The most expensive place to live in the U.S. is...

If you're looking for an affordable place to live, it's safe to say you can cross Newport Beach, California off your list. (While you're at it, you may want to nix California completely --
the state happens to be home to nine of the 10 most expensive housing markets in the country.)

According to a new report from Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Newport Beach is the priciest place to live in the U.S., with an average list price for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at an astounding $2,291,764. In a 2009 survey, housing prices in Newport Beach ranked eighth highest in the United States.

The city is bordered on the west by Huntington Beach at the Santa Ana River; on the east by Crystal Cove State Park; and on the north by Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport, the City of Irvine and UC Irvine.

Among the area's key points of interest are the Newport Center, Balboa Pavilion, Balboa Pier, Newport Pier, Newport Beach Boat Show, and Newport Sports Museum.

The seaside city's beautiful beaches draw surfers from around the world, while Newport Pier and Balboa Pier attract scores of fishermen. Newport Harbor is the largest recreational boat harbor on the U.S. west coast, and a popular haunt for various boating activities, including fishing, sailing, kayaking,and paddle-boarding.

Bird watchers and nature lovers alike frequent the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, and Crystal Cove State Park.

There have also been many references to Newport Beach in popular culture. For one, the popular clothes brand Hollister Co. uses "Newport Beach" in many of its products. Moreover, the popular TV show The O.C. was based on the fictional lives of people residing in Newport Beach.

Would you ever want to live in Newport Beach, California? Does the cost of living sound ridiculous?

Comments

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put

Understand People

Search This Blog