Anyone care to talk about the costs of living?

[Mr. Hyde]

All is not sunny here in Cali. Prices for things here just seem insane.

Check this out:
A real estate ad I'm looking at states "starter home"
only $250, 000.

2 bed 1 bath condo only $120,000.

These aren't great neighborhoods either. In my town, a town that recently could proudly print crime statistics that stated that it had drastically decreased the number of homicides from 30+ it had reported a few years earlier, a home just sold in one of the worst neighborhoods for $200,000+.

1 bedroom apartments from $880 - $1475 a month.

WTF, anyone care to share with me what it's like in their home towns?

Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to swim upstream in a river of sand out here.

 

[rabies]

I've a little bit of knowledge in this area...why? Because you and I live in the 2 of highest cost of living areas (California and DC suberb area). It will always be much more expensive to live in the actual big cities (like Chicago, New York) etc. Also because we have been looking at houses.

Typical prices around here start at $200,000 for a townhouse. My house - 1800 sq foot town house with a 2 car garage - will probably go on the market for $275,000. Single family homes in my area (starting at about 2800 sq feet) start at about $350,000. You easily go in the $400,000 range if you want such things as a deck..or finished basement...or carpet...

These are all in decent neighborhoods. Typical apartment rental rates outside of DC in Maryland (not northern VA) is probably about $800 a month - 1 bedroom.

You and I are in the same boat. We saw this killer new house about 50 miles east of DC in Maryland. 4200sq feet. Brand new - build in 2001. All the nice modern amenities you could possible think of (except maybe a swimming pool). Price? $725,000! This same type of house (according to a friend) costs about $160,000 on the outskirts of Dallas Texas.

On the West side of DC (VA and MD), where all the congressmen, senators, and pro atheletes live....you need to drop about $2mil to even buy a shack.

I feel your pain. Its nuts around here too. The other US guys - with the possible exception of Jim - probably have it a lot easier than us.

 

[Eddy]

There are times when I'm glad I live in the middle of nowhere and with my parents. Reading you posts makes me glad about living in the middle of nowhere with my parents. Oh, and my bigbrother.

 

[Eddies cellmate]

Here in Pittsburgh, we enjoy one of the best cost of living ratios anywhere, so I can't complain much.

 

[Constantine]

The average price runs between $125,000 to $175,000.
Also consider how shit our Canadian dollar is....
The homes you discribe, we need to add an additional 55% to the price.

The only good thing is the level of alcohol in the Canadian Beer

take care
Constantine