[Need_affordable_home]

All homes dropped in price, the damaged homes of course more. Not many people want to live in New Orleans, I dont even for half the price and I can get a house there cheap but I dont wanna live there.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

False. Hurricane Katrina caused New Orleans house prices to halve. It was in the news and one lady finally was able to afford her house where she could never before. Alot of people are going to be able to afford houses(whatever are left standing) after the hurricane damages whatever city. Many others will move out

It was on the news the other day about the homes for sale in New Orleans. the water marks are up to the roof and all the electrical and walls have to be torn down and rebuilt. yeah 50% off for a house that has to be torn down. You'll have to be rich to live there again. To live in a city below water level is worse than living in a state prone to hurricanes. Either way, hurricanes will come and the levies will break again but the thought of drowning in my own home, no thanks. I can't swim!!!

[Need_affordable_home]

Theres over 200 houses in New Orleans to choose from at $50k. They all need repairs but I dont want to live in a high crime city thats at risk for hurricanes. You are right, another hurricane come I can kiss the house bye bye. I wouldnt live in coastal FL for that reason too. We get a bad hurricane there will be $50k fixer upper houses. If you think thats a good deal then buy them up. People wouldnt wanna live there or pay the prices. I wouldnt pay $50k for New Orleans.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

Theres over 200 houses in New Orleans to choose from at $50k. They all need repairs but I dont want to live in a high crime city thats at risk for hurricanes. You are right, another hurricane come I can kiss the house bye bye. I wouldnt live in coastal FL for that reason too. We get a bad hurricane there will be $50k fixer upper houses. If you think thats a good deal then buy them up. People wouldnt wanna live there or pay the prices. I wouldnt pay $50k for New Orleans.

Can you tell us the perfect place for you? I just want to know....

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

Can you tell us the perfect place for you? I just want to know....

1. little or no crime
2. maritime or four season weather with mild summers and mild winters
3. correctly priced houses that are affordable to all.
4. no hurricanes
5. low costs of living
6. nice, friendly people
7. clean air and water
8. Super Walmart and other shopping

Oil city is just one example. South Florida fails everything except #8

[bmurphy]

I will tell you without a doubt - there is no maritime climate with a low cost of living, low crime, and all that combined. It just doesn't exist. That would be the West Coast, and barely any of it is cheap, and certainly the cheap areas are higher crime. Better drop that requirement from your list. Ain't gonna happen.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Wrong.

Damaged homes dropped in price because they were, um, damaged.

Homes that were unaffected jumped up in price, some as much as 25 percent. Factoring everything together, including the damaged homes, prices went up. Of course, part of the problem is the housing supply drops and the demand for construction companies spikes, hence they are able to jack up their prices.

What I will always fail to understand is the folks that watch the hurricane news footage and decide they would love to move there.

Are they sitting in their lazy-boys looking at homes with their roofs ripped off and cars overturned and yell into the kitchen, "Hey, Lisa, pack up the kids, we're moving to Punta Gorda"?

Hiknapster, that was cute. The canes must be awful near the coast, but since we're going through an awful blizzard up here right now, those canes don't look too awful. My bro grew up in So. Dak. and has now lived in Fla. for about 10 years. He swears he'd take a cane any day over one of our big blizzards. But I need to add that he lives in the center of the state and not along the coastline.

I agree with you, NAH. I would have no desire to live in New Orleans for a lot of reasons. The city is struggling and will for a long time. Even though the levees are SUPPOSED to be ok now, it'd be pretty hard to trust them. Since you have no family or job or it's not your city of origin, you're smart to cross it off your list.

[Need_affordable_home]

I think youll be happy somewhere in Tennessee or North Carolina or some other state in this area. Its 40-50 degrees now and no snow. Yet im suffering in the heat here in south FL! And I have to face more hurricanes soon. No hurricanes in TN, WV, KY, OH, etc. Also the winters are milder than your south Dakota winters, yet you wont sweat in the hot Florida summers. I think this offers the best four season weather without getting into extremes of heat/cold.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

All homes dropped in price, the damaged homes of course more. Not many people want to live in New Orleans, I dont even for half the price and I can get a house there cheap but I dont wanna live there.

First of all, I did not say you should move to New Orleans. We WERE discussing the fact that housing prices can go UP after a hurricane. This forum isn't always about you and whether you can afford a home.

Here you go:
"Local homes in move-in condition, including those left unscathed by Hurricane Katrina as well as those that are fully repaired, sold for premium prices in 2006, fetching sums that were on average 19 percent higher than before the storm."

And from a local journalism project, posted this morning:
"The developers are tripping over themselves for the steal; I mean deal of the century...The market here has gone crazy. Prices have risen 16%. The national average hovers around a 3% increase. Rental prices are up 75%."

[Need_affordable_home]

I guess the supply of livable homes is much smaller so the laws of supply and demand kick in. Just buy a fixer upper for $50k and fix it yourself or tear down and build a new house and save lots of money. I think its a house bubble, the threat of future hurricanes is a reality call. I dont understand why people would pay big money to live there