How much SHOULD this house cost?

[Calliecake]

Hi Gypsy, Is it as hot and humid in Austin as it is in Houston? Austin was one of the locations on my husbands retirement list when we first started to discuss where we would end up.

I will be so happy for you when I see your thread titled "I found my new house".

 

[Begonia]

In a suburb outside of town...around 425k

In town, close to schools, central...625k asking, negotiate down to 550k (that's the house I bought two years ago).

In the posh end of town...gated community stuff... 749k.

Ya buying a house gypsygirl?

 

[Ximena]

$642,060-$939,600 Depending on elevation, how close to water and how many homes have been sold in the block. $540 per sq. foot is the norm lately though, people aren't moving at all, they rather deal with major renovations

 

[amc80]

Around $240-260k.

ETA- in Nevada

 

[GliderPoss]

In my area (northern Victoria, Australia) I'd say about $AU400K? The large backyard is a big bonus.

 

[purplesparklies]

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!

I am about an hour and a half from Grand Rapids. We are close to South Bend. Ideally located to get easily to Chicago, Indy or Detroit. Fabulous area for families. Good cost of living.

Petoskey is fabulous. We spend a week in Traverse City each summer and we love that area too.

 

[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.

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!

He's still cooking thank goodness! Thanks for thinking of me. He's due January 29 - I appreciate that my maternity leave will keep me off the roads during the worst of the winter!

And yes, takes a special kind of PSer to put up with our winters, particularly the last one!

 

[decodelighted]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

 

[monarch64]

I love that something like this is an option for you, Gypsy. Think you'll be very happy in TX.

That home with the land would go for anywhere between 200k-280k here. Wide range, yes, but very dependent upon specific neighborhood. It's lovely.

Wishing you and your husband (and kitties) the best of luck.

 

[FrekeChild]

$250-270k here in the Central Valley of CA. Not a lot of varying home prices here, it's interesting.

$180-500k in Albuquerque, NM. Location location location. West side/Rio Rancho=cheap. East side, Downtown/Old Town=expensive.

 

[MMtwo]

200-350k depending on area and comps (central Virginia/Shenandoah Valley).

 

[manderz]

$100k-$120k, depending on the neighborhood. Small town in WNY.

ETA: It's far more updated than most of what's on the market in my area. The majority of the houses are ~120 years old, and haven't been updated since the 50's, maybe the 70's if you're lucky. No granite anywhere to be found!!

 

[Gypsy]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

I have entire spreadsheets that compared North Carolina to Texas on so many levels.

We did not visit.
Texas has 1) a student loan law that benefits us (shocking but true, PA is only other state with this law). 2) Family we actually like (shocking as well) 3) lower cost move from CA to TX as opposed to NC.

Those are the pros. There are some BIG cons as well. 1) Politics 2) Religion 3) Weather.

North Carolina had the first 2. But didn't have the second as much. But that wasn't enough to outweigh the two pros I listed.


So for now TX is winning. I am still looking for a job in NC. And actually REAL job would be a strong enough reason for us to move to NC. But if we are moving without jobs, and footing whole bill for the move, then TX is where we will end up.

 

[Rena7]

We moved to Texas from California about 13 years ago. We moved here for financial reasons as well. It has really been a great decision for us. I have never regretted it, though I do miss the dry air in August. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Autumnovember]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

I have entire spreadsheets that compared North Carolina to Texas on so many levels.

We did not visit.
Texas has 1) a student loan law that benefits us (shocking but true, PA is only other state with this law). 2) Family we actually like (shocking as well) 3) lower cost move from CA to TX as opposed to NC.

Those are the pros. There are some BIG cons as well. 1) Politics 2) Religion 3) Weather.

North Carolina had the first 2. But didn't have the second as much. But that wasn't enough to outweigh the two pros I listed.


So for now TX is winning. I am still looking for a job in NC. And actually REAL job would be a strong enough reason for us to move to NC. But if we are moving without jobs, and footing whole bill for the move, then TX is where we will end up.

Gypsy, could you please share what the law is in PA about student loans? Would love to know!! I have a bunch of loans I'm paying off that I got when I was going to college there!

 

[manderz]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

I have entire spreadsheets that compared North Carolina to Texas on so many levels.

We did not visit.
Texas has 1) a student loan law that benefits us (shocking but true, PA is only other state with this law). 2) Family we actually like (shocking as well) 3) lower cost move from CA to TX as opposed to NC.

Those are the pros. There are some BIG cons as well. 1) Politics 2) Religion 3) Weather.

North Carolina had the first 2. But didn't have the second as much. But that wasn't enough to outweigh the two pros I listed.


So for now TX is winning. I am still looking for a job in NC. And actually REAL job would be a strong enough reason for us to move to NC. But if we are moving without jobs, and footing whole bill for the move, then TX is where we will end up.

