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Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

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241–250 of 424 posts

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Get a forwarding mail box from Manhattan and tell your company that's where you live. I mean seriously if the company's gonna dick around w/ salaries like that. I mean other than mailing tax documents is it really their business where you live?

> Get a forwarding mail box from Manhattan and tell your company that's where you live. Lying to your company about things like that is a great way to get fired. Everyone should ignore this terrible advice.

It may also be illegal. Don't companies have to deduct and remit income taxes to the state of worker's residence?

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#242

Desirable areas will always be (relatively) more expensive. Even if we see significant deflation (which is unlikely given the scale of money printing), these areas (NYC, SF) will probably remain expensive so long as they remain significant culturally and economically. When it becomes uncool to live in SF or NYC, then perhaps people will move to places like Wyoming en masse.

The cultural amenities of cities are in serious jeopardy, generally. Many of the restaurants, clubs, theaters, museums, bars, etc that make the city a desirable place may never reopen.

They'll all be replaced. Theaters, for example, will rebound because they're still sitting there, even if they need a new owner. The demand for food, drinks, and entertainment will still exist, even if it's reduced somewhat, and the costs of opening a business and low competition will make for some very tempting business opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT what working remotely is really like. During normal times if I am missing socialization at work I can make up for it by going out more during the week. During normal times if I want I can spend a few hours working from the local cafe. But the cafes are closed. During normal times, kids are at school for most of the day so they don't disrupt you. But schools are closed. I'…

Yea but during normal times coworkers will be having face to face conversations at the water cooler which you will miss being remote. So you are missing external interaction, but on the other hand the playing field is level in a way that it won't be once people start going back to the office.

If your company is in multiple offices you miss those anyway.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#244
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT what working remotely is really like. During normal times if I am missing socialization at work I can make up for it by going out more during the week. During normal times if I want I can spend a few hours working from the local cafe. But the cafes are closed. During normal times, kids are at school for most of the day so they don't disrupt you. But schools are closed. I'…

That is a really important point, but I think that it still doesn't counter the argument about the career downsides of being remote when you don't work for a 100% remote organization. My company is pretty flexible but as a scientist/engineer I still have some duties where being in the lab is necessary. I'll probably increase my remote work for now but likely not move further away. I enjoy my bike commute in the East…

I used to work in N Berkeley and live in Oakland by the lake. A lifestyle where you live and work in the E Bay is simply unparalleled.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#245

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

>suited to working from home during the pandemic (young, no kids, etc)

Well that's your problem. Young people are the ones who like going into offices. People with families and kids are the ones who like remote (they have something to stay home for).

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#246

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

I think it is other way round. Young people don't mind traveling to office or at least mind less. They also seek socialization more - whether on the clock or off the clock.

When you have to take kids to school and from school, you feel time wasted by going to office more.

Also, also those chit chats and socialization in the office and after work feel more like waste of time when you are older. When I was younger, it was cool, because when I stayed late to compensate no one except me was affected and I got to look like hard worker anyway. Now, it feels much more like loss.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#247

People are going to be moving Mountain House or Reno at farthest, not Cleveland. Though the thought of buying a literal mansion near Boise with your techbux is amusing.

Idaho has been receiving a huge influx of Californians.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-10/go-back-...

https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/editorials/article237...

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-millennials-are-moving-f...

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#248

I left a decade ago. And my standard of living went way up.

Where'd you go, if you don't mind me asking...?

Midwest, college town, house in the country on 80 acres.

My kids grew up, they could walk around outside all day and still be at home. They could invite friends to visit, do projects, shoot, saw, drive carts, dig holes. All three are Eagle Scouts, Engineers, black belts.

Wife and I have 7 gardens plus landscaping projects. Two sheds 20X50, tractors and implements. Orchard.

All for less than that old house in San Jose.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#249

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

What I would really want is work full time from the office, but not be judged if once in a while ad-hoc I wish to work from home.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#250
post #185

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

Remote whiteboarding is challenging. In the office, we can just make a breakout session and grab a whiteboard and jam something out. We're all present, nobody randomly sounds like a cyborg about to wreck the city, and we can actually get something done rather than have another follow up after someone puts all this into "notes".

Google Jamboard with company issued iPads solves the whiteboarding.
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