Topic: LF house outside NYC (pref) or Chicago - Rent or buy (<$100K) (Read 823 times)

Something like Philadelphia might work, but I'm really looking for a dedicated non-flight transit line into NYC. Not for a daily commute, but once a month or so. Housing in Erie was pretty darn cheap, and I guess I'm spoiled by the near-free property practically anywhere in MI. 3BR, 2 bath 90's modular with a horse barn & gated pasture on 15 acres only $60K just a year ago, though it's in a fairly rural area.

If thinking about Chicago more seriously, Michiana/South Bend would probably work out well with the high-speed rail line back and forth from Chicago (... though it's still Amtrak). South Bend, actually, may even work with NYC. Flights are so cheap, the property tax savings would mostly pay for flights, and I'd get the transit line to Chicago, too. Last I checked, property was pretty cheap there, but I haven't looked in over a year. Maybe I'm overemphasizing location, forgetting just how cheap it is to fly once a month (I looked it up a couple weeks ago, I believe - DTW to San Francisco and back was only something like $260). I suppose anywhere with a fairly trafficked airport would be perfectly fine, which'd open the search to just about any small city with some Italians in the US.

ETA: Yeah, prices there are still pretty low. A place like this would make a damn fine home: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1646-Wilber-St-South-Bend-IN-46628/77022833_zpid/ - from the low-res pictures, and assuming no water or foundation damage, it looks like $10-20k (depending on roof condition) and some sweat would turn it into a very comfortable place. Or something like this: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1509-Wilber-St-South-Bend-IN-46628/77022854_zpid/ siding probably ought to go sooner than later, but the problems appear to be more easy-ish cosmetic stuff. Cabinets, veneer/wallpaper (had that in house in Erie - I can't remember what was behind it, though), kitchen needs some work... shed looks like it could be in poor condition - but it's a shed, so...
ETA2: Thread's irrelevant now, then. Lockin'.

Wow, you're looking for a 100k house?
In my area, houses don't go under a million dollars, except for bungalows.

small OT:
Strange things happen in your territory...in germany you can run around all night long without being shot
I advise you to learn some german and come over and get a house here and your car will be safe for ever.

You are going to fit in fine in NYC LMAO But it is going to be hard to find a house for <$100K and 2 baths, 2beds within an hour of the city. My parents live over an 1hr and 15mins from the city and property tax is insane, and the price of houses are insane. I live in an apartment in Hoboken, NJ and in a decent apartment. Hoboken is also very italian neighbors.

Check out Queens not a bad area, and some cheap housing very close to the city.

Good Luck!

You won't get shot to death in NYC unless you live in a bad area. 

Looking for a house well outside city limits, but with a cheap and fast method of transport to the inner-city (<1h, <$20 per trip - public transport - short drive to depot is fine). So long as those conditions are met, I don't care how far out it is from the inner-city - but it absolutely can't be in the "city" city. I'm not looking to have my car stolen every other week until I'm shot to death.  

NYC area strongly preferred over Chicago (more foreign & financial offices in NYC). Other areas may be considered if there are many Bitcoin users (like Keene, NH), so long as it's within the contiguous US. Certain culturally-affiliated areas (even if we need to learn another language and new cultural rituals) are okay so long as they don't mind a Pollock. However, having a wop deli within 15 miles is absolutely essential.

I'm tired of living out in farmville, but I'd rather not be in an area having me paranoid all the time by traffic and crime (I'm not used to shutting my garage door, locking entry doors, and not keeping keys in my parked cars). Unless shared by socially-maladapted Bitcoin nuts, I'm uninterested in shared living and/or parking space. An attached house MAY be okay, but it'd have to be a great deal.

As far as living space, it needs to have "non-hazardous electrical," solid walls (no trailers or paper-thin modulars), and no foundation issues. Minor electrical and plumbing issues are no problem -- leaky windows, sinks, toilets, water lines or roof, etc. are fine, so long as there is no structural damage - I've never worked with significant water damage, and from what I hear, it's a total bitch. Asbestos and the like are fine, so long as you know I won't be replacing it legally, and I'm not hiring a "master plumber" as required by dumbass city law just to replace a toilet, as if it's humanly possible to fuck that up. I need at least two bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms (2+ strongly preferred), and a room which can be used as an office. It needs a fairly large kitchen (bigger the sink, the better). A garage of any size is preferred.

Living in an impoverished area (unzoned, non-planned areas preferred) is no issue so long as the neighbors are relatively quiet (or Italian... can't really get around that). I don't like neighbors checking in on me when my house isn't on fire -- we're polite, but generally don't care for neighbors. Examples of areas I'd like to live in if they were in the right location: Youngstown, OH - Erie, PA - South Bend, IN

Rent should be <$850/mo, or if bought out-right, <$100k (& <$4k annually in property taxes <- non-negotiable) - coin or cash ("cash offer" - no mortgage). Lease-to-own would be cool, too (I have BTC debts I'd like to make a bigger dent in rather than paying for a house entirely up-front). If renting, move-in date would be in 3-6 months. If buying, move-in date would be 6-12 months, dependent on us selling current property. Insofar as that, someone to personally and flexibly work with is preferable. Along these lines, I'd also prefer a landlord who doesn't mandate the gutters be "BrandX Rustic Copper A250G6 12.5' BLz3" and have a layout of the house's walls just to ensure each wall remains a particular color. Have three to move in - self, wife, daughter (2.5y), no pets. We're clean and of sober habit, fwiw. Gave a lot of preferences, but unless noted otherwise, not a requirement. I won't be aggressively looking for a place until we list the house we're in (~3-6 months), so I'll have interest in offers at least until then.