Was reading coldwellbaker.com, seems a $150,000 house in Houston would run $911,000 in San Francisco!

I live in San Francisco but at this rate, Ill never buy a house, so Im packing up and moving out of the Bay area that I love so much! Now, If youd be so kind-any suggestions of a similar place thats cheaper?

God I love it here, came from NYC in the 1980s and have never looked back-now its too expensive and I need a place where $200,000 still buys a respectable house.

Bo-
yeah, but then you have to live in Houston, which consistently runs neck and neck with New Orleans as the city most doing the best imitation of a urinal.

Sorry Bo, I can't help you. I guess there's a reason that SF is so expensive, it has so much to offer! It is my absolute favorite city in the US. I don't know how younger people have any hopes of owning a home in some places. You could move to Houston but it would not be a similar experience. Unfortunetaly, if you want to live in a fabulous place you'll find the prices are outrageous, because everyone else wants to live there to.
Hubby and I have been married a while and saved and bought a house ASAP. Thank god we did, because we could never have afforded the house we live in now if we didn't have all the equity in it. I love where I live, a small beautiful town in Connecticut. It's close to the beach, close to NYC, has excellent schools and is truly charming. I read last week in the local paper that the average sale price in 2000 was $ 867,000. The current average listing price for houses on the market is $ 1.2 million. These are being bought by people who have already owned homes for many years and have built up equity, or Corporate Execs or Wall Streeters. It's pretty sad when a young attorney or doctor can't even afford housing. They keep saying the economy is slowing but it sure doesn't look that way here. Sorry I can't help but it would be interesting to see if anyone can. The only problem is when word gets out, the prices will probably go up!

Bo,
I also read that report and San Francisco is 3rd highest price market behind Palo Alto which is down the freeway from San Francisco( 45 Min.) and San Mateo which is closer to San Francisco than Palo Alto but also down the same freeway( 20 Min.)

Seattle is CHEAPER, but not CHEAP.
Portland is even CHEAPER, but still not CHEAP and its terrific.

Short of dying and going to heaven( or Hell, depending on your taste), I dont know how you could find somewhere similar to San Francisco for less money? I suppose thats why it costs so much. You get the whole picture-perfect thing. Youb know, As one walks through downtown San Francisco, you feel like ur in a movie set or something? You almost expect to see Alfred Hitchcock to walk by or Julia Roberts to step out of a limo.

Oh well, I lived in Marin for 4 years before moving to Boston and I think that Boston has a similar vibe but San Francisco's vibe is sleeker( does that make sense?)I mean the women out west are quite yummy. Oh well, my opinion.

Bo, the only answer for you is Vancouver. Hills, a bridge that looks sorta like a small, green GG Bridge, a near-BART experience with the Skytrain, a Chinatown where the locals outnumber the tourists, a crummy basketball team, great shopping, Whistler is closer than Tahoe, a better main park than GGP, somewhat lower murder rate (but somewhat higher heroin rate), and your US$200K will buy a very nice place, provided you don't want to live on the 40th floor or in Kits. Taxes will be about the same - property, that is; income taxes probably higher, but do you need a job?

The downside is a somewhat higher unemployment rate, wages are lower, gas is higher, and you'll be an alien. Just like Houston.