patrick.net

Re: Vegas...I join those who somewhat regret not buying in 2012. I was ready, willing and able but my LL wanted $50K (30%) over the average estimate at the time (he said it was what he owed - not likely.)

Now I've spent an additional 20K in rent (still in same place, much of my time taken up caring for elderly family member who is quite ill) and feel stupid as prices for house around me have sailed well past what he wanted. (Lately, they're falling.)

A good bit of my hesitation was the neighborhood being marginal; now it is looking even more sketchy than it was at that time. I also thought that prices would to continue to go down and that we might be able to buy in a better area :-p

landtof says

debyne says

Not true. If you compare BA (not outskirts) and SD home prices in good school districts, BA prices are SIGNIFICANTLY higher. I've lived in both places with kids in schools, so I have first hand knowledge.

there are only 2 good districts in the entire county - and only one near the coast. please don't tell me that 3bd houses well over $1M are MUCH cheaper than anything.

Which two? If you compare SD's Poway school district and Cupertino's school disctrict, housing prices within each are not even on the same planet.

that's like saying Foothill Ranch in OC is cheaper than Cupertino, so OC is MUCH cheaper to live than the SFBA. it's simply not true. try Irvine and Newport Beach to compare apples with apples.

if you go west of Poway Unified, you will find that RSF, Collins Ranch, Fairbanks Ranch, Carmel Valley, Del Mar, and Solana Beach are very comparable to SFBA house prices. and i forgot about Coronado, that ain't cheap either.

it does depend on geography and schools. Poway Unified is certainly one option if you are OK with inland geography and weather, and there are even pockets within that can be pricey.

i have lived in SD for almost 9 years and have yet to become OK with living anywhere but the coast. have accepted that it will take over $1M to ever afford a house here - and that sounds a whole lot like the SFBA, no?