My daughter and her husband are coming to visit us in central KY in a few weeks. They live a few blocks off Market in Ballard (neighborhood in the Seattle area). The house they rent there could be rented here for about $600 a month, and there would be plenty of street parking and maybe even a garage. There, there is virtually no “available” street parking, they have one “reserved” parking place that is more fitting for a Model T than their car. Traffic is a nightmare, and they pay $3,600 a month.
They are coming to visit and look for a place to rent before they buy. Their reasoning is simple. They love this area, they want to settle down and have kids, and they can do that here on his income alone - easily. And the important part is that he can continue working his same Seattle job and earn the same income here.
Another of my daughters and her husband just left Studio City, CA. and moved to Tempe, AZ for the same reason. A dump of a house in CA was over $650k (not to mention the ridiculous taxes). They bought a really nice and large place in AZ with a beautiful back yard and pool for $230k. Income is the same, though they did have to get new jobs.
A lot of people are doing this. They are leaving the ridiculous leftist blue areas. What’s comical is that my oldest, in Seattle, is a strong leftist. But as she ages, nature is taking its course as it does with people with a reasonable IQ and who are paying attention - she is becoming conservative.
Aren’t there lots of snakes and bugs where you are? I’m originally from Seattle (YES...it’s been ruined by the lefties, and Oregon too). But, I just cannot abide snakes and bad bugs....we’re looking at Idaho.