When thinking about leaving the Bay Area, a common mistake is made
Home sales jump 29% in the San Francisco Bay Area [Burbed.com]
bob Says:
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:35 pmuhhhh Real Estater ,
Did you read my initial response to your reply? What part of the: ” Me and my Wife make well into a dual six figure income. We could just as easily afford to buy a house in just about any BA city that…” did you not understand? Yes, at one time I made less, and now I make considerably more, as in more than enough to buy with my own personal salary if I chose to do so, but will not per my previous reasons which I care not to repeat.been there done that: I grew up in ‘da South’- the land that makes anyone from California tremble with fear. The two most common and in my opinion lame excuses I hear from people who aren’t initiated are: “Oh… well how can you stand the heat, humidity, and the Christians?” Easy… Just as easily as I can also handle crazy hippies, long and wet winters, and insane traffic, the high cost of living, and pending threat of what will someday be a earthquake here in SF.
Just because you live in a hot region doesn’t mean you have to use AC. We actually had a huge ceiling fan mounted in the hallway. That sucker would suck huge amounts of air through the screened-in windows and wallah- nice cool, comfortable breeze. That and we had large trees planted all around the house. Also- back in the old days, people built homes with really high ceilings. I have an Aunt in Memphis. She doesn’t have AC, but her house actually stays quite cool. Heating- the same way. You can get by without using modern heat pumps.People from the BA aren’t used to dealing with any kind of weather that involves creative air conditioning solutions.
Anyhow, at the very least, having to drive and having to cool or heat a home seems like a really tiny negative in an otherwise sea of outright positives when comparing just how much better you can live in another city that just happens to not be the carbon copy of the Bay Area. I for one hope that where I move to ISN’T like the Bay Area at all.
This is a common mistake by people. The Bay Area by definition is the most important and best place to live. So by definition, no other place can be on par with the Bay Area because you cannot replicate it.
Besides, everyone in the Bay Area spends all their free time outdoors enjoying the beauty of nature after they wrap up their 14 hour workday (which, again, makes us special. Unlike slackers from the South who work 8 hour days.)
Sorry Bob, your argument is rejected.
May 24th, 2008 at 11:29 am
The passive voice should never be used.
When considering the dangling participle, burbed ought to avoid this usage.
The Bay Area by definition is the most important and best place to live. So by definition, no other place can be on par with the Bay Area because you cannot replicate it.
This is true. Silicon Glen has bagpipes and haggis instead of MIDI and sushi. Silicon Gulch has fire ants and cowboy hats. Silicon Rainforest has, well, rain. Research Triangle Park has tobacco research. Manhattan does a good job with the high rents, but it has too many tourists and all those annoying theaters which could be replaced by a few startups.
Besides, everyone in the Bay Area spends all their free time outdoors enjoying the beauty of nature after they wrap up their 14 hour workday (which, again, makes us special. Unlike slackers from the South who work 8 hour days.)
Yup, yup, yup, beauty in Silicon Valley. You mean like the rainbow sheen of oil on Stevens Creek Boulevard after the first rain in October? The delicate beauty of matchstick trees in a freshly bulldozed townhouse development on a Superfund site? Or the harmony of 2000 simultaneously lit brakelights on 85 North at 7 in the morning?
May 24th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Eery resemblances to now:
http://nymag.com/news/features/43574/
May 27th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I never said the bay area was the best place to live. I certainly won’t be moving to any place that will require me to drive a car every place I go. I won’t be moving to a place that will require me to use a lot of energy to keep my house cool nearly all year around or heated. That’s just me and I think with the rising costs of fuel, it is a valid point. Texas certainly isn’t a carbon copy of the bay area, it is more like Los Angeles, designed around the use of the automobile. You can be a proud American knowing that you are helping to contribute to the USA being the #1 consumer of oil.
At least there are places in the bay area where you can do without a car. Even in my little suburb I can walk to the store. A lot of bay area cities are trying to make their cities bike friendly and walkable. Certainly, we have a lot of room for improvement but at least we are trying to do something here.
Bob- We had ceilings fans in every room, it didn’t help with the oppressive humidity. The ceiling fans only cooled the house if we had a dry heat, having the windows open only made it hotter. If one doesn’t mind not using AC and sweltering in the heat then this is a non-issue.