I'm on the east coast, so forgive me if this seems like an odd question, but what would an annual salary of approx $95-105k get you in terms of housing in the San Francisco bay area? Can I hope for a decent townhouse within a reasonable commute to the city, or am I looking at a waiting list just to live in an abandoned bus? Any info would be appreciated... wajaba
Hello! Are you thinking about moving out here? The area is fantastic! Great people, great food, and more diversity than almost anywhere else on the West Coast!! Anyway, as I'm sure you've heard, housing costs are absolutely insane here. The city is extremely bad, but there are some (more affordable) suburbs within a pretty decent proximity of the city. I mean, it totally depends on what you're looking for...a lot of the newer townhouses in the city are in excess of $1M. And trust me, for $1M, you wouldn't be getting much...you'd get a pretty small (but nice) place, with like, maybe ONE parking spot. Of course, certain areas of the city are more affordable than others... Anyway, let me know which part of the Bay Area you're looking into, and I'll see what I can find for ya'... Talk to you soon! -J
kkewl, Thanks for the info. I've only been out there once, and I loved it. It was sort of a business trip, so most of my sight-seeing (such as it was) was limited to areas in close proximity to the Moscone Center--Yerba Buena Gardens (sp?), SF Museum of Modern Art, etc. My employer's headquartered out there, and they have job postings in my field on a somewhat regular basis. Ideally, I'd like to relocate in the next year or so, well before my kids start going to school. I was hoping to be able to afford something larger than my cubicle, but it looks like it ain't happening Oh well, thanks again for the info... wajaba
Hey, there! Don't give up hope yet!! I didn't mean to discourage you. The Bay Area is an excellent place to live, and trust me, if thousands of college students can support themselves in the city, I'm sure you could as well. There certainly would be a decline in your living space if you were to live right in the city, but there are towns right outside the city (Pacifica comes to mind) where the cost of living is less. If living in the Bay Area is something that you'd really like to do, don't let the housing thing get in your way...I don't know anyone who hasn't been able to get housing in the city. I've also been assuming that you're thinking about BUYING a home, correct? If you're thinking of renting, that's another ball game... ...and actually, FYI, vacancy in the city is at an all-time high, and the "experts" (whoever they may be) have all predicted a decline in the cost of housing sometime soon... DON'T GIVE UP YET!! Give this a shot... http://www.mcguire.com/relocation/relocation.shtml
Good link...that should come in handy. I'll probably be out that way later this year for the Oracle World conference, and I hope to see a little more of the city in those few days than I did last time. Things like diversity and culture are a big deal for me and my family, and from what little I've seen, you can do a whole lot worse than the Bay area. Cities like Atlanta and Seattle seem nice in that regard, but drive 1/2 - 1 hour out of the city, and it's an entirely different story (just from stuff I've heard second-hand through friends and relatives.) At any rate, thanks again for the info! wajaba
