[quote=CA renter][quote=davelj][quote=Scarlett]Back in the 1950 and 1960, the median home price was roughly just below TWO times the median household income – which was then predominantly ONE income.
Nowadays, the median home price is roughly THREE times the median household income – which is at least 1.5 full-time incomes, if not close to TWO incomes. In San Diego that ratio is probably even larger.
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As has been pointed out here before, this is largely a matter of choice. The size of the average house in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1960. So, people CHOOSE to spend more today on housing than they used to – wisely or not, mind you. I’m quite certain that if you cut your housing (size) expectations in half (to live like those folks in the ’50s and ’60s)… the ratios will follow accordingly. But I’m betting you have no interest in doing so… what with the Jones’ big house and all…[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]
Dave,
You’ve often made these snarky comments, assuming that you know what people think they “deserve” out of life. You’ve made this comment to me as well, though you have no idea what we are looking for, nor do you know what our resources are. Sorry, buy you’re out of line on this.
In our case, we are looking for homes in older neighborhoods, homes that are comparable in size and quality to what we grew up in. We don’t drive fancy cars (drive our cars into the ground, and buy the next one for cash), and don’t wear fancy clothing, go on exotic vacations, etc. We are extremely simple people looking for a house near work, for all the reasons Scarlett mentioned above.
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“Extremely simple” is subjective and relative to the times in which you live. I have a feeling that folks living in 1960 would not find your lifestyle “extremely simple,” although perhaps by today’s standards it is.
Your exact size requirements for your “extremely simple” house are conspicuously absent. How many square feet are we talking about here (as I don’t know what size house you grew up in)? Inquiring minds and all… I’m betting it’s not 1200 square feet.
[quote=CA renter]
People in my husband’s profession — with the same employer, doing the same job (actually fewer requirements back then) — were able to buy “normal” homes near work on a single income a couple of decades ago. Now, people who work there are not able to buy those *same* homes on two incomes. When you add in the increased costs in healthcare, childcare, education, etc., people are much worse off today than they were decades ago.
There is no need for you to always try to turn debates into a volley of personal insults. Can’t you just debate the topic without being snarky and arrogant? I know you’re smart enough to do it, so why fall into the habits of those who can’t hold their own in a debate?[/quote]
I was unaware that I “always try to turn debates into a volley of personal insults.” You sure about that? Please, reference specific posts where I’ve engaged in ad hominem and not brought specific data to the table. Now, I do like to point out hypocrisy – of which there is plenty – when I see it (and I quite enjoy the “snarky” – as you put it – riposte in that regard)… but I don’t consider those insults. I also like to point out when someone simply has no clue as to what they think they’re talking about (and, as you’re aware, I provide detailed analysis to back these instances up) – plenty of that as well. But if one is insulted by data and logical inconsistencies unveiled… then there’s nothing I can do about that. So, I doubt you’re going to get much support on your view here.
Where your beef with SoCal housing is concerned, I think the *real* problem is that housing in Shiller’s so-called glamour markets (e.g., the attractive parts of SoCal) has increased in real terms at a faster rate than in the other, more mundane markets (e.g., Cleveland and St. Louis) over time. So, while it may have been easier for Average Joe to live in NCC – to use just one example – 30 years ago… now it ain’t. Now, it’s just as easy for Average Joe to live in Cleveland as it has ever been… but we’re talking SoCal, which is where YOU want to live. And, maybe just maybe, you’ll always be priced out of the market based on what you’re *willing* to spend – because it’s simply not enough relative to what others are willing to spend. So, I think the real problem is not that there’s not plenty of affordable housing out there, in general – even relative to the halcyon days of “decades ago” – but rather that you don’t want to live in the places where this affordable housing exists.
