We know it's expensive to live out west - here's how...

[MagicMtnDan]

America's 5 Most and Least Expensive Cities - No surprise—the more a city has to offer, the more it costs to live there
How to Read the Numbers
The number that follows each city is its composite index score, with the average being 100. For example, with a composite index of 217.1, the cost of living in New York City is about 117 percent more than the cost of living in the average U.S. city. To extrapolate further, if you earned $100,000 per year in "Average City, U.S.A," you'd need to make $217,000 annually in Manhattan.
No. 1: New York, New York—217.1
No. 2: Jersey City, New Jersey—182.8
No. 3: San Francisco, California—169.8
No. 4: Stamford, Connecticut—163.2
No. 5: Honolulu, Hawaii—155.64
Four of the five least expensive metropolitan areas are in Texas. They include:
McAllen, Texas—84.3
Seguin, Texas—84.6
Laredo, Texas—85.0
Jonesboro, Arkansas—85.9
Lubbock, Texas—86.6
And besides metropolitan areas, the ACCRA also ranks 314 urban areas. Those with the highest cost of living are:
New York-Wayne-White Plains, NY-NJ—171.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA —148.8
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA—143.8
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA—139.8
Washington-Arlington-Alexandra, DC-VA-MD-WV—138.8
Newark-Union, NJ-PA—132.9
Edison, NJ—131.4
Seattle, WA—122.9
Philadelphia, PA—120.8
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL—118.0
Source of info (http://houseandhome.aol.homestore.com/homefinance/mortgages/mostleastexpensive.asp?gate=aolhouseandhome&source=a2anvtft695&poe=homestore)
Using the most recent Cost of Living Index compiled by the ACCRA, a non-profit organization that researches community and economic development. The Arlington, Va.-based company compiles the index from a survey of 314 metropolitan areas of all sizes in North America, taking into account six primary expenses: groceries; housing; utilities; transportation; healthcare; and miscellaneous goods and services. (Note that it does not consider taxes.)

[Liberator TJ1984]

I live down in the general area of ......Mc Allen and Laredo Tx.
the reason they are least expensive is because if you don't have a Drug connection and make big bucks ....:rolleyes: ....Your gonna be living in a ShitBox without a window to piss outta:yuk:

[bigq]

It is crazy. Is there a lot of people making over six figures or what? Obviously more people make a lot more than I do. What the hell are they doing?:confused: New cars house and boats I can only afford one at a time.:D

[Dave C]

hey I am #3 on both lists..... whooo hoooo.. although Oakland, Hayward and Fremont are much cheaper than my side.
but I'm still kinda bitter about it.......
anyone wanna buy a fixer upper for $625,000?

[Liberator TJ1984]

Sell your fixer upper and I'll sell ya ..
2000 sq.ft 3bd rm 1 bath . 800' carpport , 20 acres land. '99 Ford 250 , Harley , Boat , girlfriend ,2dogs and a cat for $ 600,000:rolleyes: :D

[ROZ]

I live in San Marcos(#4 on the urban list), and I'm really surprised it's on the list... I don't think it's that expensive as compared to the other urban areas in San Diego county.... Then again, I did by my house 6 years ago ;) Never thought I'd have a half a million dollar home(on paper atleast) :D
Now that TOBTEK guy lives on the RICH side of San Marcos :D Had the proposition for a rezoning a plot of land for Wallmart to build a store out there, his house price would have soared! :p
SaveSanMarcos ! :D

[SoCalOffshore]

Yep. pay over 4 G's a month in a mortagage payment. But, love the appreciation.

[Dr. Eagle]

I bought my 2800 Sq ft house for 169K brand new in Folsom 15 years ago, large corner lot on a Cul de Sac, with nice RV storage. Today I could sell it for probably around 425K. In LA it would be worth 700K - 800K maybe more depending on where it was.
So not only would I have to pay twice as much, but I'd be in LA...ewwwww.:D

[Dave C]

2000 sq ft... thats huge. old ass POS houses of 1200-1400 sq ft sell for $600,000+.......
2800 damn..... thats over way over a mil......
man I wish I had 20 acres of land here. thats worth 8-10 mil here......

