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Startling Poll Finds 46% Of Bay Area Residents Want To Leave

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – As Bay Area housing prices continue to climb, a new poll from the Bay Area Council finds nearly half of those surveyed have considered leaving.

The poll found more people than ever, 46 percent, have plans on moving out of the Bay Area. In 2016, 34 percent of survey respondents said they had plans on moving out. Last year, the number crept up to 40 percent.

Where are they going? Sixty-one percent said they plan to move out-of-state, with 10 percent saying Texas. Meanwhile, 24 percent said they plan to move elsewhere in California.

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The housing crisis was cited as the top reason why so many desire to leave for the fourth year in a row.

For Kevin and Julie Jensen of San Jose, it's been a good 30 year run in the Bay Area. But with housing prices skyrocketing, they are as ready as they'll ever be for the next chapter of their lives.

"We're going to leave some things behind hopefully, in order to stay close to our children and build new memories and never forget these," Kevin Jensen told KPIX 5.

ALSO READ: Median Bay Area Home Price Reaches Another Record; Up 13% In A Year

The Jensens' kids have all moved away to look for more affordable housing.

"We figured, that it's about family, it's time to be close to family. So that's when you know, when family has to leave for the prices," Jensen said.

The Jensens' think their 2,000 square foot, 4 bedroom, 3 bath home will sell for $1.5 million. The family bought the home in 2005 for $805,000.

"We just thought we were stretched to the max. And then, you look 12 years down the road, and it's going for double that," Jensen said. "I feel sorry for some of the people who are growing up in this area who can't afford to stay here. For us, we'll take what the market brings and be thankful for it. But it does seem like it's getting a little crazy right now."

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