Could not agree more about the economy in SD. We’re originally from L.A., and I can attest to the fact that outside of tech (especially phones) and biotech, the SD economy really, really stinks. Up in L.A., decent jobs are almost always available to those who work hard and build up a good reputation for themselves. In SD, the pay is years behind, and even if one is willing to take a significant cut in pay (relative to other cities), it’s still difficult to find a decent job.
You are also spot-on regarding people relying on a “best-case” scenario when buying a house. Over and over again, we’ve seen so many people lose everything because they gave themselves no wiggle room. It’s so important to make sure one has a fairly hefty emergency fund, especially in today’s economy. Keeping one’s fixed living expenses down to a minimum is key to living a financially comfortable life.
