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Since construction accounting is a lot of what I do, most of your construction workers on commercial and public works projects come from in WA state, usually western WA with some influx from around the country due to our union halls being empty. The companies I have worked for have done several of your big projects up there such as highways and schools, and most of our labor is from locals in Seattle and Tacoma.
Most of the time the jobs are awarded to union contractors so the local that is based near the contractor is the one that supplies most of the labor. Most of the jobs go to the shops in the Seattle area as we tend to be the biggest and most experienced.
There are some private companies but they make up a small percentage of commercial and public works jobs. Unon hands generally make an excellent wage, painters are right around $32 plus bennies, and electrical around $45 plus bennies. Most unions have public schedule As that list wages so it is easy to see that it is not construction guys making a small income and not being able to afford rent lol Most of them are buying rather than renting once they get a bit of time in as an apprentice.
There is *some* hard drug use, especially in laborers and painters, but the union guys do get tested. All hands are tested if there is an accident on site. Maybe for the little private companies is what you are referring to? However, insurance and bonds are not cheap so having workers on heroin or meth is not normal.
Agreed, it's sort of a Catch 22. The workers aren't going to stay, or come at all if there is no affordable housing for them. And when those workers are the ones that build and repair homes, repair and maintain cars, care for the sick and injured, and school our kids, we have a bit of a problem. I know many of the people that work on the turnarounds at the refineries stay in hotels or put their RV in a park and then leave when the work is done.
The "bunkhouse transformation" has continued to creep up my street. Families move out, the home sells, more parking is made out of most of the front lawn, and the next thing there's 4-8 cars in the driveway and parked in the street. I don't know how much of it is even being done legally.
Craigslist ads show that $400-$650 is pretty normal for ROOM rent depending upon if and what utilities are included.
As far as it "happening everywhere", it is to an extent, but I think we are seeing an extreme here along the lines of San Francisco and other super high cost of living to income ratio cities. Worse yet, the next recession could fold everything up like it did before. So why move here to work when you can't afford housing and have a likelihood of being jobless the next time the economy contracts again?
Every little bit helps as far as new apartments and townhouses, but the stats show that 6-10x the people are moving here compared to the number of units being built. Idk where they are even going. 29% of our population is students, so obviously that requires a lot of housing.
The outlying areas are growing. And as the previous poster says, union workers make good money. ditto journeyman tradespeople, nurses and medical technicians. Does Whatcom County need more teachers? If a household has two incomes of that nature coming in, they can afford to buy. It's the singles who get squeezed.
Ppl seem to expect that one half decent salary should pay for a house car and everything else, but it's old news that is usually only possible on an alpha salary or successful business income. Ppl need 2 incomes or 1 great income and great skills at stretching a dollar. It also helps if you aren't self entitled to having the greatest lifestyle money can buy.
Actually the housing prices in Bellingham are starting to look cheaper than Ferndale. I think 2020 will become a buyer's market
Freeeking hilarious watching people go back and forth saying " we need more" of this and that to solve a problem brought on by having too much and too many already.
Ppl seem to expect that one half decent salary should pay for a house car and everything else, but it's old news that is usually only possible on an alpha salary or successful business income. Ppl need 2 incomes or 1 great income and great skills at stretching a dollar. It also helps if you aren't self entitled to having the greatest lifestyle money can buy.
Actually the housing prices in Bellingham are starting to look cheaper than Ferndale. I think 2020 will become a buyer's market
One half-decent salary DID used to cover a modest house and perhaps a car. Remember Levittown, and the post-war suburban building boom? Those households typically only had one "breadwinner" and no side-gigs. But in the 80's, a trend toward stagnant wages began, and RE values have gone up disproportionately, in part due to demand, in part because house-flipping has become popular. A university or city office worker used to be able to afford a 1-br. apartment in Seattle. Many of these people didn't own cars or expect to.
However, you're right that, for families, expectations have grown; people think they "need" two cars (or more), and all the latest electronics. A computer in the house has taken the place of an encyclopedia and dictionary, but the big difference is, that you need a new one every 6 years or so, while the encyclopedia lasted you the length of your kids' educations.
OTOH, I've known a lot of families who can only afford camping vacations, no hotels or resorts. A step up from that is a Motel 6 room for the entire family.
Freeeking hilarious watching people go back and forth saying " we need more" of this and that to solve a problem brought on by having too much and too many already.
This is why the human race is doomed.
I am NOT for all the growth that has, is, and will continue to happen here. However, it is not going to stop and there is nothing I can do about it. When the reasons to come here become moot (think Disneyland, spend 1-1/2 to 2 hours in line for each ride or attraction) maybe the tide will change. Its already happening in many venues, but must not be as bad as California because the lemmings keep coming.
