Moved to the Bay for 1 year from out of state, moved back. My review of it. (San Francisco: low income, best cities) - San Francisco - Oakland - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

AZJD · 08-16-2016, 08:11 AM

Moved my wife and two kids to the Bay for a work project for a year. We came from Phoenix area Arizona. A polar opposite cost of living change. I'm young and in my 30's, own my own house and a rental, am used to living in safe and nice areas, and next to top schools.

I'm not in tech so I don't make a huge salary, but I do ok for myself. We are just a normal middle class family and enjoy normal middle class things like going out to eat on weekends and a vacation here and there.

Spent a year in the East Bay. Housing even in Concord was 2X I was used to paying for my mortgage in Phoenix, for 1/2 the house and 50 years older, and in a questionable area. A huge downside in my opinion. Schools where we lived were ranked 2/10. And this to rent a home...needing $100,000 year salary yet all the other houses in the neighborhood are occupied by low income families but who have been there since 1970 so they really have little housing expense. Think about that...it took me $100,000 to live in a community full of high crime, awful housing, and neighbors where you have nothing in common for work and lifestyle. Just a weird dynamic.

The people I met in California all are the same. I'm specifically talking about middle class people. They are all literally broke because they spend all their income to RENT and have little savings. If they need new tires on their car, they are calling family members for help. Everyone I met seems to be ok with that. They just understand this is what it takes to live in CA. I just don't understand this mindset of being so financially unprepared for life. California is amazing yes, but not worth it if you struggle.

And don't get me wrong. California is amazing. The weather, the scenery, absolutely endless things to do and see. San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world.

Living there for the last year has made me want to be there more than anything.

But not like what it takes to be there. I would rather retire there. I am a 90 min flight to SF or Oakland right now. I would spend 90 min driving from SF to outer east Bay. It is just not sustainable to move A FAMILY there AND have a good home and normal middle class quality of life unless your family brings in $175k-$200k or more.

I know that Neutreno guy is gonna come in here and say he shares a bedroom in an apartment and makes $12/HR and therefore the Bay Area is doable, but that thought process does not, at all, represent the majority of families.

We are back in Phoenix now. Enjoying nice warm weather, dirt cheap housing that is 10X nicer than California, in top school districts, next to everything new and nice.

Would love to come back to California one day, but only if we can afford to OWN a decent home.

ny789987 · 08-16-2016, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZJD

And don't get me wrong. California is amazing. The weather, the scenery, absolutely endless things to do and see. San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world.

Great place to visit, horrible place to live.

04kL4nD · 08-16-2016, 09:17 AM

It's a great place to visit AND live, so long as you make enough money. Sadly, the last 5 years or so have made the Bay Area a totally different place than when I first moved here in 2007.

sav858 · 08-16-2016, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZJD

Spent a year in the East Bay. Housing even in Concord was 2X I was used to paying for my mortgage in Phoenix, for 1/2 the house and 50 years older, and in a questionable area. A huge downside in my opinion. Schools where we lived were ranked 2/10. And this to rent a home...needing $100,000 year salary yet all the other houses in the neighborhood are occupied by low income families but who have been there since 1970 so they really have little housing expense. Think about that...it took me $100,000 to live in a community full of high crime, awful housing, and neighbors where you have nothing in common for work and lifestyle. Just a weird dynamic.

I agree it is a very weird dynamic, I have so little in common with my neighbors. It's one of the sacrifices some people have to take to buy their first home unfortunately. What area of Concord did you live in?

AZJD · 08-16-2016, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sav858

I agree it is a very weird dynamic, I have so little in common with my neighbors. It's one of the sacrifices some people have to take to buy their first home unfortunately. What area of Concord did you live in?

North Concord near downtown.

There are better areas towards Clayton and Walnut Creek but even those dilapidated homes are fetching $2,600-$3,500 a month. Just blows my mind that people continue to pay that.

It is not worth it!

AZJD · 08-16-2016, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

It's a great place to visit AND live, so long as you make enough money. Sadly, the last 5 years or so have made the Bay Area a totally different place than when I first moved here in 2007.

Exactly.

People who got in a decade or more ago are fine. Anyone moving there now needs a ton of money. A ton.

And even if you can afford it, I can't wrap my head around actually paying that. It's like spending $60,000 on a 1986 Honda Accord.

sav858 · 08-16-2016, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZJD

North Concord near downtown.

There are better areas towards Clayton and Walnut Creek but even those dilapidated homes are fetching $2,600-$3,500 a month. Just blows my mind that people continue to pay that.

It is not worth it!

I live in North Concord as well, your description sounded familiar except the neighborhood I'm in doesn't really have much crime. Pretty quiet but a fair amount of the houses are unkept and the some of the neighbors are definitely more working class types. We plan to upgrade after the kids start kindergarten or 1st grade and we've built some equity. I grew up in Walnut Creek and if it wasn't for all of my family and friends in the area I wouldn't pay to live here, I agree it's not worth it for what you get at all.

AZJD · 08-16-2016, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sav858

I live in North Concord as well, your description sounded familiar except the neighborhood I'm in doesn't really have much crime. Pretty quiet but a fair amount of the houses are unkept and the some of the neighbors are definitely more working class types. We plan to upgrade after the kids start kindergarten or 1st grade and we've built some equity. I grew up in Walnut Creek and if it wasn't for all of my family and friends in the area I wouldn't pay to live here, I agree it's not worth it for what you get at all.

We joined that NextDoor app and forum for the area and my goodness did my emails and phone blow up daily with break-ins, stolen stuff from garage, sketchy people in the area. We even had an armed robbery at gun point last month.

BayAreaHillbilly · 08-16-2016, 10:37 AM

Imagine how it looks to those of us who spent childhood here. I'm one of the relatively lucky ones and yet, I feel the constant stress of the struggle.

Retiring here is not even a consideration unless we hit some incredible unexpected windfall.

And unlike the poster Neutrino - no - I'm not hip with sharing living space with 20 other people.

sav858 · 08-16-2016, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZJD

We joined that NextDoor app and forum for the area and my goodness did my emails and phone blow up daily with break-ins, stolen stuff from garage, sketchy people in the area. We even had an armed robbery at gun point last month.

Which specific neighborhood was it? I joined Nextdoor and had to unsubscribe from the e-mails, not really for crime but just in general. The HOA really got people heated lol.