I used to live in the Irvine area many decades ago.
The housing prices were crazy even back then...
I was renting an apartment for years there because the houses were way out of my financial reach.
I got a job offer in the Northeast (small town) at the same salary and decided to take the offer.
I walked into the local Northeast real estate office and told the guy I wanted to buy a house.
He asked my salary and I told him.
He showed me a wall full of pictures of every kind of house you can imagine.
He said “with that salary you can afford any of them.
Pick some for us to visit.”
I did buy one—four bedrooms, acre of land, less than ten year old house.
Crazy stuff.
I know I could get more house somewhere else but I love it here. My house is worth over six times what I paid for it in 2000, and I love California. I have a vacation house in Lake Arrowhead, 75 miles away so easy to get to. The only reason I’d leave here would be if I left the country, and even then I wouldn’t sell my house. My heart breaks for young people starting out though.