Wow you guys in Texas have good priced houses! (Dallas: foreclosures, rental)

[210]

Need, are you looking for a two story home or one story? Also, how much sq. ft. are you looking for?

[Need_affordable_home]

San Antonio unfortunately lacks any nice houses below around $150k. Theres plenty of $50k houses but none look any good and the neighboors are run down. Even Dallas has much better houses for $50k! If I cant afford a nice middle class $150k house, I might as well consider OH or WV instead where nice houses can be had for $50k. OH and WV have advantages being much lower crime(at least in the small cities/towns) better climate(except for winter) pretty hills and mountains, lower taxes, lower costs of living, much less traffic, safer driving, easy to remember streets. The biggest advantage Texas has is theres lots of shopping, amusement parks, entertainment and clubs. But you pay for it as houses are alot more expensive than OH and WV! All 3 options are far cheaper than Florida which is unaffordable to all but the rich.


Stories dont matter really but more stories usually means a bigger house and it saves space on the lot meaning bigger backyard. I prefer at least 2000 square feet. 3000+ square feet would be nice. I want at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms but 4 or 5+ bedrooms and 3 bathrooms would be nice. A basement is a big plus as well as a car garage. A large lot, at least quarter acre is good. Total price of below $100k, cheaper is better. A cost of around $50 or less per square feet of house(including lot) is the way to go.

[momof2dfw]

1. Those prices do include the lot/homesite. The prices listed for these homes which are usually "tract homes" include the standard lot with some lots being an additional fee if they are larger than the norm for the neighborhood, on a culdesac, back to a park or greenbelt, etc. As for buying two lots to combine, no can do in these kinds of neighborhoods. The builder will not allow it as they won't make any money, well, they will but not near as much as they would if they sold a house on that lot. Then the whole issue w/ the city and the plating, it has already been plated as single lots and to have it otherwise can be a nice little expense. The only way to get a "double lot" is typically going to be in the MUCH higher end custom homes where the lots are for sale from the developer and you pick your own builder. Costs on those homes is going to be well over $100 a square foot.

2. Just about 99.99% of these homes ALL have at the minimium of a 2 car garage. Typically in Texas it will be attached to the home.

[Need_affordable_home]

You are right, I am assuming lot is included and theres some hints about it. Why wont they be direct though? Howcome lot size isnt mentioned? Tract homes also mean "cookie cutters?" we have tons of them here and unfortunately at highly inflated prices, its a joke! I would never pay those prices they want in south Florida! Even in San Diego California there are developers asking the same price as south Florida! They want between $179 and $250 a square foot for home+lot(in San Diego) Of course their biggest model has the lowest per square feet cost and I know why
In Texas prices appear to range between $40 to $60 a square feet(of course for the largest model) with most being between $50-$60/foot. Cheapest ive seen so far was $36/foot! All those prices are before rebates and incentives so in reality knock off a buck or two off per square feet, that means a few thousand. In California, namely San Diego prices are quadriple!(most being in the low $200/foot for largest model)

I know you already told me about the deal with cheap houses in Dallas that half were forclosures. Well I found dozens of developers building new houses, not used forclosures for the right price all over Texas. Some areas are better than others. Most of the houses do have 2 garages but some have 1 or 3, a few have none! Ironic thing is you can get brand new house cheaper than a used one for sale by owner or realtor! Its a shame no developer has affordable houses in my neck of the woods. My city even offered incentives to developers to make affordable houses but they dont want to, they are greedy and want maximum profit!

[mbear]

I have a 2500 sq. ft 3 bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage brick ranch and a 2 car garage with apartment (1400 sq. ft.) on five acres of land, densely forested with inground pool that I bought for 4150.00 at the tax foreclosure. That is not a typo: four thousand, one hundred and fifty dollars. It does need TLC as had been empty since 1992 flood but it is structurally rock solid and we were able to move in after cleaning and replacing 3 or 4 window panes. The house was built in 1976 so I continue to primp and remodel but I do that anywhere I live LOL

You just have to beat the bushes. We are right on the edge of one of the most affluent areas of houston. Crime is about average - petty theft. Our schools are exemplary as well. I've been here almost 2 years and am very happy with my choice of neighborhood and of course, living mortgage free is always good.

[mbear]

I should mention also that I bought the five acres adjoing us last year for 2,500. It has tall mature pines and a lake of roughly 3 acres. When I had the property surveyed I found I had bought 10 acres but actually had a little over 12.