Gypsy, could you please share what the law is in PA about student loans? Would love to know!! I have a bunch of loans I'm paying off that I got when I was going to college there!

Tagging along, as I'm about 15 minutes from PA, and considering a grad program there.

 

[Gypsy]

You have to live there. And it applies ONLY to private loans in default. But the jist of it is that for commercial (not federal) loans, if you are in default, then they cannot get a lien against your salary IF You live and work in the state.

Why is that helpful? Because most commercial loans will bully you to death to pay more than you can afford telling you that if you DON'T they will just go to court and get a lien.

Federal loans do this as well.

But if you live in a state where they CANNOT get a lien, they are forced to negotiate with you.

That said, there are bunch of issues along with that, so you really have to consult with an ATTNY IN THE STATE (so not a TX attny for a PA law, despite the fact that the laws are the same, they can be applied differently as they are state laws, not federal ones), to see if that is of any help TO YOU.

For me, it is a big help. For others, not so much.

 

[Autumnovember]

You have to live there. And it applies ONLY to private loans in default. But the jist of it is that for commercial (not federal) loans, if you are in default, then they cannot get a lien against your salary IF You live and work in the state.

Why is that helpful? Because most commercial loans will bully you to death to pay more than you can afford telling you that if you DON'T they will just go to court and get a lien.

Federal loans do this as well.

But if you live in a state where they CANNOT get a lien, they are forced to negotiate with you.

That said, there are bunch of issues along with that, so you really have to consult with an ATTNY IN THE STATE (so not a TX attny for a PA law, despite the fact that the laws are the same, they can be applied differently as they are state laws, not federal ones), to see if that is of any help TO YOU.

For me, it is a big help. For others, not so much.

Ah, I see. I'm becoming a permanent resident again soon. I lived there and moved to Jersey and going back again soon. Thank you for the info, I appreciate it. I have several private loans, none in default though.

 

[Autumnovember]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

I have entire spreadsheets that compared North Carolina to Texas on so many levels.

We did not visit.
Texas has 1) a student loan law that benefits us (shocking but true, PA is only other state with this law). 2) Family we actually like (shocking as well) 3) lower cost move from CA to TX as opposed to NC.

Those are the pros. There are some BIG cons as well. 1) Politics 2) Religion 3) Weather.

North Carolina had the first 2. But didn't have the second as much. But that wasn't enough to outweigh the two pros I listed.


So for now TX is winning. I am still looking for a job in NC. And actually REAL job would be a strong enough reason for us to move to NC. But if we are moving without jobs, and footing whole bill for the move, then TX is where we will end up.

Gypsy, could you please share what the law is in PA about student loans? Would love to know!! I have a bunch of loans I'm paying off that I got when I was going to college there!

Tagging along, as I'm about 15 minutes from PA, and considering a grad program there.

Awesome! What school? I love PA. You get so much more for your money than you could in North Jersey. Property taxes here are just out of control. Hate it.

 

[Rhea]

I am currently living in Seoul, SK. There aren't many homes with lots here, most places are apartments in high rises.

Same problem here. I can price out a flat with a leasehold (so you own it for a certain amount of years, not own it free and clear) with a similar square foot area, same bedrooms and same bathrooms. But no lot included, not detached, and no car park, you might get a single assigned parking spot.

Prices are around £2.2 - £3 million. Google says that's £3.5 - £4.7 million US Dollars. I live in London, England but not central London or West London. My sister's friend's family's leasehold terraced house near Regent's Park in Central London, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath with 3 balcony things (no garden or yard) and a similar square footage just went on the market for £3995,000. These are nice places, but none of them are that nice!

 

[manderz]

WHAT HAPPENED TO NORTH CAROLINA???????? (Did you ever visit & just not dig it?)

I think that house would cost about $375-425K near me depending on side of the river. And it *should* be free (for me.)

I have entire spreadsheets that compared North Carolina to Texas on so many levels.

We did not visit.
Texas has 1) a student loan law that benefits us (shocking but true, PA is only other state with this law). 2) Family we actually like (shocking as well) 3) lower cost move from CA to TX as opposed to NC.

Those are the pros. There are some BIG cons as well. 1) Politics 2) Religion 3) Weather.

North Carolina had the first 2. But didn't have the second as much. But that wasn't enough to outweigh the two pros I listed.


So for now TX is winning. I am still looking for a job in NC. And actually REAL job would be a strong enough reason for us to move to NC. But if we are moving without jobs, and footing whole bill for the move, then TX is where we will end up.

Gypsy, could you please share what the law is in PA about student loans? Would love to know!! I have a bunch of loans I'm paying off that I got when I was going to college there!

