Tiny Homes/Small Homes (under 800 square feet) (Raleigh, Clayton: appointed, real estate)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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This is so true! If you buy in the Raleigh area and pay less than $150,000 you're probably going to have some unsavory neighbors. Remember the old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".
After spending the last couple of weekends looking around at what $150k will get us, we came away from the experience not very encouraged at all. Grizzmeister appears to be correct for the most part. "Unsavory neighbors, unkempt homes and/or yards, lots of cars, near train tracks, 540 potentially less than a mile away, etc., etc.
After spending the last couple of weekends looking around at what $150k will get us, we came away from the experience not very encouraged at all. Grizzmeister appears to be correct for the most part. "Unsavory neighbors, unkempt homes and/or yards, lots of cars, near train tracks, 540 potentially less than a mile away, etc., etc.
If you want to live in a place that you can purchase for $150k, and feel comfortable there, you need to live in an area where $150k is quite a bit of money to the local economy.
Raleigh's median income is somewhere near $60k or so (C-D could tell you on their stats page). With that income, most purchase at the peak of their borrowing ability and as such homes in the $200k-$250k are the norm.
If you want to live in a place that you can purchase for $150k, and feel comfortable there, you need to live in an area where $150k is quite a bit of money to the local economy.
Raleigh's median income is somewhere near $60k or so (C-D could tell you on their stats page). With that income, most purchase at the peak of their borrowing ability and as such homes in the $200k-$250k are the norm.
Never thought of it that way. Good thought. Staying in our 2000 square foot ranch on a wooded 1 acre lot, while more work and maintenance than we would like to have, is starting to look better all the time.
Never thought of it that way. Good thought. Staying in our 2000 square foot ranch on a wooded 1 acre lot, while more work and maintenance than we would like to have, is starting to look better all the time.
I guess I'm confused about your goals. I thought you were willing to look at places like Clayton? I just did a quick search and saw a 1200sqft home in a small Clayton neighborhood listed at $109k. Quick drive through using Google maps didn't reveal it as Beverly Hills, but it wasn't a slum either by any means.
The $150k comment by the earlier poster related to Raleigh. The further from Raleigh you're willing to move, the more you can get for your money. And for most people of retirement/downsizing age, commuting to the main rat race areas are usually not high priority.
Anyone remember the Raleigh that didn't consider you unsavory if you paid less then 150k for a house? When people whine about transplants,yuppies,luxury apartments etc.. It's really because they miss this. I'm willing to bet a good portion of posters on here think if you rent or your house isn't at least 300k you might as well be in the projects. Tisk tisk.......
Must be a Raleigh thing/Wake County thing. Or you know people with odd standards for value judgments. I have no idea of what my neighbors paid for their houses, and I paid way under 150K for mine; pretty sure I wouldn't be considered unsavory for it - more likely it was one of the more financially responsible things I've done
I think you have it backwards, as transplants generally marvel at how much more than can get for their money here as opposed to there. Sorry - can't blame transplants for this one.
Last edited by NM posts; 02-24-2015 at 04:48 AM..
Reason: Weird phrasing; not enough coffee
When I watch those TV shows about tiny homes I always come away thinking how impractical they are. To my mind, the ranch homes that were popular during the 50's and 60's here in the U.S. make much more sense. In countries like Japan and South Korea many people live in sub 800 square foot apartments which in the long run is probably even better for the environment.
When I lived up in Maryland I had over 3,500 sq ft, then I downsized when I moved to Wake Forest to about 2,000 sq ft. My next home, which my wife and I plan to build custom, will probably only be around 1,500 sq ft. That's enough space to live like real human beings yet not spend a fortune annually on things like maintenance and utilities. We're not just trying to get small but rather hoping to be more efficient.
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NorasMom
Must be a Raleigh thing/Wake County thing. Or you know people with odd standards for value judgments. I have no idea of what my neighbors paid for their houses, and I paid way under 150K for mine; pretty sure I wouldn't be considered unsavory for it - more likely it was one of the more financially responsible things I've done
I think you have it backwards, as transplants generally marvel at how much more than can get for their money here as opposed to there. Sorry - can't blame transplants for this one.
It's not my feeling or value judgement. Did you read the quoted post above my comment. I was responding to someone who said that if your house is under 150k you probably have unsavory neighbors. Their words not mine. Just wanted to clear that up.
It's not my feeling or value judgement. Did you read the quoted post above my comment. I was responding to someone who said that if your house is under 150k you probably have unsavory neighbors. Their words not mine. Just wanted to clear that up.
That person was referring to housing prices...I think.
You said that people whine about transplants because transplants consider you unsavory for paying less than 150K for a house.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyn7cyn
Anyone remember the Raleigh that didn't consider you unsavory if you paid less then 150k for a house? When people whine about transplants,yuppies,luxury apartments etc.. It's really because they miss this. I'm willing to bet a good portion of posters on here think if you rent or your house isn't at least 300k you might as well be in the projects. Tisk tisk.......
My point is that I've not heard that from fellow transplants and if anything they marvel at the idea that you can get a house at that price at all that's not a shack or money pit - so blaming transplants for that attitude would be incorrect.
My next home, which my wife and I plan to build custom, will probably only be around 1,500 sq ft. That's enough space to live like real human beings yet not spend a fortune annually on things like maintenance and utilities. We're not just trying to get small but rather hoping to be more efficient.
Some of us heathens can get by perfectly happy with about half that much Griz
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