Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Minnesota > Minneapolis - St. Paul
 [Register]
Minneapolis - St. Paul Twin Cities
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.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Closed Thread Start New Thread
 
Old 07-25-2013, 09:13 AM
 
16 posts, read 18,700 times
Reputation: 10

Advertisements

When two of my close friends, immigrants from Kenya, here since 2001, made the decision to relocate to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota from Arlington, Texas, to be closer to family and friends, little did they know they would be paying an arm and a leg for houses that didn't seem to be worth their price tag. After a few frustrating months of traveling back and forth from Texas to Minnesota, they reluctantly decided to settle a few blocks from each other and within a few miles of some of their family members and friends.

Even though both guys are RNs, earning decent salaries, they just couldn't see themselves paying upwards of $200,000+ for the type of house you could buy in Texas for $100,000-$150,000 which they feel are generally more attractive, in better neighborhoods, with better schools and etc. Both guys feel that their houses were waay over-priced and not that appealing to the eye. In fact, most of the houses they looked at, including theirs, were just this side of ugly. But the pickings weren't that good either, under the $100,000 range. And the neighborhoods where these houses were located were full of ramshackle houses, some occupied and some abandonded, with shady characters walking the streets, nothing to write home about.

Friend #1 with 2 kids, paid $110,000 for his 3 BDR/1 Bath with a $1,100 house note and a 30 year mortage, in an okay neighborhood.

Friend #2 with 3 kids, paid $112,000 for a 4 BDR/2 Bath with a $1,350 house note and a 30 year mortage, in an okay neighborhood.

Their wives assured them that things would be okay, as soon as they settled in, and reminded them that the Kenyan community in Minnesota was large and vibrant, and in no time at all, they would be warmly welcomed into the fold. And besides, the children would love playiing in the snow, and who in their right minds would miss Texas's hellish heat.

Still, my guy friends feel they were taken advantage of, because they were African immigrants, which may have made them seen as easy pickings, to unscrupoulous realtors. And after listening to friends and family relate similar stories, regarding the shark-like tendencies of some realtors, they were convinced that they weren't imagining this type of behavior. To the man (or woman), not one of his friends or family members paid under $100,000 for their homes...and which did not look close to the kind of house you could buy, down here in Texas, for that kind of money.

Now, almost a two year later, both are a bit bitter, disillusioned and struggling, since both wives are stay-at-home Moms and they bend my ear , on the regular, regarding the "foolishness" of their decision. Both vow to move back to Texas one day...and damn the hellish heat.

On the other hand...there are the two Madams to convince...and that won't be easy.

So...what do you think?

Do SOME greedy (opportunistic) realtors see African immigrants (or any immigrants) as easy marks when it comes to homebuying...or should said immigrants try and educate themselves and/or seek advice from someone they trust, as the swim through the murky waters of homeownership.

 
Old 07-25-2013, 09:36 AM
 
20,793 posts, read 61,066,170 times
Reputation: 10691
Houses in MN cost more than they do in the south end of story...
 
Old 07-25-2013, 09:36 AM
 
Location: Bel Air, California
23,771 posts, read 28,844,022 times
Reputation: 37326
Quote:
Originally Posted by Genise1953 View Post
When two of my close friends, immigrants from Kenya, here since 2001, made the decision to relocate to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota from Arlington, Texas, to be closer to family and friends, little did they know they would be paying an arm and a leg for houses that didn't seem to be worth their price tag. After a few frustrating months of traveling back and forth from Texas to Minnesota, they reluctantly decided to settle a few blocks from each other and within a few miles of some of their family members and friends.

Even though both guys are RNs, earning decent salaries, they just couldn't see themselves paying upwards of $200,000+ for the type of house you could buy in Texas for $100,000-$150,000 which they feel are generally more attractive, in better neighborhoods, with better schools and etc. Both guys feel that their houses were waay over-priced and not that appealing to the eye. In fact, most of the houses they looked at, including theirs, were just this side of ugly. But the pickings weren't that good either, under the $100,000 range. And the neighborhoods where these houses were located were full of ramshackle houses, some occupied and some abandonded, with shady characters walking the streets, nothing to write home about.

Friend #1 with 2 kids, paid $110,000 for his 3 BDR/1 Bath with a $1,100 house note and a 30 year mortage, in an okay neighborhood.

Friend #2 with 3 kids, paid $112,000 for a 4 BDR/2 Bath with a $1,350 house note and a 30 year mortage, in an okay neighborhood.

Their wives assured them that things would be okay, as soon as they settled in, and reminded them that the Kenyan community in Minnesota was large and vibrant, and in no time at all, they would be warmly welcomed into the fold. And besides, the children would love playiing in the snow, and who in their right minds would miss Texas's hellish heat.

Still, my guy friends feel they were taken advantage of, because they were African immigrants, which may have made them seen as easy pickings, to unscrupoulous realtors. And after listening to friends and family relate similar stories, regarding the shark-like tendencies of some realtors, they were convinced that they weren't imagining this type of behavior. To the man (or woman), not one of his friends or family members paid under $100,000 for their homes...and which did not look close to the kind of house you could buy, down here in Texas, for that kind of money.

