A good place to live with houses under 50k? (Pittsburgh: real estate, foreclosures)

[monitats]

Does a good place to live with houses under 50k still exist in the US? We are looking for a place where there are job opportunities, reasonable sized home with a yard for under 50k, low crime, friendly people, and beautiful nature. I know that there are still affordable housing in PA but we can't really tell where to start looking since we are not familiar with the area.

[North Beach Person]

Generally speaking what you are asking for will be in the very rural parts of northern PA (Elk, McKean, Warren, Tioga, cameron Counties) and western PA (Clarion, Jefferson, Armstrong Counties) but the jobs in those areas are few and generally low paying.

[ki0eh]

Even in Tioga County finding a reasonable detached house under $50k would be tough. Maybe in Blossburg, or the boroughs along Route 49 (Elkland, Westfield). Low crime, lots of woods, essentially no jobs.

[canterm]

you are looking at western pa. One thing I may suggest if you are open to western pa is to actually move over the Ohio board into Boardman, Poland, Ohio. You can find a decent job too esecially if you are willing to commute 45 mins.

[BevoInPA]

You might want to look at Pottsville, PA. Its not perfect but the area is not as isolated at the other suggestions. I have never lived there but I love the little downtown nessled in a ravine.

Have you considered Habitat for Humanity? They are incorporated to assist people who want to own, have the ability, but not the wherewithal.

You should also contact the Economic Development Agency for the county you are interested in moving into in PA. Some PA counties get money from the Feds and the State to rehabilitate housing and sell to buyers at a discount with a "forgivable" second mortgage provided you live there long enough (5 or 10 years - depending). They can provide closing cost assistance, downpayment assistance, and renovation assistance (if necessary). There are income qualifications.

I know personally that Lebanon County about half an hour east of Harrisburg has an extremely qualified staff with an experienced staff that might be able to help you. Lebanon County is also building 20 rent-to-own townhouses right in the city called Mifflin Mills for December completion.

Luzerne County (where Wilkes Barre is located) and Franklin County (about half an hour southwest of Harrisburg) are also very interested in encouraging homeownership and have EXTREMELY qualified staff. I think Cumberland County is also a good bet but I am not sure they have anything going on right now.

Don't foget about the $8,000 tax credit if you are a 1st time buyer.

[Icy Tea]

Think the Coal regions for houses in that range that aren't too bad. Good paying jobs will be another story and you'll probably have to commute, but its do able. You'll have mountains and forests anyway.

[pinetar10]

You can find houses for that price around Indiana County. They're not going to be the nicest houses and are usually rural.
here's a few from Indiana, PA multilist. I hope they show up, if not search at indianapamultilist.com.

Indiana County Multi-list Real Estate Website > Search > Find A Property

Indiana County Multi-list Real Estate Website > Search > Find A Property

Indiana County Multi-list Real Estate Website > Search > Find A Property

Several cheaper homes can be found near Saltsburg, PA which is close (20 minutes) to Monroeville, PA which would have more jobs and is not too far from Pittsburgh.

[monitats]

Thanks for all the good advice. I came across a town called Tobyhanna in the Pocono's area. What's your opinion about the city?

[BevoInPA]

LOTS AND LOTS of foreclosures. There was an article in the NY Times probably a year or so ago that described the marketing of the houses there in a former-resort-turned-suburb to blue collar families in NYC's outer boroughs. The parents took a bus into the city to work and the kids were left without oversight for most of the day. A lot of buyers used subprime mortgages which eventually blew up.

My concern in an area like that with lots of foreclosures is that investors will buy the houses and rent them. The areas will turn into primarily renter occupied neighborhoods which leads to less home maintenance and general deterioration of the neighborhood.

[Hopes]

Western Pennsylvania is your best bet for the type of housing you want and employment opportunities.