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As much as I love this area, as great as it is, and as beautiful the houses are (and also numerous) in my search, every single house ive went though has issue to some extent, and who knows if the owners shaved the doors upstairs to mask the extent of the settling. Why even risk it? You are risking literally going broke, its a massive risk....Ive seen houses in this area that would be worth $175000 sell for $50,000....there is also the contagion effect because lately it seems the prices are pretty low throughout the getzville and north amherst area compared to say, the same place in Orchard Park. If you want to risk ending up with a $200,000 mortgage and $70,000 in repairs to what is now worth under $100,000 and wipe your equity out, its your choice. I truely feel sorry for homeowners in this area because even if its not cracked now, if the one a few doors down is...you're next, and crack after crack will keep happening, you cant stop the earth.
well if it was as bad as you say it is, the present real estate market is not reflecting it...there is very low inventory ,and what is available is asking a lot a money due to supply and demand..peopl are chasing the low interest rates, and everything is selling..even houses in these "problem areas" I owned in Getzville 7 years ago right off Hopkins by the high school and there were no cracks in my foundation..that 3 story brick colonial house was built like a sherman tank..I only wish there was one I could buy today...this is the worst market to buy a house in..the buyer has no leverage with most asking way over 100 a sq ft and very low supply of houses to see...
Do you have any proof re:inventory? I just looked at some local real-estate sites and there seems to be tons for sale in Getzville. Funny thing is, the price changes for the area are very small. Since '04 prices are flat (i.e. relative decline) as houses will have appreciated a bit less than 1 or 2% over 10 years. In Buffalo, I bought a house in '01 that is now worth nearly double what I paid. The second house I purchased has appreciated 50% over 6 years. That's pretty good comparatively speaking.
This has been my personal experience, and i still maintain that if it isnt cracked now, it will be in the future. Its too much of gamble for me and believe me, while the market may be active, there are homes iv e been though that have been listed for YEARS on and off becuase they are cracked. Here is a very specific example - Look up the below address on zillow. I went though this house at an open house and it was MOBBED with people looking, but in the basement it had about 5 repaired cracks, upstairs, there were doors that needed to be pulled with force to even open, it has a swamp behind it. Look at the history, it never sold, and continues to go on and off the market. Its 2600 sf and only 239,900, and taxes are only 4500 (indicitive of them asking thetown of amherst for a break on taxes) If you see suspiciously low taxes, that is a red flag. $239 is also pretty cheap for this area, another red flag. I personally wouldnt buy it for 139. Im sure it will sell someday, but at a much reduced price and it to me means everything in that neighborhood is potentially a problem now or in the future. 8 Mockingbird Ct, Amherst, NY 14228
Bump....I just put in an offer in lancaster, but im a little suprised im the only person who has noted this many issues in Amherst. Anyone else checking out the area and seeing these basements?
The home that introduced me to the sinking homes of Amherst many years ago has since been fixed somehow and is back on the market. It will be interesting to see what it eventually goes for. When I originally enquired on this property I think they were saying it required about $70k to "stabilize" the home and then would be worth 250-300k, I think the asking price back then was ridiculously low like $150k or so. Looks like they did a total remodel. 155 Randwood Dr, Getzville, NY 14068 is For Sale - Zillow
Id still never buy it or anywhere around it, but if anyone is wondering where some of the problems are, this is an example I can vouch for.
Heres another one I had encountered during my search in 2013, notice this home has been declining in value for the past decade. If the price is too good to be true and its in this area, there is trouble. This place was gorgeous and its very unfortunate, I had to check it out to satisfy my curiosity and low and behold the basement had numerous cracks from ceiling to floor on every wall. 115 Radcliffe Dr, Getzville, NY 14068 - Zillow
More news here including the Blue Heron Ct. area of Amherst:
luckka-idk if you found a house in amherst, probably you chose to move elsewhere. i just joined this website minutes ago, thought i'd see what's been going on in my old hometown, and found your years- old query. my family owned a house in e. amherst until 1973, in fact, my mother was an agent for hunt realty at the time, and sold the back 5 acres of our 7 acre lot to the developers who built ransom oaks, (for $200,000, mom was a sharp businesswoman!) the house we owned is still there, (315 new road) but our old backyard is now tennis courts. i was not aware of the neighborhood sinking, it wasn't back in the '60's and '70's, but underground aquifers will shift, buffalo's housing boom also made for some sketchy and dangerous decisions by developers and speculators, (love canal is a famous example) i don't recall standing water in our yard, but i remember snowmelt and rain runoff overflowing creekbeds. my worst memories of growing up there though, wasn't soggy ground, but was the brutal small- mindedness and intolerance of the suburbanites, my immigrant grandparents had settled in south buffalo, we were all born around the southside, but when we moved out to the 'burbs, people treated us like we had dropped in from outer space, and when it was discovered that we had black friends, (the "other" term was still in use then.) we were pretty much shunned, for me going to the newly- built high school meant putting my life in danger on a daily basis. nowadays, even if i could afford to go back there to live, i wouldn't
One thing that drives me insane is people who lump all of Amherst into this category, the issue very specific to certain areas particularly in East Amherst and Getzville hamlets. I live in Synder/Eggertsville area and there no such issues and this area has wonderful older homes with lots of character. Do your research and don't rule out Amherst completely cause there are some great houses/neighborhoods.
luckka-idk if you found a house in amherst, probably you chose to move elsewhere. i just joined this website minutes ago, thought i'd see what's been going on in my old hometown, and found your years- old query. my family owned a house in e. amherst until 1973, in fact, my mother was an agent for hunt realty at the time, and sold the back 5 acres of our 7 acre lot to the developers who built ransom oaks, (for $200,000, mom was a sharp businesswoman!) the house we owned is still there, (315 new road) but our old backyard is now tennis courts. i was not aware of the neighborhood sinking, it wasn't back in the '60's and '70's, but underground aquifers will shift, buffalo's housing boom also made for some sketchy and dangerous decisions by developers and speculators, (love canal is a famous example) i don't recall standing water in our yard, but i remember snowmelt and rain runoff overflowing creekbeds. my worst memories of growing up there though, wasn't soggy ground, but was the brutal small- mindedness and intolerance of the suburbanites, my immigrant grandparents had settled in south buffalo, we were all born around the southside, but when we moved out to the 'burbs, people treated us like we had dropped in from outer space, and when it was discovered that we had black friends, (the "other" term was still in use then.) we were pretty much shunned, for me going to the newly- built high school meant putting my life in danger on a daily basis. nowadays, even if i could afford to go back there to live, i wouldn't
I'd say that was the case in general in many suburbs across the country during those times.
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