San Francisco Niketalkers, is this really how you guys are living?

[dland24]

 

I live 20 minutes south of San Francisco, and I pay $2550 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house.  There is no way I can afford to live in San Francisco.  I am content, but am frustrated knowing that I will never be able to afford to own a home in this area that I am living....where as if I made the amount of money I make in another city, I would have owned a house a decade ago.

Are you married? Do you have mobility with your job? Is so GO! I recommend Atlanta, Denver, Austin, Jacksonville.

Not married, but do not have mobility with my job.  I am pretty locked in here, professionally, and I love my job.  

 

[eracism]

What is there to do in SF besides stand in long lines to get a bowl of pho?

I remember back in the 90's SF was lit. I could see how every day would be an adventure there.

I'm curious what people do there now besides eat and drink.

 

[Xennial]

What is there to do in SF besides stand in long lines to get a bowl of pho?

I remember back in the 90's SF was lit. I could see how every day would be an adventure there.

I'm curious what people do there now besides eat and drink.

 

[nyc game]

Yeah I mean New Yorkers should be the last people to talk about s****y living conditions and high rent though :roll eyes

 

[atlsfinest]

What is there to do in SF besides stand in long lines to get a bowl of pho?

I remember back in the 90's SF was lit. I could see how every day would be an adventure there.

I'm curious what people do there now besides eat and drink.

It's like any major city man. Cool, diverse neighborhoods, hopping nightlife, very dense city (better than the urban sprawl of other landlocked cities where you have to drive 30 mins to get everywhere). World class food. Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and Napa Valley are all within reach.

 

[sfc415]

This isn't an issue limited to SF or NYC. Pretty much every major city in the world that has a major industry is only becoming livable only for the rich. Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, etc. If you think the small apartments here are bad, you don't want to see what "affordable" spots in Hong Kong look like My walk in closet would take up half of those apartments.

 

[Xennial]

This isn't an issue limited to SF or NYC. Pretty much every major city in the world that has a major industry is only becoming livable only for the rich. Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, etc.

 

[sfc415]

Major German cities like Berlin were on their way to that level too; the government actually stepped in and introduced measures to slow down the increase in rental prices. The villages/towns outside of the major cities are good options too; my friend lives 15 minutes outside of Frankfurt for 1/3 the price he would pay in the city

Countries like Spain and Portugal are cheap but that's because there's no jobs there.

 

[Xennial]

Major German cities like Berlin were on their way to that level too; the government actually stepped in and introduced measures to slow down the increase in rental prices. The villages/towns outside of the major cities are good options too; my friend lives 15 minutes outside of Frankfurt for 1/3 the price he would pay in the city

Countries like Spain and Portugal are cheap but that's because there's no jobs there.

 

[sfc415]

I just really wish all governments did more to protect residents from these rent increases like they're starting to do in Germany. Even though I can comfortably afford to live here now, I know I'm EXTREMELY fortunate, especially because if anything happens to my job, I can always stay at my parents' place until I bounce back (they live 25 mins away from me). Many people don't have that luxury of a fall-back plan and are living paycheck to paycheck or cramming a @#$@ load of people into one house. I really feel for all the people working in restaurants, retail, and other blue collar jobs. Proper affordable housing should be a universal right for all employed people. Telling them to move to a different state or a cheap city 2 hours a way isn't a valid response to that issue when many of those people have been here their entire lives, have family here, have jobs here, etc.

 

[Xennial]

I just really wish all governments did more to protect residents from these rent increases like they're starting to do in Germany. Even though I can comfortably afford to live here now, I know I'm EXTREMELY fortunate, especially because if anything happens to my job, I can always stay at my parents' place (they live 25 mins away from me). Many people don't have that luxury of a fall-back plan and are living paycheck to paycheck or cramming a @#$@ load of people into one house. I really feel for all the people working in restaurants, retail, and other blue collar jobs. Proper affordable housing should be a universal right for all employed people. Telling them to move to a different state or a cheap city 2 hours a way isn't a valid response to that issue when many of those people have been here their entire lives, have family here, have jobs here, etc.

 

[sfc415]

Yeah Germany is cool, tons of jobs there especially if you're an engineer. The food all over is TRASH though, other than the kebabs (thanks to all the Turkish residents) Their attempts at Asian and Latino food is shameful. Bland as @#$@ !!!! You have to command the Asian/Latino immigrants there to make their dishes the authentic way, not the way they make it to cater to the weak Europeans that can't handle even the slightest hint of spice. It's pretty much a deal breaker for me when it comes to living there

 

[wballz]

Same thing happened in vancouver.
It happens when a particular group comes in mass from overseas to over pay and get in bidding wars ,to live as close to downtown as possible.
The place they come from is way more crowded and expensive ,so its a break for them but the packed density and rediculous prices just cause white flight.
Any mention of crowding and prices then just has people label you an entitled racist.
If anyone thinks canada is running canada still i dont know what to tell you

Totally different. In Vancouver,its because of the China Money buying the properties. In SF, the wages support the pricing.

 

[lightweight champion]

^ i'd be gone if i didnt have rent control. lot of my friends (teachers, artists, some working in fin/tech) moved away. just too expensive and there was no way they could afford a home or start a family out here

my buddy got a house in the city near CCSF for about 500k in 09
he's thinking about flipping it and getting out of the city. prob can get a million for it

I wouldn't doubt he could. My cousins grandma bought their house in Bernal Heights in the 70s and have paid off the mortgage. They can flip it for about $1.2 mil if they wanted, I just don't see them ever doing that.

