Surely it's all about location and buyer demand ?

Property is expensive here because lots of people with "a few bob" have decided that this is desirable place to live - which IMHO it is. However you can buy a decent home in a safe, clean, upstanding neighborhood for a lot less - less than half as much - not too far away.

To me it's comparable to living outside of London as opposed to living in London. An apartment in a downmarket part of London could well cost more than a good sized family home in a surburban/rural area in many other parts of the country, even in the SE.

We are not wealthy but are among the many in a decidedly "middle class" income bracket who live here. The most active area of the real estate market here is $300k - $600k precisely for that reason. You won't get anything other than an awful "fixer" for less than $500k that is not a condo.

I've seen houses in the wine country in Texas that make me drool for the money we are paying here. From what I understand that is also a beautiful area, it's just not as fashionable and convenient to wealthy metropolitan dwellers looking for a vacation home.

As something like 40% of all of the immigrants coming to the US go to CA I think we have to factor that states process in if we are discussing house prices with regard to immigrants ?

I'm not even in CA just closeby....

I don't know about your part of America, nor California, nor Nevada, but I was making an observation about who does live where. I don't care where they live, and I can't see where you get the idea I am class obsessed from.

I'm sorry if people aren't living where you think that they ought to, but round here, and in Virginia, Tennessee, and New York, and for that matter up and down much of the east coast, and across to Texas and Oklahoma from what I hear, most of my observations are generally accurate. I acknowledge that there are local factors that skew things, housing near the coast, some large cities, and those near lakes and rivers.

I have no opinion about where you, or any one else, chooses to live, that is their choice and non of my concern. Why you think that I might think differently is a mystery to me, though not worth of so much as a moment of my time to worry about it.

And, for what it's worth, I drive a Ford. You can't beat honest American iron!

I'm not the one with pecking orders for housing and telling people not to buy duplexs because only poor people live in them?

I think people should live where the hell they want to and where ever they can afford, I don't pigeon hole people by what house they own or clothes they wear or cars they drive. I am not judgemental about people like you.

At last, something we can agree on, I couldn't have put it better myself. Let's leave it at that.

Oh, I don't know, possibly because you have a pecking order for housing.

You have segregated people by housing - you have divided people into classes. Even if you think that the house you own or live in defines your status in society you shouldn't broadcast it, many people probably think the same but by declaring it you have announced you are class based and (because you own a detached house (not a ranch)) then you are superior to everyone else who lives in a lower class of housing!

Class definitions are not based on housing in the UK, or income.

They are based on social background, attitudes,values, education etc. You can make a heap of money and never change your class. There are only two effective ways to do this, education and possibly marriage.

I think many people lose the plot on this, is a very "old world" way of categorising people.

And anyway - WHO THE HELL CARES ??

Now be nice

Just because we are bigots doesn't mean we can't be pleasant to each other...lol

Please can I clear this up once and for all?

I admit I made an error in using the words "pecking order", you have impuited something that I never intended. I admit that it is my fault for using words that have another meaning from the one I intended. I should have said "cost/ price hierarchy", and then everyone would have understood I mant "cost" and not started accusing me of something I never intended.

Even in areas where there are large and expensive duplexes they are still likely to be cheaper than a detached house, which in most areas are going to be most expensive, city center apartments excepted.

NOW are we all happy?

happy