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Talk of the Town
By Jacqi Bowe
Q. What is your perspective of the housing market in the South Bay? Follow up: How do you think the market will look in the future?
(asked at the Pruneyard)
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Mike Gallant
Software Engineer
I don't know what's going to happen when our whole area is made up of only people with huge incomes. I think we're in for some serious trouble when police, firefighters, ambulance drivers and teachers can't afford to live in the towns they are supposed to serve. New Utopia? We should make it impossible to speculate on property. We could stop people who buy only to sell in a year and a half to make an easy $200,000. Real estate should never have been a commodity by itself for profit like stock.
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Joy Alexiou
Communications Manager
Housing is outrageously priced. They have been arbitrarily increased by the amount of money people have here. They're willing to overbid on houses that just aren't worth that kind of money. Almost anywhere else in the country , I'd be able to buy a house. New bidders? I don't see a change. I don't think there is any immediate solution. I think more houses would help.
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Lois Mangabra
Accountant
It's expensive to live in this area. If you don't own, it's very difficult to afford a home now. If you do own a house, it's a security blanket. We bought two years ago. We're really lucky. The job market is so good here and we're close to where all those jobs are. Un-real estate? You just can't lower the prices. Those who bought at high prices would be very disappointed if their prices went down.
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Jan Olson
Optometrist
They are definitely out of control. Some of my patients commute to work from Los Banos--Two and a half hours each way, on a bad day. One guy I know commutes to the valley in an RV and stays in it Monday through Friday. He goes home on the weekends. He lives up in the Gold Country but can't afford to live here. An alternative? We'd need to make more land available. I don't see an end to it.
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Campbell, California
