Just Paid $698K for a 1375sf Condo in SF

Indianapolis, IN wrote:

I'm not sure what kind of quality of life you can have when you're strapped to a massive mortgage. I have a few college friends who live on the West Coast and they all work 60+ hours/week for the privilege of living there. God knows they don't have hardly any free time to enjoy whatever it is that makes that area better to live in.

For me "qualify of life" means having a huge backyard, a garden, no debt, and not really having to go to work if I don't want to. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, because I'm not strapped to a massive debt. That's freedom, and makes for a high quality of life.

So according to your values no one should ever decide to live someplace like SF or NYC. Yet millions of people do. I wonder why?

Maybe they are just not as smart as you.

Randy Oldman wrote:

reality check time wrote:

Many people that live in other areas of the U.S. can afford to live on the west coast, but we choose not to. We much prefer to stay in our less ethnically diverse areas of the U.S. with our other white gun-wielding conservative friends.

This is why we should support secession.

yes, good riddance to the gun wielding neo-cons. Please stay in TX and your surrounding neighbor states. I'll wave when I fly over.

I don't know why this thread escalated to such a contemptuous affair. There are plenty of reasons to live in an area with high housing prices. There are plenty of reasons to live in the Midwest too, besides being too poor or being a hick like reality check time. To say that there aren't great employment opportunities in the Midwest is laughable.

george oscar bluth wrote:

I don't know why this thread escalated to such a contemptuous affair. There are plenty of reasons to live in an area with high housing prices. There are plenty of reasons to live in the Midwest too, besides being too poor or being a hick like reality check time. To say that there aren't great employment opportunities in the Midwest is laughable.

I agree. Can't we all just get along?

Indianapolis, IN wrote:

I'm not sure what kind of quality of life you can have when you're strapped to a massive mortgage. I have a few college friends who live on the West Coast and they all work 60+ hours/week for the privilege of living there. God knows they don't have hardly any free time to enjoy whatever it is that makes that area better to live in.

For me "qualify of life" means having a huge backyard, a garden, no debt, and not really having to go to work if I don't want to. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, because I'm not strapped to a massive debt. That's freedom, and makes for a high quality of life.

It does sound appealing in a way, but to be honest, I just don't know what I would do in Indiannapolis...or Omaha....or Des Moines....or.....for enjoyment.

Conflicted City Dweller wrote:

I just don't know what I would do in Indiannapolis...or Omaha....or Des Moines....or.....for enjoyment.

The same thing that you'd be doing in SF or NYC. Seriously, what everyday activity can be done in SF/NYC but not in other big cities like Omaha, Indianapolis, and Destroy Moines?

fesefs wrote:

Conflicted City Dweller wrote:

I just don't know what I would do in Indiannapolis...or Omaha....or Des Moines....or.....for enjoyment.

The same thing that you'd be doing in SF or NYC. Seriously, what everyday activity can be done in SF/NYC but not in other big cities like Omaha, Indianapolis, and Destroy Moines?

Well, for starters, world class restaurants, world class theatre, world class scenery, and lots of beautiful people. Somehow I don't think I would be able to get those things in Indiannapolis.

Restaurants? Theatre? I'll admit that the geography of mid-Cali is one of the most beautiful I've seen, but do people really pick places to live based on restaurants and theaters (I assume you mean, like, plays? Not Regal cinemas)?

Food is food. I can build a theatre in my home for the price of the sq. footage in your bathroom.

All the same concerts that go to San Fran make it out here to the East Coast too, and I bet I spend about 1/10th of the price to be twice as close to the acts.

I think Wicked is playing in SF! dreaming...

But I agree with the above poster. If you are not making enough then spend as little on rent as possible, pay off debts, don't get a car because you have the CAltrain and BART, and save for a house because the property taxes are going to cost the same as you'd pay in rent as a single person with a cheap apartment.

West Coast Guy wrote:

fesefs wrote:

The same thing that you'd be doing in SF or NYC. Seriously, what everyday activity can be done in SF/NYC but not in other big cities like Omaha, Indianapolis, and Destroy Moines?

Well, for starters, world class restaurants, world class theatre, world class scenery, and lots of beautiful people. Somehow I don't think I would be able to get those things in Indiannapolis.

What exactly is this "somehow" based on?

Gotta be there to experience/realize it. I moved from the Midwest 15 years ago to the South Bay area. Paid $650k for a 2600 sq ft. home which is worth $1.4-1.5 million now. Had a fairly big house in the Midwest for a cheaper price, but don't regret at all moving to California and am loving it here. It's a perfect 60-70 degree day in January here, great for a run, a bike ride, a hike, a nice drive, anything. Where I used to live in the Midwest it's 10 degrees and icy.

Regarding the food - another thing you may not realize until you experience it. Since I've been in California, I've had the pleasure of trying almost every food possible. California is just way more diverse and there is so much more culture and various backgrounds here. But hey, if you like living in an all white, homogenous town, go for it.

Where in the Midwest did you move from?

Omaha.

My city is 40% white, 50% black. Black mayor. Everybody gets along fairly well

San Francisco is 49% white, 33% Asian. In my experience those two groups stay pretty segregated, especially in large cities.

San Fran is one of the top all-whitey towns in the US. I'm sorry that you are just now figuring this out.

I DO love the food options here. I really miss the seasons though. But it's only a 4 hr drive to Tahoe so I can have some fun in the snow. When I'm able to I expect to try to make a trip there every other month to check in on my grandparents. They are barely mobile and get lonely.

Many people don't realize how many food options they have where they live. They grow up & always eat at the same places & same areas of the city & then complain of the lack of variety.

So what food varieties does California have that a midwest city doesn't have?

castello wrote:

Many people don't realize how many food options they have where they live. They grow up & always eat at the same places & same areas of the city & then complain of the lack of variety.

So what food varieties does California have that a midwest city doesn't have?

It's called ETHNIC cuisine. We have a few other choices besides Outback, Sizzler, and the Chinese Buffet.

Been There, Done That wrote:

castello wrote:

Many people don't realize how many food options they have where they live. They grow up & always eat at the same places & same areas of the city & then complain of the lack of variety.

So what food varieties does California have that a midwest city doesn't have?

It's called ETHNIC cuisine. We have a few other choices besides Outback, Sizzler, and the Chinese Buffet.

Where do you live?

Been There, Done That wrote:

castello wrote:

Many people don't realize how many food options they have where they live. They grow up & always eat at the same places & same areas of the city & then complain of the lack of variety.

So what food varieties does California have that a midwest city doesn't have?

It's called ETHNIC cuisine. We have a few other choices besides Outback, Sizzler, and the Chinese Buffet.

You are extremely ignorant & it's obvious you haven't traveled much. So name a few food varieties that you have that we don't? You remind me of my college friend who moved out to Seattle & when I came to visit he took me to a Thai & Indian restaurant. He thought he was showing me something new. I wanted to break it to him that every town/city over 20,000 in the country has Indian & Thai restaurants! I live in Milwaukee. I can eat pretty much whatever I want. Ethiopian, Cambodian, Pakistani, Turkish, Russian etc etc. Yes, it's authentic.