What $350K will buy you in the Chicago burbs...

[westtexman]

What $350K buys you in West Texas!

I guess we are "small time" here in West Texas. One of the homes listed here is in the neighborhood where Bob Knight (College Basketball Coach) lives. As you can tell, $350K goes a LONG WAY here, and taxes are pretty low, which makes for an excellent standard of living. Only problem is, just imagine trying to cool down a 4200 sq ft home in the dead of summer?

Tex

http://www.coldwellbankerlubbock.co..._Minimum_Beds=&PRM_Minimum_baths=&pagestart=1

 

[DADoES]

First house I bought in Sept 1991, paid $56K, sold it Jan 2005 for $98K. I thought that was an outrageous inflation. 20 years old, 3/2/1, 1,278 sq ft. The particular buyers were hot after the location. But I had about $10K work done before I sold, foundation leveling, roof, painting and trim. And spent $6K on replacing the air conditioning several years prior.

Same as what Tex says for Lubbock, $350K makes for an upscale property over here. Real estate agent a few lots over from me sold her own place in the last couple weeks for $350K (link below, but it may not work for long). Taxes are fairly high. My valuation of $221K will be around $6K tax. And that doesn't consider provision for the bond issue passed last month for a new school. Ugh.

http://www.beckywied.com/content/li...8,29315020,30410338,27445656&propertyCount=40

 

[hoover1060]

lotsa bang for the buck in Texas

The company I work for has a corporate facility in Plano, TexaS, and there have been a few people from here who have transferred down. They've pretty much all said the same thing, namely they sell more typical homes here, and are able to purchase much larger homes in TX.
I've no idea what I would do with a 4000 sq ft house, except Jack would have lots of space to roam, and I would have tons of room for more Hoovers!

 

[gansky1]

What $350K will buy in Omaha near our house. This house is only a few blocks away and doesn't even have the best curb appeal from the pictures. There are quite a few houses that have sold for this amount and are torn down immediately replaced with much larger, more expensive homes.

http://www.cbshome.com/Consumer/Lis...gDistrictTypeID=&FirstLetter=&Sort=6&Cookies=

 

[gansky1]

When Anderson calls...

Here's where we'll live! ;-)

http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/detail.aspx?id=401185

 

[hoover1060]

Anderson??

Who's Anderson?

I know I am mising something...

I like that area of Omaha, my organ professor played at Pacific Hills Lutheran church, 90th and Pacific ave...

 

[retromom]

Bigger is better in Texas!

For the money, Texas is a great value! We do everything bigger here; especially homes. People love to talk about their 4000 square foot plus McMansions! LOL

Our property values here in the 'burbs have gone up considerably. However, I see a little tapering off because of gas prices. It just doesn't make sense to drive to Houston from here when you have to fill up every other day! OY

 

[westtexman]

Suburban Houston -

Venus -

Is Bellville considered suburban Houston? Are there many people who live there and commute to Houston everyday? Although I've not been to Bellville, my aunt lives in North Spring/The Woodlands (30 miles from downtown), and it takes my uncle about an hour to get to work everyday. How long does it take to get from Belville to Downtown?

Tex

 

[frigilux]

hoover 1060--- I have a similarly-sized home; 3 bdrm, single car tuck-under garage, 1.5 bath, etc. My garage has a floor drain and is heated and air-conditioned, just like the house. There is a woodburning fireplace in the family room. The yard is fenced-in. I live in a very small town in rural Minnesota (pop. 4,500) and paid $73,500. And my friends in town scoffed at me because they said I overpaid!!

So, while housing is cheap, it also means I have to live in the boondocks...

 

[hoover1060]

Well, if I were to live in TX I'd live in__________

HOUSTON's Memorial Bend, thanks to Austin for the link to that site, I have spent hours reading up and looking at those beautiful homes.

Roselle is an old town, founded 1873. We have all types and styles of housing, even some mid-century atomic ranches.
Problem is they are in the $450 to 500k range...
WOW, I'd have to sell all the Hoovers and get Jack a job too!

 

[foraloysius]

Anderson...

Greg, does Anderson like appliances too?

 

[foraloysius]

On this side of the pond

This is what you get for around $350,000.- in Groningen.

http://www.funda.nl/koop/resultaat....fStraal=0&sfPrijsMin=275000&sfPrijsMax=325000

 

[retromom]

Bellville is a good place!

Bryan:

Bellville is about 50 miles west of Houston. There are lots of people here that commute to Katy and NW Houston, even a few to downtown and the medical center (about 1 1/2 hours away). We are also 1 1/2 hours from Austin and less than an hour from College Station. That's probably why half the kids here say they want to go to A&M and the other half want to go to UT! LOL

Houses are still selling pretty well. Our schools are good and not terribly heavily populated. Some people choose to live in the city (like us) and others prefer acreage. Prices run the gamut because the homes here are so varied.

The mister drives about an hour each way to his office. Our gasoline bill has been as outrageous as our electric bill! I sure long for the days of $1.00/gallon gasoline. Time to get a moped!

http://www.cbmarekrealestate.com/

 

[fnelson487]

Moving in with Anderson

Greg - Nice choice of digs, but, of course, you will have to have another place either in NJ or the Hamptons with a nice big basement for all the washers and such. No place on Park Ave. for washers (and no place to hang out the wash).

Well Mr. Parker, are you ready for a really big thud?? The last year's taxes on Tarantula Arms was over $14,000. Picture link attached. That is one of the reasons I am thinking of selling it and moving into the city. The other reason, of course, is to get a social life. The issue is to find a place where I can have the dishwashers and vacuums. Oh, conflicting priorities!! When are you bringing over that Hoover Twin tub?

