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That's why I said starter homes. Small and/or outdated? Yeah, but liveable and a first home to start building equity. There's nothing wrong with starting in a small ranch or cape. If people are worried about kid, put up a fence. Nice, safe towns with good schools and we're talking under $175k in Fairfield county. If you don't need to be in FF county that budget goes a lot further.
I agree, but what I was responding to initially was this claim:
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonChick
But there are PLENTY of houses that aren't even half that much, in decent areas of the state, in good condition, on decent plots, near stores and whatever else.
1) There aren't "plenty". There are a few. And on websites, of course they look fantastic. Then comes the inspection...
2) Decent town? Sure. But feet away from a main road? For 175k? No thanks.
3) Good condition? See the last sentence in #1.
4) Decent plots; Nope. As I said, they are on main roads, one of the posted was built into a hill AND on a main road.
Now I may be sounding picky here, but I would never spent $175k on a house that was "livable" but not decent. My first house I purchased in Shelton was "livable" too, but turned out to be a huge money pit because of its age.
I didn't initially see the link to the Charlotte house. Great house. But I'd be in Charlotte and there's no work for me there. Plus I'm more interested in my surrounds then I am my four walls. I hate to be more than a 5 min drive to good Indian/Thai/Middle Eastern/French/ Italian/ you get my point. Also, I like to travel both locally and internationally but hate to drive. So it's either the North East or Cali for me. I know the price I pay to have those amenities. But I also know that not everyone has those same requirements. If the big house and the shiny new car are your thing and you can make it work down there then more power to you. I'm not interested in that stuff so much as I am living life on my own terms and not worrying about whether or not that makes me a "success".
Again - if you're not finding it, it's because you're not looking very hard.
I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't think you know what you're talking about if you think all of these homes are livable by just looking at the pictures online. I just bought a home last year and looked at the cheapest homes I can find. They were under 200k (I ended up having to spend much more than that). Every single home under 200k (yes, of course they existed) that I looked at needed thousands of dollars of work after the inspection. I ended up upping my price range significantly. Don't judge a book by its cover. Or by the Realtors trying to make a sale. Inspections reveal A LOT.
It's very sad when people think six outdated, tiny homes on small lots is great.
I didn't initially see the link to the Charlotte house. Great house. But I'd be in Charlotte and there's no work for me there. Plus I'm more interested in my surrounds then I am my four walls. I hate to be more than a 5 min drive to good Indian/Thai/Middle Eastern/French/ Italian/ you get my point. Also, I like to travel both locally and internationally but hate to drive. So it's either the North East or Cali for me. I know the price I pay to have those amenities. But I also know that not everyone has those same requirements. If the big house and the shiny new car are your thing and you can make it work down there then more power to you. I'm not interested in that stuff so much as I am living life on my own terms and not worrying about whether or not that makes me a "success".
Good post. But I must say, there is a ton in Charlotte, including excellent Indian/Thai/Italian (mostly because of transplanted Northerners).
I agree, but what I was responding to initially was this claim:
1) There aren't "plenty". There are a few. And on websites, of course they look fantastic. Then comes the inspection...
2) Decent town? Sure. But feet away from a main road? For 175k? No thanks.
3) Good condition? See the last sentence in #1.
4) Decent plots; Nope. As I said, they are on main roads, one of the posted was built into a hill AND on a main road.
Now I may be sounding picky here, but I would never spent $175k on a house that was "livable" but not decent. My first house I purchased in Shelton was "livable" too, but turned out to be a huge money pit because of its age.
I totally agree that there aren't plenty of houses under $175k especially in Fairfield county. And CT is an expensive state, I don't disagree. But remember where the houses we're talking about are. You know, the county where it's impossible to buy for under half a million dollars.
My point being that if you can get a decent little place there you can certainly get more for that same money in other counties. On a side note, I'm curious can you define liveable versus decent? I'm wondering what the difference for you is.
