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0 pointsbradlys6y ago0 comments

It's $230k after tax.

> Anyone can live even in the bay area on half of that, extremely comfortably.

You really might want to expand on "extremely comfortably". We all have very different definitions. I'd like a home with AC, good transportation, close enough to SF to actually make it up on weeknights (30-40 min drive), a retirement plan that works with the assumption I live in this area indefinitely, and a <=20 minute commute. I will not have that for $115-130k/yr net income. Just isn't available in the rental market we have. I'm not even getting into the part where I'd like to live in a nice neighborhood with good schools.

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taurath6y ago

$115k/yr is $9600/mo.

You can spend $5k/mo on a rental with all of those properties, and have $4600/mo for food, utilities, bi-annual trips to europe, the payment for your porsche, and a housekeeper, all whilst saving half of your income to buy a house in the most expensive region of the US in 2-3 years.

You can literally have all of those things.

closeparen6y ago

>You can spend $5k/mo on a rental

This is the key to happiness in the Bay Area, honestly. The rentals are just fine if you're willing to shell out. Sure you're not building wealth but you have plenty left over to invest, even in a kickass high-rise apartment. It's specifically a desire to own that will screw you over, no matter your compensation.

bradlysOP6y ago

Where is this $5k/month house with AC within 40 minutes drive of SF and 20 minutes drive of work? (Menlo Park to Mountain View generally being work area) It basically limits you to San Mateo to Mountain View. I haven't seen anything for $5k/month with AC there. If you find it, let me know. I'm in the market - lol.

I have seen one show up here and there but it's almost unequivocally in a terrible neighborhood and/or near the train tracks. Both are dealbreakers. I ain't listening to trains go by at midnight or blast horns at every intersection. Lived that life - done with it.

borski6y ago

I spent 3 minutes searching:

https://www.padmapper.com/apartments/36746960/3-bedroom-2-ba...

https://www.padmapper.com/apartments/13951431/3-bedroom-2-ba...

Point is: the trope of “nobody can live in the Bay Area on 125k net” is total bullshit, tired, and flat-out untrue. Is it harder than living on 125k elsewhere? Absolutely. Are you “poor” and unable to afford a great house? No, not at all.

There are plenty of great places.

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taurath6y ago

Ah, so you want a single family home now.

And it has to be in San Mateo->Mtv. And it must have /CENTRAL/ AC, one would assume. I'm not going to look for houses for you, except to note there are over 100 houses available right now under $5k in that region, all of which you could install central AC into for a couple grand if you wanted. If you MUST live in the San Mateo->Mtv corridor, with all those amenities, why would you imply you're looking to move? It seems like you know what you want, and are not willing to compromise on anything. Go forth and find that perfect rental, or if you don't make enough money to get it, work harder, or re-evaluate whats actually important to you.

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BubRoss6y ago

In 40 minutes you can get so far north that there are no cellphone towers, no lights and no pavement.

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base6986y ago

Eh, twice that ($230K) after 401K, insurance, and taxes is barely over $10K a month. Not sure how you got $115K being $9600.

taurath6y ago

We were talking net, after taxes, and after saving half of the net on a $400k salary.

$115000 / 12 months === $9583.33

joshuamorton6y ago

They're talking about net, not gross.

PenguinCoder6y ago

Do people really bitching about ~barely~ over 10k USD a MONTH? There's a lot of people living on that or barely double that, for a year. Yes, even in/near SF. Quit with the damn entitlement.

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cdkee6y ago

After taxes 115k is more like 5-6k a month, depending on how much you’re putting into retirement accounts, healthcare, etc.

borski6y ago

Parent was already talking about net, after taxes.

esoterica6y ago

Unless you want a 5BR SFH you can definitely have that on much less than 130k/year.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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taurath6y ago

$115k/yr is $9600/mo.

You can literally have all of those things.

closeparen6y ago

>You can spend $5k/mo on a rental

bradlysOP6y ago

borski6y ago

I spent 3 minutes searching:

https://www.padmapper.com/apartments/36746960/3-bedroom-2-ba...

https://www.padmapper.com/apartments/13951431/3-bedroom-2-ba...

There are plenty of great places.

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taurath6y ago

Ah, so you want a single family home now.

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BubRoss6y ago

In 40 minutes you can get so far north that there are no cellphone towers, no lights and no pavement.

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base6986y ago

Eh, twice that ($230K) after 401K, insurance, and taxes is barely over $10K a month. Not sure how you got $115K being $9600.

taurath6y ago

We were talking net, after taxes, and after saving half of the net on a $400k salary.

$115000 / 12 months === $9583.33

joshuamorton6y ago

They're talking about net, not gross.

PenguinCoder6y ago

Do people really bitching about ~barely~ over 10k USD a MONTH? There's a lot of people living on that or barely double that, for a year. Yes, even in/near SF. Quit with the damn entitlement.

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cdkee6y ago

After taxes 115k is more like 5-6k a month, depending on how much you’re putting into retirement accounts, healthcare, etc.

borski6y ago

Parent was already talking about net, after taxes.

esoterica6y ago

Unless you want a 5BR SFH you can definitely have that on much less than 130k/year.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse