Posted on 11/04/2004 5:37:45 PM PST by BurbankKarl
An exodus of California residents this summer, strong enough that one company temporarily suspended truck and trailer rentals for one-way moves out of state, is continuing deep into autumn.
Some of those running for the border are cashing out equity in their homes, others are fleeing high housing prices and apartment rents, while others are seeking a place where the living is cheaper, indicate interviews with rental company officials, economists and analysts.
Demand in California peaked in late summer, prompting Phoenix-based U-Haul International to restrict rentals for out-of-state destinations from Aug. 2 though Sept. 7, though they were modified somewhat in late August.
Demand remains strong, though, and U-Haul still has cities that are only taking reservations if they are based on incoming equipment arrivals, and the customers may have to travel to pick up the equipment or just wait, said company spokeswoman Joanne Fried.
It's made for a 7-day, 70-hour workweek for Mike Jubrail, who runs a U-Haul store at his MJ's Auto Care and Fast Lube business at 8659 Corbin Ave. in Canoga Park.
"We've seen a lot of people move to the closer cities -- Phoenix and Las Vegas -- and we've seen them go up north to Spokane, Wash., and Boise, Idaho," Jubrail said.
And lots of his customers talked about housing prices as they signed the rental forms.
"The main thing is the cost of living and the price of housing. A person can sell their house here for half a million and go to Boise and buy a house for $100,000 and have a couple of bucks to live on. The other reason is jobs," he said.
U-Haul said that a check of its customer database showed that between Jan. 1 and mid October:
3.5 percent more families moved out of Los Angeles County than moved in. San Diego was the top destination followed by Las Vegas, San Bernardino, Riverside and Phoenix.
5.7 percent more families moved out of Ventura County than moved in. The migration pattern was slightly different, though San Diego was also the top destination. It was followed by Las Vegas, Lancaster and Bakersfield. Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz., were also top ten destinations.
Jim Webber, national lease and rental product marketing manager for Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP, tells a similar story, though he doesn't share migration data.
"There has been an extensive demand for rental equipment out of California this year. I've heard a lot of people are selling out and getting-out-of-Dodge type of things," he said.
Most of the outward migration is coming from the state's major cities, Webber said.
California is still expected to gain in population, but it will be driven by people coming here from other countries rather than other states.
This doesn't surprise William H. Frey, a senior fellow at the Milken Institute who specializes in demographic trends.
Foreign-born Californians assimilate after several years then look elsewhere, where housing and other costs are cheaper, allowing them to keep improving their economic lot.
"I think it's consistent with the longer-term trend. It's more the people who are squeezed by high housing costs," he said.
Important stuff. We need to retake California.
Soon California will be populated by nothing but unemployed Mexicans.
The entire left coast should be put under martial law.
Keep em' out of Phoenix. Our housing costs are skyrocketing.
My husband and I live in Pasadena. We went to an open house a couple of doors down from us. The house was less than 1600 sq feet and they wanted $740,000!! The master bedroom didn't even have a closet!!! Unbelieveable. My husband says that mortgage payments would be $7000-$9000 a month including taxes. That's just nuts! I mean, if it was a mansion, it would be worth it...but a dinky tuna can?
Same with Boise! Idaho is full, turn around!
Does that mean libs from the blue state are going to turn red into blue with their migration.
$740K would buy you over 10,000 square feet here in Boise.
Hardly the case, all you have to look at are the median home prices in California, particularly in the metropolitain areas. Many native Californians decided to take the money and run when they saw the equity in their homes rise hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few years. Unemployed mexicans can hardly afford $500,000.00+ homes. There are several factors involved here, but the exodus the article cites is merely attrition in the most populous state in the union.
California = Liberalism run-amuck
Same here in Reno, Nevada, which we moved to from California just a little over a year ago. Tell everyone in California that Reno really sucks and if they're smart they'll stay away from here. We hear its really nice up in Montana...
I was in/near Reno this summer hiking. Actually, it was South Tahoe.
Tell me about the Sandpoint area. It looks beautiful.
Hey man, don't rub it in! HA...
I agree completely.
Furthermore, here in the Sacramento region, housing prices have risen dramatically in the last few years as people move from the LA or SF areas and come here buying for cash or with huge down payments.
