A few words regarding cost of living and housing in San Francisco (San Jose: schools, landlords)

[AliasSpiff]

Silver... you are so completely wrong. I was born and raised in Tn, went to high school in N. Ga. And.. you are completely off base here. Yes, I am white, no I am not gay... however, I am so very open minded, and accepting of others... its kinda ridiculous in a good way.

There are still counties in the state of Tn that one can not enter without being stopped by the Klan. (and that goes for white people who don't display aryan descent) The county I lived in, in N. Ga had one of the highest teen pregnancy rates of the state. Mind you, this is 10 years ago, but still. My high school had/has a day care center specifically built for the teachers AND STUDENTS... (and I went to the "rich" "yuppie" school.) The only reason I went to high school in Ga was because the educational system in Tn is absolutely terrible. 10 years ago it was like 5th from the bottom of the list.

I could go on and on about the heat, and all that... but...why beat a dead horse?

Currently, I live in Lancaster, Pa... SO NOT a diverse area... very republican, very church going, old money, not very friendly etc... However, I spent a few months in Nashville as my family lives there. (We're originally from Chattanooga) I took a job, thinking I was going to stay... I HATED it. I could not wait to get back to Pa. Nashville is grimy and manic in its weather patterns. Also, crime is terrible... and whatever. I could keep going on, but... why bother?

Some areas work for some, and others work for others... the beauty of living in a democratic state. Personally, I would LOVE to live in San Fran, and I would like to thank the original poster for his post... makes things sound very easy.. and I am working on preparing myself for a move.

[SAI126]

Originally Posted by NorthernCalifornia

Rather than skimp and save your way to a 600k house in SF (probably nothing special) you can rent a bigger place for 2500/month and spend that extra cash on a house somewhere else where you visit. It can be a sprawling ranch home in warm climates, a condo in Queens or pied-a-terre in Mexico. It can be a humble forest property 3 hours drive in rural California, or a ski lodge in Tahoe. Your 2nd home can be your pride of ownership, your security and your escape.

That is so hilarious. Why didn't you just say let them eat cake? That is of course to the people that only make 2500 a month. Or 5000 a month for that matter.

[NorthernCalifornia]

Originally Posted by SAI126

That is so hilarious. Why didn't you just say let them eat cake? That is of course to the people that only make 2500 a month. Or 5000 a month for that matter.

You are not entitled to live in an expensive, tiny city in California. Why is this so hard to accept? Work, get yourself some skills and it is certainly afforable. If you can't do that for whatever reason you need to live somewhere else and suck it up.

It is very possible to live in SF on a 35k salary which is rather easy to earn. If you don't like the lifestyle it affords you try somewhere else on the same money, it's almost certainly better. Thems the breaks, why whine about it.

[SAI126]

Originally Posted by NorthernCalifornia

You are not entitled to live in an expensive, tiny city in California. Why is this so hard to accept? Work, get yourself some skills and it is certainly afforable. If you can't do that for whatever reason you need to live somewhere else and suck it up.

It is very possible to live in SF on a 35k salary which is rather easy to earn. If you don't like the lifestyle it affords you try somewhere else on the same money, it's almost certainly better. Thems the breaks, why whine about it.

The squeezing out of the working class in almost every major city is not a good or a healthy development. Whine about it? I want to scream about it. Besides I thought you San Fransiscans were liberal and tolerant. Sounds to me, like the Starbucks crowd doesn't want to rub elbows with the Hoi Polloi.

[oskarv]

Originally Posted by SAI126

The squeezing out of the working class in almost every major city is not a good or a healthy development. Whine about it? I want to scream about it. Besides I thought you San Fransiscans were liberal and tolerant. Sounds to me, like the Starbucks crowd doesn't want to rub elbows with the Hoi Polloi.

listen bud, i live here on my own salary (no support from parents), i'm 21 years old, and i have a studio in downtown SF (albiet the tenderloin ).....sure, money's tight sometimes, but i'd rather live here where i don't need a car than most other places. just about anyone can live in SF if they really want to - HELL we even have socialist programs for the very poor.

now, raising a family in SF? that's another question, and something i wouldn't even know enough about to speak of. i do think raising a family in SF would be incredibly difficult financially though.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by oskarv

listen bud, i live here on my own salary (no support from parents), i'm 21 years old, and i have a studio in downtown SF (albiet the tenderloin ).....sure, money's tight sometimes, but i'd rather live here where i don't need a car than most other places. just about anyone can live in SF if they really want to - HELL we even have socialist programs for the very poor.

now, raising a family in SF? that's another question, and something i wouldn't even know enough about to speak of. i do think raising a family in SF would be incredibly difficult financially though.

I got a first-hand look at what it takes. I rented from a teacher who also happened to be a single mom with two adopted kids, in the Sunset district of SF. There was a woman who had a will of iron.

