Re: The Truth About Silicon Valley -- Initial Responses

Subject: Re: The Truth About Silicon Valley -- Initial Responses
From: Paul Strasser <paul -dot- strasser -at- WINDSOR-TECH -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 11:03:00 -0500

Maurice King wrote, in part:

>Thus far, the responses that I have received could best be summarized by a
statement made by one subscriber:
>
>>The report you got from your source in California is >DEAD ON THE MONEY.
>
>I didn't get a single response that refuted the report. All of them
>confirmed everything that I wrote.

Maybe your sources don't want you to move. Hey -- it's too crowded out
there already...


I will refute several items in your "report." First, and most ridiculous:
The "case worker" who told you of "...: families in which both husband and
wife worked in full-time jobs who ended up on the streets without money for
food because they did not take seriously the warnings that the cost of
living in the area is exorbitant beyond all imagination" was pulling your
leg. people who are both homeless AND without money for food, yet working
full time? Absurd - provided your case worker friend doesn't work with drug
addicts. If this is the case, they'd be on the street in Tulsa or St. Louis
also. At least in San Jose they won't get snowed on.

Food is not more expensive than elsewhere. In fact, it is cheaper than many
places. Check some ads in the bay area papers.

Is housing expensive? Yep. But is it too high for you? Check the web for
real estate search sites in the south bay area. Check the San Jose Mercury
News. Even better, contact a realtor via email and ask for data. Tell 'em
you're planning on relocating. You'll get tons of data. Lots of
refrigerator magnets also.

The difficulty in blanket statements about real estate values in this part
of CA is that prices vary enormously over ten-fifteen miles. Try and find a
nice little family home in Los Altos Hills or Portola Valley and you'll gag
at the price. Go south of San Jose a few miles to the Almaden area and it's
far less shocking. So too with the East Bay. But the idea that any house
that is put on the market will instantly sell for 15-20% over asking price
is, quite simply, not true. Again, you can verify this with a little
investigatory work on the web.

(I grew up in Burlingame, went to SF State, and have tons o' friends in
Silicon Valley. End of C.V.)

Rental costs are higher than many other locales, but again it's quite
variable over short distances. Is it more expensive than other towns, other
areas? Yes. But again, salaries are higher.

The suggestion that you bring a pile of money is sound. But that applies to
any relocation anywhere.

I just got the uncomfortable feeling that I'm responding to a troll.

Paul Strasser

From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=




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