With all due respects to you as well, Steve, I believe that your vantagepoint may be a bit biased as a realtor. It's fairly well known that real estate development and transactions (mostly residential) have driven the economic growth in this region for the last few decades, and any other technology, commerical, industrial or other job growth is pretty minimal and transitory, but fairly talked up. I find it interesting that almost every one I talk to has a family member who commutes to the Bay Area for work.
Meanwhile, instead of working on true economic development, Folsom, as well as other cities in the region are focusing on squeezing out every inch of land mass into an increased residential tax dollar base. We all know online ratings of communities are marketing tools and are often bought. Often inaccurate and extremely misleading. Also desirable may be for some limited factors for a limited segment of a population.
As for deterioration of our community, I believe there is evidence of it. Just one example, witness Empire Ranch 15 years ago vs. now. As an HOA community, it should not have the number of unkempt properties and yards, unkempt city landscapes, etc,, dying yards, boats on the streets, driveways, etc. Same for American River Canyon. Just overall not any maintenance standards. A certain percentage of movement is expected, but Folsom and the region as a whole is unfortunately very transitory. People come to see what the buzz is all about, the new housing, etc. and then move on. I know most of my friends and associates did. Then they can't find work, and move on. You may have a different experience as a realtor. Seems there is always some type of work here for realtors. I know the few friends I have that are realtors do quite well, and I mean no disrespect by that. Even in the downturn, they were helping with some type of transaction or other.
This is a great discussion! As one who does his best to get friends, family and strangers to come up here from the Bay Area, I certainly do market the positives. It's just like the San Francisco Convention and Visitor's Bureau showing the Golden Gate Bridge and Cable Cars, and not the homeless sleeping on the sidewalk or the smash and grab auto burglaries (over 25,000 per year). Or look at Disneyland commercials, with people smiling and laughing and enjoying the rides. They don't show mention the enormous crowds, hour long waits for rides, or ridiculous prices.
In the case of Folsom, however, I genuinely believe in the town, and I see the data. Organizations such as Money Magazine, Nerdwallet, and others sell their rankings to the highest bidder, but should be taken with a grain of salt.
Regardless, Folsom has the lowest unemployment in the region, about 2000 new jobs from the new companies coming to town, including SafeCU which left and has returned.
I know people who live here and work in the Bay Area as well. Most of them aren't people who moved here and couldn't find work. They are people who have good jobs in the Bay Area but can't afford a house there, so they buy here and commute. I'm sure if they had better offers here, they might take them. That is slowly happening.
As for Realtors, a good, professional one will survive in any market, but having less inventory to sell is a problem here in Folsom. People are staying put, not leaving.
Today, there are 153 homes on the market in Folsom. Last year at this time, 184. In may 114 were on the market, compared to 164 the same month of 2015.
Poorly enforced HOA rules are not a reflection of the community, nor are they under the purview of the City.
Compare Folsom to Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, or most other communities in the region, and you will see we have the highest price per square foot, low inventory, strong job growth, great schools and low crime. Those are things that attract and keep people.
Yes, people come and go, but that happens everywhere.
I'm always amazed when I look at homes for sale pictures online, and see that many houses, including large expensive houses, have sparse furnishings. It's all a choice where you direct your funds.
One of the things we try to do is have our clients de-clutter their homes. I have them rent storage facilities to store their excess furnishings while showing. Also, it is fairly common to stage photos by moving furniture out of sight just for the photos.
As for the big houses, it is common to find empty rooms. I know people with 4000 sq ft homes with empty rooms they never got around to furnishing, as they had no need.
