How much SHOULD this house cost?

[kmarla]

A bungalow house with that square footage and more important that size lot would most likely be in the extreme suburbs here in Ottawa Canada. Depending on location, it would range from approx. $425,000 to $650,000 is my best guess. Once upgraded the price would increase dramatically. An average suburban lot here is 35-50 ft x 100ft.

 

[Calliecake]

In my area probably around $300,000.

Gypsy, I hope in a round about way you are showing us your possible new home!

 

[April20]

In my area, small university town in South Africa, it would be around $180k or just a hair below R2mil.

$50k if you picked it up and moved it just 4 miles up the road to the coloured area.

Out here the lot would be considered small or in realtor-speak, "manageable".

Oh, and the first thing the new owner would do is put up a 6' high electric fence and burglar bars on all the windows.

What, only 6'? I swear our friends in Jo'burg had at least 10' fences and burglar bars. And they had a solid door in the house that locked to block off the hall to the bedrooms. That still tweaks me out thinking about it!

 

[Trekkie]

In my area, small university town in South Africa, it would be around $180k or just a hair below R2mil.

$50k if you picked it up and moved it just 4 miles up the road to the coloured area.

Out here the lot would be considered small or in realtor-speak, "manageable".

Oh, and the first thing the new owner would do is put up a 6' high electric fence and burglar bars on all the windows.

What, only 6'? I swear our friends in Jo'burg had at least 10' fences and burglar bars. And they had a solid door in the house that locked to block off the hall to the bedrooms. That still tweaks me out thinking about it!

LOL!!! Yes, "only" 6'. We're way safer out here in the country!

 

[swingirl]

$1.7M. That lot is very generous for my zip code and the rooms look quite large. Our house was originally built in 1946. We added an upstairs and now its a 3/2. Our rooms are much smaller and our yard is tiny. But we love the weather, geography, ethnic diversity, and local activities available (parades, music in the park, community theater, etc). But living here we know we are paying for the lifestyle and location and NOT the actual property.

Being close to family and jobs is a big consideration when relocating. I know it must be really difficult to figure it all out.

 

[telephone89]

Where I live, it depends greatly on the area. But in MY community, that would be about 550-600k. In some of the nicer communities, I could see it being 800k-1m.

 

[AprilBaby]

Western suburbs chicago: $325,000-350,000

 

[HopeDream]

In the retirement capital of Canada? $643,000 USD ($729,000CAD)
http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14837373

Much smaller lot though - 6634Sqft

Canadian real estate is way over valued in certain markets. I may never be able to afford to buy a home.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,


Northwest suburbs of Chicago---with land 250,000. Wolfmama and Aprilbaby probably live in more expensive Chicago suburbs than I do. Looks to be a nice house.

Annette

 

[canuk-gal]

In the retirement capital of Canada? $643,000 USD ($729,000CAD)
http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14837373

Much smaller lot though - 6634Sqft

Canadian real estate is way over valued in certain markets. I may never be able to afford to buy a home.

Yet, I think that property would sell for a lot more a little further "east" where I live. House might be a sacrificed for the lovely big lot.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Niel]

Where I live maybe $130,000. That is one of the reasons I live here.

Hahahaha. SAme for me.

I wish I could find a town we could be happy living in for a great quality of life at a more affordable price so we would be able to retire at a reasonable age. I guess it is all about compromises and what your specific needs are. I know I have been thinking about this issue for many years now and cannot find a place where cost of living is more affordable, where the climate is good for us (well for me as my dh likes the change of seasons and can tolerate the cold much better than I can...my ideal is mild and sunny most of the time) and there is plenty of culture and life around. And other amenities of course but just naming a few. Also don't want to be too far from family as parents are getting older so that limits us as well.


Gypsy, have you decided where you guys are moving to yet?

I think I am quite lucky to live where I do. I live outside a town called Grand Rapids. Good cultural scene, great hospitals, the surrounding towns have good school districts, the weather is hard for people with the lake effect snow, but other than that I'm quite happy with where we live. I can handle the snow, so that's not a bother.

It gets ranked in the top 10 often for "rising cities" or "best places to raise a family"... Things like that. Best ranking we usually get is " beer city"

Niel - We are neighbors! What a small world. I love living in Grand Rapids, although I dream of a summer home in Petoskey someday. For now that is just a dream...

