Where to Find A++ Homes for (relatively) Cheap Prices? (crime, cheap house)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Was looking around on various apps and found some stunning homes for under 200k. Obviously, the homes were mostly in places that offered few employment opportunities. But it got me thinking: Where in the US can a homebuyer find the most beautiful houses for under 200k?
Some rules:
1) Must be ready to live in (not a project/restoration house)
2) Must be in a reasonably safe area (not a jewel within a ghetto)
3) Must say these are fairly typical to find (not the exception to the rule)
4) must have at least some neighbors with nice houses (not too remote)
This thread might be handy for people that prefer to be cash rich (investments, 401k etc.) but still want a great looking house in a nice area (and are possibly self employed).
An example of this I saw was in Glens Falls, NY. The houses looked really nice under 200k but employment seems difficult to attain (not sure about the crime in Glens Falls).
Thanks for the reply. Is crime a problem in Peoria? Statistics seem high but that might not tell the whole story. I like that some areas here seem to have good schools.
Thanks for the reply. Is crime a problem in Peoria? Statistics seem high but that might not tell the whole story. I like that some areas here seem to have good schools.
Haven't spent much time in the area but I don't think it's particularly bad compared to other Midwest cities? I think the low prices have more to do with the lack of jobs. I'd feel safer walking around Peoria at night than Springfield, let alone Decatur (which is still vastly safer than places like Gary).
Interior Pennsylvania often has crazy cheap houses. Places like the Harrisburg-York-Lancaster triangle often have beautiful rowhomes for under $300k, which I consider a steal given proximity to Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington + mountains + historical charm + jobs (aka State Government, Hershey, hospitality due to tourism).
Best bang-for-your-buck urban-wise is Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Chicago.
If you want under $200k, I'd do somewhere like Allentown.
You are 30 minutes from historic Frederick, the crown jewel of Maryland imo + 38 minutes from Harpers Ferry + 75 minutes from Harrisburg + 50 minutes from Leesburg (or 60 minutes from the start of the Dulles Tech Corridor) + 75 minutes from Washington + 75 minutes from Baltimore.
Basically, there are a lot of places where 200k and less affords you some very impressive houses in good neighborhoods.
Kansas City’s so-called northland area which is north of the Missouri River on the Missouri side of the state line.
Suburban Milwaukee, especially some of the older inner-ring stuff.
Little Rock’s best suburb, Maumelle, has quite a few houses that start out well below 200k.
All are safe, good areas, with good economies, and we’re not talking fixer-uppers.
That people are willing to spend significantly more for just a house fascinates me to no end.
Sure, a lot of people have to live in certain places for specific types of work, or perhaps they have family obligations.
On the other hand, there is a significant portion of the population that has nothing to lose, and might be better off financially living somewhere more affordable.
The rust belt and midwest are the prime areas to find homes in decent neighborhoods, for a lot cheaper.
Cities that used to be "robustly growing or rapidly booming" in the 40s/50s/60s or so, and now have populations that are stagnant or slightly declining. A lot of mid-sized cities in Illinois fit this model, as well as Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, western New York and other "rust belt" regions of the country.
Was looking around on various apps and found some stunning homes for under 200k. Obviously, the homes were mostly in places that offered few employment opportunities. But it got me thinking: Where in the US can a homebuyer find the most beautiful houses for under 200k?
Some rules:
1) Must be ready to live in (not a project/restoration house)
2) Must be in a reasonably safe area (not a jewel within a ghetto)
3) Must say these are fairly typical to find (not the exception to the rule)
4) must have at least some neighbors with nice houses (not too remote)
This thread might be handy for people that prefer to be cash rich (investments, 401k etc.) but still want a great looking house in a nice area (and are possibly self employed).
An example of this I saw was in Glens Falls, NY. The houses looked really nice under 200k but employment seems difficult to attain (not sure about the crime in Glens Falls).
With Glens Falls, it is close enough to employers in Saratoga County and there are some companies in the immediate area as well. So, it may be a matter of where to look and if the openings fit the skills/education you have in that general area. Some companies that come to mind: https://gf.com/ (Malta)
In general, pretty much the Interior Northeast and Midwest would be the best places to look. For instance, this thread could help in terms of other cities in Upstate NY: https://www.city-data.com/forum/new-...ny-cities.html
By the way, a lot of people from Downstate NY, NJ and even PA have been doing the cash in hand thing in terms of finding said homes in much of Upstate NY. So, this has been occurring already and likely the same even in other parts of the Midwest and Interior Northeast.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 09-26-2021 at 09:08 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
