Seeing the Wealth Leave California, Firsthand
This past weekend I went over the Sierra to visit my brother and dad in the Reno area. I’m the last family member left in California. As I’ve mentioned here, I’ve noticed the decline in California. The poverty is just creeping through previously nice areas. We’ve got the tent cities, boarded up houses, crime, etc. In my recent visits to the Reno area I couldn’t help but notice the construction. They are building new developments as fast as they can over there. The homes are being filled by Californians escaping our state. Being an engineer, I’ve noticed that the quality of the homes being built are much better than what was built around my area when we had our building boom in the 90s.
We are a golfing family so we are interested in communities with easy access to golf. The very old course, Washoe Golf Course, is in the SW corner of Reno with an older neighborhood built around it. A year ago, nice homes there could be had for $300K. Now, they’re around $500K – a huge increase in price is occurring as housing costs in “the World’s Biggest Little City” are actually now higher than what we find in our area in California. All this has been a little surprising to see.
But, the big surprise was Sunday when I took my family to watch the PGA Barracuda Championship at Montreux Golf Country Club in the hills south of Reno. I grew up in, arguably, the richest part of the S.F. Bay Area. But, I was shocked at the homes in Montreux. They were absolutely amazing. As we drove out my wife and kids asked me to drive around the community more just to look at the homes in that beautiful place in the pines. I felt like one of the Beverly Hillbillies driving through. I paid extra to park inside the community for the tournament and when the lady at gate greeted us on the way in I said, “Do you allow pickups in here?” and we all laughed. I think what I saw was clearly a representation of wealth that’s left California. It was really something. It’s not like the Reno area has a history of tons of high-paid employment opportunities. This is obviously wealth removed from California in order to keep it safe. It was really an eye-opening weekend…
We are a golfing family so we are interested in communities with easy access to golf. The very old course, Washoe Golf Course, is in the SW corner of Reno with an older neighborhood built around it. A year ago, nice homes there could be had for $300K. Now, they’re around $500K – a huge increase in price is occurring as housing costs in “the World’s Biggest Little City” are actually now higher than what we find in our area in California. All this has been a little surprising to see.
But, the big surprise was Sunday when I took my family to watch the PGA Barracuda Championship at Montreux Golf Country Club in the hills south of Reno. I grew up in, arguably, the richest part of the S.F. Bay Area. But, I was shocked at the homes in Montreux. They were absolutely amazing. As we drove out my wife and kids asked me to drive around the community more just to look at the homes in that beautiful place in the pines. I felt like one of the Beverly Hillbillies driving through. I paid extra to park inside the community for the tournament and when the lady at gate greeted us on the way in I said, “Do you allow pickups in here?” and we all laughed. I think what I saw was clearly a representation of wealth that’s left California. It was really something. It’s not like the Reno area has a history of tons of high-paid employment opportunities. This is obviously wealth removed from California in order to keep it safe. It was really an eye-opening weekend…