Now, almost a two year later, both are a bit bitter, disillusioned and struggling, since both wives are stay-at-home Moms and they bend my ear , on the regular, regarding the "foolishness" of their decision. Both vow to move back to Texas one day...and damn the hellish heat.

On the other hand...there are the two Madams to convince...and that won't be easy.

So...what do you think?

Do SOME greedy (opportunistic) realtors see African immigrants (or any immigrants) as easy marks when it comes to homebuying...or should said immigrants try and educate themselves and/or seek advice from someone they trust, as the swim through the murky waters of homeownership.
they should have bought the cheaper home in Texas and stayed there
 
Old 07-25-2013, 10:03 AM
 
687 posts, read 1,249,363 times
Reputation: 323
Of the 294 single family homes sold in Brooklyn Park over the past 3 months, 9 of them sold for less than $110,000. Your friends are buying some of the cheapest houses around. I wouldn't suspect they were taken advantage of at all based on the prices.
 
Old 07-25-2013, 10:53 AM
 
Location: Minnesota
5,147 posts, read 7,439,100 times
Reputation: 1578
Could be. The immigrants have the same option as anyone else: Don't buy.
 
Old 07-25-2013, 12:13 PM
 
16 posts, read 18,700 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgal View Post
Houses in MN cost more than they do in the south end of story...
Why do you think that is the case?

I have an elderly cousin who lives in the Englewood district of California, who bought a house in the early '70's for $30,000. Now this house is valued at $225,000, and it's only a 3 BDR/1Bath, 2000 square foot home...no brick or stone...what we call "ranch style" down here...just a basic house that can now be bought for less than $80,000. What I didn't mention was that each of my friends' houses are less than 2000 square feet...i.e. about 1500-1700 square feet...and they are paying through the nose.

WOW!!!

That's unbelievable!

I can't even wrap my head around that!
 
Old 07-25-2013, 12:29 PM
 
106 posts, read 221,745 times
Reputation: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Genise1953 View Post
Why do you think that is the case?

I have an elderly cousin who lives in the Englewood district of California, who bought a house in the early '70's for $30,000. Now this house is valued at $225,000, and it's only a 3 BDR/1Bath, 2000 square foot home...no brick or stone...what we call "ranch style" down here...just a basic house that can now be bought for less than $80,000. What I didn't mention was that each of my friends' houses are less than 2000 square feet...i.e. about 1500-1700 square feet...and they are paying through the nose.

WOW!!!

That's unbelievable!

I can't even wrap my head around that!
They are building a lot more in the south than they are here. We have a shortage of housing, which drives prices up. What I wouldn't give to be able to find a house I'd be willing to live in at that price...!
 
Old 07-25-2013, 02:08 PM
 
20,793 posts, read 61,066,170 times
Reputation: 10691
Quote:
Originally Posted by Genise1953 View Post
Why do you think that is the case?

I have an elderly cousin who lives in the Englewood district of California, who bought a house in the early '70's for $30,000. Now this house is valued at $225,000, and it's only a 3 BDR/1Bath, 2000 square foot home...no brick or stone...what we call "ranch style" down here...just a basic house that can now be bought for less than $80,000. What I didn't mention was that each of my friends' houses are less than 2000 square feet...i.e. about 1500-1700 square feet...and they are paying through the nose.

WOW!!!

That's unbelievable!

I can't even wrap my head around that!
Well.first they have to put more into the houses here to withstand both summer and winter..then suppy and demand. Then wages are higher and cost of living is higher. You couldn't even buy a single family home in out town for under $200,000.... White or black Try buying that same house in San Francisco or Washington DC. Easily $600,000+
 
Old 07-25-2013, 02:57 PM
 
Location: MN
1,669 posts, read 6,212,805 times
Reputation: 958
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgal View Post
Houses in MN cost more than they do in the south end of story...
Especially Texas, they have some big and nice looking houses for the lowest prices that I have seen anywhere in the US.

TX definitely had better deals than NC, GA, and FL when I have been looking in the past.

I don't think anyone took advantage of them, there is just a huge difference in the housing markets.

Last edited by moving123456; 07-25-2013 at 03:09 PM..
 
Old 07-25-2013, 04:16 PM
 
Location: Minnesota
5,147 posts, read 7,439,100 times
Reputation: 1578
Do immigrants ever do any research before moving? There's a big African community here that could have told them what they were likely to pay for a house here. Frankly, I think anyone immigrating from Africa, Asia, or South America is likely to be inept at housing transactions since I'm sure the whole business of housing in those continents is different. We have so many legalities, things ruling what conditions are in a house for sale. I'm betting Minneapolis is stricter than Brooklyn Park, but probably EVERYWHERE here is stricter than Texas. Texas is full of Latin Americas new to the country. They probably get sold hovels that would get knocked down in Minneapolis.
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.


Closed Thread


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Minnesota > Minneapolis - St. Paul
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top