Massachusetts: the real estate dead zone

[hyphenate]

Now that I'm going to be able to put a down payment on a house of my own, I'm finding that living in Massachusetts is nearly impossible. Here in central Mass, trying to find something affordable is rather dubious at best, and anything east of Worcester is impossible at best. Some houses in the far western part of the state, but nothing that someone raised in the city could work with--hell, I don't have the strength to do much of what might be needed to run a house in "frontier" territory west of Springfield!

So....any ideas? My criteria: home for me and the cats. Needs to be a one family house, preferably with at the very least of 1000 sq.feet. Want a basement and a fireplace, primarily, and at least two bedrooms and an office area, or three bedrooms. For the cats, a 3 season porch would be nice, but not mandatory. Would prefer to steer away from manufactured houses, though that's part of the solution in some cases. I would rather live closer to Boston, though that's highly unlikely. Grew up in Brookline and Jamaica Plain, so areas like that would be wonderful, though I doubt if the prices are affordable.

Hud housing would be okay, as I'd have a little to work on the house, but nothing that's going to be drastic in terms of removation. I would want something that I could move into fairly quickly and work on it while I'm living there, so nothing like mold, bugs, rats, etc.

Maximum right now is tentative, and will depend on how much a bank is willing to loan me. I'm figuring $100,000 right now, as I can put a sizable dent in that right off. (Well, not quite yet--another month, at the very least.)

Any ideas for a first time homebuyer? I am going to a development company that works with first timers and advises them on different elements, and think that there are some resources available to me that might help. But if anyone sees anything out there, feel free to PM me and let me know! Thanks!

[maveric]

1. Think its bad there? Come to San Diego!

Two bdrms, one bath, small yard, no garage for $600,000.00!

[matcom]

2. for that $$, without going Interest Only - good luck

and i would NOT suggest Interest Only loans believe me!

we live in Metro West. Colonial built in 1877. GREAT shape. Original hardwood, etc.., PERFECT quiet neighborhood with a good yard.

7 years ago when we bought? $137,000

wanna buy it off me today? i'll start thinking about it at $375,000

i know it sucks but that is the reality 22 miles west (and 7 miles down 495) from Boston

you might try a duplex or a townhome but don't look in this area. 2 bedroom townhomes are going for aroun $250k

[Tektonik]

24. Those are cheap townhomes

A good 2 bedroom condo in San Diego is 400K+

[Kathy in Cambridge]

28. Matcom lives way out in the 'burbs

the average condo price in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville is 400K. and many units don't come with parking. you're talking an extra 50-100K for a space, depending on the neighborhood.

[lukasahero]

35. Townhouses in Sudbury start at $450k eom

[Kathy in Cambridge]

36. Basically anywhere within 495 is expensive

and getting worse...

[hyphenate]

32. I haven't seen your place yet

but I know what you mean. My brother bought his house in Vegas about 1995, in a gated community, with about 3000 sq. ft, for $159,000. Today, the community prices are at about $450,000 or more. That's because Vegas is suddenly the boom town it was always meant to me. But I could never stand being in that heat--my sister in law said it was already over 100 degrees there. She also told me my brother already had some skin cancer lesions removed--something I would be terrified of, since I'm a redhead and very fair skinned.

[tjdee]

3. Three beds, a fireplace, and a basement for 100K? Can you do that?

I guess, obviously, your answer is you don't know, but in NJ, that's not happening. I think we're more expensive than you are though.

Sorry I can't help, but I'm just in kind of, shock, that there is somewhere in the Northeast where you can even consider a two/three bdrm with all that stuff for 100K.

Good luck!

[hyphenate]

4. Actually, in many parts of upstate NY

That's pricey! Houses in Buffalo/Erie County and Niagara county are in the 50,000 range! That's my backup plan--move to upstate NY!

[valis]

29. Nice... I could buy it with a fraction of the down-payment on my current

house... But it's far from everything, right?

[hyphenate]

30. Not really. Buffalo is a bustling city

and Toronto is only about an hour away. Niagara Falls is just down the road a piece, and you have a great center of arts in Buffalo, as well as lots of other benefits. The major stumbling block for Buffalo and surrounding environs is how cold it gets in winter. But hell, after the past three winters in Massachusetts, I don't see how it could be worse. With a little more money in my pocket, getting the house warm should be easier anyhow!

[Maine-ah]

5. I got a 3 bedroom, full basement ranch on 1 acre of land

no fireplace, but I could easily put one in since the chiminy runs a wall in my living room. I paid 85,000. My taxes are $800.00 per year.

[valis]

6. Nice!

[Lannes]

8. Im in Florida

My county has the biggest increase in home prices in the nation.Im hoping to move up north where from checking out RE websites is more reasonable.Not to mention a blue state.