[Dr. Eagle]

Originally posted by Dave C
old ass POS houses of 1200-1400 sq ft sell for $600,000+.......
Yeah, sameo with my mom and dads area in So Cal. They live in Rosmoor and 1200-1400 sq foot fixer uppers sell for $650K and they are almost 50 years old. The houses that have been made over (pretty much torn down and built new which they have done on about 1/3 to 1/2 of the houses there) go for well over $1mm. Don't ask me why......:confused:

[DUNDUN]

Originally posted by Dr. Eagle
I bought my 2800 Sq ft house for 169K brand new in Folsom 15 years ago, large corner lot on a Cul de Sac, with nice RV storage. Today I could sell it for probably around 425K. In LA it would be worth 700K - 800K maybe more depending on where it was.
So not only would I have to pay twice as much, but I'd be in LA...ewwwww.:D
I'm in South Orange county-The community is called Ladera Ranch with all these rich, stuck-up SOB's.
That house would probably be 1 mill+ here!!!
(This may have caused you some sadness, maybe as much as me.:frown: )

[Dr. Eagle]

Originally posted by hallett flatbottom kid
I'm in South Orange county-The community is called Ladera Ranch with all these rich, stuck-up SOB's.
That house would probably be 1 mill+ here!!!
(This may have caused you some sadness, maybe as much as me.:frown: )
No Sadness for me... I am very happy where I am...
with the launch ramp on a 12,000 acre lake two miles from my driveway.
My community is similar with the stuck up SOB's. I am not one of them, or at least I like to think I am not.:D

[Liberator TJ1984]

Originally posted by Dave C
2000 sq ft... thats huge. old ass POS houses of 1200-1400 sq ft sell for $600,000+.......
2800 damn..... thats over way over a mil......
man I wish I had 20 acres of land here. thats worth 8-10 mil here......
Yea Dave..I got the 20 acres when my Dad passed away...probably sells now for 80k +- , Bought a farm house from my friends parents ( his mom grew up in it ,very solid and taken care of) for 10k moved it to my place and set up (another 4k) added insulation and central air - heat , carport , remodeled and painted, new windows etc... probably got 25k invested ...appraised at almost 100k to rebuild by insurance co... I really live about 30 mi.N of Corpus Christi...Even there I can't see how people do it much less over on the West coast ....those guys must get paid really well:confused:

[stoker]

I bought my house in 95 for 195k. Just had it appraised at 750k.:)

[Dr. Eagle]

Originally posted by stoker
I bought my house in 95 for 195k. Just had it appraised at 750k.:)
That's great if you sell it and move to Liberator's neighborhood...

[Thunderbutt]

Do what I did. I sold four differant houses in Ca. Moved to LOTO bought a house on the water with a two well dock for 136K. The only thing is I'm retired, you don't want to move here with intentions of working, the pay stinks, unless your in Real Estate

[TCHB]

Where does Havasu sit on the list??

[mikev]

dang glad I moved to georgia 3400sq house on 3/4 acre 6 miles from the boat ramp and 45 minutes from down town Atlanta for 265k new

[Dr. Eagle]

Very nice.........:D

[canuck1]

Originally posted by SoCalOffshore
Yep. pay over 4 G's a month in a mortagage payment. But, love the appreciation.
You've got to be kiddin :eek:

[572Daytona]

I never saw the California appeal either, My 7000sq ft ,4 side brick, with 300ft of water front on Lake Lanier was less than half what my sister paid for her 2000sq ft 40 yr old ranch in Menlo Park. Like mikev says, Georgia is the place to be. No fag weddings here either. :rolleyes:
http://www.carlsonspeed.com/~daytona/Dscn1674e.jpg

[mikev]

nice 572 yep gotta love the south where it is still considered normal to have values and we can still spank our kids in walmart without going to jail.:D

[jbtrailerjim]

Nice house MikeV.
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=632713
That makes me sick to see what kind of house you can get back there for only $265k. $265K won't even get much of a house out here in Riverside. I mean c'mon it's RIVERSIDE FOR GOD SAKES!!!!:mad: :eek: :D

