What's up with all the foreclosed homes below $200k?

[k2rider]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Meh... housing market sucks here, guess I'll just save more money and start looking into Phoenix metro in the future. Besides the heat during the summer, there's more opportunities for younger people.

Not a bad idea and would probably be what I would do if I was younger. There is no doubt that the area is just getting better and better all the time in my opinion. Sat this point in my life as bad as the heat is, I could deal with it but what I could never deal with is the horrendous traffic all over the Phoenix Metro area. I would never press to be a Phoenix expert but have been going yearly for almost 15 years. First for NASCAR races and now for mountain biking. I have see the area EXPLODE in all directions. As I said, I go to mountain bike every Spring and there is literally nowhere we can centrally stay that allows us to ride all over without dealing with ugly, ugly traffic. I would suggest living as close to work and/or the life style options you are interested in.

[Hschlick84]

I'm considering it, but still undecided. The lack of condos in Prescott Valley is really annoying, I don't need a big house because I'm single.

[Nor'wet]

You might consider what you can buy that will appreciate the most in the time frame that you will live there.

Usually condo/townhouse type of properties do not appreciate as well as a house with land.

[inderocker]

It takes patience. I started looking for a house to buy back in 2009-ish. I finally found the right one, within my budget, in 2012. Paid $155k for a 3 bed, 2 bath SFH in Prescott. If you're short on funds then you have to pounce when the market is ready, not when you are.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by inderocker

It takes patience. I started looking for a house to buy back in 2009-ish. I finally found the right one, within my budget, in 2012. Paid $155k for a 3 bed, 2 bath SFH in Prescott. If you're short on funds then you have to pounce when the market is ready, not when you are.

You picked a great time to buy! Your house is probably worth $250K+ now.

[Hschlick84]

Waiting for the housing market to get corrected isn't the best strategy. Best sound advice is save up more money, go back to school again for a high in demand trade, land a higher paying job, get qualified for that VA loan and purchase a home.

[JGMotorsport64]

You get used to the heat. It doesn't really impact your day beyond the fact that it's hot. You can still get around and do everything like you otherwise would.

What kind of trade if I may ask?

[Hschlick84]

I was looking into pipe welding, or sheet metal welding course they offer at Yavapai College, 8 months long. They don't offer plumbing from the campus catalog which is what I wanted to get into. I just paid off my student loans, and wanting to go back since my degree isn't getting me anywhere, and that college closed down two years ago.

[Nor'wet]

Plumber?

Contact the local Plumbing companies & see if one will take you on. If you are presentable, strong, healthy, reliable & can follow direction, you should be able to find work. Show up early, bring your own lunch, water & leave your phone in your truck.

[Happa Brat]

It's a sellers market right now, patience is the key. As demand increases so does production. I lived in my area since 1978 and I have seen two corrections and a time when sellers and buyers were at peak demand. If you can wait it out for a while, the market will correct and it will be a buyers market once more.

I have seen the equity in my home go from positive $125K to negative $11K before and after the most recent correction. The equity in my home is now at $95K and is estimated to go up another 5% within the next 12 months. (Sound familiar?)In 12 months I am selling, then renting, then using VA loan to buy in Prescott.

Think long term.