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bearishgurl
Participant[quote=deadzone]I agree with FLU that we need to spend our money on hard assets while it is still worth something. But what to buy?
I already bought my dream sports car nearly three years ago so that is checked off. I bought a fair amount of gold bullion around the same time while gold was still around 1200 or less an ounce. But now gold is relatively expensive. As far as real estate, houses are still mostly out of my price range in any area I really want to live even with low interest rates (unless I sold my dream car and gold which I don’t want to do). Stock market is pure day trading casino right now and there is no safe way to invest that nets any meaningul incojme
So what else can we do with our money, any ideas? Lately I’ve just blown a lot going to restaurants, sporting events and concerts, etc. for short term fun. But as far as investing..??[/quote]
If you’ve got money to blow, deadzone, consider investing in rental property. It wouldn’t need to be located in an area YOU would be willing to live in.
Participant[quote=AN][quote=bearishgurl]They got $20K just for defecting to the other company in January 2012 and then another ~$16K raise in July. PLUS a much more comprehensive benefit plan. And now they’re in line for ANOTHER raise/promo in July 2013.
Graduated May 2011 but finished all credits December 2010, so only out of college 3 weeks before starting first position in SF in January 2011 (without actual degree in hand).
This never, ever would have happened in my kid’s field in SD. Not in a million years.[/quote]
With your last paragraph, I’m assuming your kid is not in tech. That’s pretty good to get $36k increase after 2 years. Seems like your kid’s field is hot up there. What would your kid pay be like if he/she jump to a job in SD today?[/quote]I’m guessing $40-$50K and prob have to wait until somebody dies to get a promotion. But they likely wouldn’t get hired here over other, more fluent, Spanish speakers.
That’s the way it is in SD in many business positions.
Participant[quote=AN][quote=bearishgurl]This kid WAS working in SF just ~1 mile from home. But early in 2012, they got an offer for $20K more annually (to start) and better benefits to work in Sunnyvale for a similar firm. Only out of college 1.5 yrs, they took it and have already gotten promoted once this year :=][/quote]
That good that your kid is taking advantage of the high demand up there right now. With regards to the $20k after just 1.5 years out of college, without more info, there’s no real conclusion that can be drawn from that. Was your kid under paid before? Did your kid got hired into a higher demanding role? Just for point of reference, when I graduated many years ago, I got a $10k raise just 6 months out of college. A year and a half later, I got another $15k raise. All of this happened in SD and not during the .com bubble either. So, $20k in 1.5 years after graduation isn’t that far fetch today and being in the bay.[/quote]They got $20K just for defecting to the other company in January 2012 and then another ~$16K raise in July. PLUS a much more comprehensive benefit plan. And now they’re in line for ANOTHER raise/promo in July 2013.
Graduated May 2011 but finished all credits December 2010, so only out of college 3 weeks before starting first position in SF in January 2011 (without actual degree in hand).
This never, ever would have happened in my kid’s field in SD. Not in a million years.
Participant[quote=Jazzman]I agree with livinincali there definitely seems to be time lags produced by buyer and seller perceptions which affects supply and demand…[/quote]
This has always been the case. It will never change so we must live with it. This phenomenon is even inherent in *normal* markets (whatever that’s supposed to mean).
Participant[quote=AN][quote=bearishgurl]Arrgh, one of my kids just told me this morning that it took them over five hours to drive from work (Sunnyvale) to their home (SF 94107) last Friday night, due to shoppermania, travelers and accidents on both the 101 and I-280. They had considered crossing bridges and then coming back across the SF/OAK Bay or GG bridges but the SM/Dumbarton eastbound bridge entrances were backed up as well :=0
A one-way trip is ~35 miles.
Where are you renting now, Smells Feeshy?[/quote]
That’s exactly why I would never want a long commute again. I used to commute 35-40 miles one way and I vow to never do that again. Regardless of traffic condition, I can be home in no more than 40 minutes if I walk.[/quote]They always take the Caltrain to work (right down the hill from their residence). It’s just that last Friday, they were *supposed* to go to a function in Daly City after work … but alas, never made it.
This kid WAS working in SF just ~1 mile from home. But early in 2012, they got an offer for $20K more annually (to start) and better benefits to work in Sunnyvale for a similar firm. Only out of college 1.5 yrs, they took it and have already gotten promoted once this year :=]
Yes, the SV commute can be grueling at times … even the “reverse commute” (as in this instance).
Participant[quote=SmellsFeeshy] . . . Personally East Bay is not really my taste. It’s tempting due to the price but too far from the places I frequent. . . [/quote]
OAK (Montclair/Piedmont)) and Berkeley (Kensington) offer residents similar lifestyles to SF and the northern Peninsula.
Most new listings in these areas get snapped up within minutes/hours of hitting the MLS (if not before) however. You need a very diligent and credible local agent in your corner to successfully snag one, methinks.
[quote=SmellsFeeshy] . . . So far I’m mostly just window shopping to monitor prices. At the current levels I can’t really see myself jumping in as I feel like the market is pretty bubbly and due for a correction in the next few years.[/quote]
Not gonna happen, IMO. Good luck with that.
Participant[quote=SmellsFeeshy][quote=bearishgurl]
Have you looked at townhomes in or close to SJ (Milpitas, Campbell, etc)??And don’t lose sight of (cheaper) Fremont. It is just around the bend, and, if you have kids, I hear the schools there are excellent.[/quote]
Right now South Bay isn’t an option as my GF is commuting to SF, otherwise Milpitas would be an option although I hear the trash smell can be bad in the summertime.
