It is all just a matter of the pace of life you are used to living. That and finding a steady employment in areas where jobs disappear faster than the summer. Which is one major reason houses are so cheap.

But who am I to talk, I work at a small software company, rent a cozy place and my mode of transportation is all natural and has never failed me, now they just need to put in a crosswalk.

And have you actually looked into jobs in any of these cities? Sure, I may be biased, but the Grand Rapids area has plenty of jobs – especially in its rapidly growing medical field (Spectrum Hospital, MSU Medical School, Metro Hospital). And the largest US currency trading company (Global Forex Trading). And the home of pyramid marketing (Amway/Alticor). And furniture city, USA (Haworth, Steelcase).

Shelter is a real necessity as are the furnishings that go with it.

Transportation and expenses related to it are also a real necessity.

Family and children are also a cause for reality spending.

An affluent society thrives as a result of servicing demand for processing raw materials–production.

Our affluent society prospered when we supplied the world with products; now the world supplies the U.S. with products that we seem to be purchasing with the perceived equity in our assets.

Without a strong production base, we can’t sustain asset growth. We must revert to asset deficits–spending our assets.

During the affluent society people gravitated to prosperous pockets in the U.S. leaving the areas that had low or zero growth.

Today the “BOOMERS” choose to take their assets back to the places that ar “RETIREMENT FRIENDLY” with zero growth.

Demand creates increases in asset costs while zero demand may cause deficit spending.

“SUCCESS” results in how well one plays the numbers!

If I drive one hour to the west, I can get SFH that has at least twice the square footage and 1/2 acre of land in a new (construction) development — for less than the price of my 30 year-old dinky townhouse. The problem is that I would have to tag an hour on to my commute every day (which may not be so bad because I’m gradually getting my boss used to the idea of telecommuting 2 days/week) and lousy schools. But, heck, I’m college educated. I can teach my kid at home. And with gas headed towards $4 and $5/gallon, that extra hour could at $50/week to an already expensive communte.

Wow, think about it. I get to drive an hour in my car, then a half-hour by bus, then another half-hour by train, one way and get the pleasure of paying more than $400/month (after gas, tolls, fares and parking).

Screw that. It’s time to dump the hacienda and become a greeter at WalMart.

I mean, think about it – do you have to go to work for Google just because you want to invest in them?

Yeah, I know what you meant, you want a place to live that also appreciates. Are you saying the $1.25 cottage won’t appreciate, ever, over the next 10-20 years?

I would surmise two things from this:

1. No matter what is going on elsewhere in the world, Scranton is Scranton.

2. There is consistent 2% growth in the real estate market in Scranton because there is a consistent 2% increase in people being born in Scranton and failing to escape. Make what you will of this.