The Return of the Commute

Those of us who were lucky enough to work from home during the pandemic are slowly getting back to the office, but the traditional commute will never be the same. How’s your return so far?

CHIC (Pearl)

I’m one of the lucky ones who can continue to work from home, so the only commute I need to navigate is the path from our bedroom to the shower to the kitchen to the office. It may sound like a dream, but it can be very hard to find motivation when a bag of popcorn and streaming videos are at your fingertips. That’s why I try to pretend my supervisor is watching — even though it’s just our cat!

GEEK (Kevin)

If I never have to wait in rush hour traffic again it will be too soon. There is nothing more wasteful and mind-numbing than sitting in your car for hours every day with nothing to do but inch forward, check your text messages, and call a friend to vent. I know I’m not supposed to look at my phone while I’m driving, but I don’t call that driving. It’s more like waiting for a miracle.

Making time to take time in the new normal.

We know how you feel. You’ve been working from home for longer than you can remember, and as soon as you think you’ve learned everything about Zoom, they drop another software update.

As work/life boundaries erode, how can we be sure that we’re managing our time — and not the other way around? The Wall Street Journal attempts to answer this question.

Chic vs. Geek: Stability in Uncertain Times

Many homebuyers are hitting the pause button due to rising interest rates, inflation, and other economic fluctuations. But waiting will only make the price tag higher as long as Silicon Valley home values remain immune from market fluctuations. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why this is true:

CHIC (PEARL)

Wealth: Silicon Valley has the highest level of income and wealth inequality in the U.S., and it increased dramatically during COVID. That means fewer people can afford to buy, and those who can are ready to spend big sums to get what they want.

Jobs: Silicon Valley’s unemployment rate fell to 2.9% at the end of 2021, and tech jobs are now 5% above pre-COVID levels. That means more demand from well-paid workers, and it only deepens as cities continue to miss their housing production goals.

Employer Confidence: Google, LinkedIn, Apple, Amazon, Facebook/Meta and other tech giants made major investments in Silicon Valley real estate in 2021, which means those well-paying jobs aren’t going anywhere, and neither are the service industries that support them.

GEEK (KEVIN)

Investment Housing: The Santa Clara County Housing “Affordability Index” stands at 22%, which means less than 1 in 4 residents can purchase a median priced home. So it should come as no surprise that the share of homes sold for investment hit 9.5% in 2021.

Strong Fundamentals: The housing market boom we’re seeing now in Silicon Valley isn’t a “bubble” like 2007. With the third highest concentration of “equity rich” homes in the country, our region is fundamentally sound and hard to crack.

Future Demand: Over 4.5 million Millennials will turn 30 over the next few years and look to increase wealth through homeownership. And more than a decade of under-building, Capital Gains Tax regulations, and Prop 13 protections are sure to sustain high demand — and prices — for years to come.

Geek's Number Talk: Mortgage rates reach pre-pandemic highs

According to Freddie Mac, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage hit 3.92% this week, a height that hasn’t been seen since May 2019. That’s up more than a full point from 2.81% one year ago. This means a rough housing market is about to get even rougher, as many first-time homebuyers have to fend off competition and negotiate a loan that doesn’t put them in debt for the rest of their lives. Learn more from the New York Times.

Chic vs. Geek: What’s keeping you home?

The pandemic has forced us to adjust to new ways of living – and working – in our homes. What’s one thing around the house that makes it easier?

CHIC (PEARL)

A lot can be said for the simple things like a solid WiFi connection and a good coffee maker, but give me my standing desk any day of the week and twice on Sunday. There’s nothing better for maintaining good posture and circulation while you’re busy staring at a computer screen for up to eight hours a day. These days, you don’t even need to buy the full desk. Most office supply companies sell toppers and attachments for the desk you already have in your home.

GEEK (KEVIN)

I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to soda and fizzy drinks of all flavors, colors, and styles. But I never truly embraced my addiction until the pandemic hit, and I realized we were spending tons of money on sodas and sparkling waters. So I bit the bullet and bought us a Soda Stream. And we will never go back. Not only can I have any kind of refreshing beverage anytime I want it, we’re also keeping thousands of aluminum cans and plastic bottles out of our landfills and oceans.