Goodbye to San Diego

[zk]

[quote=EconProf] Our high taxes, draconian regulations, skyrocketing utility bills are what make CA houses cost three times what the same house will cost in Utah, AZ, Texas, etc. [/quote]

Any 7th grader taking an economics class should be embarrassed to make such a ridiculous claim. You can’t seriously be an economics professor. If you really are an econ prof, and you taught any of that nonsense to your students, I feel very sorry for them that they had you for a professor.

[Anonymous]

[quote=sdrealtor]Josh it’s just the standard I’m leaving CA for my own personal reasons but hey it’s an opportunity to throw the state under the bus for the things that have always annoyed me. It’s like the annual articles by the mass media that people and businesses are leaving CA in droves. I laugh everytime I read them[/quote]

Not sure why you laugh at that, it is fact that many businesses are leaving California due to various anti-business liberal policies from high taxes to ridiculous requirements such as public companies having to have certain % of board members from minority and women.

But in spite of businesses and individuals leaving, housing costs keep skyrocketing. So the point is his claim that these liberal politics are responsible for the high housing costs is total BS.

[sdrealtor]

I laugh because virtually the same article gets written every year. Yes some companies leave but just as many start and/or grow to the point of being a big time success. There are assets and infrastructure that exist in CA that dont elsewhere. The premature demise of CA is often reported on but we just keep chugging along here. The door is plainly visible for anyone that would like to walk through it just dont expect to be able to return to the same lifestyle

[gzz]

California’s major market housing prices are not especially high compared to other high income and high amenity urban areas with low crime and strong investor protections. Check out prices in Sydney and Tel Aviv as two wealthy places with mild weather plus safe and stable.

You can also look at Seattle, but your might find your home is suddenly with a “CHOP” mob ruled area for a month.

Prices do seem a bit high in our lower income inland cities like Fresno compared to similar places elsewhere in the sunbelt. That may be a Prop 13 artifact.

[svelte]

[quote=gzz]
Prices do seem a bit high in our lower income inland cities like Fresno compared to similar places elsewhere in the sunbelt. That may be a Prop 13 artifact.[/quote]

Fresno population: 525K
Omaha, NE population: 475K

Fresno average home price: $290K (per Zillow)
Omaha average home price: $221K (per Zillow)

Maybe slightly higher, but not outrageously higher.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=barnaby33]As to ominous trends, I was referencing you:

Yes, we have our great weather, the ocean, and hip culture. But the trends are ominous, and the future is dire compared to that of our neighboring states.

Pure unadulterated unsupported sophistry.

Sophistry, something which could be true, but is false. Also my favorite GRE word! Never made it through grad school but did love learning that word for the GRE.

Now back to ominous, another cherished GRE word. The whole world is suffering ominous trends. Overpopulation, resource limits and our concerted attempts to do nothing about them are the issue. Also on an economic front the bifuraction of our economy into winner take all tech and everything else with low margins is a real issue. California relatively is in a great position. It still has rich soil, a good (again relatively) education system and attracts the best and brightest in droves. What we haven’t figured out how to do is share that equitably with those who aren’t best, brightest or both, without turning into a full on socialist fantasyland. If you want to leave, by all means do. Utah is physically GORGEOUS. It is however intellectually speaking the 8th level of hell. It attracts refugees from rich places like CA. Folks who extracted their wealth from CA and are then reviled for ruining it (aka driving up prices) for, “average folks.” Plus it doesn’t have much water, or industry; I realize that’s not important if you’re retiring. Whatever ominous trends exist here, Utah and satellite states will always suffer it worse. When the Colorado river water finally gives out, California will get the majority of it, why? Because it’s where the people, the intellect and the industrial capacity are.

At a more personal and fundamental level flyer is right you don’t have to justify yourself to me or anyone else. I have to say however this thread, given what little I know about you just screams scared old white person running from a changing world and thats sad. You are or were a professor and that implies (one would hope) a thinker. To uproot yourself from the life you have known for 45 years because you don’t like change just seems sad. This thread would have been much more positive if it’d started out with, we’re leaving to go to X,Y,Z, not running from A,B,Change….
Josh[/quote]

Although the world trends are ominous, i think it should be a non issue if yourein your 70s, be dead before it gets ugly.

It is funny, a guy works for the ca govt, sucks the state teat of State U for half a century, extracts massive wealth and takes off to save a few bucks cuz taxes n shit.

Its ron swanson from parks and rec. The anti gov gov worker.

[svelte]

[quote=scaredyclassic]
It is funny, a guy works for the ca govt, sucks the state teat of State U for half a century, extracts massive wealth and takes off to save a few bucks cuz taxes n shit.

