Down & Out In Silicon Valley - Like striking it rich, being 'almost homeless' can happen to anyone

sfgate.com/San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sunday, October 13, 2002 | Stephanie Salter, Insight Staff Writer

[StockAyatollah]

While I was looking for work as a software engineer I tried to get a job as a courier. They didn't call me after I applied. I also tried to get a lower level programmer position but was told flat out that I was "overqualified". Eventually, I got a sw engr. job at 60% of what I was making before and no benefits. Also I did manage to get a different part-time courier job on the weekends which I am still working to play catch-up on my bills. The manager said they got 400 calls in response to their tiny classified ad for that position. I guess this is the new, new economy.

[clamper1797]

murder filled neighborhood in San Jose

Let me guess ... East San Jose ... Tropicana Village ... King Street ... am I close ???

[FITZ]

$300,000 home?

Well you have to excuse me because where I live a $70,000 home is considered pretty good. I'm glad I live where I live because the 90s "good" economy never made it here so I never believed the economy was good when they said it was. The 80s were good here but they ended a long time ago.

[pyx]

Employers know this and WILL NOT HIRE these people for this (among many others) reason.

Like when we're over 35 years of age or when there is a glut of H1B visa programmers and systems people from India and Pakistan who will gladly work in America for $8.00 or less per hour.
As I suggested, driving a rig pays $40+K per year and there's nothing undignified about a shipper/receiver (forklift operator) who can still steadily put food on the table.

[potlatch]

Maybe losing a $300,000 home is worse than losing a $70,000 home.

No, FITZ, we both know that's not true. A man's home is his castle. I may anger some, but I think they [some of the remarks],are based on a little envy of what some of these people were making!?

[clamper1797]

If they offered ... I WOULD take it. AND I did apply for several jobs just such as these ... No success

[scripter]

My last house was on West Cliff Drive down from Boardwalk in Santa Cruz (on the water)

You dog. :-) You do love the water. We have our eye on a (double lot) place on West Cliff Drive. They were asking 2 million but now it's 1.5 million. As if we could afford it. I did a lot of work for a startup (Wherewithal), and have a lot of stock. They're actually starting to do well. If they take off that house is mine.

[scripter]

Let me guess ... East San Jose ... Tropicana Village ... King Street ... am I close ???

Very close. The neighborhood was Seven Trees. The triangle of Senter Road, Monterey Road and Capital Expy.

[clamper1797]

I didn't think there were any more empty lots. Hmmm ... I sure miss that house. I bought this house (down payment) and put the rest of the Santa Cruz house's equity in the market ... you know where that went .....

[pyx]

If they offered ... I WOULD take it. AND I did apply for several jobs just such as these ... No success

I'm hurtin' my brain and I'm runnin' outta suggestions. :)
Anything available as a bookkeeper ?

[clamper1797]

Do you remember Duncan's Gulf station on Monterey Road ... Seven Trees kitty corner to the drive ins ??? I went to James Lick high School in East San Jose ... tough neighborhood. I played horseshoes with the Golden Eagles Horseshoe club who's facilities are on Senter Road and Capitol.

[scripter]

Well you have to excuse me because where I live a $70,000 home is considered pretty good. I'm glad I live where I live because the 90s "good" economy never made it here so I never believed the economy was good when they said it was. The 80s were good here but they ended a long time ago.

Understood. There were some emails going around a few years ago regarding: "You know you live in Silicon Valley if..." One of the "ifs" were, you make more than $100,000 and still cannot afford a house. I think the only way to buy a median priced house at that income was to put $300,000 down...

[clamper1797]

I'm been back to work for a month now. 20% pay cut but I'm still an engineer. I design analog instead of digital circuits now.

[clamper1797]

Very close. The neighborhood was Seven Trees. The triangle of Senter Road, Monterey Road and Capital Expy

And Andrew Hill High School

[potlatch]

Things are in relation to everything else. Where there are high paying jobs, the homes, taxes, food, everything is more expensive. A beautiful, $150,000. home in the south, will cost 2 or 3 times as much on the east coast, or in California.

[scripter]

I didn't think there were any more empty lots. Hmmm ... I sure miss that house. I bought this house (down payment) and put the rest of the Santa Cruz house's equity in the market ... you know where that went .....

Sorry - it wasn't an empty lot. It was a double lot with an old Mediterranean style house with very ugly tile on the inside. They remodeled it. I think it would have sold if they didn't remodel and let the new owners remodel. Yes, I know how that went.

[clamper1797]

Let me guess ... 1414 West Cliff

[scripter]

And Andrew Hill High School

Yep. The wife went there. I graduated from Soquel High. I think I'm gone for the night. It's been a lot of fun. Thanks.

[VOA]

And many of us are married to someone that refuses to leave the area.

Heck, even as an Okie, I can understand folks wanting to stay in California.
Weather is wonderful...well, except for the heat in the Inland Empire.
And this is a truly happening place, whether it's technology, entertainment or
many other endeavours.

And if a person had relatives here...would really be hard to relocate to "flyover country"
or the East Coast.

I guess I have my own idiosyncratic perspective...Texas is a lot like California.
Both are "living large" kind of places with lots of business and opportunities.
Even if it's hot and muggy in Houston, arid in San Antonio and hot and/or cold
in DFW...if California wasn't working out...as they used to do in Tennessee...
I'd be painting "Gone To Texas" on the door of my abode.

[scripter]

That sounds so familiar.