[quote=bearishgurl]
You wouldn’t have a 40-60 min commute if you bought a WWII box in Northern SM County (San Bruno Millbrae, Belmont, Redwood City …. even East Palo Alto) for $700-$900K and moved in, enabling you to eventually position yourself for that $300K salary level you were posting about.[/quote]You serious don’t know what you’re talking about. In Millbrae, there’s only 1 house for sale <$1M. https://www.redfin.com/CA/Millbrae/508-Lomita-Ct-94030/home/1951087. It's listed at $999k. Same with Belmont, there's only 1 for sale <$1M: https://www.redfin.com/CA/Belmont/618-Hiller-St-94002/home/1708651, listing at $949k for a 3/1 1000 sq-ft. Redwood City school sucks and I wouldn't want to subject my kids to that crap. Same with East PA.
Where do you get that an average enginerd will be able to make $300k (assuming you don't hit the IPO lottery)? I would call BS. I know a few enginerds at my age and they're making less than I am, yet they're in the bay area. When I interview with companies up there, when I passed the technical part and we start talking about salary, that's where it breaks down. Salary are between 15-25% higher than SD, that's what recruiters tell me. They would offer more stocks but with my luck, I would end up picking a company that wouldn't hit the IPO lottery.
[quote=bearishgurl]I understand all the reasons you cited for wanting to remain in SD earning a (forever) lowered salary. You even forgot to mention your nearby family members to help you with your kid(s). That's huge! [/quote]I don't need to mention nearby family members, because even if I don't have family near by, I still would come up with the same conclusion. Lower gross income, yes, I agree. Lower net income after COL? I doubt it. Not only would you have to pay higher taxes, higher COL, but you would also lose out many tax breaks because your gross income is higher than certain threshold.
[quote=bearishgurl]But, there you have it. Your "peers" in SV have the potential to eventually make 2-3 times your salary but they have to make certain sacrifices to do so. (Namely, remain in smaller, older living quarters and live with relatively high winds for years if they want to be relatively close to work.) You've made the choice to stay in your hometown which happens to be in a region with the best climate in America and are willing to pay the price to do so. The price you're paying is giving up a big portion of your lifetime salary and upward mobility. Fair enough?[/quote]Again, I call BS on the 2-3 times my salary without hitting the IPO lottery. I don't think I'm giving up a big portion of my lifetime salary and upward mobility by living here vs moving to the bay. As I said, if the salary is 2-3 times it is here, I would have moved. But it's not. I'm perfectly happy with my upward mobility so far. I know I'm not being held back wrt upward mobility by being here. Like I said early, I'm getting paid more than my peers in the bay with a higher title and responsibility.
