County wages

[florida girl]

Affordable housing should be in range of what people can actually afford, not necessarily the "mean" price range. Just how much does one need to earn to afford a $200,000 home? Either lower housing costs, or raise the standard for wages. How about employers offering some kind of bonuses or perks?

 

[SHELLY]

Affordable housing should be in range of what people can actually afford, not necessarily the "mean" price range. Just how much does one need to earn to afford a $200,000 home? Either lower housing costs, or raise the standard for wages. How about employers offering some kind of bonuses or perks?

The financial rule of thumb is that your house shouldn't cost more than two-and-a half times gross income and include a 20% down payment. So for a $200,000 house to be deemed "affordable," the buyers should have an $80,000 income with a $40,000 down payment.

....or their income can be lower if they enjoy eating Top Ramen off their granite countertop. Fiiiivvveee Different Flavors.

.

 

[Busta Hustle]

now H.B. has an entry level home for $157K...if that is not affordable enough don't forget that your BCC has Wolf Creek planned for county employee types that will range from 85K to 127K or so...so in effect once you get on with the local gov. you'll be set from the cradle to the grave...

 

[florida girl]

There once was a gauge of 1/4 of your monthly income spent for housing, really not a bad idea. However, if someone makes $15 per hour, that's $2600 per month, $650 would be 1/4, less tax and ss. What kind of house can they actually afford? And where do they find that kind of a house? If the guage of "mean" housing is used, and high is multi-million, and low is about poverty level, who actually can afford the mean housing? Are there such people here?

 

[florida girl]

By the way, I visited Niceville the other day, hadn't been there is quite a while, wow! That city is bustling! Businesses everywhere, didn't see many closed/out of business signs, highway construction, lots of people. Bay county is similar, that town has grown incredibly since I was a kid, now I can find most any kind of store I might want to find, plus some. And where are we? We really got to do something to stimulate growth here. It's a matter of our citizens who live and work here, and depend on our economy to survive. We need to insert the human element to our plan, and consider what is best for our people!

 

[beachmouse]

And Guiseppe's on the Bayou is supposed to finally reopen Real Soon Now. (Hurrah!) The flip side of the bustling business climate in Niceville is that it's more about Eglin, Boeing and Raytheon, and less about good food. Guiseppe's opening up is going to help on the food front that seems kind of limited at times.

So you work there during the week, and then hit the fun stuff and good chow in SoWal on weekends.

And go Lady Eagles soccer!

 

[Jdarg]

I really don't want this area to turn into Niceville or Bay County. That is why I moved to SoWal! We have plenty of stores within easy driving distance!

 

[Teresa]

By the way, I visited Niceville the other day, hadn't been there is quite a while, wow! That city is bustling! Businesses everywhere, didn't see many closed/out of business signs, highway construction, lots of people. Bay county is similar, that town has grown incredibly since I was a kid, now I can find most any kind of store I might want to find, plus some. And where are we? We really got to do something to stimulate growth here. It's a matter of our citizens who live and work here, and depend on our economy to survive. We need to insert the human element to our plan, and consider what is best for our people!

no thank you.

sowal is far more unique than niceville or any other panhandle town/community. we've had tremendous growth in the last several years. and any kind of shopping you need within 20-30 minutes, grocery stores and specialty stores all around.

when we moved here over 12 years ago, things were perfect then. even without all of the above. glad to have a grocery or 2 now. everything else is nice to have but not necessary.

move to atlanta if you want it all.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I wonder if the people in Niceville look around HWY 20 and declare how great it would be to live someplace that was spared the 'geography of nowhere' sprawl look.

 

[yucarenow]

i agree with you florida girl....there is no easy way to make any money here...i wish there was

sowal is mostly transplants who have made money elsewhere (or still making money elsewhere)

us little people truly do eat ramen off our granite kitchen tops!:funn: