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Most of the housing stock in NJ is crap. Old and used up. Even stuff from the 90s is ready for an overhaul.
Old doesn't mean "crap" and "used up". ALL homes are going to need maintenance, even new ones. You don't build a house then never do any work on it ever again. Some old houses are far better built than some new ones. There was a new house near us that hit the market at 1.1 million, and ended up being sold for 779,000 because it wasn't built and finished well.
If the OP is serious about finding a home, she needs to first figure out a location that won't ruin her life trying to commute to the city, yet has homes in her price range, regardless of their size or outward appearance. Then suck it up and realize that she may have to have a smaller place than she'd like, or she may have to have a well, or perhaps might have to live with dingy carpet, old cabinets, and outdated tile for a couple years.
Old doesn't mean "crap" and "used up". ALL homes are going to need maintenance, even new ones. You don't build a house then never do any work on it ever again. Some old houses are far better built than some new ones. There was a new house near us that hit the market at 1.1 million, and ended up being sold for 779,000 because it wasn't built and finished well.
If the OP is serious about finding a home, she needs to first figure out a location that won't ruin her life trying to commute to the city, yet has homes in her price range, regardless of their size or outward appearance. Then suck it up and realize that she may have to have a smaller place than she'd like, or she may have to have a well, or perhaps might have to live with dingy carpet, old cabinets, and outdated tile for a couple years.
"Used up" meaning the major systems and finishes have hit the end of their useful life. Sure if something has been kept up, great. But not a lot of that out there on the market or it has a few things done here and there. And it's not just old houses. Even houses built in the 90s are hitting that point now.
I agree with your second paragraph (not specific to the OP but in general). It is a personal finance problem in the end. We don't have new housing developments for the most part. So in many cases, you need to buy something and redo it yourself. The best way is to renovate it before you move in, but that takes cash (as opposed to mortgage debt) and an alternate place to live in the meantime.
Most of the housing stock in NJ is crap. Old and used up. Even stuff from the 90s is ready for an overhaul.
IMO a lot of "let go" not kept up homes that one gets to purchase at a premium price and mostly pay exhorbitant property taxes.
Corrupt NJ state/local governments = property (and other taxes) will only keep on going way up IMO.
If one thinking of purchasing that is just about making ends meet, I'd advise either don't purchase any home OR leave NJ for a less expensive state but do the proper in depth research before doing so.
IMO a lot of "let go" not kept up homes that one gets to purchase at a premium price and mostly pay exhorbitant property taxes.
Corrupt NJ state/local governments = property (and other taxes) will only keep on going way up IMO.
If one thinking of purchasing that is just about making ends meet, I'd advise either don't purchase any home OR leave NJ for a less expensive state but do the proper in depth research before doing so.
You are entitled to your opinion no matter how uninformed it is.
+1
Flooding from the Raritan River is a long-term problem in both Manville and Bound Brook, although it looks like the US Army Corps of Engineers' flood mitigation project in Bound Brook has been effective. And then, there is the reality that both of those towns are located in Somerset County, not Middlesex County.
It sounds like the OP just wants to complain.To accuse all agents ,Lawyers inspectors of being dishonest is a cop out. The problem lies with the OP not everyone else.
I agree, lol I would love to hear the realtors side of the story.
I would say "ridiculous" is a better way of putting it.
Do you even realize how many people commute to NYC from the Lehigh Valley, let alone western NJ? Thousands each day. Nothing unusual or curious about it. They have two bus lines to NYC from out here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bookspage
Most of the housing stock in NJ is crap. Old and used up. Even stuff from the 90s is ready for an overhaul.
True that. Look a little further out in PA. Much newer and more quality homes, lower taxes.
You are competing against couples who have the power of two incomes for homes, and in NJ in particular you are also competing against people who use the full time incomes of MANY persons to purchase a house.
Anyone lives in NJ knows what I'm talking about.
So, is it a surprise that homes are so expensive?
You can get a nice condo for 150K? Why would you need more than that?
Do you even realize how many people commute to NYC from the Lehigh Valley, let alone western NJ? Thousands each day. Nothing unusual or curious about it. They have two bus lines to NYC from out here.
True that. Look a little further out in PA. Much newer and more quality homes, lower taxes.
I don't understand this dislike of old houses. The really old ones - I love the stone foundations and the big fireplaces. I love the proportions of the rooms and the plaster walls. The sort-of old ones like mine (1957), I love seeing my daughter curl up on a cushion next to the radiator with a book. I love seeing the diagonal wood planks of the subfloor when I'm in the basement, complete with the finger- and handprints of whomever installed them, and how solid the floors are as a result. I like the character of the barely visible lines of the old 3 ft drywall panels in the ceiling. Old houses are awesome.
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