My only concern is a crash, ala 1990 but I feel if it comes, it will be those two large population centers that will take the biggest hit.
Wishful thinking on my part perhaps.
Cheers,
knews hound
(ECV Chapter 3)
I don't really know much, haven't been there yet. I'm new to Idaho, 18 months, and haven't made it up yet. It's about 8 hours from here. There is a bike trail which runs from Montana to Oregon I want to ride up there.
washington state doesnt want any more liberals as well. Stay out unless you are not a democrat
I had a friend who moved to the Santa Cruz area back then and bought a house for $450K only to have it worth $350 within a few months.
It means that people in the high-tax, high-rent blue states have figured out they'd rather live in the red states, and are finding their values are more conservatives.
Also, pretty much every city is being run like a welfare state: each city has its own super-luxurious health and fitness complex, open spaces, bike paths, etc. all paid for through property taxes. This may be OK, but it certainly doesn't follow the independent mentality that Colorado used to be famous for.
Or, Austin, Texas, which is also near a big lake which Californians would just love...
I lived in Chicago on that same lake. I've been to Traverse City and Austin. Let the Dems go to either!
I was worried that so many liberals may have moved to Phoenix and Las Vegas that it would turn both states demonrat.
A great many of those leaving are Republicans for obvious
reasons.
They just wouldn't like it here, I'm afraid.
I can not wait to move out of the People's Republic of California. I would really prefer to be surounded by the good old boys of a Red state. I have had it up to my ears with the efete, intellectual cocaine sniffers of the SF Bay Area.
I read recently that home values in San Fran are rocketing down, and that the trend would pick up all over Cali.
Nevada is a red state that will probably be blue by 2008 due to the massive influx of people from California.
We are out of ammo. Send money now...
I was thinking that myself right after I posted - fingers working faster than brain sometimes!!
California....the state that eats its most productive citizens and feeds the remains to its least productive inhabitants...most of whom are not even US citizens...
I really hate what illegal immigration has done to my City (used to be small town). There are places here now that actually look just like Mexico. My husband is retiring soon and we are leaving. I say let em have California.
On Wednesday Tom Sullivan, local radio talk show host and sometimes fill-in for Rush, explained why San Francisco people are so out of touch with the rest of America. While the President has raised the home ownership rate in the U.S. to 70%+, the home ownership rate in SFO is only around 35%. If you aren't responsible for property, YOU AREN'T RESPONSIBLE!
And all the left caqn think to do is raise taxes. What a bunch of pathetic morons.
I'll wager a disproportionate number of them are heading for Austin, TX, which has virtually become the San Francisco of TX. Crap. I wish Texans would buy up billboard ads on the Interstates, hiways and byways in AZ and NM, telling the Californicators to take that left turn at Albuquerque! (As a Texan, I'd contribute to the cause.)
You wouldn't like Washington then. Blue state, coke heads, crack heads, queers all over the place, RAINS ALL THE TIME, everything gets moldy - even the family dog, really a horrible, miserable place. Try someplace sunny, like Arizona or something.
Actually, I think the reason the President won in many western states is because so many Conservatives are leaving CA to move to NV, AZ, NM, CO, etc.
My next door neighbor moved here (Oklahoma) from California recently. He and 14 other members of his family all left CA at the same time. Religious, political and economic climate was horrible, they said. 15 people (4 families) moved!!!
Take me! Take me! I'm qualified. I'm from Eureka...
I can offer a ditto for that in Pocatello. Few houses are being built because we have a finite amount of water available from underground wells. Unlike California, the locals won't permit development to outstrip resources. Besides, there aren't any jobs outside of fast food and retail in the local economy. I report to a manager in Mclean, VA.
You are in Boise? What's the deal? My husband and I were just talking about considering checking it out. We're in NYC. What can you tell me?
ARF!
I'm headed out there eventually but I plan on getting a couple hundred acres waaaayyy out in the sticks... ;-)
LOL! What the heck, we could use another republican up here!
Just make sure to tell any Dem Californians you know how HORRIBLE and MISERABLE it is up here!
Same for Las Vegas and the majority of them are braindead liberals.
If this election was left to the voters of Las Vegas, Nevada would have gone to Kerry.
Thanks
ping
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