Americans squeezed by higher rents, tight credit

[Tousi]

Not quite. It's smaller, fewer rooms, and it's a mobile home. The outside isn't very appealing (chain link fence in front, no landscaping.) On the plus side, it's on a lake, so I guess that would increase the value.

Interesting history. Too bad the lake is heavily contaminated with mercury because it looks like a pretty area.

Do you consider that area to be representative of the state of California housing prices? What about the San Diego area?

Plus Clear Lake is out in the boonies and the lake resulted from what I call an "inverted volcano" cuz I don't remember the exact terms.....anyway, this lake is huge. I saw about 1/3 of its shoreline and it was pretty dirty for a lake that isn't very commercialized.

 

[naisho]

Plus Clear Lake is out in the boonies and the lake resulted from what I call an "inverted volcano" cuz I don't remember the exact terms.....anyway, this lake is huge. I saw about 1/3 of its shoreline and it was pretty dirty for a lake that isn't very commercialized.

You mean, the lake was a result of phreatic eruptions?

 

[kokonut]

You mean, the lake was a result of phreatic eruptions?

You mean phreatomagmatic eruption? Also known as a maar.

Global Volcanism Program | Clear Lake | Photo Gallery

 

[Reba]

Plus Clear Lake is out in the boonies and the lake resulted from what I call an "inverted volcano" cuz I don't remember the exact terms.....anyway, this lake is huge. I saw about 1/3 of its shoreline and it was pretty dirty for a lake that isn't very commercialized.

But its name is Clear Lake!

 

[TXgolfer]

Not quite. It's smaller, fewer rooms, and it's a mobile home. The outside isn't very appealing (chain link fence in front, no landscaping.) On the plus side, it's on a lake, so I guess that would increase the value.

Interesting history. Too bad the lake is heavily contaminated with mercury because it looks like a pretty area.

Do you consider that area to be representative of the state of California housing prices? What about the San Diego area?

A house like you are describing in the bay area will run about $2 million. Cheaper on the Oakland side if you don't mind dodging bullets. Also of note sales tax on autos is 9.5% and that is on the full value of the car....The do not deduct the trade in allowance for tax purposes and my car tags are roughly $500/year.

He may be right about food being equal to the DC area, but it is no where close to TX prices. TX is much cheaper.

 

[Foxrac]

Where did you live in California?

I love California but that is one very expensive state to live in.

San Fernando Valley, the portion of LA city limit.

 

[Steinhauer]

There is an entire city, designed to house 1.5 million people. It has government buildings, apartment skyscrapers, warehouses and 12 schools.

Not a single person lives there. It was built by the Chinese and is in Angola, Africa (???).

The rooftops are also color coded.

 

[Foxrac]

Not true.

News Headlines

1. Hawaii
2. Alaska
3. California

Food, clothes, house taxes are cheaper here in California than DC/Alexandria, VA where I used to live. California's minimum wage is higher than your state. Fuel are expensive here in CA than any other States, so use brain to think about the alternative way such as walk, use bicycle, motorcycle, and transportation to avoid paying the gas. We will have Speed Train coming up soon, so you can travel from SF to LA in 3 hours without fuel. There are more things to say, but I think California is not that really expensive State to live in.

Yup, food price in DC metro is ridiculously expensive, also NYC is more expensive than CA.

During Katrina era, the gas price in CA was cheaper than southeastern states.

 

[Foxrac]

Not quite. It's smaller, fewer rooms, and it's a mobile home. The outside isn't very appealing (chain link fence in front, no landscaping.) On the plus side, it's on a lake, so I guess that would increase the value.

Interesting history. Too bad the lake is heavily contaminated with mercury because it looks like a pretty area.

Do you consider that area to be representative of the state of California housing prices? What about the San Diego area?

You can find a mobile home in Orange County, CA for those price.

The housing in San Diego is expensive, except if you don't mind to live in low income community. Inland Empire (San Bernardino/Riverside Counties) is cheap to buy a house but little pricer than in South Carolina.

 

[Reba]

San Fernando Valley, the portion of LA city limit.

Is that the same area you want to return to?

I would like to go back to California for a visit but I doubt that I could live there again. I lived in San Diego, and Lancaster.

 

[Foxrac]

Is that the same area you want to return to?

I would like to go back to California for a visit but I doubt that I could live there again. I lived in San Diego, and Lancaster.

Yup, my parent live in SFV. SFV is okay, but some parts, especially east and central aren't pretty area, however crime isn't bad when compare to South LA.

I want to live in LA that closer to coast, West Hollywood or Orange County.

 

[Barbaro]

Is that the same area you want to return to?

I would like to go back to California for a visit but I doubt that I could live there again. I lived in San Diego, and Lancaster.

When was the last time you live in San Diego?

San Diego has changed a LOT. The crimes are so bad. My entire family and I don't like San Diego anymore. My parents are considering moving back to the Central Coast area.

Food is cheap in California. I saw 19 cents / a piece of banana (Dole) at Traders Joe in North San Diego County area. Walmart sells from 44-64 cents lbs/ bananas in Dallas TX areas.

In CA, emission inspections must be checked every two years. In TX, emission inspection check is required every year.

Gas prices in CA are HORRIBLE.

There is affordable housing now in Imperial Valley County and Riverside County. Check Indio area which is next to Palm Springs. I am not kidding. There are decent foreclosed houses there, but it is surely hot and dry there. I recommend solar panels. lol... The closer you get to the coast, it gets more expensive. The houses with small backyards are cluttered!

