Precisely why I'm moving east- as a first-time home shopper, I simply can't afford it here. I mean, it's crazy to find yourself seriously considering a $310,000 first house, and that's a fixer-upper! And since I came from north Georgia last year, the shock was so much greater...
Nope, heading to NC.
Yeah, housing in California is spendy. I did see some new construction in North Sac near Arco Arena starting in the high $300K's. A co-worker is looking at buying one for a rental property. Typical California development, though, good-sized houses with next to no yard.
Advantages are: you've nearly no landscaping to maintain, you can borrow a cup of sugar or an egg simply by reaching out the side window...
Disadvantages are: there's almost nowhere to entertain but indoors, the occasional neighbor coming by with a paint roller to ask if he can reach out through your side windows to paint the side of his house, kids have no place to play but out in the street...