The real cause of rapidly rising housing costs:

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Almond trees grow in other places not so challenged by irrigation issues.

Simply not true.

California produces 80% of the world's Almond supply.

Not the country. . . the WORLD.

Almond cultivation in California - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So it's a really tough thing. We could stop producing Almonds in Cali to save water but we would essentially be destroying every industry that relies on Almonds and cutting California and our country for that matter out of an industry that we have a near monopoly on.

I would argue that it would make more sense to scale back the population in California than to give up on some of the world's richest agricultural lands.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

This is why they build zero lot line houses on 90 foot lots. Share a lot line on what is effectively a 45 foot lot. Even these are selling for 250K in North Liberty now. Many 300K and over if 2 story. I lived in one for 3 years in semi retirement before deciding to find another acreage since I hated all the irresponsible neighbors with barking dogs...

 

[goldmom]

Simply not true.

California produces 80% of the world's Almond supply.

Not the country. . . the WORLD.

Almond cultivation in California - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So it's a really tough thing. We could stop producing Almonds in Cali to save water but we would essentially be destroying every industry that relies on Almonds and cutting California and our country for that matter out of an industry that we have a near monopoly on.

I would argue that it would make more sense to scale back the population in California than to give up on some of the world's richest agricultural lands.

Where are the other 20% grown?

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

This happens all the time in small towns, in reverse. Grow up in a small town and would like to stay where your family lives but don't really have a choice because there just aren't many jobs or opportunity to make a living so you are forced to move somewhere were there are jobs.

So same thing, you grow up in an area where housing prices really aren't affordable and you are forced to relocate to someplace more affordable. Affordable housing is not a right. Living where you want is not a right. Just saying, you do have choices and there are opportunities elsewhere.

The "Rust Belt" suffered from decades of declining population and people just joked about how awesome California was compared to living in a declining place like Cleveland or Detroit. Well, that average list price of $115k in Cleveland looks pretty good right now compared to California.

i understand what you are saying if there are good jobs to be had. The problem is, most good jobs are in larger cities.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Where are the other 20% grown?

Spain is at #2 growing about 10% of what the US produces.

Almond Production by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

Regardless anything that is made with Almonds would likely disappear if 80% of the world's almond's supply disappeared like that.

 

[bhawk24bob]

There’s a reason housing is so cheap in Detroit or Cleveland. People are moving from there not to there. Not that hard.

That's not true about Detroit any longer but it's a supply/demand issue. The rust belt emptied out for a few decades, hence the current supply surplus.

I don't think it takes a lot to upset supply/demand in Kansas City, it historically hasn't been large. So when the population increases by 1% a year, the housing doesn't exist. Meanwhile, supply won't be an issue in our lifetimes in rust belt cities or cities on the great lakes not named Toronto. The infrastructure is there to fit two Kansas Cities in Cleveland and 4 Kansas Cities in Detroit.

 

[millah_22]

Spain is at #2 growing about 10% of what the US produces.

Almond Production by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

Regardless anything that is made with Almonds would likely disappear if 80% of the world's almond's supply disappeared like that.

OH YA? Where are the OTHER 10% grown?

 

[goldmom]

Spain is at #2 growing about 10% of what the US produces.

Almond Production by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

Regardless anything that is made with Almonds would likely disappear if 80% of the world's almond's supply disappeared like that.

Is Cali the only state where almonds are grown?

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Is Cali the only state where almonds are grown?

According to the wikipedia link it produces 100% of the US's commercial supply

My guess is that basically means that someone might have an almond tree here and there for their own uses in other states but no other state produces them for the purpose of selling them.

 

[littlez]

That's not true about Detroit any longer but it's a supply/demand issue. The rust belt emptied out for a few decades, hence the current supply surplus.

I don't think it takes a lot to upset supply/demand in Kansas City, it historically hasn't been large. So when the population increases by 1% a year, the housing doesn't exist. Meanwhile, supply won't be an issue in our lifetimes in rust belt cities or cities on the great lakes not named Toronto. The infrastructure is there to fit two Kansas Cities in Cleveland and 4 Kansas Cities in Detroit.

I'm not arguing any of that. And you're still not getting the point. Maybe the rust belt has a resurgence at some point, I don't know, or honestly care. I hate to see any states or cities go downhill but you can't stop progress. Western states like Idaho and Utah are experiencing crazy growth and they are all going through the same thing. Where people want to live needs to be more affordable. As a country we need to do a better job of building affordable housing. The answer is not to tell people to move to the rust belt. Because they all started moving out 20 years ago and aren't coming back.

 

[bhawk24bob]

I'm not arguing any of that. And you're still not getting the point. Maybe the rust belt has a resurgence at some point, I don't know, or honestly care. I hate to see any states or cities go downhill but you can't stop progress. Western states like Idaho and Utah are experiencing crazy growth and they are all going through the same thing. Where people want to live needs to be more affordable. As a country we need to do a better job of building affordable housing. The answer is not to tell people to move to the rust belt. Because they all started moving out 20 years ago and aren't coming back.

I get what you're saying, but subsidized housing so that people can live where they want to live is not the answer. Tax breaks that are ultimately paid by society is not the answer. The answer is and has always been to move to where you can afford to move. Or don't, and spend your life at the whim of a landlord.

This isn't some pandemic/post-pandemic problem that has surfaced or a problem that is just surfacing for this generation of homebuyers. It has been going on our entire lives in the northeast and in California.

 

[JRHawk2003]

That's not true about Detroit any longer but it's a supply/demand issue. The rust belt emptied out for a few decades, hence the current supply surplus.

I don't think it takes a lot to upset supply/demand in Kansas City, it historically hasn't been large. So when the population increases by 1% a year, the housing doesn't exist. Meanwhile, supply won't be an issue in our lifetimes in rust belt cities or cities on the great lakes not named Toronto. The infrastructure is there to fit two Kansas Cities in Cleveland and 4 Kansas Cities in Detroit.

Many of those houses are gone. It will take block by block re-development.

 

[Nole Lou]