Is there something about "middle class neighborhood" you're not understanding? When I said liveable neighborhood, I meant: a place you can keep your back door unlocked. A place you can safely walk around at 3 in the morning. A place you can raise your kids. A place where the neighbors recognize each other. A place where the public park isn't enclosed in a chain-link fence. In HAMDEN. That's the suburbs. To me, all the above is the MINIMUM requirement to qualify for "liveable."
The property I specified wasn't within feet of the main road. It was two blocks away from a main road. The property I specified wasn't 175k. It was 156k. The property I specified wasn't built into a hill, or on a hill.
Excuses. You just really WANT for Connecticut to be too expensive. You want to justify being pissed off. How about this: you have permission to be pissed off. There. Now you don't have to post about it anymore.
Is there something about "middle class neighborhood" you're not understanding? When I said liveable neighborhood, I meant: a place you can keep your back door unlocked. A place you can safely walk around at 3 in the morning. A place you can raise your kids. A place where the neighbors recognize each other. A place where the public park isn't enclosed in a chain-link fence. In HAMDEN. That's the suburbs. To me, all the above is the MINIMUM requirement to qualify for "liveable."
The property I specified wasn't within feet of the main road. It was two blocks away from a main road. The property I specified wasn't 175k. It was 156k. The property I specified wasn't built into a hill, or on a hill.
Excuses. You just really WANT for Connecticut to be too expensive. You want to justify being pissed off. How about this: you have permission to be pissed off. There. Now you don't have to post about it anymore.
LOL, first, get off your high horse. Go back and reread all of my posts. I'm far from "pissed off". I love Connecticut. I'm sorry you're taking my telling it like it is as a cheap shot at the great state we all call home. But for the record, I'm not.
Second, I wasn't talking about the home you posted, I was talking about the home(s) Appias posted.
Third, how much do you know about these homes? I suppose you've made an offer and had them inspected? Oh...you didn't?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Appias
I totally agree that there aren't plenty of houses under $175k especially in Fairfield county. And CT is an expensive state, I don't disagree. But remember where the houses we're talking about are. You know, the county where it's impossible to buy for under half a million dollars.
My point being that if you can get a decent little place there you can certainly get more for that same money in other counties. On a side note, I'm curious can you define liveable versus decent? I'm wondering what the difference for you is.
You can certainly buy for under 500k in FFC - but that's much harder to do in Lower FFC (south of Bridgeport). This is why I ended up east of New Haven. MUCH more affordable.
Livable to me means suitable for living in. A few major things you can't have and a few things not working, but all in all, you deal with it. This was my home in Shelton. We had problems with insulation and old windows (you should've seen our heating bill), and a few other things. We ended up spending a lot more in maintenance for this home than if we had spent 50k more and gotten a nicer house. But at the time, we couldn't afford it.
Decent to me means not brand new, not horrifyingly old and outdated, and all of your basic needs met, such as a washer and dryer [hookup] to name one.
Last edited by kidyankee764; 05-14-2010 at 04:53 PM..
Good post. But I must say, there is a ton in Charlotte, including excellent Indian/Thai/Italian (mostly because of transplanted Northerners).
I know there are a lot of transplants down there. I'm just so spoiled that I get cranky if I'm in the car for more than 5 or 10 min. I also like to be able to walk to little independent shops and restaurants. Again, I recognize that I'm spoiled but I also know I pay for living with those conveniences. I just pay a bit less than if I lived in a city.
I didn't initially see the link to the Charlotte house. Great house. But I'd be in Charlotte and there's no work for me there. Plus I'm more interested in my surrounds then I am my four walls. I hate to be more than a 5 min drive to good Indian/Thai/Middle Eastern/French/ Italian/ you get my point. Also, I like to travel both locally and internationally but hate to drive. So it's either the North East or Cali for me. I know the price I pay to have those amenities. But I also know that not everyone has those same requirements. If the big house and the shiny new car are your thing and you can make it work down there then more power to you. I'm not interested in that stuff so much as I am living life on my own terms and not worrying about whether or not that makes me a "success".
