More broadly, it will be interesting to see whether one of the longterm changes to the workplace even after the pandemic is under control is acceptance of telecommuting and more people choosing to live further out from cities.
Rents in San Francisco have fallen significantly from astronomical to merely stunning. Same thing is happening Seattle. Overall that should be good for the community as a whole. But San Francisco has never been anything but insanely expensive, more expensive than NYC with nothing like the latter's quality of life. I've always loved San Francisco but I could never figure out how to live there, or anywhere in the Bay Area.
When I was doing business in San Fran it was insanely expensive. My clients were down on the famous Market street and I was staying in hotels around there for weeks every few months at the time. Our officiate simple had corporate apartments for some of us there. Then the client moved away to Daily City and SJ. I can't say I like it there, I preferred working with the clients in San Diego La Joya area, And other SCal locations over MCal. But I felt really good at TX, CO, even Rochester NY over SF.
Love the whole Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Jose-San Fran region, just a wealth of opportunity and good times. Unfortunately it’s also a region where you need significant means in order to live, work, and play there at an enjoyable level. Granted, everyone’s needs and perspectives differ.
Monterey as in Carmel? You need rich parents or a history in early personal computing to hope to live there. Of course, you could live in Castro, home of the Giant Artichoke...
Meant the whole area, but yes, have quite a bit of family in Carmel by the Sea. Whole region is beautiful and while I don’t want to live there, love visiting and vacationing in the area.