making a big move and need a house

[Grofica]

Originally Posted by mycrows

Because you can pretty much always get a lot nicer place for the same monthly payment if you rent.

I wasnt planning on making payments its a lot more cost efficent to just buy it out right. thats why i was sort of looking into the forclosed deals because i can buy outright but not too much. if i have to finance a small portion then i guess a gal has to do what a gal has to do but i would only finance as little as possible.

And, as others said, if you rent you're not totally committed to the area. That can be a plus if you're new to the city.

thats a good point and maybe one i should bring up with my husband i dont know we are both kind of tired of renting or whatever we just want something thats OURS.... settle down do the family thing...

On the other hand, it's a good time to rent OR buy in Albany Park. You can get a nice place in a safe neighborhood for not much money. So you can't really go wrong

Is albany park really nice? i have heard some really good things about it but i have noticed is my house hunting that there is not much for a yard... i wanted to have a small garden

[Grofica]

posted by skipcromero
If it is extremely important for you to have a large, centralized bosnian population, the largest in the country is located in St. Louis.

Its kind of important to me maybe not so much to my husband... he has lived there most his life... i on the other hand i grew up in the US all my life (im not bosnian not even a little bit) but i love it there. i think its beautiful... i really had my heart set on living there but i cant find a job... so i guess i come home to the US. i guess thats cool too i mean all my family is there... i just had my heart set...

my husband says he will be fine anywhere but i would like to at least be near some stores that sell balkan products. i mean there are some spices that are impossible to find outside a balkan community and let me tell you there are not many places that sell Zlatna Dzezva coffee he he he he...

we have it every moring before work...

[Avengerfire]

Parthenon Foods - Bosnian Ground Coffee-Zlatna Dzezva (Vispak) 250g

[surlycue]

I am surprised to hear that you were born and raised in the US because this whole buying things outright with cash thing is a very European, well scratch that, just not a US, mentality. Most of us don't have $300,000 to just plop down at a moment's notice.

I would recommend what other posters have said, that you should at least sublet for a few months until you find an area you are comfortable with. In this market home ownership is the sort of thing you should be willing to commit at least 7-10 years to. Most of the city's public schools are atrocious and if you are thinking of having children soon you should also be willing to sacrifice around 12K a year for elementary education if you end up buying in a neighborhood with a particularly bad school. Not to mention that many city neighborhoods look great on paper but are in reality dangerous, drug and gang infested, dilapitated hell holes with little to no infranstructure or police presence. Plenty of lovely new townhomes in Garfield Park just waiting for naive foreigners to snatch them up.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Grofica

I wasnt planning on making payments its a lot more cost efficent to just buy it out right. thats why i was sort of looking into the forclosed deals because i can buy outright but not too much. if i have to finance a small portion then i guess a gal has to do what a gal has to do but i would only finance as little as possible.

Keep in mind that nearly all homes in the U.S. are financed, and this drives prices up. It's highly unusual for someone to buy a house in the U.S. without a mortgage unless they are old (i.e. they've already paid down their mortgage) or rich.

[surlycue]

^^even the super wealthy typically finance their homes. that is the primary funnel for building credit.

[Grofica]

Originally Posted by surlycue

I am surprised to hear that you were born and raised in the US because this whole buying things outright with cash thing is a very European, well scratch that, just not a US, mentality. Most of us don't have $300,000 to just plop down at a moment's notice.

I would recommend what other posters have said, that you should at least sublet for a few months until you find an area you are comfortable with. In this market home ownership is the sort of thing you should be willing to commit at least 7-10 years to. Most of the city's public schools are atrocious and if you are thinking of having children soon you should also be willing to sacrifice around 12K a year for elementary education if you end up buying in a neighborhood with a particularly bad school. Not to mention that many city neighborhoods look great on paper but are in reality dangerous, drug and gang infested, dilapitated hell holes with little to no infranstructure or police presence. Plenty of lovely new townhomes in Garfield Park just waiting for naive foreigners to snatch them up.

wow! thanks for the warning!

[Grofica]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Keep in mind that nearly all homes in the U.S. are financed, and this drives prices up. It's highly unusual for someone to buy a house in the U.S. without a mortgage unless they are old (i.e. they've already paid down their mortgage) or rich.

Eh, i am niether... i have saved money and dont have much in the way of bills.