[ROZ]

Originally posted by canuck1
You've got to be kiddin :eek:
You'd think....
I have a friend whose parents monthly mortgage is 11k per month..:eek: I guess that's alright when you average about 20k a week... :eek!:

[TOBTEK]

Originally posted by ROZ
I live in San Marcos(#4 on the urban list), and I'm really surprised it's on the list... I don't think it's that expensive as compared to the other urban areas in San Diego county.... Then again, I did by my house 6 years ago ;) Never thought I'd have a half a million dollar home(on paper atleast) :D
Now that TOBTEK guy lives on the RICH side of San Marcos :D Had the proposition for a rezoning a plot of land for Wallmart to build a store out there, his house price would have soared! :p
SaveSanMarcos ! :D
I think someone's smokin crack! How would a big-ass WALLMART right down the street....on a road the can not handle the current traffic load improve the property values? I just think you should be over here right now and be planning where to mount the sub's, amp and seperates on the new cart........:D

[SoCalOffshore]

Originally posted by Thunderbutt
Do what I did. I sold four differant houses in Ca. Moved to LOTO bought a house on the water with a two well dock for 136K. The only thing is I'm retired, you don't want to move here with intentions of working, the pay stinks, unless your in Real Estate
How long have you been at LOTO? what are homes on the water going for now?

[ROZ]

Originally posted by TOBTEK
I think someone's smokin crack! How would a big-ass WALLMART right down the street....on a road the can not handle the current traffic load improve the property values? I just think you should be over here right now and be planning where to mount the sub's, amp and seperates on the new cart........:D
:D Funny. My pops is listed as one of the founding members of save san marcos...lol...
I'd be really surprsed if the trafic problem really made the difference though. Afterall they are replacing ranch sante fe with 6 lanes in carlsbad into 4 lanes as you get towards melrose... I think most of the peeps realised that we only NEED one wallmart(if at all) and that the city shouldn't do a back deal rezone(from affordable housing) to commercial from residential... In a prime residential neighborhood! Morons...
The next hurdle will be to knock down prop h .. 3 morons on city council think we need our own powerplant...We had a chance to buy in with 2 other cities and several big natural gas users a couple years ago.. That pplant is almost done and will be providing power to the other 2 cities, but not us. At the time the chicken shit inexperienced city council said no. Now they want to acrue all the expense alone? You'd need 20 wallmarts worth of sales tax to fund it. Today it's too much of an expense for 4 cties to pay for. If they want to broker power, our best deal will be to negociate a deal with SDGE for the residents of San Marcos.Thank god my dad had the wherewithall to make it go to a vote the next time someone wants to get in on a powerplant. That's why you'll be voting on it. **NO** The three stooges will bankrupt the city if they get a chance.........
Now abou that golfcart sub... I have an idea...;)

[HOSS]

Here in Kenner, LA we have 2250 sq.ft living and it only cost 235.5. Swimming pool, jacuzzi in house, drive down each side, lot is 78x 128, 2car garage, 1.5 miles to launch and Treasure Chest casino, .25 from the lake,,,,I don`t like to pay more than about a buck for anything.

[hurleyr]

My neighbor just sold his 855 sq ft 2 +1 for 530k. It took about 2 weeks. Midtown Ventura first time buyer area. Looks good on paper for us, but if your not planning to sell all it really does is bump up our property taxes.
There is just too many people and not enough building in So. California. It doesn't look like it will be changing much anytime soon.
It sure is tempting to sell off and move out of state with the cash.

[Havasu Cig]

I think # 1 on the list should be Ranco Santa Fe Ca. Maybe because it is an unincorporated City it does not count. It was listed as the richest community in the United States this past year with an average home price of 2.5 Million. A guy I went to High School with just built an 11 million dollar pad there.:eek:

[Thunderbutt]

Originally posted by SoCalOffshore
How long have you been at LOTO? what are homes on the water going for now?
We've been here 7 years, they have gone up but not like Ca. Three bed three bath 2700 feet = 250K