patrick.net

(Note that you can just paste in an image url and it will automatically be converted to the image.)

I work with a lot of Indians, and all I know is the ones that move here are rabid consumers of the "American Dream" of fancy cars, fancy homes, extreme consumerism with no thought of the environment, and lots of debt! They are all desperate to live in San Ramon or Cupertino and will pay and do whatever it takes to get there.

The world is doomed. At least us "ugly Americans" only numbered in the millions. The Indians and Chinese are in the billions.

@tude, In general most of the Indians and Chinese, and Asians in general have a tendency to save their money rather than spend it. Its part of their upbringing and culture. So the folks you know are the exception and mostly a small percentage of Indians here.

frolic says

@tude, In general most of the Indians and Chinese, and Asians in general have a tendency to save their money rather than spend it. Its part of their upbringing and culture. So the folks you know are the exception and mostly a small percentage of Indians here.

You can SAY that, but the neighborhoods they are taking over are not cheap (and they are part pf the reason why). I also work with A LOT of them in my field, I am actually the one and only non-Indian in my group. They all have fancy, new cars, take loads of vacations, and are buying homes in San Ramon/Pleasanton like mad. In addition they love their CC memberships at places like the Bridges, which is also not cheap.

My husband is also half-Chinese from immigrant parents. All his family and friends spend money like crazy and live in fancy/expensive homes in Lamorinda and Alamo/Danville, and spend loads of money on expensive cars, travel and CC memberships.

I think the "frugal Asian" is an old stereotype that is rapidly changing, both here and abroad.

"Two decades ago, Indian-Americans started changing the story of Silicon Valley's Asian community. Now, they have rewritten it."

Blob Blob Blob!

one in four back in 1990 were asian living cupertino..twenty years ago.

Did that prevent prices from falling ? And how many are natives not immigrants anyway?

http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/cities/Cupertino70.htm

As a Cupertino resident (Monta Vista), speaking generally since there are always exceptions, my view is that indians and chinese are able to afford to live here and buy in simply because the women either choose not to or are forbidden to spend money on themselves for self-care (ie: fashion & clothing, manicures, salons, jewelry, treatments, makeup, the whole thing).

I understand that this is looking at the real estate situation from an entirely new angle, however, this is what I have concluded after seeing what I have seen.

When you take female clothing & maintenance out of the equation, most couples can dramatically increase their savings and lower their monthly costs. The immigrant women, probably due to cultural and family pressure, give up beauty for property.

As a result, most asian (ie: chinese) and indian women I see around town and in Los Altos are quite dowdy-looking and look like they cut their own hair or have cheap haircuts. No manicures. The one thing indian women spend money on is facial waxing. Sorry, this is not a criticism, but the situation as I see it as a female. Interesting how immigrant women work in nail salons though.

None of them have looked to me like they do botox or fillers (which are expensive treatments) or have complex layered haircuts with highlights and lowlights. Its all quite basic.

As far as indians & asians "taking over" Cupertino, actually I have seen a major drop-off in their numbers over the past 2 years. My understanding is that many have returned to China and India simply because they believe there is more opportunity there than here.

In Whole Foods, where, up until mid-2009, I used to see many indians and chinese, I hardly see that many anymore. Most customers are caucasian now.

I still see majority asian students crossing Stevens Creek at DeAnza (coming out of DeAnza CC). Some whites. Some Hispanics. However, around town, the demographics have changed over the past two years, with less indians and chinese. I still see indians around One Infinity Loop though.

In my neighborhood association there are some indians and some chinese. However new buyers have been caucasians.

~Misstrial

This is ridiculous. I hearing the same thing here in OC. I mean c'mon what % of Chindians of entire Cupertino does own homes? They can't drive the market on their own. I agree with Thomas in that respect.

bubblesitter says

This is ridiculous. I hearing the same thing here in OC. I mean c’mon what % of Chindians of entire Cupertino does own homes? They can’t drive the market on their own. I agree with Thomas in that respect.

RE OC real estate demographics:

"Other Orange County affordability measures, by demographic:

Whites: 58% of Orange County homes sold in 2010 were affordable to those in this demographic earning their median income of $108,100 for the year.
Blacks: 31% of O.C. homes were affordable to those households with the group’s $75,200 median income.
Asians: 42% of O.C. homes affordable at the group’s $86,900 median income.
American Indian /Alaska Natives: 33% of O.C. homes affordable at the group’s $77,900 median income."

http://lansner.ocregister.com/2011/05/10/study-5-in-6-hispanics-cannot-afford-o-c-home/109271

I think we have to look at the stats because there is a lot of ethnic superiority marketing going on that is entirely misleading.

~Misstrial

change in demographics: yes,
magical Asian source of unlimited income: No

There are areas in the East bay with very low Asian population that have maintained housing prices similar to the Cupertino and the like. It just means the higher income areas have different mortgage recast schedules, lower rate of job loss, and more cash reserves.