9 Comments

The first rebuttal is "jobs," yes. That's the one we say out loud. And it may be quite real.

The second rebuttal, spoken more quietly, or not at all, is "culture."

In other words, "I cannot imagine -- and I have no experience -- living alongside people like *that.*"

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Ah interesting, I hadn't thought of that one. Hopefully when one finds their community it's not in in a place with skyrocketing home prices. ;) Here I am living next to old Catalan farmers but also a lot of rock climbers, so I'm good.

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Housing is so expensive*

*In the Instagram perfect mansion in my ideal

Zip code with a nanny and staff

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But also it’s relatively expensive.

So I do think hearing options like this is amazing

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Exactly.

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Have you seen this guy on YouTube?

Life of Ryan

https://youtube.com/@lifeofryan.?si=1P9Wh80x1BWLdnSa

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No! Thanks for sharing though.

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I bought a cheap fixer-upper in Albuquerque, NM in 2007 and am still fixing it up to this day. Materials have dramatically increased over the years. Everything is way more pricey to tackle today. This house also has a nice view of prime climbing spots on the Sandia Mountains. I quit my desk job in 2004 to become a carpenter with an interest in historic preservation. It was great for a while until the crisis of 2008. Eventually I went back to a desk job out of necessity. Now my back is killing me from sitting at a desk for 10 to 14 hours a day. Always direct coincidence when reading your stories.

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I love the Sandia... I bought a place in Santa Fe in 2006 so I'm with you there. Not quite peak 'housing bubble' but almost. Thankfully it didn't need a lot of work, and I've kept it right through a massive dip in prices, then the rebound.

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