I live closer to the city, so a well maintained home with a decent sized yard like the one you show would be priced around $175,000 in my zip code.

Hey!! Look at that! Small world.
We live maybe 15-20 minutes out from gr. Probably why it would be less. But I bought our house 2 years ago, I was very familiar with the market then, it could have gone up sense.

I love our area! I think were very lucky to have what we have here for the price of living. Read some of these posts and I think I would just faint paying that much for a house!

 

[lyra]

It would depend on the exact neighbourhood in my city, but around $825,000.

 

[vintagelover229]

House like that in areas of Houston will be between 140k-200k depending on where it's at.

Outside of Toronto I'd say at least 500k probably over a million depending on location again. With that amount of land the closer to the city-well I'm not sure those are for sale. If they are they are well above my price range-a few million?

Neil and anyone else in the GR area-my family lives there and I'll be around for the holiday. I'm sure you are busy but I'll have my AVR reset and I'm dying to meet more PSers. Up for a mini g2g?

We arrive Wed night before thanksgiving and leave that Sunday. We will be back though in the early summer if no one can meet up?

 

[HollyS]

Depending on neighborhood, lot and landscaping, proximity to traffic congestion . . . in this general area, this house would run 160K to 225K. Yup, you can get some bang for your buck in TX.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I looked up a comparable sized house in my neighborhood, with a 5600 sq ft lot (HUGE by California standards), and it was listed at $575K. Most lots are < 4000 sq ft.

 

[Karl_K]

Where I live maybe $130,000. That is one of the reasons I live here.

Around that here.
Slightly higher by maybe 10k in the higher priced newer areas outside of the city proper.
20k higher in the gated golf course communities.

 

[chemgirl]

Depends on where in the city, but my area probably in the 500's. Closer to downtown would be much more. Also closer to downtown and the house would be considered a teardown and a mini mansion would go up on that fabulous lot.

 

[soocool]

Comparable home in my area of Bucks County PA about $340,000. In my town the all homes sell quickly. Not many homes go on the market because it is a very desirable town. The ones that usually are on the market are comparable to the one you posted. Smaller homes mostly owned by people who have lived there 40+ years. The older homes are on 1/2 acre lots and the newer homes (25 or less years are on 1 to 4 acre lots. There a few with more acreage). Our high school (Council Rock North) is one of the top 100 schools in the nation.

We built here because it is a neighborhood and not a development. We are close to NJ and about 1-1/2 hours from NYC. Taxes are low. The only reason I would leave is because my home is too big for just the 2 of us and DH and I vowed to stay here until it gets to be too much for us.

 

[Calliecake]

In my area probably around $300,000

Gypsy, I hope in a round about way you are showing us your possible new home!

Probably closer to $350,000 in my area.

 

[redwood66]

In my area of Idaho it would be $180k-$240k. Move just 5 miles east to the resort area near the lake and it goes up to $450k+.

 

[Jennifer W]

There isn't a directly comparable house near me, but for a large (for local standards) single storey house with garden, in our village, I'd guess it would run to around £300k sterling. If it was in Edinburgh or any of the immediately surrounding area, easily three times that. Which is crazy. I wish I could transplant my house to Edinburgh, most days.

 

[diamondringlover]

depending on which part of town, but I would say between 160,000-175,000

 

[Hospatogi]

$799,000 here in Los Angeles

 

[Gypsy]

LOL, in the SF Bay area? Gypsy, you know the answer to that already!
the house/lot would be sold to a google employee for lots of $ and the house leveled.
seriously.
then a new and improved edifice would be built.

I see really good bones there, gypsy. watch out for that ceiling. could be issues with a 1985 ceiling that could cost lots of $ for removal/cleanup.

Oh I know what it would cost here. 1.2-1.8 million because of the lot size and it would be bulldozed and condos put up, or if that's not allowed a HUGE 5 million dollar mansion put up. Or if allowed, subdivide the lot and put two 2 million dollar houses on that lot.

That is a nutshell is why we are moving.

