DMGSprawl
For people who still haven't quite grasped what's happening in the housing market in california: houses like these, shoveled in cheek-by-jowl, typically go for between $600k and $1M, depending on the neighborhood.
In order to afford the average house in CA, you need a household income of $94k. Only making $75k? Sorry. Better learn to love apartment living. And forget retiring: you'll never retire. Rent is too high; you'll never get your monthly expenses low enough. (Everyone who could've retired while still paying $1600/mo. for their two-bedroom has long since moved into a house.)
Yes, a cool million will get your a pastural suburban paradise, with a 45-minute commute ($150-$200/mo. in gas), homowners' association dues near $300/mo., and a Blockbuster, a Chilli's, and a Borders within three miles, and four Starbucks within shouting distance.
And, yes, I still want it. I want a garage full of steel shelves holding climbing, camping, hockey, and cycling gear. I want crown molding and a teeny back yard perfect for barbecuing but without the need for serious maintenance.
I want my American Dream. But even as a well-paid 29-year-old professional with (relatively) low debt, I can't get there. Nope. Last I checked, I could've gotten myself a whole $250k from Countrywide Mortgage, and that's simply not enough. The math is cruel.
It's not that a $250k house isn't "good enough" for me. It's that there simply isn't anything for sale at that price. It's like looking for a two-thousand-dollar new car.
So, while the world looks on in horror at the flatpacking of American life, I can't help but press my nose to the glass, wondering if I'll ever be able to live there.