Flagstaff has changed...A LOT (Prescott, Prescott Valley: Home Depot, camp, wages)

[wit-nit]

Originally Posted by Kid Ashbury

I have friends in Sandpoint and Post Falls. They say the growth is INSANE and locals are getting pissed.

And where did them 'locals' come from?

[Kid Ashbury]

Originally Posted by wit-nit

And where did them 'locals' come from?

Implying locals don't have a right to be pissed at an enormous amount of people flooding their formerly quiet and affordable communities at the behest of outsider property developers and moneyed interests?

[wit-nit]

The locals before you locals probably said the same thing about you NIMBY's. You have no right to complain, you're part of the growing problem and you can't stop demand and development. Get used to it or move.

[fluffythewondercat]

Your beef should be with the other locals who sold property to the invading hordes.

Or is it that they profited and you just got the short end of the stick?

[kapie9969]

That post sure jumped around. Just remember the locals, for the most part, make 12 hr. so 400.000 dollar houses are a bit out of their price range. 150.000 is more like what two people working themselves to death can afford with the way wages are in AZ. yeah, i know you are a rocket scientist and make 500.000 a year.

[infocyde]

This is what I don't get nation wide. Housing prices are way above the median income in most areas. Even people with pretty decent jobs would be putting like 40% of their income into mortgage payments. I think historically it is around 25%. I don't see how this is sustainable but I get there is a big demographic bubble that needs housing right now. What happens when that peaks out?

I could probably afford a 350K house but if I can get by on a 150k house why would I put myself in debt 200K? It is like you are either in the game already riding the bubble and bubbling up every few years, or you will be moving if owning a house is important unless you make over 150K a year.

I think in reality it is not people getting rich, it is most people getting poor. Assets like houses go up in price and value, but most consumer products go up a lot less. So you average person out there only feels the squeeze in rent, as they are still able to afford computers, phones, fast food. But one day those will go up too. The middle class splits, some go up, most go down.

It is most evident in the desirable places, like Flagstaff in this instance. But you have to look at the world and see as that split comes down what you need to do to be on the side of the middle class that goes up instead of down. Getting in on the housing game might be one way to get an asset and protect it, but you probably need to go somewhere else besides Flagstaff to start trying to climb the treadmill. There are other ways to keep upward mobility besides housing too.

[Slater]

Don't forget that a lot of 20-somethings are also drowning in college loan debt. This makes entry into the housing market problematical for them.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by Kid Ashbury

I have friends in Sandpoint and Post Falls. They say the growth is INSANE and locals are getting pissed.

A "local" (at least in their own mind) is someone who moved up to North Idaho from Southern California 5 years ago

These "locals" are generally reactionary types who want things their way, but then want to shut the door behind them, or as the case may be, kick the ladder out from beneath them. They've done this sort of thing their entire lives and gotten away with it, so why try to convince them any different now?

This is why Idaho will never thrive and prosper. Too much of this ^^^

Coeur d'Alene hasn't been "affordable" since the 1970s, especially not on an Idaho wage scale. Hence why crap hole "bedroom" towns like Post Falls keep growing.

[veritased]

Originally Posted by Yellowrose3

Okay, I will have to defend my california friends. First, we are NOT all liberals, most have moved to Austin Texas! I use the word 'most'. again, for most of us we do NOT have a attitude, but we are free thinkers, and speak our minds. So what's wrong with that? Secondly, if you live in the area of Flagstaff or not, but still concerned about the heights of buildings, you should be attending the City Council Meetings, and the Planning Committees or simply voice your opinion about how high building should be and why. In fact, if I were those in here still concerned, I'd still be voicing my concerns, because does anyone know if they plan on building more building in Flagstaff taller than 4 stories. I'd find out by calling the planning committee or the Major on Monday morning.
I do however, agree that they shouldn't be building tall building that block the views etc. nor the tops of mountains, I do not want to look up at a mountain and see a bunch of houses sitting there!
My suggestion, get to know the California folks and you'll find out fast why we're all leaving California, Can you say : Moonbeam!
Lastly, I moved to Texas but I'm thinking of moving to arizona, Texas is toooooo slow for me. unless you like 1960 era. But, I have Texas Plates....>smile<

This. Yes we escaped California, especially once Moonbeam handed the reins over the Gruesome. Man that state is going down the toilet.

Let's hope those CA residents who voted in this decline don't decide to leave the toilet they created in California only to come here and recreate it. The California way is now officially broken.

[jweb29]

I just wanted to point out that this is a problem with every city that people discover is amazing to live in...... it's a shame, but at least it's not detroit.