Tim Bousquet wrote:
>
> Local realtors and developers have made much out of
> the high cost of housing in Chico, demanding, and
> getting, a green light on any housing development
> whatsoever in the name of "providing low cost housing"
> (of course, no one ever tracks the actual prices of
> the developments).
>
> But it's clear to me that we are in the San Francisco
> market. Bay Area residents found that their homes were
> doubling, tripling, quadrupling in value, and they
> could sell them, buy a nice home in Chico next to the
> park for a tenth as much, and live forever on the
> balance. Lots of forty-ish retirees in Chico. This
> obviously drives up the price of housing in Chico as
> sellers market to the incoming retirees.
Bring those speculative greenbacks down here while it's ridiculously valued,
Tim. That can't last forever, either. I can do you a nice 4-bedroom,
2-toilet, 1/2 acre job within ten miles of Canberra's 'city' centre for US$
120 000 and the same in Hobart for US$30 000 less than that - and that's at
the peak of our markets (wait a year to buy and you should save a fortune!).
No dirty air, all-day electricity (you'll be ahead of the game when the same
problems do hit our recently privatised utilities), your kiddies come home
from school without bullets in 'em, no karnal bunt in your loaf, no
earthquakes, a national health scheme, free education up to matriculation,
lager that doesn't taste at all like Budweiser catpiss, a culture which
professes to hate American culture but hangs on every American's words, and
we've only just discovered our big aquifer, so we haven't had a chance to
drain and foul it yet - and if you're prone to homesickness, nearly every job
you can get here will be for the same company you'd work for at home, and
there's just enough American telly to convince you of the wisdom of your
decision.
Nearly every Yank I meet here sez it's just like America used to be (although
they can never quite arrive at a date) but without a sense it's going anywhere
(the more unbearable ones call this naive and unambitious, but the better ones
know a good thing when they see it).
Come to think of it, we still have journalism outlets who respect the likes of you.
Come and get it while it's hot, pen-pals! Why not pick up a mining company
while you're here? First-world comfort and complacency at third-world prices
for all holders of the formidable greenback.
Australia ... the intelligent Californian's new Chico.
Cheers,
Rob.