Fred

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/retroderf/detail?.dir=632a&.dnm=f5b2.jpg&.src=ph

 

[fnelson487]

Taxes on Tarantula Arms

When I got the last tax bill for Tarantula Arms, the only thing I could think of was "Gone With The Wind" when Pork told Scarlett that she needed to save Gerald's watch because those carpetbaggers "Ran the taxes sky-high on Tara!!!"

 

[hoover1060]

OY $14,000 in Taxes???

Fred: Yeah thats a thud for me for sure! Whats your weekends looking like for the rest of Oct and the first part of Nov?

For the time being I am passing on house #700, even if it is a Hoover model number, even if the seller did tell the realtor he'd take $320k for it...
The vibe just isn't there, and while I can probably afford to buy it, there will be little left over for whatever needs fixing or replacing, as something always does(in the first 6 months of living in this house every one of the kitchen appliances expired and was replaced, as well as the original furnace)
I have lain awake at night trying to figure out how to get the brick off the kicthen walls too.. UGH!
I'll know THE house when I walk into it.
Thanks for all your opinions!

 

[gansky1]

Great thread - I love real estate thread. You'll find the right house, Fred, it only takes patience. I agree, you shouldn't stretch yourself too thin when buying a house. It's no fun if you can't afford to 'give the glam' after buying it.

Fred N, the $14K taxes don't really seem that out of line for a house of that size and age. Now the taxes on mine and Anderson's place on Fifth is $10K a month! I'm sure we'll end up in the Hamptons, there's probably room on Gloria's estate to pull a trailer in. ;-)

 

[petek]

The flag makes all the difference

Here's one without it.

 

[kenmore1978]

What $400,000 gets you

on the coveted "Westside" of Los Angeles. 1927, originally 2 bedroom 1 bath, now 4 bedroom 2 bath

 

[peterh770]

Jeff,

That house and an acre of land can be had for under $200 just outside of Atlanta.

I myself am not looking to buy, but I am looking to see what is out there and if one catches my eye, I will move. I like a traditional home WITH A BASEMENT and attached garage, not a drive under. I want the garage separate so I can have the ENTIRE BASEMENT for collecting! I don't care for split levels at all, and I really dislike split foyers.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Our compound after the restoration....

First let me say, Pete, I love what you have done with the trailer! I do think you should a flag though--it will help retain the value.

You should have seen our place, "The Compound", before we did this lovely restoration. There is lots of square footage and surprisingly, the taxes are quite reasonable as well as the costs of utilities.

I'll add a few more pics so you can really enjoy the splendor of the place. Note, we even have our own water tower!

 

[air-waycharlie]

The Gatepost

Notice the custom artwork on our gatepost where we can welcome visitors and guests.

 

[air-waycharlie]

On a sunny day............

The sun just glints off our razor sharp barbed wire privacy fence. Oh sure, it looks a little foreboding, but we want to keep the riff raft out and not have the custom landscaping tromped all over.

The irrigation system keeps things green and growing!

 

[gansky1]

Oh, Charlie! Let me be the first to say, this is just magnificent, maybe the envy of all the collectors with overstuffed garages, basements and storage rentals. Once the EPA Superfund cleanup is done, this will be the cat's meow...I just can't imagine what it looked like before you started work! Do take some pictures of the inside when you have a chance, I, for one, just love old prison movies with the flickering lights, damp walls and I'll bet the smell of confinement still lingers in the halls of your estate. Just fabulous!

 

[retromom]

Charming Handyman's Special....

You guys are making me reach for the Depends (again)!

Charlie: In spite of your taste in residences, you are still my favourite adopted son! LOL

I could have sworn that Martha Stewart recently had a show devoted to razor wire. ;-)

Venus

 

[air-waycharlie]

Inside The Compound

Greg,

Interesting you asked about inside pictures and what it looked like before the renovation. This first picture shows the front before we redid it.

Hideous isn't it? Much more character with our new look!

 

[air-waycharlie]

The receiving foyer

Here is where guests and friends are met once they are allowed past the security sentry post.

We hope to make it more colorful at some point.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Pay no attention to this sign!!

The county keeps posting this F***ing sign on the door and we keep ripping down!!!

 

[fnelson487]

Charlie-What's That Razor Wire For?

To keep you in or others out? Makes me want to rush right down there!!

Greg - That trailer is lovely. Is it a double-wide? (I hope). Love that lovely walk up to the front door.

Fred

 

[veg-o-matic]

Oooh, how did I miss this thread? Since I bought my house, the Real Estate section is my favorite part of the paper.

I thought I had a copy of the floorplan with me but it's at home. Anyhoo, what I bought in 2003 is a condo in a nice neighborhood, 4th floor with an elevator. No more stairs for this boy!

Square footage is 1642, and the taxes on it were $2118. For some reason, I have a copy of the tax bill with me. Go fig.

Paid $152 for it, which I bargained down from $157. I think the selling realtor was tired of dealing with it. Built in 1999. Two bedrooms, two full baths, LR, separate DR, kitchen with attached family room, den, and laundry room. Central air, of course--my first time with CAC, and I love every minute of it!

This is in Baltimore County, which is more expensive (and desireable) than Baltimore City. In the city, I could have bought the same thing or better for around 90 grand. Taxes would have been 1.5 times what I pay now.

So why did I buy what I did? Because of Honey. So many places don't allow pooches. Frankly, even if I didn't have a dog, I wouldn't want to live in a place that doesn't allow them. I mean, what kind of people are they?

I think I really lucked out with my house. I got it when interest rates were falling (6%) but before things went totally berserk. Several similar or identical units have sold recently in my development in the $240s.

THUD.

This is a picture of the living room, from the front door.

veg