Its ron swanson from parks and rec. The anti gov gov worker.[/quote]

Lol. My dad was the same way. There was an uncle-in-law(is that a thing?) of mine that my dad hated. He said he had a weak moral compass because he didn’t believe in his employer (my uncle lived in a house when he was a mobile home salesman, then moved to a trailer when he became a realtor).

My Dad would complain at great length at how bad the federal government was and the inefficiencies he saw in the Air Force. Yet when he retired after 20 years in the Air Force, he went right back and joined the Civil Service for 20 more years. I never did point out to him that his actions didn’t match his words, and how he seemed to have similar actions to my uncle.

[flyer]

I agree that being concerned about finances, especially when you have more money than you’ll ever need for yourself and your family, ad infinitum, isn’t necessary.

EP has enjoyed wealth for many years, and is now fortunate enough to be living to an advanced age–which many won’t,(mortality rates in the US from various causes are rising among many age groups–especially 25-64 from what I’ve read) so he is free to enjoy life wherever he chooses!

[Coronita]

I think some of you folks with money should spend less time blogging about how much money you have to overcome whatever insecurity issues you might have wrto your peers (who may/may not have more money than you)… and spend more time spending it and actually enjoying it versus attempting to fish for self validation on an internet blog that you are financially better off than some people…financilly better off, maybe. Happier, most likely not..aimless, pointless, vacuous, meaningless life, to have no purpose of said wealth…taken to the grave…

[EconProf]

Thanks to all for the feedback, both positive and negative.
We’ve now lived here for three weeks, and it is exceeding our high expectations.
Regarding California’s population—it is declining in absolute terms. If you believe otherwise, your information is old. Census comes out with annual estimates in the first quarter of the year, and then as more data comes in gives us a revised member in July. The very latest figures show a decline.
This is in marked contrast to California’s reputation as a destination, and for decades that reputation was deserved. But the rate of growth has declined for about five years and the latest revision shows an absolute decline.

I call this an “ominous trend”. Piggs are free to speculate on the causes, but I believe the Census figures and expect them to accelerate in the years ahead.

[an]

A single population change number doesn’t mean much. Would be nice to know more detailed data on median and average household income of who’s moving out vs who’s moving in. Would be nice to remove people under 18 as well, since they’re not really contributing to society yet. Would also be nice to know which cities their influx migrations are moving to and more specifically, relating to housing, what are their housing preference (condo vs SFR). Would also be nice to know the median/average age of the people moving in vs moving out as well.

[sdrealtor]

Congratulations on surviving the harsh Spring time weather. Please check back in after Summer

[gzz]

EP: California has been net losing native-born American population for decades. All that’s happening now is the net immigration is dropping fast too.

From my perspective, I prefer quality over quantity. I don’t know an easy way to look to see if this is a real trend, but it certainly seems like we’re getting less “huddled masses” and more highly educated immigrants, both young and mid-career.

As for “ominous trends,” we’re seeing a strong trend toward smaller household sizes, especially in older suburbs. The fact that empty nest boomers are staying in 3 and 4 bedroom SFRs when earlier generations might have moved to a smaller apartment or multi-gen household does not strike me as ominous, but simply the result of California’s very low property taxes and general high quality of life and prosperity.

To take a random example, Del Mar’s population dropped from 4,389 in the 2000 census to 4,161 in 2010.

[Anonymous]

[quote=EconProf]
Regarding California’s population—it is declining in absolute terms. If you believe otherwise, your information is old. Census comes out with annual estimates in the first quarter of the year, and then as more data comes in gives us a revised member in July. The very latest figures show a decline.
This is in marked contrast to California’s reputation as a destination, and for decades that reputation was deserved. But the rate of growth has declined for about five years and the latest revision shows an absolute decline.

I call this an “ominous trend”. Piggs are free to speculate on the causes, but I believe the Census figures and expect them to accelerate in the years ahead.[/quote]

If Ca population is really going down, that is not an ominous trend, that is great news. In the long run that would result in lower housing costs and less traffic among other things. The main reasons that I will most likely leave San Diego when I am retired is the high cost of living and the heavy population and traffic. Those would be the obvious reasons to move to Utah in my opinion, I could give a rats ass about what political party is in Sacramento.

[sdrealtor]

The irony is I’ve always felt retirement in place is one of the best parts of living here. All my friends back East always looked forward to retiring in a beautiful place with a warm climate. I’ve been enjoying that all along and don’t need to move to get that. Of course they say they go to Florida because of low cost of living and taxes. But truth is they buy more expensive homes there and join expensive country clubs. If the weather sucked they wouldn’t be moving there either. Kinda defeats the argument of low cost of living and taxes as a reason to a large degree. I’m staying put!

[Author]

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