[sdcowgirl]

I just read this thread in regard to buying homes on foreclosurs/tax foreclosures. Can anyone tell me where a person finds info on foreclosures or home being sold due to unpaid taxes? I have looked up some companies on the internet but wonder if they are "good". Also I have heard that to buy property/homes on tax foreclosures, a person has to go through the county?? Can anyone give me info on that??
Mbear I am interested in how you found your home! I am looking at the area outside San Antonio --- between it and Kerrville or surrounding area!
All info. is greatly appreciated. THANKS

[mbear]

I have also seen those adds online for foreclosures. The ones I've looked into are scams and I wouldn't be involved with them. Researching tax forclosures is a matter of time rather than money and in our case was entirely DIY. I'm not sure how things work in San Antonio specifically - haven't been there since boot camp, 20+ years ago LOL, but several of the law firms I've researched in the Houston area have properties in counties well away from here and I feel quite sure that you will find the right firms in San Antonio as well.

You do need to go through the county to actually purchase a property but that is the last stop of a process which you will want to complete with all due care. If you contact the tax assessor in the county you are interested in, they should be able to tell you when the auction will be. Generally it is a set day of the month, although not all counties will have an auction every month. Around mid to late in the month prior to the auction, the properties are put in the paper or online or both. Again, the county you are interested in can tell you when and where. When the properties are published, look them over and see if there is anything of interest. The listings usually show the amount of land and if there are improvements. Improvements normally is some sort of building/house. Research the areas carefully, especially if there are several properties in a certain area. Get out and drive and check out the area thoroughly. Don't be shy about asking questions and talking to local residents, but take what they say with a grain of salt as they often are angry about the property being taken from friends or family members. I was actually lied to about our property, but this became obvious as I spoke with more and more sources.

Once you have a property or two in mind, thoroughly go through the records at the appraisal office, the recorder of deeds and, if available, the law office and court records of the tax suit that resulted in the forclosure. Take your time, make friends and have plenty of coffee on hand. You don't want to overlook anything. Generally, the tax suit will clear all claims against a property, in our case a substantial mortgage and second, an sba loan and the loan for the swimming pool were all discharged in the tax suit. You want to double check though, just in case.

On auction day, be fully prepared with your research and have cash or financing already lined up. Know what the property is worth and what you are willing to pay before the bidding starts. Don't get carried away. Often there will be a minimum bid that is more than the property is worth. This is because the bid is based on the amount of the taxes owed, not on the property itself. A happy coincidence though is low tax owed generally indicates fairly low taxes in an area and/or a competent county that didn't let things linger and fester beyond reason. Your research would have told you this as well. Also realize that the auction on the courthouse steps will have many listed properties which will be withdrawn as the owners found a last minute way to pay the taxes. After the auction, the owner has a period of redemption to buy the property back, usually 6 months from the sale if memory serves. They have to pay everything back to you plus other fees and expenses. In my case the property was already past it's redemption period so it didn't apply to us.

If a property doesn't sell, it goes back on the books and can be bought through bids directly to the county, which is where I got our property. Realize that reasearch of a property that has been "passed over" is even more critical because there is usually a good reason the property wasn't sold. OTOH, often the issue is price and negotiating with the county through sealed bids can remedy that issue.

Tried to hit the high points. You're welcome to email me or just ask other questions as they occur to you. I am very pleased with our result. It was time consuming, but not as time consuming as researching and putting together a mortgage and, it was a lot more pleasant.

Good luck

[missingtexas]

You sound like a builder or real estate agent........ have you checked the taxes there...dam! its like paying rent they are so high ! I have a home in Fl. county appraised at $385,000. Wouldnt sell for less than $500,00 my taxes are $2400.00 a year. Try the came value in TX. It will make a believer out of you!

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by missingtexas

You sound like a builder or real estate agent........ have you checked the taxes there...dam! its like paying rent they are so high ! I have a home in Fl. county appraised at $385,000. Wouldnt sell for less than $500,00 my taxes are $2400.00 a year. Try the came value in TX. It will make a believer out of you!

You bought the home at least 10 years ago and pay artificially low taxes due to "save our homes" If I buy a home in either Texas or Georgia, I am looking forward to $3k to $5k annual property taxes! But nice houses can be had for $150k unlike the $500k you want for your house! This is why im leaving (south) Florida.