Also, work seasonally at Best Buy or the Apple store.I loved games and video games: chess, Quake, Unreal Tournament, StarCraft, Diablo, Civilization, etc.   

If you want a wrought iron fence instead, perhaps there is a workable solution where the costs are split? 

The SFR I owned in SO was on an unknown fault line and when the 1993 quake hit almost all my neighbors had damage.

I got my first proposal back from a contractor-here are the items that stood out:Painting-interior walls, trim doors and cabinets, exterior power wash, paint trim, wrought iron-$7,177Flooring-LVT 339 sq ft, 1200 sq ft carpet-$4,620Cabinetry kitchen and vanities-$8,313Doors-all interior doors, 4 bi-fold closet doors, 3 exterior doors-$6,202Punch list- door hardware, cabinet hardware, knobs deadbolts, hinges-$1,804

The Midwest is just a lot more affordable, not only for housing.I had a conversation yesterday with a guy from Seattle who said he does not want his middle school age kids to grow up in an area where they are forced to move away, because they can't afford to buy a house close to the parents.Hurricanes and earthquakes pose another issue; god forbid the San Andreas fault finally causes it's next earth quake, or we have another Caterina.

I talked to a few insurance agents and have received mixed messages on if earth quake coverage is actually needed.

Some of those homes are still red tagged from last year's quakes.

And the other thing I recall about the building is that it had old post and pier foundation I was worried it would wobble off its foundation in a moderate earth quake.

Like another poster said, you have hurricanes here but at least you don't need to worry about pipes freezing, wildfires, tornado's, quakes, etc. 

Trim over the wrought iron porch support with wood.