Most overpriced places in 2004 (Seattle #1)

Forbes.com ^ | Betsy Schiffman

[SeattleNeedsHelp]

Do you think where you live is overpriced? You may be in for a shock. No matter how bad you think you may have it, it's a good bet that plenty of other Americans have it worse.

[radiohead]

I'm outta here as soon as I finish my doctorate. While I love the scenery and being near the water, etc., there is no way I'd spend $200,000+ for a little craftsman cottage here in North Seattle (if they don't burn down the neighborhood first). The traffic is terrible and the city has a long way to go before it gets a handle on public transportation as it's understood on the east coast.

That said, with the Boeing layoffs and dotcom bust, the rental market has taken a dive and I've had reductions in my rent each year.

I thought I was a tough gal, w/10 years in Philly and 6 months working in NYC, but downtown Seattle unnerves me. I don't like going down there at all, though maybe it's a function of age. My son goes to the clubs and seems to like it well enough. However, neither one of us likes Belltown or anyplace down there well enough to want to live down there, new buildings and deals on rent notwithstanding, which is too bad, because I generally consider myself a city person.

In Seattle's defense tho, I must say that the people are generally friendly (especially coming from the east coast where people get angry if you look at them the wrong way), I feel pretty safe (if I don't go downtown), and am glad I picked Seattle over some of the college towns I could be doing time in.

[TommyDale]

This is skewed because of the prices at Starbucks.

[Spyder]

I love Oahu - the cost of living here is helped some by the fact that we can use the commissary, low air/heating costs, gas $2.09 on post, and clothing costs fairly reasonable. With our daughter heading out of state for college in three weeks though, we'll be having to almost triple what her tuition here cost us. Our house, though, bought brand new 3 years ago for a little over 300K would now sell for over 500K. KHON frequently addresses prices on Maui, and I feel for you. Great place to visit, though. I love Lahaina.

[SeattleNeedsHelp]

I'm outta here as soon as I finish my doctorate. While I love the scenery and being near the water, etc., there is no way I'd spend $200,000+ for a little craftsman cottage here in North Seattle (if they don't burn down the neighborhood first). The traffic is terrible and the city has a long way to go before it gets a handle on public transportation as it's understood on the east coast.

 

But just wait until the new monorail is completed ... (sarcasm)

[vpintheak]

3 Cities from New Jersey that bastion of liberal homosexual governors? Who'd a thunk it?

[Melas]

Gas could be $50 a gallon in HI, and it wouldn't matter. Compared to the rest of us, Hawaians put next to no miles on their vehicles.

[pogo101]

I'm surprised LA didn't make the top 10. Certainly the few parts of greater LA with decent schools and low crime are extremely highly priced.

[Tailback]

I figured 1-10 would be all in California or NYC areas.

Portland, OR IS a California and New York area. Liberals from California and the East Coast have been flocking to Portland for decades. (Vera Katz the mayor of portland is a eastern commie) It's not a coincidence that Portland has low job growth, high cost of living, and high housing costs. Multnomah County (which includes most of portland) has its own income tax.

[Kay Ludlow]

Now they are looking at a 300' buffer around anything they decide is a wetland (all of Western Washington is pretty soggy). The concept of private property is beyond the leftist slime running this state.

The attack on private property is not limited to your state. There are so many programs being pushed by the federal government - watershed protection, open space preservation, historical regions that all appear to have as their primary goal getting control of land out of the hands of individuals and into the hands of unelected bureaucrats. It's everywhere. Some local governments are more cooperative in implementing that others though, so some areas remain freer than others.

[what's up]

Are you sure? Wow. On the Big Island we pay $3.50 (this is still expensive.)

[Brytani]

I figured where I live would be in the top 5 - and it was. Thanks Miami.

[what's up]

That is to say...are you sure about the price of milk being $7? It is $3.50 on the Big Island.

[A CA Guy]

Three cities in Jersey of the top ten are all seen as being overpriced.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, was this article from before the governor came out?
What did the author know and when did he know it?

[cousair]

I am not in disagreement with you about the population vote. The same thing happens in most states where a large city has the most people. Chicago controls the vote in Illinois, L.A. in California.

[mlmr]

The ones who dont go there go to Portland Maine to ruin it. What a mess of a town it has turned into...leftist trap.

[Cacique]

ping

[Robert A Cook PE]

1. Seattle
2. Bergen-Passaic, N.J.
3. Miami
4. Portland, Ore.
5. Middlesex, N.J.
6. San Jose, Calif.
7. San Francisco
8. Chicago
9. New York
10. Jersey City, N.J.

Gee.

All those rich democrats.

Gee. I'm so sympathetic.

You'd think they'ed want a tax break, ya know.

[SC Swamp Fox]

1) hit extremely hard by the downturn in the dot com economy, and the economy as a whole (mainly Boeing)

A poor local economy should have the opposite effect.

[radiohead]

But just wait until the new monorail is completed ... )

You made me laugh w/that one. Y'all will be riding electric brooms before the monorail is anywhere near functional.

[xander]

All that without a state sales tax. Imagine if we added that to the mix, I'd bet Portland would be at the top of the list.

BTW, I have to add this as it is the one thing here that drives me nuts since I moved up from California to be closer to family a year ago. Oregonians cannot drive worth a wooden nickel!!!!! Stop for no reason, do not go at green lights, drive slower than posted limits, Argh!! Tangent off :)