[Merc63]

Ok, I've been reading on some of the bad areas in Flint (I know, it's all a bad area... ). And I know that a lot of the cheapest housing is in those areas, and on the fringes of those areas. If I post a few of the houses I'm looking at, I'd like to get feedback on those particular neighborhoods based on the maps of the houses.

Also, with GM now bing Government Motors, and Flint trying to revitalize itself, maybe there's nowhere to go but up for the area...

BTW, I live in Baltimore, MD, so I understand crime and bad areas. But each of these houses could be bought with cash, and my business is internet based, so location for the economy isn't really an issue for income. But this area of MD is one of the most expensive in the country, and it'd be nice to replace a "cheap" $300k 1932 house with a $2k/month mortgage with an identically sized sub-$20k house paid for in cash.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...503_1097823952

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...504_1099392450

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...504_1109112213

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...504_1108925924


Also, how easy would it be to rent any of them for a year or so?

[Jensta]

Hey.....Grand Blanc is 15 miles south of Flint and just a beautiful and clean area, as well as very affordable. The schools systems have a good rep (if applicable).

It is worth looking into. I live in Clarkston (30 miles south of Flint), so I am familiar with both areas.

Jensta

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by Merc63

Ok, I've been reading on some of the bad areas in Flint (I know, it's all a bad area... ). And I know that a lot of the cheapest housing is in those areas, and on the fringes of those areas. If I post a few of the houses I'm looking at, I'd like to get feedback on those particular neighborhoods based on the maps of the houses.

Also, with GM now bing Government Motors, and Flint trying to revitalize itself, maybe there's nowhere to go but up for the area...

BTW, I live in Baltimore, MD, so I understand crime and bad areas. But each of these houses could be bought with cash, and my business is internet based, so location for the economy isn't really an issue for income. But this area of MD is one of the most expensive in the country, and it'd be nice to replace a "cheap" $300k 1932 house with a $2k/month mortgage with an identically sized sub-$20k house paid for in cash.

202 W Paterson Ave., Flint, MI, 48503 - MLS ID#04080042 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

918 Cottage Grove Ave., Flint, MI, 48504 - MLS ID#05080686 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

2557 Tiffin St., Flint, MI, 48504 - MLS ID#05090266 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

2310 Concord St., Flint, MI, 48504 - MLS ID#04091208 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®


Also, how easy would it be to rent any of them for a year or so?

I don't know about individual Flint neighborhoods, but I think it would definitely be worth a try to contact owners about rental options. I mean, c'mon, you're offering them money!!!

[Merc63]

Well, I was looking for stuff I could buy outright with cash. There's a difference between $10-20k and $50-100k for the same size house.

i'm also looking into areas in the NE around depressed mill towns.

[Merc63]

Originally Posted by Cliffie

I don't know about individual Flint neighborhoods, but I think it would definitely be worth a try to contact owners about rental options. I mean, c'mon, you're offering them money!!!

Actually, I was talking about being a landlord, rather than a tennant for a year or so, while getting things wrapped up where I'm already at. All the houses I'm looking at could be had for cash on hand, so if I bought one, I'd own it outright.

[Coldjensens]

I do not think that you want to be an absentee landlord in those areas. You need to be on site daily or have someone that you completely trust on site daily. The problem with renting is that no one has a job and/or your tenants may quickly lose their job. Maybe you can get some section 8 housing with rent guaranteed by the government.

Do not forget to factor in taxes.

[michigan83]

Ok, I've been reading on some of the bad areas in Flint (I know, it's all a bad area... ). And I know that a lot of the cheapest housing is in those areas, and on the fringes of those areas. If I post a few of the houses I'm looking at, I'd like to get feedback on those particular neighborhoods based on the maps of the houses.

Does it have to be Flint?

There's a lot of foreclosures in Grand Rapids, too, and it might be worth checking out. It's still in Michigan, so the housing market is suffering, but Grand Rapids also probably has a brighter future (and present) than any city in the state, with the possible exception of Ann Arbor (but you won't find the cheap housing opportunities like in Grand Rapids). Flint's future is pretty bleak.

If you are just looking for an inexpensive house and aren't necessarily tied down to Flint, I would give it some thought. This is a pretty good site: Vito Dolci Real Estate The site divides G.R. foreclosures into northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Southeast and southwest neighborhoods are a little rougher.

[YAZ]

What's that little town south of Flint.....Davisburg?

What's Burton like?

[jmlowman]

But I would add that the first house on your list is possibly in the worst part of town of the four.

The others seem to be in the vicinity of Longfellow School, where I went for junior high. That area used to be quite nice, but the school is closed now so all bets are off.

[jeanniepep]

Burton has some okay areas, especially around Courtland Center mall (which is pretty much empty at this point, but the neighborhoods around it still aren't bad). Some parts of the Burton zip code are more like Flint proper in appearance and amenities.

A friend of mine rented a house near Kettering, might be close to the 2nd one on your list, and that wasn't in too bad of a neighborhood.

Still, there just isn't a lot of potential in Flint right now. The houses are incredibly cheap, but there's a reason for that - nobody wants them. There are small pockets of people who really want Flint to succeed and are are trying really hard to infuse some good things into the community, but it continues to be an uphill battle. The surrounding communities might be a better bet; their values are more likely to increase eventually and they can still help pump up the Flint economy so it might be a great place to go again someday.