NYC vs the rest of the world

[Vishenka69]

The place in PA that DH really liked arranged for us go down there and meet with a realtor. She called today to figure out what we like and would like to see. These are snipets of our conversation.

Vishenka(V): We're looking for something around $500K
Realtor(R): Do you have children?
V: No
R: Then why would you want to spend that much, $500K will get you 4+ bedrooms, several bathrooms and 3,000-4,000 sq ft.
V: {in shock, silently digesting information} Is that like huge? Is 2,000 sq ft big? Can I get hardwood floors for that money?
R: And pocket doors {laughing}

V: Subdivisions scare me.
R: {laughing} There are a lot of mature neighborhoods here.

R: Do you have any hobbies? Do you golf, play tennis? Would you like to see any courses?
V: um, I don't know, we live in the city, there are no courses. {crap can eating and shopping be called hobbies. Should I admit I already know where the nearest mall is and how to get there.}
R: {laughing again} It's ok.

We meet the woman in a week. Hopefully we'll be on a more solid ground by then.

[Momo]

Have fun looking...we were amazed at how much & how little you could get in different parts of the country for the same amt. of money!!!

[Michele]

Re: NYC vs the rest of the world

{crap can eating and shopping be called hobbies. Should I admit I already know where the nearest mall is and how to get there.}

Absolutely!!! Otherwise I would be pretty damn boring!

[Sheherezade]

When we looked here, our price range was also around 500K - coming from Boston. In Boston, that was a starter home. Here, they practically had helipads. I was seriously in shock. We ended up buying for half that. We just couldn't see stepping up from a 2 bedroom walk up apartment to a place with several outbuildings.

Have fun shopping, though. I was so stunned, I couldn't really enjoy it. I just kept saying "They're all so big...." and DH wasn't with me.

I'm a simple girl.

[Vishenka69]

Here 500 buys a nice coop or a small condo. According to Realtor.com, there it buys 8 bedroom Victorian or 3 acres. I can't even picture 3 acres. My dad is already picking out tractors to mow our non-existent hypothetical lawn.

It sounded that she's somewhat used to NY'ers, but we still manage to amuse her. DH immediately started praticing his swing in the living room (barely missing the TV) and I started daydreaming about a hot tennis instructor. :>

[SuzySunshine]

We had the same problem when we moved from CA. The first question the realtor asked us was how much we were currently paying in rent. When I told her she said we could have a 5-6K square foot house. I was like, no let me explain something we'd like to have a house payment, two car payments and EXTRA money for what we're paying now - THAT is why we're moving back to the midwest. I feel your pain.

One you're there in person you'll get a better idea of what they have to offer - have fun!

[DCJenn]

We paid a lot for San Antonio. But we bought a "subdivision"... No shit- we bought the B & N Cobb subdivision...

(um, that'd be Brian and Nancy, the previous owners)

How hilarious is THAT. Three lots + 3200 square feet plus pool and hot tub in DC? First, I doubt you could find three lots downtown. If you could, I'd guss conservatively in a decent neighborhood you're looking at 1.5 mill for the land and god knows how much for the house.

cracks us up, that's for sure.

Jenn

[ides]

sounds fun. It will definitely be different than the city. I hope you find the perfect place!

[Stella]

That sound awesome! See if the sellers will throw in the hot tennis instructor along with closing costs.

[Vishenka69]

Enjoy the hunt. Just think it's shopping on a large scale with some new twists and turns.

You have no idea how I'm itching to start buying stuff for the house. I can't wait to start branching into new categories that I haven't done before - tile, appliances, real furniture, fixtures, lighting, etc. Although shoes will always have a special place in my heart.

[Momo]

Although shoes will always have a special place in my heart.

ahhh ha but now you can shop for closet contractors to build you an Oprah style walk in/ sit down lounge/closet to store your fab shoes and wardrobe in...heck convert one of the many bedrooms you don't need but get for the price!!!!!

[PrincessFiona]

We had kind of the opposite sticker shock when we moved here. The average home prices in this area is.... ..

$260k.

To us, that seemed like a HUGE amount even though prices around the country in some areas are more.

(Find other average costs here: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/ ... index.html )

I come from TX, where home prices have remained fairly steady. When we had been in Gainesville, we looked at a really nice home for $115 and ended up not buyinng it. We would have been beyond house poor with dh as a fellow. That house gained 100k equity or so in the last few years. bummer, bummer.

Home prices seem to be out of control from my perspective. I'd probably have a heart attack if I moved to NY.

Happy Hunting. PA is awesome.

Kris

Home prices seem to be out of control from my perspective

I agree. Homeownership feels insurmountable to my brother. Lack of ownership keeps you poor. It's a vicious cycle.

It's crazy. Buying a larger house in the same area would be a little painful if we didn't already own. And yet we live in the least expensive of major west coast cities.

Happy house-hunting, Vishenka! Let us know how it goes.

[Momo]

Talk about insane...the guy who owned our house before us (he lived here just over 2 years)made just under 100,000 profit on the sale to us...here's the craziest part ...we haven't even been here 3 years and our home has appriciated 200,000...it's crazy we are constantly getting letters from realtors asking if we'd like to put the house on the market...each time they show us the comps for simialr homes on slightly smaller lots and they keep going up...we live in a specific area that just doesn't seem to depriciate w/ the market flucuations/burps. Man to think what we could be living in for the same $$$ if we had taken a job back in IN!!!!!