Someone pointed me to two articles in the Sunday Post, asking if I was leaving because I am bearish on Manhattan, the real estate, or the general economy.  The first is a Post review of an economic report saying that New York is dead last in something called “economic outlook.” The Post calls it non-partisan, but it was written by the guy who created supply-side economics, so I think it’s probably got a viewpoint.

The second one is by Peggy Noonan, predicting a downsized world, where people forego cable and the internet and raise pigs and some such stuff.

And then the Post profiles a bunch of people who are leaving Manhattan to go to parts far away.  Places like Minnesota and West Virginia. 

Okay, let me make this clear. That’s not me. 

I’m not moving to West Virginia.

I’m not going to raise pigs.

More importantly, I’m not down on Manhattan.  Far from it.  I hate leaving.  Yes, I think that Manhattan real estate is probably going to go down in value for a period of time, although I priced my home to get it sold so I think my buyer got a pretty good deal. But that’s not why I’m leaving.

I’m leaving because I work out in the suburbs, and I’ve been commuting out there for seven years, and it’s finally gotten to me.  Plus, the stairs.  The damned stairs.  More about the stairs another time.

But I love Manhattan. And if it becomes a little more affordable for people, I think that’s a good thing.