Are home prices really that cheap in TX?

[rparmfamily]

I've always heard property taxes are high in Texas, but I'm sure it varies from area to area.

 

[mom2rb]

Ours will be about $6500 after we homestead. Our homeowners is $1612. I think the taxes are high but they should be going down. Plus there is no state income tax.

 

[LoraJ]

I was @ a party last night at Hudson Tea - the relatively new condo complex on 16th + Washington in Hoboken. A friend bought a two-bedroom on the first floor and converted his second bedroom to a pool room ... it's very cool ... until I realized that he has no parking. He pays $300/month to PARK HIS CAR, which I can understand for Manhattan, but this is NEW JERSEY. As I was playing my embarrassingly bad game of pool, I looked out his windows towards Chelsea and noticed a big pile of dirt between him and the water, out on the pier ... found out that the complex next to Hudson Tea is building a BEACH VOLLEYBALL court out on the pier. Hello? No parking, but beach volleyball ... I love it. Incidentally, this is the birthplace of Sinatra, and Sinatra is probably rolling in his grave over Hoboken prices.

Governor Corzine has a condo in one of those buildings. $300 is obnoxious for parking. It's around $150 where I live. I hope it stays that way because street parking will be gone soon and I will soon have to pay for a spot.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

My friends are moving from California to Spring, Texas, and they are trying to convince us to do the same. The cheap housing sure is attractive, but I don't know how how happy I'd be in Texas. I am jealous of my friend though - she's getting way more house for her money than I have here in California. She does have high taxes though. My DH has a good job with good retirement benefits here, so in 25 years we'lll be able to cash out of this state and move just about anywhere (at least that's what I keep telling myself to feel better!)

Steph, I live in Spring. I moved here from Houston (it was about a 25 mile move...lol) about 15 years ago.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Well I just closed on my "dream House" today. It is 24 years old, completely redone, two story, 3165 square feet with a pool. It is in a great neighborhood. The biggest problem right now is everyone moving here from out-of-state. They see our houses as cheap and just pay the asking price. I paid $245,000 for mine which was fair. Another house in the same neighborhood ( same size, same features ) went for $265,000. They kept getting offers from locals in the $240,000s but a family from Florida paid full price. I welcome people from everywhere but I don't think their Realtors are doing their jobs.

Oh and another liberal from Texas here. I don't get picked on too much.

They can't pay more than the market value. Unless they're paying cash, the house won't appraise. No appraisal, no loan.

You might not like it at tax time, but you'll love it when you go to sell!

Suzanne <----- a realtor that does her job.

 

[JayCT]

NewJersey - Yes if you want to stay within commuting distance of the City (Fairfiled County) then CT is very high priced. In fact, it is one of the highest priced areas in the country. I thought from you original post it sounded like you did not need to be near New York. Once you get outside Fairfield County, prices drop dramtically. Anyway, good luck with your search. Jay

 

[NewJersey]

NewJersey - Yes if you want to stay within commuting distance of the City (Fairfiled County) then CT is very high priced. In fact, it is one of the highest priced areas in the country. I thought from you original post it sounded like you did not need to be near New York. Once you get outside Fairfield County, prices drop dramtically. Anyway, good luck with your search. Jay

Thanks Jay. Yeah, sorry about the confusion. I was talking to a realtor and I said "Yeah I'd like to stay in the 275,000 range for a townhouse" and the look on her face was great. I think that said it all.

I don't have to be near NY but I have to be near a major metro city and I'd like to stay on the east coast and somewhat close to my family so it'd have to be in the NE corridor (minus Boston..too cold!).

 

[JayCT]

If you are looking for a major city, what about Hartford? It is so overlooked. There is theater, museums, restaurants, bars, etc. It is not New York, but then again nothing is. It is two hours to New York City and housing is very affordable in comparision. That is why I came up here after working 5 years in northern NJ. $275 could buy you a very nice townhouse or even a nice house. There is a lot of new construction downtown if you want the urban type of living and it is affordable. There are also a lot of great suburban areas as well. Let me know if you want to know more. Jay

 

[NewJersey]

Jay - Any info would be appreciated! Do you have names/websites of builders up there or are they pretty much the same as I've been using for NJ and DC area? (karahomes, toll brothers, centex, khov, baker residential)

 

[MagicalMom]

Have you considered looking in the Delaware area? The prices aren't too terrible yet & we seem to have many commuters.

 

[JayCT]

Tim - Toll Brothers builds in our area, but it is high-priced single family homes or adult-housing. Baker also builds in CT but I am not sure what they have right now. Check their website. There are a lot of local builders around here that would offer better value. What are you looking for? How big, what type of location (city or suburban), etc... That would help. Jay

 

[Alice's Mom]

I hope that maybe everyone will move out of NJ, drive prices up elsewhere and I can buy a new house cheap here! I guess I can keep dreaming.

This is the same dream I have about California...everyone I know is moving to Texas

 

[NewJersey]

Tim - Toll Brothers builds in our area, but it is high-priced single family homes or adult-housing. Baker also builds in CT but I am not sure what they have right now. Check their website. There are a lot of local builders around here that would offer better value. What are you looking for? How big, what type of location (city or suburban), etc... That would help. Jay

I'd definitely prefer a suburban setting and a 2 story townhouse would do. I don't like condos, really. 2 BR, 2 bath would be good, a garage and a deck or patio off in the backyard. From there, I'm pretty flexible. I found some in SW PA and NW NJ, and I was checking out CT but I couldn't find anything reasonable but I was checking all the major builders.

MagicalMom,
I just actually found a development in the planning stages on the border of PA and DE that's very reasonable!

 

[Micca]

$275K? Drop on by here for a 4-5 bedroom house, pool, surroundings anyway you want 'em, and a 15 minute commute to work.