Nebraska is notorious for high taxes. Missouri calls itself "The Show Me State" - Nebraskans have dubbed our state "The Tax Me State." Property taxes are outrageous and when sold, the tax valuation on that 50's house will go up to the sales price figure which means the taxes can only go up from what's on the listing info.
"That house would be very "livable" with some minor updates to restore the original character."
I guess that depends on your definition of livable... I'm too old, busy and tired to take on a project like this, I can't get the few I have going around my little house done now and it drives me nuts. Were I 25 again, absolutely - this would be a fun house to take on. The owner had replaced the HVAC system a few months ago and there was a new water heater recently as well (though grossly inadequate for a basement full of washers ;-) so those systems are in good shape. I didn't take a long look at the electrical, but that was a good question. I would doubt it's less than 100 amp service, but who knows? Even that would be inadequate for most families now in a house that size with central air conditioning.
The photos are probably deceivingly flattering. Most of that beautiful tile in the bathrooms needs work, the grout has largely turned to dust, the bathroom faucets need to be rebuilt and repacked to work properly. The windows in the house were all in pretty desperate shape, some were caulked shut, bent frames and all need to be replaced. Energy efficiency is non-existent, I would imagine insulating value of those windows to be nil. There were lots and lots of huge spans of windows so that may actually be one of the largest expenses. The garage doors were original and pretty rough, one opener not working at all and the other on it's last leg because of the size and weight of the doors. Then we look up to the brown & orange spotted ceilings in the bedrooms and realize that we need a new roof. A flat, multi-level roof on a house like that will always be trouble unless you have it replaced and done correctly. Even redecorating would be spendy; removing all that hideous wallpaper, painting every square inch of the home and then 2500 sq. ft. of new carpet, plus window coverings and draperies as most of the current ones won't even open and close too many times before dissolving into a puff of dust. All that and we haven't even begun to shop for furniture or done any of the very much needed landscaping outside! Money, money, money!
It is fun to dream though, it was and could again be a fabulous property.