 

[Xennial]

Totally different. In Vancouver,its because of the China Money buying the properties. In SF, the wages support the pricing.

 

[Fong$tarr]

Only in tech and the managers in companies are getting the salary that is supporting the cost of living in SF. Other corporate jobs for moderate titles are about the same when it was 10 years ago. That is how I became middle class when I could be upper lower. I mean I don't make six figures but I am close and shouldn't be struggling this much.

What is there to do in SF besides stand in long lines to get a bowl of pho?

I remember back in the 90's SF was lit. I could see how every day would be an adventure there.

I'm curious what people do there now besides eat and drink.

And it's not even that there are a ton of things to do in SF but the idea that you can do it all and just go home super fast. When you are out here, every day can potentially be a weekend where as commuters have to go home and not take the risk of drinking and driving or just being out late and coming in early the next day. That is why something so dumb like happy hours on a Thursday, Taco Tuesday or other dumb rituals are so popular in cities. The other bad thing about SF and similar cities is you have to spend to have fun. How can people work so hard, spend money on rent and spend money going out and still have some money in the bank?

 

[Xennial]

I just really wish all governments did more to protect residents from these rent increases like they're starting to do in Germany. Even though I can comfortably afford to live here now, I know I'm EXTREMELY fortunate, especially because if anything happens to my job, I can always stay at my parents' place until I bounce back (they live 25 mins away from me). Many people don't have that luxury of a fall-back plan and are living paycheck to paycheck or cramming a @#$@ load of people into one house. I really feel for all the people working in restaurants, retail, and other blue collar jobs. Proper affordable housing should be a universal right for all employed people. Telling them to move to a different state or a cheap city 2 hours a way isn't a valid response to that issue when many of those people have been here their entire lives, have family here, have jobs here, etc.

 

[Proposition Joe]

As much as I love the West Coast (lived in PNW/Bay Area since 2013), I'm 100% sure that when it's time for me to settle down and have a family I'll be moving back to Atlanta. While I'm young and single renting is cool but once I have a wife, kids, dog, etc. I know I'm gonna want a house and I'm not about to pay $1 million for a shack like people do in the bay.

how do you compare living in SF vs ATL? Is the extortion worth it to live out there?

 

[Xennial]

how do you compare living in SF vs ATL? Is the extortion worth it to live out there?

 

[atlsfinest]

how do you compare living in SF vs ATL? Is the extortion worth it to live out there?

Wow. Where do I start? Atlanta is alot cheaper and you get more bang for your buck when it comes to just about everything. Atlanta is blacker (which I like). SF is very diverse but its mainly Asians and Indians. Atlanta has better looking women. SF is dope but ain't touching ATL, Oakland has some cuties though. Atlanta has alot of urban sprawl which can be annoying. If you wanna go out in different parts of the city be prepared to drive for 30+mins also BART>>>>>>MARTA, Public transit is way better out here. SF has alot of homeless people and they're very vocal sometimes. With that being said SF is safer than ATL (just don't get caught up in the wrong parts of Oakland if you're out that way) I feel like Atlanta is more of a club city than SF. SF is known for its bar scene, the clubs out here are ehhh. West Coast is alot more liberal than ATL as well.

Honestly, it depends of your scene and the stage you're at in life. I like SF/Bay Area for now but I could see myself getting tired of it (especially the crazy cost of living)

 

[trelvis tha thrilla]

In less than 15 years, DFW and Houstons cost of living will no longer look as attractive, it's starting to happen already.

Yup. People keep mentioning Austin also. The traffic there is :x and the cost of living in Austin continues to go up.

With that said, I would love to move to Austin

I live basically right in between Dallas and Ft. Worth. I dont really like Dallas. Spend more time in Ft. Worth. Housing market down here is crazy.

 

[wayniac211]

Hopefully this bubble bursts after the election. I work in social services which was the foundation (social diversity) of the bay back in the days and the pay is **** nowadays. These new rapid rehousing programs in SF county are making a push which helps a lot with those that are earning wages but not enough. They help with deposit and maybe 6mo-yr with assistance in rent.

 

[polosanddunks]

Buckhead area in ATL

 

[capital sb]

My Uber driver told me that when I was in Seattle a couple of weeks ago. He said it's not just the rain that kills you but the grey clouds. He said it was grey for almost 30 days straight. Oddly he said when it is raining or what not, everyone is out and in bars, restaurants, etc cause no can be outside but still want to do something. I guess I went at a good time cause the two days I was there, it was nice and sunny. It made the city there feel really nice and safe.

The sun didn't come out for 3 weeks straight in DC back in like March, it was rainy and gloomy. I wanted to kill myself, so dam depressing I could never live in Washington state.

Funny thing is I was born there lol we moved back to VA 2 weeks after I was born.

 

[Xennial]

As far as ATL goes, I went to school for 1 semester at GSU right in downtown ATL, downtown ATL sucks, nothing really cool there besides the Westin on Peachtree with that 360 bar on the top and the view where you can eat/drink and spin around.  Buckhead is pretty much where its at for ATL, MARTA is not as good as Bay Area transportation.  It's a lot more of a black population, Oakland was like that before gentrification.  Not as international as SF.  Way less startups to work at, a lot of ppl will work for AT&T, Coca Cola or something.  There's some good restaurants but overall food scene is not like Bay Area.  Hot and Humid during the summer