Same thing happens all over the Western world. The problem isn't that the cycle repeats itself elsewhere, the problem is that most of the time it doesn't. If t

Same thing happens all over the Western world. The problem isn't that the cycle repeats itself elsewhere, the problem is that most of the time it doesn't. If the "refugees" from the Big City aren't followed by people that bring real money (and thus all the "horrors" of gentrification), at best the new location stops developing, at worst the whole thing collapses under the influx of newcomers without having the money to handle the increased pressure on the social and economic infrastructure that was in relatively fragile state to begin with. It may be a great adventure for young people that are very mobile, but I wouldn't start buying property in Oakland just yet...