4 ms·

The US has many of these problems but to a much lesser extent, it seems. Housing is crazy in the US in many cities but there's a vast interior where it's still

by api 3y ago

The US has many of these problems but to a much lesser extent, it seems. Housing is crazy in the US in many cities but there's a vast interior where it's still somewhat reasonable. There are lots of medium sized cities with sane housing prices and good culture and jobs (if you can't or don't want to go full remote). The other problems are much less in the US. We have a stupid broken immigration system too but the US is so big the problem is buffered.

galdosdi 3y ago
Yeah, the medium (and "uncool" large) cities are where it's at in the US. Smaller is very affordable to live, but the lack of jobs is commensurate with the affordability. I've never lived in Chicago but it seems like a particularly good bet in terms of affordability vs access to jobs and markets. Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia also all seem to be more affordable than they should considering their access to jobs and markets. It's getting worse all the time though. It feels like we have to hurry to buy or be left out. Everywhere is less affordable than it was just a few years ago.
- epiccoleman 3y ago
  Repping Columbus, OH as a pretty nice "uncool" city. Definitely feel that same hurry you describe though. We bought a place in 2020 and now have an extra kid, and could really use another room for a home office too. Houses in our school district of the size we'd like (nothing crazy, like a 2000 sq ft 4 bed with a basement would be fine) are now pushing into the mid 450s, and it'll probably be worse by the time I'm in position to look at another move. The one advantage we have (and it's a big advantage!) is that since we've owned a house for a few years now we get to benefit a bit from the crazy rise in prices. Our place was originally 250 and now would probably go for close to 100k more. That amount of equity build up in 4 years is pretty wild!

by api 3y ago

galdosdi 3y ago

Yeah, the medium (and "uncool" large) cities are where it's at in the US. Smaller is very affordable to live, but the lack of jobs is commensurate with the affordability. I've never lived in Chicago but it seems like a particularly good bet in terms of affordability vs access to jobs and markets. Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia also all seem to be more affordable than they should considering their access to jobs and markets. It's getting worse all the time though. It feels like we have to hurry to buy or be left out. Everywhere is less affordable than it was just a few years ago.

epiccoleman 3y ago
Repping Columbus, OH as a pretty nice "uncool" city. Definitely feel that same hurry you describe though. We bought a place in 2020 and now have an extra kid, and could really use another room for a home office too. Houses in our school district of the size we'd like (nothing crazy, like a 2000 sq ft 4 bed with a basement would be fine) are now pushing into the mid 450s, and it'll probably be worse by the time I'm in position to look at another move. The one advantage we have (and it's a big advantage!) is that since we've owned a house for a few years now we get to benefit a bit from the crazy rise in prices. Our place was originally 250 and now would probably go for close to 100k more. That amount of equity build up in 4 years is pretty wild!