[graywarrior]

7. Try southern NH or VT.

[hyphenate]

20. Yeah, that's my next search nm

[Mizmoon]

9. I saw a $419,000 shithole last night

for sale across town. 70x100 lot. The furnace was from 1951 (I kid you not), the ceiling was actually sloping in an addition the agent swore was up to code, and it needed in total about $20,000 worth of updating. Plus the taxes are $7,800 per year. And yesterday the school budget was passed, meaning the taxes will no doubt go up again.

No thanks.

They're having an open house this Sunday. I bet it sells for $400,000.

[geniph]

10. You pretty much described my house...

and 30 miles south of Seattle, that house is worth about $200,000. If I were inside the Seattle city limits, my house would be worth approximately $500,000. I shit you not.

Housing's insane here, too. But at least some of our outlying areas are cheaper than outlying Boston.

[valis]

11. Why don't home buyers go on strike?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. That makes no sense whatsoever.

Do you own a home in Boston?

[valis]

Yes, I have a single family in Somerville, Spring Hill area.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

12. You should see if any new construction in your area has low income units

set aside. My sister just bought a tiny condo in somerville for 147K-It's only 336sq feet. anything comparable in size is 250K. The average condo price in Slummerville is 400K.

Go to the local town websites in your area and check for new construction under housing.

In Cambridge they also set aside low income units-low incopme is considered under 60K for one or two people. The competition is fierce.

[valis]

14. 250K for a 336 sqft condo?

Total ripoff...

[DS1]

15. 147k

[Kathy in Cambridge]

16. comparable units are 250K. and they don't have parking.

my best friend grew up on Spring Hill. Her mother still lives there. I grew up outside of Harvard Sq.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. Actually, I stand corrected it's 360 sq feet

[hyphenate]

22. Yikes

That's atrocious. I guess I'm going to seriously consider the move to upstate NY. Though I love Massachusetts, there is nothing here I can truly afford--at least not on initial research.

Kathy, I will be checking into the low-income stuff, Fannie Mae and Hud as well. What's ridiculously funny is that years ago, my mom and dad had chances to buy two different properties in JP: one for $12,000 and one for $35,000. Damn it, if I had only been a little older, I would still be living there!

[hyphenate]

21. I grew up in JP so I'm used to the city

But the more time passes, the more I realize I have to be a freaking millionaire to live in a house I always thought was a piece of crap.

[Catchawave]

18. Fall River ?

My husband's hometown, between Providence RI and the Cape. You might pick up a fixer upper for a good price.

Most of our "Boston" friends have moved to New Hampshire to avoid Taxachusettes :)

Scour the real estate pages for by owner ads, you might do better pricewise :)

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Not good here in Maine either.. at least. a lot of Maine

[Bombero1956]

25. In Springfield

We've had an influx of Boston area buyers. They're picking up small ranches in the $150,000 range.

example 1 story ranch built in 1950 5 rooms in East Forest Park
lot size 20,664 sq. ft.
2004 taxes $2,577
house is vallued at $147,200

[GreenPartyVoter]

26. In dying areas of Maine you can get that same house for 90,000 but

where I live it's going for 300,000 (but with an acre or two of very scrubby land)

[NewJeffCT]

39. Forest Park

having driven through Forest Park many times on my way to my old job in eastern Springfield... it is a nice area compared to the rest of Springfield.

A lot of good Vietnamese restaurants close by, too.

[yvr girl]

23. You couldn't even get a bachelor suite in Vancouver for 100K

Average detached house on the west side is $865,000 Cdn.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

38. Average detached hous in Cambridge is 2 million

it's sick...I grew up here, and it was a blue collar city at one time.

[fudge stripe cookays]

27. We paid $105,000 for ours in the suburbs.

3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, Jacuzzi tub, fireplace, near a lake, huge fenced backyard with shade trees, W/D connections, large kitchen, full dining room...

Still think Texas is bad? :P We can use more good liberals here to start changing things!

Come on down!
FSC

[48pan]

31. Mass is a pit...

Although, Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square is excellent.

[hyphenate]

33. MA is NOT a pit!

I spent the best years of my life in Boston and Brooklilne!

On the other hand, I wanted 15 good years of my life in Southern California. Guess which one is a bigger "pit" as you so charmingly call it?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

37. Massachusetts is gorgeous. I assume you've never been to the Cape

Gloucester
the Berkshires
Beacon Hill
Cambridge
Lincoln/Sudbury
Concord
Weston/Wellesley/Wayland
the Arnold Arboretum
the Blue Hills
Tanglewood
Northampton
the North Shore
the South Shore


I've been to 43 states and Mass is one of the prettiest.

On edit: I noticed you're from Cow Hampshire, so I'll take you're comment with a huge grain of salt. :eyes:

[Catchawave]

34. My problem with Kerry/Kennedy in that state....

Probably the most left of the Dems Senators, represent one of the more horrible states for low/mid income folks. :shrug:

My husband was in a blighted area of the state, and going to battle in Vietnam was his way out in the 60's. Fall River was his 8 Mile, and doing almost as well as Eminem, give or take a few gazillion :)