Personally East Bay is not really my taste. It’s tempting due to the price but too far from the places I frequent.
So far I’m mostly just window shopping to monitor prices. At the current levels I can’t really see myself jumping in as I feel like the market is pretty bubbly and due for a correction in the next few years.[/quote]
Arrgh, one of my kids just told me this morning that it took them over five hours to drive from work (Sunnyvale) to their home (SF 94107) last Friday night, due to shoppermania, travelers and accidents on both the 101 and I-280. They had considered crossing bridges and then coming back across the SF/OAK Bay or GG bridges but the SM/Dumbarton eastbound bridge entrances were backed up as well :=0
A one-way trip is ~35 miles.
Where are you renting now, Smells Feeshy?
Participant[quote=SmellsFeeshy][quote=bearishgurl][quote=AN]Maybe you should try Bing 🙂 j/k… here ya go: http://www.newhomesdirectory.com/BayArea
[/quote]The vast majority of these developments which are <25 miles from the city are condos.
And for example, the new SFR “spec developments,” in San Ramon and Livermore are 27 miles and 35 miles, respectively, from the city. Both have HOA/MR.[/quote]
Thanks BG. To clarify I’m actually only interested in condos or townhomes on the Peninsula. SFRs on the Peninsula are out of my price range and East Bay/Oakland/Berkeley are too far of a commute to Silicon Valley.[/quote]
Yes, I see that our posts crossed when I left to do something else :=]
Have you looked at townhomes in or close to SJ (Milpitas, Campbell, etc)??
And don’t lose sight of (cheaper) Fremont. It is just around the bend, and, if you have kids, I hear the schools there are excellent.
ParticipantSmellsFeeshy, I see now that you brought up your home search in the bay area here back in March of this year on Pigg Shadowfax’s thread:
http://piggington.com/ot_piggington_equivalent_for_the_bay_area
Apparently at that time, you were looking for housing in the peninsula (SV) so am assuming you must still work there.
I would advise you to look in Hayward, Fremont or Castro Valley, for starters (across the SM/Dumbarton Bridges).
If you have already scoured and/or placed (unsuccessful) offers these cities and others in this area, I would be very interested to know how your search went.
The comment below I made in March still stands IF your price range is still $600-$750K.
http://piggington.com/ot_piggington_equivalent_for_the_bay_area#comment-205008
Participant[quote=AN]Maybe you should try Bing 🙂 j/k… here ya go: http://www.newhomesdirectory.com/BayArea
[/quote]The vast majority of these developments which are <25 miles from the city are condos.
And for example, the new SFR “spec developments,” in San Ramon and Livermore are 27 miles and 35 miles, respectively, from the city. Both have HOA/MR.
ParticipantAny new housing development in the SF Bay area that is not a very small “infill spec development” will be a minimum of 50 miles from SF and 30 miles from OAK.
I doubt that there is even vacant land set aside for development THIS CLOSE to SF and OAK due to a greater political bent to dedicate open spaces in those affected six counties.
As one gets out past 30 miles from OAK, either NE, E or SE, they are entering areas which have been very hard hit by distressed properties due to massive overbuilding in recent years.
These areas aren’t worth buying into unless the buyer has some need to live there (family/job) AND buys the property cheap enough, IMHO.
Smells Feeshy, why don’t you ask your agent to monitor 45+ yo SFR listings as they hit the market for you in close-in Contra Costa County (west of the Caldecott Tunnel)?
They seem to trickle in (and out) every week.
You must be ready and willing to act VERY fast if you see a listing you want to buy in the SF Bay area.
If there is some reason why you MUST have NEW construction, you may very well be shopping in the wrong jurisdiction.
Participant[quote=paramount][quote=bearishgurl]
My “diatribe” really wasn’t about paramount, in particular. He just happened to be handy … again. It was aimed at him and several Piggs who seem to be constantly lamenting here that the “grass is greener” somewhere other than Cali, yet they remain in Cali all the while they’re repeatedly complaining about it. Pigg paramount even bought another local home AFTER repeatedly complaining on this blog about how “corrupt” CA was![/quote]
Apparently the “grass is greener” (keyword greener) in Texas:
SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) _ Chevron Corp. is moving 800 jobs in the San Francisco Bay area to Texas.
The shift of about a quarter of the petroleum giant’s San Ramon headquarters staff will take place over two years.
The San Francisco Chronicle says the employees, most of them in technical positions dealing with information and advanced energy technologies, will be transferred to Houston.
Chevron notified employees in an email on Thursday.
Chevron was founded in California in 1879.[/quote]
Interesting as well as unfortunate, paramount. San Ramon is my old “stomping ground” . . . back when it had a population of about 4K, lol.
December 19, 2012 at 5:48 PM in reply to: OT: Reason #168 to hate california. stupid emissions rules #756662Participant[quote=flu]…So…. Looks like I won’t be needing to get a new cat…..I passed smog on the retest.
I just changed the air filter, changed the spark plugs (used colder plugs), dumped 3 cans of heet gas treatment…
Looks like the previous owner neglected that maintenance.. So now I’m able to register….
Total cost: $20.
Heh heh…[/quote]
Merry Christmas, flu :=D
ParticipantThis just came in:
…The president also called on Congress Wednesday to reinstate an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 and to pass legislation that would close the gun show “loophole,” which allows people to purchase firearms from private dealers without a background check. Obama also said he wanted Congress to pursue the possibility of limiting high-capacity ammunition clips…
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