 

[Barbaro]

A friend of mine lives in West Hollywood. He lives a few minutes away from the famous Chinese theater. His one bedroom apartment is small and costs over $1,000/month. I prefer Orange County, and it is growing so fast. I recommend Irvine.

I would not want to live in Santa Barbara. Another friend of mine just graduated from UCSB, and used to pay $2,000 for that TINY apartment. It has no stove. Just one bathroom, and one bedroom. No garage.

 

[Foxrac]

When was the last time you live in San Diego?

San Diego has changed a LOT. The crimes are so bad. My entire family and I don't like San Diego anymore. My parents are considering moving back to the Central Coast area.

Food is cheap in California. I saw 19 cents / a piece of banana (Dole) at Traders Joe in North San Diego County area. Walmart sells from 44-64 cents lbs/ bananas in Dallas TX areas.

In CA, emission inspections must be checked every two years. In TX, emission inspection check is required every year.

Gas prices in CA are HORRIBLE.

There is affordable housing now in Imperial Valley County and Riverside County. Check Indio area which is next to Palm Springs. I am not kidding. There are decent foreclosed houses there, but it is surely hot and dry there. I recommend solar panels. lol... The closer you get to the coast, it gets more expensive. The houses with small backyards are cluttered!

In San Diego, it sounds like limited to specified area and the crime rate in San Diego is far better than many cities, especially DC, NYC, LA, Miami, Atlanta, Philly, Baltimore, Chicago, etc. Some area in San Diego have high crime like south part, along with National City and some part of Chula Vista wasn't pretty.

I haven't live in San Diego but visit frequently until 2006. I don't know about any change after 2006, however some cities, like Vista have bad part and they are in North San Diego County.

At overall, San Diego is okay but I rather to live in San Diego over Birmingham.

Don't forget about San Bernardino County and they have a lot of affordable houses but... some part of cities like Fontana, Ontario, Rialto and San Bernardino are unsafe because they changed so much in 90's due to white flight.

 

[Barbaro]

In San Diego, it sounds like limited to specified area and the crime rate in San Diego is far better than many cities, especially DC, NYC, LA, Miami, Atlanta, Philly, Baltimore, Chicago, etc. Some area in San Diego have high crime like south part, along with National City and some part of Chula Vista wasn't pretty.

I haven't live in San Diego but visit frequently until 2006. I don't know about any change after 2006, however some cities, like Vista have bad part and they are in North San Diego County.

At overall, San Diego is okay but I rather to live in San Diego over Birmingham.

Don't forget about San Bernardino County and they have a lot of affordable houses but... some part of cities like Fontana, Ontario, Rialto and San Bernardino are unsafe because they changed so much in 90's due to white flight.

Not really. I wish... My parents still live in the San Diego area. It is a lot worse than before. I still go there for my work. I usually stay there for a month, sometimes visit there two or three times a year. All I hear from my friends and family in the San Diego areas is their complaints of crimes. That's the first topic always come up in conversation every time I visit there. :/

San Bernardino is ghetto. I just close my eyes to drive through San Bernardino on the way to Big Bear. :P

 

[deafdrummer]

Not quite. It's smaller, fewer rooms, and it's a mobile home. The outside isn't very appealing (chain link fence in front, no landscaping.) On the plus side, it's on a lake, so I guess that would increase the value.

Good F* catch, Reba! I didn't notice that it was a MOBILE HOME. Who in HELL would pay $100,000 for a MOBILE HOME??

And the lake is contaminated? Good catch on this one, too.

So, Authentic, that smirk is not so authentic, is it? It helps if you do a little research. It didn't sound right at first, but then I remembered that CA had taken big losses in the housing prices, although it has a ways to go.

OWNED!

 

[Barbaro]

Mobile houses can be nice and practical. LOL Maybe you can check mobile houses along the coast.

 

[deafdrummer]

The do not deduct the trade in allowance for tax purposes and my car tags are roughly $500/year.

He may be right about food being equal to the DC area, but it is no where close to TX prices. TX is much cheaper.

I'll bet you ANYTHING that $250 for a North Face jacket looks much cheaper to you than it does to me.

My tags are $65 a year for each of my vehicles.
My food budget for the month is $225 a month max.
Gas budget is $50-70 a month.
Electricity is about $25 a month during the summer, and $45 max during the winter.
Renter's insurance, plus insurance for both vehicles is less than $130 a month.

I hate it when businesses charge the same price for a product across the country, when California has more money (although what's left over is smaller in proportion to what you start out with, it's still larger than what we have left over in Texas, on average). Why don't they do the same thing that gas companies do? Gas prices aren't nearly similar across the country...

I am NOT looking forward to the decision I will have to make soon, unless it's made up for me by some things.

 

[Barbaro]

Not true.
We will have Speed Train coming up soon, so you can travel from SF to LA in 3 hours without fuel.

Well, The senate just approved it today. California is broke, and this Speed Train costs $65 billions.. :O They may say it may bring the jobs, but what if Washington decides to cut federal money in the future? It wont be built without federal funds.

Stockton is broke.

Mammoth Lakes just filed for bankruptcy.

 

[femme Fatale]

Is that the same area you want to return to?

I would like to go back to California for a visit but I doubt that I could live there again. I lived in San Diego, and Lancaster.

Hi Reba, if safety is a concern, you can still make a visit to SD by staying at a military hotel. Do you still have retired military priveleges? My dad is retired Army and reserved on base hotels, might be restricted to keep it down but the prices are worth it! BT w, North Island tends to be nooked solid so your best bet is the strand south of Coronado.