We have an offer to move to the Coatesville area....

[ReadytoRetire]

Originally Posted by Myownworld

Um, no thanks. I think $2000.00 per month to live in a closet in the tundra is a bit high. Guess I am not enough of a fool to be parted with my cash that easily . Premium location is a matter of opinion. Farms stink and very isolated. I hate the country. I don't like visiting it and certainly don't want to live in it. Looking at the housing market in that area, I am thinking of just staying put and sending my husband there until we get a better area with a more reasonable cost of living. I just don't see how anybody would pay $250,000.00 for a 2 BR house built in 1959 only 1076 sq ft AND an HOA of $500.00 per month. Oh, can't forget that the last time this place was updated is 1968 and the carpets were cleaned in 1996. Somebody is smoking some nasty stuff and it isn't me. Yeah.......... I wasn't crazy about going to PA before, and I am certainly not wanting to go now. Are people really so stupid as to pay those housing prices or am I missing something?

Good stay there, you are pretty snooty with people trying to help you..

[Ohiogirl81]

You might get more help from the locals if you refrain from calling us "stupid."

[Myownworld]

Originally Posted by ReadytoRetire

Good stay there, you are pretty snooty with people trying to help you..

Sorry, did I miss a previous post from you? I didn't realize you were trying to help. I keep looking but I am not finding any helpful posts from you. Send me a link so I will be sure not to miss it.

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

You might get more help from the locals if you refrain from calling us "stupid."

Hahaha, did I hit a nerve? I did not refer to anybody in particular as stupid, I just find it rather unintelligent to pay more than $200 per sq ft for an old house that is not updated in an area that has high HOA fees and even higher taxes. Its not even a detached home. Its a townhouse, with no garage and you are allowed two parking spots in the street. It seems that as soon as I mention housing costs everybody gets all defensive. I have yet to see any property that is anywhere near worth the asking price. Its a down market and housing prices are just falling further. If somebody over paid during the hight of the bubble then that really isn't the buyer's problem. It is the seller's problem. I understand that sounds harsh, but talk to any realtor and they will tell you the same thing. What is the draw? What am I missing that is making seller's ask so much? Is it the farms? Well, being on or near a farm isn't everybody's cup of tea. They really do stink. Is it because you can hop a train? That isn't really anything completely unique to the area. Lots of places have trains, subways, trollies, etc. The houses aren't spectacular, or roomy. They are average and most are rather old. Not seeing a lot of new construction listed out there. Am I searching wrong? Is there a specific site that is best for searching the MLS? Are good schools so far and few that the few good school zones are overpriced? Not knocking the schools but that seems to be the case in most of states, especially with proration. Lots of listings have been reduced more than once (and are still crazy high), so obviously real estate is not moving at the pace it once was. Several have been on there for many months. Please tell me this, where do the families that do not make a quarter of a million dollars a year live? I am not the person that goes and buys more house than I can afford only to find myself underwater with my mortgage. We don't live just to pay the house and heat. I am certain that we are not the only ones who make an effort to live this way and still have nice homes, cars, etc. Maybe those are the folks that are getting defensive. They bought too little house for too much money and now they are in a pickle. Its not worth what they paid, they will loose tons if they ask what it appraises at........ I dunno. I do know that business and personal feelings have no place in the same equation. As soon as somebody brings in their personal feelings they loose. I think my favorite was from a seller that said, "This is my house and I know what it is worth because it has special meaning to me." Well, that is very sweet that you have fond memories of your home. If it means that much to you then don't sell it. I am buying a building, not your memories. As cold hearted as that may seem, would you pay an extra 10 grand for a used Ford just because the previous owner paid too much for it or had fond memories of it? I didn't think so. Well, off to check out the forclosures. Hopefully I can find one the previous owners didn't mess up too much before they got kicked out. Oh, and I absolutely refuse to pay premium for a house I am just going to move away from in a few years when we get to leave. The down housing market has not hit the bottom yet. It is only going to go down more as all the incentives have pretty much run their course and new layoffs go around. Buying at a high price just to turn around and sell when you know the market will be worse does not make sense at all.

