About that real estate: be thankful you were not in south California back in '91.
Oh, we were here in 91, and way before that. And the properties that we owned have gone WAY up. Some have actually doubled in value since 1991.
We are California natives, and have no desire to leave. We knew where the values were going. Only so many homes and so much land to go around, as the people continue and will continue to come. Even the inland Empire, Riverside and San Bernardino areas are running out of buildable land. It's gotten to the point in some areas that you don't even need a for-sale sign, as mulitiple, full price offers are common place as soon as the home gets into multiple listings.
Even the southern California mountain resorts are booming, as many are retiring, and others that no longer have the desire to fly on vacations, are now grabbing up local property in the mountain resorts for family weekend getaways and for vacations, instead of flying to Europe, or Egypt etc.
There just not making any more land here and it's becoming as scarce as the available real-estate inventory.