Tagging along, as I'm about 15 minutes from PA, and considering a grad program there.

Awesome! What school? I love PA. You get so much more for your money than you could in North Jersey. Property taxes here are just out of control. Hate it.

Oh, I hear you! We pay $3500 annually for property taxes, and similar houses a couple towns over, just beyond the border, are like $800/year. Crazy talk!

I'm considering UPB's MSW program.It's my dream program, and school, and I already know a bunch of people who have graduated from it, and some of the faculty. I'm just terrified of that much debt though, on top of what I've already got.

 

[distracts]

My actually neighborhood that I live in: $300-$350k.

The neighborhood closest to me where a solidly suburban-looking house like that would be found with that kind of school district: $150-200k.

That's a big range because I honestly don't understand what makes one house cost more than another when they are close to the same square footage, in the same neighborhood, similar lot sizes, etc. Also the house sales have been nuts around here - houses are often selling for well over the asking price in my neighborhood, which is kind of bizarre.

I cannot fathom that a house like that could cost millions of dollars somewhere. Or that plots of land would be so small. I mean... I know that, but, like... that's a little house. On a little bit of land.

*boggles*

*is stubbornly Texan*

*looks at the Bay Area prices and texts bff that I'm still not moving to SF to live near her*

Okay having read far enough to see that this IS in DFW, my guess appears to be accurate, depending on the exact suburb. My guess for that house is Plano closer to Dallas ("old Plano") or Richardson (though, uh, I would question the validity of "good schools" if that is correct - and I'm merely guessing that due to the way the house LOOKS). If you would like to email to talk to me about neighborhoods, I can hit you up on LT or wherever. Let me know.

eta: If you aren't planning on having kids, Richardson would be a good choice - not too far north, near major highways, near many jobs, relatively quick commute to downtown, plenty of nice neighborhoods, not so suburban that you're drown in republicans. Just to throw that out there. Wouldn't be my first choice if I was going to send my kids to public school though.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You'd be in a dream land here (NC) as far as house prices go, but I can see big advantages for you to go to TX if there is family there. That house would sell for about $150k where I am (30-40 min outside large city), but it would be more in a major city (closer to $175-200k). But it is rare for lots to be that small. Most subdivisions would average around half acre (21,700 sq ft) lots. Our neighborhood has minimum .75 acre lots. Our daughter and son-in-law bought a new house last fall...1900 sq feet, probably 7-8 years old, 4 br, 2.5 baths, pretty standard interior but new carpet, fresh paint, move in ready for $178k. Their neighborhood has houses mostly 1500-2000 sq ft (mostly young families/couples and a few retirees) and the lots are small by local standards at .33 acre (14,300 sq ft).

 

[Skippy123]

I would say $270,000 in the La Cueva District of ABQ. comp, I didn't realize the price, at first I was guessing, http://freehomesearch.myersandmyersrealestate.com/idx/details/listing/b038/827516/7615-William-Moyers-Avenue-NE-Albuquerque-NM-87122

 

[Skippy123]

I am currently living in Seoul, SK. There aren't many homes with lots here, most places are apartments in high rises.
For an apartment with similar features to the home you posted, in a good neighborhood, you are looking at paying approximately $2841/square foot. So it would be around $4.94 million.
If you travel out of the city but maintain all other details, it would be approximately $1225/square foot, so $2.13 million.

Wow, I had no clue!!!

 

[Jambalaya]

About 175k where I live.

It's a really nice house.

 

[cflutist]

600K to 1 Million in the San Francisco Bay Area

 

[TechieTechie]

My near NW suburb of Boston (with good schools, 15 minute drive w/o traffic to downtown), you couldn't buy a house like this, as most of our lots are 5K-6k. The next town over has excellent public schools (top 10 in state) would be $800k-$1M due to the land (1200-1400 c. 1920 sq ft houses go for $450-$600k there). But more likely, it would be torn down and rebuilt. We have a lot of McMansionization going on here since land is so scarce and the housing stock is old (c 1900, which I adore). The 800 sq foot house down the street from me, on a 7k square foot lot, was purchased for 300k, torn down and a 2400 sq ft boring, badly built house replaced it..and sold for $920k.

Good for the property values, bad for my property tax bill. And, we neighbors hate it something awful because the entire house sits 7 feet from the property line (no privacy) and looks completely out of character with our cute 1000-1500 sq ft bungalows and dutch colonials.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Gypsy]

Distracts: Where in that area should I be looking? DH is very set on good schools and we might adopt. And it is likely I would be working in Richardson or Plano.

 

[Gypsy]

600K to 1 Million in the San Francisco Bay Area

More than that! I'm in San Mateo and you can't get a 2 bedroom condo for 600k! Maybe in some parts of the East Bay.