I guess I just wanted perspective to what type of "dollar sign" people see when they look at a house like that. My perspective is skewed. Because we get no new construction out here (well, on the peninsula) renovating houses with good bones is the norm. But out in TX there is a lot of new construction. So I am just trying to see what people think when they see a house like that. The ceiling would worry me too, but that house will be long gone before we are buying. Just a hypothetical. If we were there though, this would be a short list house for me, depending on what an inspection showed because I do think it has a ton of potential and is perfectly livable now, with a great opportunity for slow renovations over a couple years. Which, if I don't buy something newer, is what I think I want.

We have tentatively decided that regardless of jobs in April/May we are moving to TX. Greater Dallas Metro is where we are looking. DH and I can both work as temps/contractors for a while until we find 'permanent' positions.

I have talked to my boss and told her this. She knows I am looking for jobs in the area. She know I would prefer it if she could find a way to make telecommuting work, so I could stay at my current job. But she doesn't think she can.

We'll see.




House is listed at 190k in Greater Dallas area with very good schools. FYI. Thanks so much for playing my game. It was fascinating to see what people thought. I'd love more posts, insights, playing, so please keep it up if it entertains you too.

 

[movie zombie]

OMG, Gypsy: first thing I thought when I saw the picture of that house was Texas! could be Austin just as well as it is Dallas......

 

[Gypsy]

In my area probably around $300,000.

Gypsy, I hope in a round about way you are showing us your possible new home!

Not yet honey. But I do hope that in a year I will be able to do so.

We're still in the narrowing down exactly where we will move stage. Houston, Austin and Dallas, Plano all have very good job prospects. So we we are debating culture, family, etc.

DH loves Austin. And I liked it there as well, plus it is more liberal there. But my family is in the Dallas Area. Plus I can't really find neighborhoods I like, CAN AFFORD, and also have a very short commute to the main 'business district' in Austin. And that right now is trumping. Plus our budget is fluid right now. We can afford more than 200k and would get approved. But we don't want or need anything bigger than 1700-2200 square foot(max) 3 bed and 2 bath. So I am trying to see what different budgets buy in what areas so I can do some number crunching about what a mortgage would cost, what the taxes would be, what the commute would be (do we need 2 cars?), what the cost of living is, and so forth. I really need to pay down some student loans. And so I am trying to come up with the best way to do that and still be able to retire at a decent age.

Blah... being an adult stinks.

 

[Gypsy]

OMG, Gypsy: first thing I thought when I saw the picture of that house was Texas! could be Austin just as well as it is Dallas......

Very "Texas" house, I agree. But heck if I am moving out there I might as well embrace the benefits. And I like brick homes

 

[librarychickie]

In the suburbs of DC (inside the Beltway), it would run you anywhere from $650k to $1M -- depending on how close to the center you get.

 

[Autumnovember]

I grew up in the same county soocool is from and I agree, it would be around 350-400k. In North Jersey, depending on neighborhood, it would be anywhere from 550-700k.

 

[sarahb]

Where I live maybe $130,000. That is one of the reasons I live here.

Hahahaha. SAme for me.

I wish I could find a town we could be happy living in for a great quality of life at a more affordable price so we would be able to retire at a reasonable age. I guess it is all about compromises and what your specific needs are. I know I have been thinking about this issue for many years now and cannot find a place where cost of living is more affordable, where the climate is good for us (well for me as my dh likes the change of seasons and can tolerate the cold much better than I can...my ideal is mild and sunny most of the time) and there is plenty of culture and life around. And other amenities of course but just naming a few. Also don't want to be too far from family as parents are getting older so that limits us as well.


Gypsy, have you decided where you guys are moving to yet?

I think I am quite lucky to live where I do. I live outside a town called Grand Rapids. Good cultural scene, great hospitals, the surrounding towns have good school districts, the weather is hard for people with the lake effect snow, but other than that I'm quite happy with where we live. I can handle the snow, so that's not a bother.

It gets ranked in the top 10 often for "rising cities" or "best places to raise a family"... Things like that. Best ranking we usually get is " beer city"

Niel - We are neighbors! What a small world. I love living in Grand Rapids, although I dream of a summer home in Petoskey someday. For now that is just a dream...

I live closer to the city, so a well maintained home with a decent sized yard like the one you show would be priced around $175,000 in my zip code.

How about that, there's 3 of us now! I'm just to the east of GR, been here for 20 years, love it--but the winters are a bit tough for my taste. Neil, have you had your baby yet? Hope you are feeling & doing well!