What's up with Brunswick and surrounding area??? (real estate, foreclosed)

[tlw]

I've gone through pages here and really can't find much on Brunswick. A couple of posts about the downtown getting a facelift and sulpher smelling tap water. Would really appreciate any help on a few questions.

I've been hoping to find real estate on either coast for $150,000 or less and can't come anywhere close...................till I happened upon Brunswick. Is there something I'm missing here? I do notice the crime figures on this site are quite high though they are not very recent.....2003 I think. Also, medium income listed as $22,272 and houses as $61,200. These seem rediculously low compared to any other coastal town that I have looked at! Are these correct? Realtor.com does have quite a few properties listed under 150 for Brunswick.

Also.........is this area as whacked out on house insurance as it is in Florida? The posts on that board are downright scarey and depressing on the insurance topic. Is this whole area really densely populated, as the town of Brunswick is only listed as twenty-some thousand. When driving, do you kinda just go from one town into another as alot of other coastal areas are?
If I am totally missing something about this town and area, would you please clue me in. Any info you might have on the town and the entire area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so very much for your time to whoever is able to respond.
Thank you............................tlw

[ellie]

tlw, looks like you're all over the map trying to find someplace to live. What do you really want and what are you accustomed to living with?

I like visiting Brunswick because it's a funky old Southern town, but unless it's changed, there's not a whole lot to do unless you know people. Maybe you're into fishing. The beaches are not bad but I wouldn't call it a beach scene, more of a small scale vacation destination.

Why are things inexpensive? Because it's a bit isolated. And because you have a lot of poor and middle income people living in Brunswick proper - the wealthy live on the islands. Granted there are urban pioneers living in the historic district. That "old house" thing is a fun game to play and would keep you busy.

Insurance is always higher in coastal areas than in other areas and since most of these companies are national, I imagine the prices are keeping pace with Florida and the others in the hurricane zone.

I dunno what to tell you. It all depends on what you want out of a place.

[tlw]

Thanks, Ellie.
That area and the Freeport/Surfside area in Texas just caught my eye recently simply because the real estate wasn't so crazy. I haven't seen anything outside of a metro area on either coast where it was priced that affordable outside of a real fixer-upper. I've just read so much about folks young and old, getting foreclosed on homes because of the insurance increases or not being able to get insured at all. Would really like to live near the water, but not at the expense of wondering if I can stay insured.

The mountain areas I've researched may win by default and just vacation near the ocean.

Thank you again for your info...................t