough? Good grief. And yeah, I mean for a family with a couple kids too.

That is enough, I'm saying most people think people live in the east bay because they want to live in a 3000sq foot house and 4 bathrooms, but that is not the case for the vast majority. The houses in the east bay (besides the Far East bay, Antioch/Brentwood) are just like the houses on the peninsula.

[Tulemutt]

Ok. Got it. Good. Because 1200 sq. ft sounds like the Queen Mary to me

[Ceece]

Originally Posted by shooting4life

I'm not mad at people who were lucky enough to have the opportunity and smart enough to take advantage of it. But most of the time those same people act like I have the same opportunity to buy some place that is affordable and near work but instead I choose to live in a "McMansion" in the east bay, though most people don't realize that these "McMansions" people live in are really track homes from the 50's, 60's and 70's and are between 1,000-1,600 sq feet and maybe have two bathrooms.

As someone born and raise in the Bay Area this is really all I ever knew and aspired too. McMansions were never on my radar and I feel bad for people who think house size = happiness.

My first house was a post-WWII ranch with 1100 sq ft and 1 bathroom. We traded up to a 1970 1350sq ft ranch with a 2nd bathroom (a first for both me and my husband!), and considered it DONE. Where our luck came in was that we did this 20-30 years ago, but I never aspired to anything more and I'm close enough to trek throughout the Bay Area and take advantage of anything I want.

[mrazyattic]

Originally Posted by branh0913

Life in Silicon Valley is sleep -> work -> go home -> sleep repeax x infinity. On weekends you may occassionally go to downtown San Jose or Santanna Row, and enjoy a local dive bar. But yeah, that's basically all I did in the Bay.

I absolutely agree with this. The bay area for it's size has a very boring nightlife because of this.

[mrazyattic]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

I live on way less than half of "six figures" in the Bay. No problemo.
Seattle IS beautiful for sure. I go through there often for many many years. Even prettier than the Bay? Yep. Definitely. About four or five months a year. Not as many pot heads in Seattle? Baloney. Crack heads? Probably about the same. Gangs? Dunno. They're in both places. But then they're in even small town America coast to coast anymore. Crime? Very close to the same rates. Seattle was running a bit higher in recent years but SF and Seattle are now running neck to neck. Check your City Data Crime statistics charts.

I do as well. No offense (I would love to do it for a while) most people don't live on a boat. I am saying I can get a similar lifestyle, more beauty, more money in the bank, somewhere else.

Seattle Crime rate: 2011- 399.7 20 murders 2012 399.8 23 murders
Median house price $420,400
Population 634,000

San Francisco:
Crime rate 2011 362.6 50 murders 2012 411.8 69 murders
Median house price $719,800 (2012)
Population 825,863

Crime rates are similar. Murders are much higher in SF even given the population difference. COL is much better in Seattle, and the beauty is spectacular. Just stating my opinion!!!

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by mrazyattic

I absolutely agree with this. The bay area for it's size has a very boring nightlife because of this.

More like San Jose has a very boring nightlife for its size. If you are bored in SF or even Oakland, you must be going to some insane bars/clubs on a regular basis like the ones found in Miami, Vegas, or Ibiza...

[mrazyattic]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

More like San Jose has a very boring nightlife for its size. If you are bored in SF or even Oakland, you must be going to some insane bars/clubs on a regular basis like the ones found in Miami, Vegas, or Ibiza...

What good places are there in Oakland? out of pure curiosity? I'd love to try some places out.