Sounds like this can be a thread where I don’t need data, but a “feels like” would work. That’s good, cause I don’t have the numbers or the time to get the numbers. Plus, if I thought I had numbers, they would be ripped apart.
Feels like….
1. Most everybody I know is busting their behind to stay even. This is different than the perception from other parts of the country about California.
2. I have friends that do very well, but are doing #1. Some are unemployed and barely hanging on, but still doing #1.
3. Prices go up easy, but sticky coming down (probably a quote from this and many other sites over the last few years).
4. Lots of retired friends here, who stay at home alot. Some have worked and saved their entire lives to not have to live in -10F winters. Yep, Mom wants to come out. She can live with us.
5. I wonder if there are fewer dining establishments per capita in SoCal than in KC. We always could eat out in KC, hardly ever here. KC has great BBQ, in smoked meat, sauce and smoker competitions which are a blast.
6. Apples to apples median home prices/quality/amount between here and other parts of the country are not equal.
7. I hate to say it, but dang, I think we are land restricted. A $30K, 1 acre lot in KC is what, $500K here?
8. California is cyclical from kind of expensive to really expensive.
9. There is a diversity of jobs and careers here. I would like to see adding industrial/chemical/food processing, but not at the expense of sliding too much, or at all, on the environmental side. Wife picked up a contract position in pharma. Now there are other listings, but mostly contract. Maybe we are not that far away from transitioning to net full hires and not so much contract? Hope so. That pulls all positions/industry up. Still not enough for everyone, but maybe on the way up, at least a little.
10. I have no idea how that house down the street was purchased for $890 by a nice young family with an SUV and BMW.
11. The market reflects the actions of a small percentage of the population. Homes go on and off all the time, but are generally the homes with relatively high list price. Well prices, value homes do not last long. When a home at a higher price point is sold, it becomes the benchmark. That is just the way it is. I am happy for all parties in that last sale and wish it was us doing the purchase, but then not really. Need to keep the focus on long term finances, health, family, friends and faith.
