The Rent Is To Damn HIGH!!!

[Guest ChrisW]

“What happens is, you get a bank, you get a chain yoga studio, you get a boutique gym, and you get a restaurant serving $16 bowls of ramen,” Criscitello says while showing me around Capitol Hill. “Eventually you walk around and you realize, I just passed a bunch of places where I can’t afford to shop, I can’t afford to eat, and I can’t afford to live.”

 

I am a Seattle native and while I will always have a reverence for my home we are facing serious problems. When my lease is up in a few months I am packing up and moving to the midwest were things are still affordable. Seattle is in a bit of a pickle we are having massive population growth but we don't have the infrastructure to support it.

 

http://grist.org/cities/in-seattle-the-rent-is-too-damn-high/

[+ purplekow]

Consider Texas. I am as there are only two things from Texas and I am both of them.

[+ Charlie]

I was in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in several years, and what made the biggest impression on me was the monstrous traffic. Unfortunately, almost all the most desirable cities--desirable to me, at least-- are becoming overpopular and overpriced. However, I would still research more aspects of Midwestern cities than just rents before deciding to decamp. There are often good reasons why places like Oklahoma City and Des Moines are cheaper to live than others.

[instudiocity]

Just wait until $15/hour minimum wage gets mandated in LA, SF, NYC, etc... No one will be able to afford to live there and the number of low wage jobs is going to drop:confused::confused::confused::confused:

[+ WmClarke]

Milwaukee is lovely. For at least two months every summer. Guaranteed.

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

Seattle is in a bit of a pickle...

 

HA! It was you all along.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Consider Texas. I am as there are only two things from Texas and I am both of them.

 

The other plus to Texas is no state income tax.

[Frequentflier]

Right, move to Texas where stupid voters put even dumber politicians in office, for at least the next decade gays will be discriminated against and women can't make their own decisions about their bodies, a greater number of idiots are openly carrying weapons, the state legislature continues to find ways to make it hard for Americans to vote, etc. etc.. I'm glad I could financially turn down a job offer in Texas.

 

I think the OP should do as he probably is which is visit different areas of the country he has researched provide the economic, social, political and other characteristics that he finds appealing. I'm not saying the OP is but DON'T just listen to people who post on this website about something as important as where you are going to live.

[Frequentflier]

The other plus to Texas is no state income tax.

 

You should research local government debt levels and business taxes (particularly equipment and property). The bills, to the extent they are getting paid, are doing so because money is falling free from heaven. The Wall Street Journal did a great report on the details last year.

 

Ok, truth be told, I hate Texas. And yes, its because of the politics, who the stupid voters there vote into office and the idiotic proliferation of open carry, uzis and the like. I'd love to see us give Texas back to Mexico - of course we'd pull all the Federally funded military bases out before.

[Diverdan]

I lived in central Texas many years ago, when it was a great state to live in. But that was before the crazies took over the state government. You couldn't pay me enough to go back, and I never go there to visit or attend any business meetings or conventions there either. The current Governor is even crazier than the last one, and the members of the State Legislature are not much better.

[+ purplekow]

Right, move to Texas where stupid voters put even dumber politicians in office, for at least the next decade gays will be discriminated against and women can't make their own decisions about their bodies, a greater number of idiots are openly carrying weapons, the state legislature continues to find ways to make it hard for Americans to vote, etc. etc.. I'm glad I could financially turn down a job offer in Texas.

 

I think the OP should do as he probably is which is visit different areas of the country he has researched provide the economic, social, political and other characteristics that he finds appealing. I'm not saying the OP is but DON'T just listen to people who post on this website about something as important as where you are going to live.

 

Just to untwist some panties, when I suggested Texas, it was based on the quote from Full Metal Jacket of there being two things from Texas, steers and queers, and I was considering it because I was both. I am not now, nor have I ever considered living in Texas, nor would I seriously suggest anyone move to Texas on my recommendation. Now, back the the Panty Twisting Dance Party.

[+ Gar1eth]

I feel you. Next year I'm subletting my place for a year and going to Houston most likely. Its great there.

 

Have you ever been to Houston in the summer? I'd vote for Austin or Dallas. They are still bad weather-wise, but better than Houston. And DFW is a more central airport for travel than Intercontinental. I haven't been to Love Field lately. But it's probably equivalent to Hobby.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

I am both of them.

 

What purple and cows?

 

Gman

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

I feel you. Next year I'm subletting my place for a year and going to Houston most likely. Its great there.

 

Wake up, Killian—you're having a bad dream. You were talking about moving to Houston.

[rvwnsd]

Wake up, Killian—you're having a bad dream. You were talking about moving to Houston.

Maybe he thought he was writing for The Onion?

[+ RyanDean]

Really, Killian. Visit Houston again this summer just to confirm...

[+ Gar1eth]

Really, Killian. Visit Houston again this summer just to confirm...

 

You know there are perfect summer days in Houston. Unfortunately, there are only about 2 per summer.

 

Gman

[rvwnsd]

You know there are perfect summer days in Houston. Unfortunately, there are only about 2 per summer.

 

Gman

In a similar fashion, there are twelve weeks of gorgeous weather in Chicago. Sadly, they are non-contiguous and often occur at different times from year-to-year. That and the four distinct seasons that have been known to occur all in the same day.

[instudiocity]

I feel you. Next year I'm subletting my place for a year and going to Houston most likely. Its great there.

That is if you can stand the icky, sticky humidity.

 

And can find an "Above the 1 Year Flood Plain" Abode.

[jimboivyo]

houston is by all accounts a pit. even most texans don't like houston.

 

dallas, austin, san antonio. those can be livable places

[+ poolboy48220]

Chris, I feel for you, but the prospect of you moving closer to Michigan sets me all aflutter.

[+ Charlie]

There was an interesting feature on NPR last night about the effort to attract tech start-ups away from Silicon Valley to Detroit, where there are reasonable facilities and costs are much lower. But then they mentioned the winters in Detroit.....

[loverboy95]

I thought I should share this:

 

http://www.citylab.com/housing/2015/05/mapping-the-hourly-wage-needed-to-rent-a-2-bedroom-apartment-in-every-us-state/394142/

[marylander1940]

“What happens is, you get a bank, you get a chain yoga studio, you get a boutique gym, and you get a restaurant serving $16 bowls of ramen,” Criscitello says while showing me around Capitol Hill. “Eventually you walk around and you realize, I just passed a bunch of places where I can’t afford to shop, I can’t afford to eat, and I can’t afford to live.”

 

I am a Seattle native and while I will always have a reverence for my home we are facing serious problems. When my lease is up in a few months I am packing up and moving to the midwest were things are still affordable. Seattle is in a bit of a pickle we are having massive population growth but we don't have the infrastructure to support it.

 

http://grist.org/cities/in-seattle-the-rent-is-too-damn-high/

 

First of all is your choice and I'm sure you're making a decision based on your own financial interest. Why would you move to a small city with less potential clients available?

 

I don't know what kind of numbers are you handling, but sometimes paying 2k or 3k of rent in a larger city with more clients it's better than paying 1k of rent, in a small city like Kansas City with less possible clients/ and visitors.

 

Again, I'm sure you're making the right choice and I wish you luck.

[rvwnsd]

I thought I should share this:

 

http://www.citylab.com/housing/2015/05/mapping-the-hourly-wage-needed-to-rent-a-2-bedroom-apartment-in-every-us-state/394142/

 

Interesting, but flawed, map. It assumes rents are constant throughout each state. $37K per year might allow someone to rent a two bedroom apartment in Peoria, Illinois, but in Chicago and suburbs that wage will barely rent a studio.