Moose

I was just at a 10 year High School reunion yesterday (post about that soon) and one of the things I heard from a few people (myself included) who have moved out of the area is this desire to live back in our home town (or at least, the surrounding area), but it's simply become too expensive to do so. The town I went to High School in has always been a middle class to lower upper class area, and over time property values have just gotten too high for anyone who grew up here to really move back here. For a lot of us, the only hope we'd really have is if a parent passed away and left us their house, but obviously no one wants their parent to die.

This isn't just an issue here though. When I was up in Plattsburgh going to school, I interned at a PBS station up there. One of the projects I helped with was reaching out to small towns in the Adirondacks to see about Adirondack living and problems basically. From the people I spoke with, some of their concerns were the rise of AirBnb, as well as the influence of out of towners buying land or housing. They had people who grew up in their town their whole lives, and wanted to stay and continue to build the community. But by the time that person goes to the bank, secures a mortgage, etc. these houses were already bought by people not from the area who paid in cash. And often a lot of these people were buying these places to be secondary homes or used for things like AirBnB. One town was starting development on a new housing area, with the goal of making one of the requirements to buy the house that it had to be your primary residence. But it was still a concern to these people living there that their towns wouldn't really grow - they wouldn't have people to join the local volunteer Fire Departments, or help organize festivals throughout the year, etc. - because the people who have lived there and would want to keep those traditions going, simply couldn't afford to stay.

I know housing is a bigger issue across all of the US right now, and so these sort of things aren't very unique. But it just felt extra sad to me recently with how many people it seems would like to move back to where they grew up, because they did love the area, the people, the vibe, whatever. But now just... can't.

So, looking on Zillow, I saw that the house that I currently live in (which was transformed into apartments) was last sold a few years ago to my current landlord for around 160k I want to say. Zillow estimates the monthly payments on this place at about $800/ month, though I wouldn't be surprised if my current landlord bought it with Cash since he owns a lot of where I live and is a lawyer professionally. My rent is currently 1050/ month, and there are two other apartments in this building, both of which have been rented since before I lived here. Rent used to be $950/ month (and even that felt high for what this apartment is), but went up once the new landlord came in.

Just fucking sucks. Dude does the bare minimum for this place and his monthly costs to own this whole building with 3 whole tenants costs less than what I pay in rent to him monthly. The housing market fucking sucks ass. I wouldn't even be able to get the closing costs for a $160k mortgage from the bank so I could only pay $800/ month on this place, so instead I have to pay 1050 a month for 1/3 of this place -_-

I grew up less than a mile from the sea. The salt air never felt like it permeated to our house, but somehow the essence did. A certain feeling that there was a vast expanse only a short walk away. When I went to college I chose a school by the sea. It wasn't conscious, it just kind of happened since it was the school I happened to get into.

I didn't realize what the water meant to me until there was no water. I moved to the suburbs of the city on top of a hill. I was feeling disconnected, like an astronaut floating away and didn't know why. It took me a few years and moving to a different part of town to realize what was missing.

My third apartment had a "harbor view" on its balcony which was a crack between two other buildings. I loved that view. I sat out on my little balcony as often as I could, which was really only half the year due to the cold. I felt fully at home for the first time since leaving "home". I was connected to the world again. I walked along the harbor near daily. It does help that Pokemon Go was a Thing that summer and I could catch so many water Pokes on my journey.

Then I had to leave. The rent was too high. I thought I could go back in a few years. It would all be ok. I've really liked some of the apartments I've had since then. I love living with my friend.

Maybe that's why the pull to go back isn't as strong these days. Maybe I've grown used to missing it. Maybe it was never the sea at all. Maybe it was something I still haven't put my finger on. Though, if I had the chance to go back to that neighborhood I'd take it in a heartbeat, god knows I've tried every time I've considered moving.

Alas, the rent remains too high.

God I hope the housing market comes back to a reasonable level. Or wages go up significantly (or both ideally). Because man I've heard this story a lot with different towns both in the Adirondacks in NY and here in VT. Locals who grew up in a place their whole life, and want to continue to live there, just can't because by the time they find a place someone with more money has already rented the place or bought it. Airbnb and those sort of apps make these situations worse given they don't add to the community of an area.

This is something at least one town manager in the Adirondacks was concerned about - the erosion of a community. When kids grow up somewhere, leave, and come back (or just stay their whole life) they know the history of the town, the vibes, and can help grow and evolve those. When it's constantly new people moving to an area (or with Airbnb just there for a week or whatever), that history just doesn't grow, it doesn't build. And it's just... sad. I'm in a similar boat - I absolutely love the area I grew up in, and would love to move back. But everything is just so overly priced, the only way it seems I'll ever be able to move back is if my parents leave the house in my name. Which is just such a sad reality to live in.