[ReadytoRetire]

Originally Posted by Myownworld

Sorry, did I miss a previous post from you? I didn't realize you were trying to help. I keep looking but I am not finding any helpful posts from you. Send me a link so I will be sure not to miss it.



Hahaha, did I hit a nerve? I did not refer to anybody in particular as stupid, I just find it rather unintelligent to pay more than $200 per sq ft for an old house that is not updated in an area that has high HOA fees and even higher taxes. Its not even a detached home. Its a townhouse, with no garage and you are allowed two parking spots in the street. It seems that as soon as I mention housing costs everybody gets all defensive. I have yet to see any property that is anywhere near worth the asking price. Its a down market and housing prices are just falling further. If somebody over paid during the hight of the bubble then that really isn't the buyer's problem. It is the seller's problem. I understand that sounds harsh, but talk to any realtor and they will tell you the same thing. What is the draw? What am I missing that is making seller's ask so much? Is it the farms? Well, being on or near a farm isn't everybody's cup of tea. They really do stink. Is it because you can hop a train? That isn't really anything completely unique to the area. Lots of places have trains, subways, trollies, etc. The houses aren't spectacular, or roomy. They are average and most are rather old. Not seeing a lot of new construction listed out there. Am I searching wrong? Is there a specific site that is best for searching the MLS? Are good schools so far and few that the few good school zones are overpriced? Not knocking the schools but that seems to be the case in most of states, especially with proration. Lots of listings have been reduced more than once (and are still crazy high), so obviously real estate is not moving at the pace it once was. Several have been on there for many months. Please tell me this, where do the families that do not make a quarter of a million dollars a year live? I am not the person that goes and buys more house than I can afford only to find myself underwater with my mortgage. We don't live just to pay the house and heat. I am certain that we are not the only ones who make an effort to live this way and still have nice homes, cars, etc. Maybe those are the folks that are getting defensive. They bought too little house for too much money and now they are in a pickle. Its not worth what they paid, they will loose tons if they ask what it appraises at........ I dunno. I do know that business and personal feelings have no place in the same equation. As soon as somebody brings in their personal feelings they loose. I think my favorite was from a seller that said, "This is my house and I know what it is worth because it has special meaning to me." Well, that is very sweet that you have fond memories of your home. If it means that much to you then don't sell it. I am buying a building, not your memories. As cold hearted as that may seem, would you pay an extra 10 grand for a used Ford just because the previous owner paid too much for it or had fond memories of it? I didn't think so. Well, off to check out the forclosures. Hopefully I can find one the previous owners didn't mess up too much before they got kicked out. Oh, and I absolutely refuse to pay premium for a house I am just going to move away from in a few years when we get to leave. The down housing market has not hit the bottom yet. It is only going to go down more as all the incentives have pretty much run their course and new layoffs go around. Buying at a high price just to turn around and sell when you know the market will be worse does not make sense at all.

No I didn't give you any help, just reading the posts. Probably just a waste of
time to help someone with your negative outlook. No one said you had to pay
any price just people trying to help you (no not me) but you come across
as a know it all anyway so why ask for help.

[andreaspercheron]

Sort of related but, we at one time were looking to buy a home in Coatsville due to low home prices. Drove through there and now understand WHY the prices were so low. I don't know about the rest of Coatsville but talk about Cracktown, USA. I would never live there let alone raise my kids there....
Downingtown, on the other hand is lovely and I did hear great things about the school district. Good luck though!!!

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Myownworld

I have yet to see any property that is anywhere near worth the asking price. Its a down market and housing prices are just falling further.

If truly did your research, you'd know that "down markets" are relative to the individual markets; in this area, prices did not rise as wildly as they did in other markets, so consequently they have not dropped as wildly.

[BDuby]

Where did you end up moving to?