Phoenix Arizona?

swimguy246:

Its not too bad since the metro area is growing so rapidly. I've lived here all my life and I've seen it undergo massive changes over the past 10-15yrs. I know we have several MM/Boutique I-Banks out here that are pretty solid. Scottsdale/Biltmore areas have a higher concentration of RE the PWM firms. Many big companies are beginning to enter the market and some VC/PE professionals that I've spoken with believe that it will trend as a cheaper alternative to Silicon Valley. I am optimistic, but I'm not too sure this will happen as quickly as some of them believe it will.

Definitely agree. Unless things drastically change, I think California's on its way down, eventually. Best article I've ever read on anything to do with the Golden State:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/371271/golden-gated-communities-k…

In 1950, nobody thought Detroit — by many measures then the world’s most prosperous city — would end up a half-abandoned, bankrupt, violent basket case. Nobody thought that U.S. automakers would be so inept as to fail to keep up with Japanese and European competitors, that their unions would be so corrupt and rapacious, or that the city of Detroit would slide into Third World standards of municipal governance. But bear this in mind: The automakers had large, expensive factories in Detroit. Their capital was physical. Sure, Google and Apple have real estate and physical infrastructure in California, but high-tech firms are much less tied to the land than were their industrial-age competitors. California’s cities are falling to bankruptcy and fiscal crisis like water dripping in a sink. Meanwhile, the local radicals, driven by envy and ideology, have taken to accosting Silicon Valley engineers at their homes. The companies are responding with increased reliance upon private security forces. But there are other possible responses, such as relocating to where they are more welcome.