Isn’t there some sort of extortion levied on commuters before they can work in the city? If so, would it still be better economically to live in the east bay?
Too late…they got bad way fastly. We bought a townhouse in Union City (tiny map blip on the East Bay end of the Dumbarton Bridge) around 3 years ago for I think $216,000…just received a postcard in the mail from one of the local RABID real estate people that the exact same model down the street was listed at $380,000 and SOLD for over $400,000!!! Not even a real house – a TOWNHOUSE! On the plus side I think pretty nice one bedroom apts (in buildings with pools and gyms, etc.) go in for in the neighborhood of $800-$1,200. Which isn’t bad at all considering how close you are to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). I expect things to shoot up quickly after all the vacant land is built up though…which by the looks of things should be within the year, ugh.
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*Originally posted by LouisB *
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As a matter of fact, you have to pay $2 just to get in, unless you’re a really good swimmer. :rolleyes:
Don’t forget, though…once you ARE in you still have to find a parking space. HEE!
Yeah? So? This is New York, man…you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
Although I AM tempted to pull up stakes and move to Toledo. That Garage-Door Opener UncleBeer mentioned is pretty god damn tempting.
Necros, no hyperbole…just a mistake. You need to make 50 times your monthly rent, not your yearly rent. Oops.
MR
Unless you want to move within the Bay Area. My nice $300K house is now worth something like $1 Million (just like Dr. Evil said in Austin Powers ). This means to get a similar house here in the Bay Area my property taxes would go from manageable to about $12,000 per year. Sheesh!
One of my friends is convinced that instead of paying 1/2 million dollars for a smallish 3 br house, I should live 60 miles out in the desert and buy an airplane. If I spend $200,000 on a mansion out in the boonies, and then spend $200,000 on a plane (how much do they cost?) I would be saving $100,000.
I live in Alameda, which is an island in the bay on the Oakland side. I pay $1050 for a 2 bedroom, nice neighborhood. I’m a 5 minute walk from the beach. It’s still possible to find good deals. If you are newly moving I would suggest checking out east bay first. I love being close enough to hang out in SF, and I can still enjoy the lovely view on my morning walk, but I don’t have to pay for it.
BTW my roomie is moving in with her boyfriend and I will be looking for a new one next month (in case anybody is interested). I also would give a great recommendation for craigslist. I’ve used it, and I know several other people who have as well. I’ve only had one bad experience.
Come south, guys. 7 hours from the beach (a 69$ plane flight). I live in Tucson-- 5 bed 3-4 bath will run you less than 200K.
Sunshine and Sonoran Desert to boot! (DON’T—DON’T move to Phoenix.)
I wanted to go to Southern California, but I realized I could cure my SAD without emptying my wallet.
Sue
That’s right, Uke. And you can get Vernor’s ginger ale, too. Fill up the whole damn garage if you like.
Yeah. SF is it’s own little world. A little while ago, our mayor (who I really do think is the most entertaining man in politics today) stated that no one who made under $50,000 a year should live in SF.
That prompted this little exchange between him and Ariana Huffington.
Arianna: I think we should get Tony Bennett to do a rewrite, “I lost my heart in San Francisco.” Because there have been more evictions, 300 percent more evictions since 1995 in San Francisco. There’s no affordable housing. Anybody who makes less than $50,000 a year should not try to live here. Right, right?
Willie: No, no.
[ Audience boos ]
Willie: No, no, no, no. Where do you think we’d get the waiters and the waitresses?
SF, where the bizarre transforms itself into the surreal every single day.
I do want to state that I don’t currently pay that much rent. I’m just scared because I live in constant fear of eviction and dread having to find a new place. But, for me it is worht it living in SF. Ah well.
I have to admit that I can’t understand why people want to live here either. And I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life! My parents bought our house for $175k 14 years ago, and they really like it, so I guess they’ll probably stay here, but IMO, it’s too expensive and there are too many people. Not one of the universities I’m applying to for grad school is in California. I look at the housing prices in my prospective future cities and drool in anticipation - I’ll be able to rent an apartment for about as much as I rented the miniscule room I lived in while I was in college in Santa Cruz.
SueFriendly, I was in Phoenix last year, and visited an old College roommate in his home in Chandler (about 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Nice house, yard, quiet neighborhood, the works. All for about $120K IIRC.
That made us re-evaluate our situation here. But we’re still not quite ready to give up our 1.5 restaurants per city block. Just toooooo spoiled with the nightlife, and the coastline, and the Wine Country an hour away…But most of all, it’s being neighbors with oldscratch that keeps me here. 
Thanks sili. Everyday of mine is spent in breathless anticipation that I might possibly, hopefully, run into you. Of course you could make it easier by going to Demo’s BBQ, but of course you’re too busy spending time at the bourgeoise retreats in Taa-hoe
I live in the country. 1300 sq. ft. home, over an acre of land, which includes living on a lake (my land runs 30 feet into the water) for $400 a month, 20 year loan. I live 45 minutes from a major city (state capital). I’m 3 hours from the beach, 4 hours from the mountains.
I moved from near Toronto to Halifax with my SO. 2 bdrm apartment, 10 minutes walk from the harbour and downtown. 15 minutes walk form a park on the ocean. $550 /mn. I think I would only live in a place with sky-high rents if I could make so much cabbage there that I couldn’t afford not to.
There are lots of really nice places to live that are reasonable in cost. I wonder if things like telecommuting will help drive down prices?
geez… i live in Lafayette (East SF Bay, Cali) and am so glad that i’m still livin with my parents so i don’t have to pay for it… (I’m only 17, i’m not like one of those 30-year olds still livin w/their mamas 
) Million dollar houses are very common and apartments renting for thousands of dollars are fought over… there are waiting lists at this one apartment complex and the rates aren’t exactly impressive… I want to live here, our family has California in the blood, but god i hope i can afford it!
~nora~
oldscratch: it is time for some rent control. We have a minor rent-control law here in SJ, but only effects 20+yr old bldgs. Also it is time to get rid of those “NIMBYites”, which you Sfers are so afflicted with, so some high density housing can be built. Next, vote OUT all politians who say they will “bring in XXX # of jobs”- WE don’t need JOBS, we need HOUSING!!!
Mouthbreather–
In which section of Pgh do you live? I am just curious. I lived there for 5 years (college, etc.) and absolutely loved it. Planned to stay there forever, in fact. I just wanna know which section is currently considered “shittiest white trash section of town.”
Thanx in advance.
–Bean
Hmmm… KC has great rent. My brother’s place is a large 3 bedroom with kitchen, dishwasher, oven, microwave, heating and a/c, pool, and wash room, and between his two other roommates, I think rent is only like, $200 a piece each month. Includes water, electricity, too.
–Tim