[loveack]

{{{SIGH}}

NorthernCalifornia - thank you for the inspiring post. Too bad the thread was overtaken and beaten to death.

I choose to move to San Francisco. I know milk costs $2 more a gallon than where I live now. I now that my Venti No Water Non-Fat Chai costs 80 cents more. I know that my rent is going to be about double what I pay in a mortgage currently. But you know what? It's worth it. I don't plan on driving out there which saves me on gas, car payments, insurance, etc. We plan on making lifestyle changes, not because we have to, but because we want to live a simpler and happier life. NOT because we feel we need to meet a certain standard of living out there.

I would really like to see this thread get back on track (can the middle 14 pages be deleted? LOL) and would like to see other like-minded folk talk about life in the city and how we all live better, simpler...and greener. And we're not all millionaires, so don't even go there!!!

Peace.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by loveack

{{{SIGH}}

NorthernCalifornia - thank you for the inspiring post. Too bad the thread was overtaken and beaten to death.

I choose to move to San Francisco. I know milk costs $2 more a gallon than where I live now. I now that my Venti No Water Non-Fat Chai costs 80 cents more. I know that my rent is going to be about double what I pay in a mortgage currently. But you know what? It's worth it. I don't plan on driving out there which saves me on gas, car payments, insurance, etc. We plan on making lifestyle changes, not because we have to, but because we want to live a simpler and happier life. NOT because we feel we need to meet a certain standard of living out there.

I would really like to see this thread get back on track (can the middle 14 pages be deleted? LOL) and would like to see other like-minded folk talk about life in the city and how we all live better, simpler...and greener. And we're not all millionaires, so don't even go there!!!

Peace.

I'm going to take you to task on this. It's nothing personal, and I applaud you for wanting to live greener. But the notion that you need to pay SF rents to live a simpler and happier life is bunk, pure and simple. You can do it just as well, if not better, in any number of other American cities that do not share the high price tag.

It seems like many people are now finding it fashionable to sell their cars, go to the friendly local farmer's market, and reduce their energy consumption. Where were you five years ago? I've been doing all those things since gas was $1.00 a gallon, even though it was inconvenient and even though I could easily have behaved just like every other ignorant American. And I lived in a far-out sprawly suburb too, not by choice. I drove three miles to the nearest train station and parked there rather than take the freeway. I turned off lights when I left the house. I bought local products rather than cheaper imports. If everyone did this we would not be in this oil crisis.

[TorgWhiteBeard]

Elegantly put, N.C.; very well, indeed. The 'maya' of Materialism pollutes Consciousness perniciously, as evidenced by those who descry the vagaries of The Market, en toto. I have devised a plot to live in the Greater S.F. area, and to forgo the expenses of real estate/landlords completely. However, I am playing that strategy close to the vest, for now. What matters most to me, (as I am an autumnal senior, metaphysical poet, and life-long Mossback), is to repair to the balmier climes of the San Joaquin/Sacramento Delta estuaries. As S.F. is the Athens of the New World, I shall find myself there someday, I intuitively know. Albeit, the current status quo must morph, (as it tends to do over time, especially as time seems to be compressing since I passed the attainment of fifty years on-planet/present incarnation. All that being said, I congratulate you for teaching positivism in your last posting: well done! I look forward to the day when a flash of recognition is not uncommon between eyes of passersby, and spontaneous conversations evolve into animated flights of philosophy and fancy-dancing. Cheers!
Torg White Bear (a.k.a. Torghaole) (I be a Celtic curmudgeon, some may say).

[loveack]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

I'm going to take you to task on this. It's nothing personal, and I applaud you for wanting to live greener. But the notion that you need to pay SF rents to live a simpler and happier life is bunk, pure and simple. You can do it just as well, if not better, in any number of other American cities that do not share the high price tag.

It seems like many people are now finding it fashionable to sell their cars, go to the friendly local farmer's market, and reduce their energy consumption. Where were you five years ago? I've been doing all those things since gas was $1.00 a gallon, even though it was inconvenient and even though I could easily have behaved just like every other ignorant American. And I lived in a far-out sprawly suburb too, not by choice. I drove three miles to the nearest train station and parked there rather than take the freeway. I turned off lights when I left the house. I bought local products rather than cheaper imports. If everyone did this we would not be in this oil crisis.

I was here 5 years ago. What does that mean? I can live green anywhere I flippin want to. Sorry I mentioned it. Jesus dude. I've taken public transportation for 15 years to work. I buy locally. I offset my carbon emissions. But I'm not going to have that debate with you. Don't question who I am. You don't know me. You never will. And I can easily, EASILY consider YOU "ever other ignorant American". Who do you think YOU are? Sorry for saying green. Didn't know it would strike such a nerve. Seriously. Take your negative energies somewhere else. Not sure why you had to attack me on that.