You know...I have to say, it's one of the reasons I'm willing to tough it out here in CT. I actually lived in Charlotte so this isn't a guess. You are correct on many points IMO.
I live in Manchester. Great? No. Decent working class town? Oh you bet. I'm in a private, wooded neighborhood on over 2 acres, quiet, private very very nice neighbors. I'm in a 1600+sf Ranch (Not counting the fully ground level walkout basement). Many (Including my SIL) might balk at living in "that" kind of house...but after my "stamp" we have cherry cabinets, some of the best Italian tile in the large kitchen, a very nice bath with a 72" double sink vanity with an Italian tile mosiac surround in the tub with recessed lighting in the shower etc etc. Yes the bedrooms are small. So what. I still have a 37" flatscreen, cherry sleigh bed, dresser, chessser and a decent non walking closet. We have a formal dining room (12x13) with three piece crown, chair rail, raised panels, hardwood, wrap around porch on the outside, HUGE deck off the back etc etc.
The rest of the world does just fine in a 600sf flat, I think I can survive with 1600+ upstairs and another 950 downstairs. (giant family room, excersize room, office, huge closet, full bath, mudroom, laundry room etc).
Most people I know who don't judge a house by it's "worth" walk into my home and say "wow, nice place...it's so cozy and warm". Yep. My BIL like clockworks, sits on the sofa across from the wood stove with the glass front, puts on a game on the flat screen and falls asleep.
I walk into many "larger" homes and they are just cold and full of ecos. As for the location, I swear to you...we joke about it. Most people, contractors whatever come to our place pull in, get out and say "wow...it's nice here". It is.
Why do I say all this? To make myself seem "great"? NO! Just to point out I paid 180K for it and have about 40 into it. That's one of the reasons I have no desire to sell and move. We have a home. It's not a mansion - good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidyankee764
I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't think you know what you're talking about if you think all of these homes are livable by just looking at the pictures online. I just bought a home last year and looked at the cheapest homes I can find. They were under 200k (I ended up having to spend much more than that). Every single home under 200k (yes, of course they existed) that I looked at needed thousands of dollars of work after the inspection. I ended up upping my price range significantly. Don't judge a book by its cover. Or by the Realtors trying to make a sale. Inspections reveal A LOT.
You would not have purchased my house. I can assure you. Now you would.
Did I mention the views since I'm also up on the Case Mountain ridge 1000' up with a commanding "panorama" of the river valley...much like you get from Wickham Park?
The homes ARE out there for a "steal". You just have to be willing to accept that the government school system may not be the best, or that you'll have to drive a bit, or that you'll need to work evenings and weekends to get the place up to snuff. Big deal.
Here is a house a friend is listing in Tolland. 1900sf, 3 car garge, 3 bed, 2 bath, on an acre with a POOL. 199K ASKING.
Homes for Sale in Tolland, Connecticut $199,900 (http://lisachaloux1.point2agent.com/Tolland/Connecticut/Homes/G557918/Tolland/Agent/Listing_14699531.html - broken link)
You would not have purchased my house. I can assure you. Now you would.
I may have considering it's in a great location - that's the make it or break it for me. I don't mind putting a little elbow grease into my home; it's what I'm currently doing, one project at a time.
I understand that up in Manchester/Tolland and points east are far cheaper. But commuting from Tolland to Shelton isn't really doable, lol...
And for the record, I don't need a shiny brand new house - heck, most of them are built so shoddy nowadays anyway. My house now needs updating. But it had a nice yard and is in a decent, middle class neighborhood. And the inspection went well.
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My BIL like clockworks, sits on the sofa across from the wood stove with the glass front, puts on a game on the flat screen and falls asleep. 
