> ______ is an increasingly trendy and prestigious ____ town for very rich people […] It is not a place I would expect anyone to buy their first home.

I've heard this about pretty much every place, at this point.

("Move somewhere cheaper!" … and get "geographic multiplier"'d into a lower salary, and you're right back where you started.)

Urban and productive places should just build a ton more housing. It is frankly insane that people feel entitled to pastoral scenes 20 minutes from SF. But I’m not sure that applies to these mountain getaway towns that only exist in the first place because they are not the city.

I am currently remote, but considering tactically moving to NYC because the increase in pay is better than the increase in rent / col. It serves no benefit to the company (even harms it) but that's HR for you.

Historical median inflation-adjusted incomes have increased around 14-16% in Asheville since 2005 [0]. So there is something to the idea that this person's father probably went and found a home in a then-unknown location, rather than starting out with the expectation that he'd be able to live in a trendy, high-cost locale as an entry level laborer.

0: https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/north-carolina/ashevill...

It's very difficult for me to believe they're making $7.25 in Asheville like the article says. If you're making that, it's a matter of choice.