Worse yet, when an area tries to force a zero growth attitude and all the implant nimby's want to be the last one in, housing skyrockets. Then these same people complain when there is a 90 minute wait at their restaurant, 3 weeks wait at the auto mechanic and it's $120/hour, 6 weeks to get landscaping work done at $80/hour, and 6-8 weeks to get in to see a doctor, if you can find one that even accepts new patients right now.
We need more housing affordable for working class people, period. A place one can afford to lay their head is not an entitlement. Do nothing, and three things will *continue* to happen. We will pay far more for our necessities because workers in those markets require a much higher wage-see above. Other businesses in non-necessities will close due to lack of workers or lack of competitiveness due to our areas high wages. We will be taxed more, so our taxes can pay the other half of the rent for low-middle income persons that do remain here via section 8 housing.
One half-decent salary DID used to cover a modest house and perhaps a car. Remember Levittown, and the post-war suburban building boom? Those households typically only had one "breadwinner" and no side-gigs. But in the 80's, a trend toward stagnant wages began, and RE values have gone up disproportionately, in part due to demand, in part because house-flipping has become popular. A university or city office worker used to be able to afford a 1-br. apartment in Seattle. Many of these people didn't own cars or expect to.
However, you're right that, for families, expectations have grown; people think they "need" two cars (or more), and all the latest electronics. A computer in the house has taken the place of an encyclopedia and dictionary, but the big difference is, that you need a new one every 6 years or so, while the encyclopedia lasted you the length of your kids' educations.
OTOH, I've known a lot of families who can only afford camping vacations, no hotels or resorts. A step up from that is a Motel 6 room for the entire family.
I bought my first home in Bellingham in 2001 for $98K, single and making $15/hr. It was a small home with no garage, I owned a 14 year old car with 190K miles on it that sat in a gravel driveway, but I could afford all my necessities and even a vacation and steak dinner out once in awhile. Now making double that, I'd only be approved for about HALF of what it would take to get a successful BID on a cheaper fixer/starter or town home that would be in a safe/suitable area for my kids and I.
One half-decent salary DID used to cover a modest house and perhaps a car. Remember Levittown, and the post-war suburban building boom? Those households typically only had one "breadwinner" and no side-gigs. But in the 80's, a trend toward stagnant wages began, and RE values have gone up disproportionately, in part due to demand, in part because house-flipping has become popular. A university or city office worker used to be able to afford a 1-br. apartment in Seattle. Many of these people didn't own cars or expect to.
However, you're right that, for families, expectations have grown; people think they "need" two cars (or more), and all the latest electronics. A computer in the house has taken the place of an encyclopedia and dictionary, but the big difference is, that you need a new one every 6 years or so, while the encyclopedia lasted you the length of your kids' educations.
OTOH, I've known a lot of families who can only afford camping vacations, no hotels or resorts. A step up from that is a Motel 6 room for the entire family.
When I watch tv shows like the Wonder Years or even Rosanne I see how it was financially. As a traditional millenial married to a traditional wife we never expect to own 2 vehicles. We plan to buy in a walkable area and keep one good vehicle, we cook at home a lot and can survive on one salary, 2 salaries allow us to save at a fast rate and have a college fund, vacation fund, etc.
When I watch tv shows like the Wonder Years or even Rosanne I see how it was financially. As a traditional millenial married to a traditional wife we never expect to own 2 vehicles. We plan to buy in a walkable area and keep one good vehicle, we cook at home a lot and can survive on one salary, 2 salaries allow us to save at a fast rate and have a college fund, vacation fund, etc.
It's important to understand, too, that the 60's and 60's shows, like Donna Reed, Leave It To Beaver, etc. pretended to represent the average middle-class lifestyle, but in fact, those homes were upper-middle class. The only show that was realistic was I Love Lucy, where the couple lived in an apartment, but then again, it was NYC. I guess even back then, NYC was too expensive for most people to have a house.
To some extent, those shows were propaganda, convincing the American public they were better off than they really were. Most people couldn't afford a big 2-xtory house, like those shows portrayed.
Anyway, congratulations; it sounds like you're doing fine. You're very sensible.
I bought my first home in Bellingham in 2001 for $98K, single and making $15/hr. It was a small home with no garage, I owned a 14 year old car with 190K miles on it that sat in a gravel driveway, but I could afford all my necessities and even a vacation and steak dinner out once in awhile. Now making double that, I'd only be approved for about HALF of what it would take to get a successful BID on a cheaper fixer/starter or town home that would be in a safe/suitable area for my kids and I.
I suspect your house has more than doubled in value since 2001, perhaps even tripled. But wage stagnation is definitely the problem variable in young people not being able to afford to buy a house. The first home my husband and I bought in 1987 cost $81,000. Our combined income at that point was about $55K, so the cost of the house relative to our income was quite manageable, even with a mortgage at 8.5%.
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