Buying A House: C or D?

Your children will thank you for growing up in the city and not in a boring suburb imo. And Cleveland could be the next Pittsburgh in a few years and your house might triple in value!

I've completely given up on buying a house on my single income. Housing prices have gone insane in my area - since last fall properties that were around $105k have started moving to $115-120k and there's no sign of a slowdown.

I'm in an underhoused market right now and entry-level homes, the smaller ones, are in low enough supply that there are bidding wars

not wanting to sell right now but it's a really nice thought I could

One thing I've noticed that's kind of insane in my market is the enormous difference between the prices of apartments and the prices of tiny attached houses that are not much bigger in square footage -- I'm talking about like a multiple of 2-3x. Yes in some cases you get a parking space and/or a very small outdoor space, but still. Seems like it can partly be attributed to the fact that there is just such a small supply of them that can't increase, and "house" in the city is such an ideal people go for.

Like ok cool you have a "house" but it's a 3BR 1BA house with tiny rooms.

Your children will thank you for growing up in the city and not in a boring suburb imo. And Cleveland could be the next Pittsburgh in a few years and your house might triple in value!

― Sean, let me be clear (silby), Monday, April 25, 2016 3:18 PM (53 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yea definitely. we are not looking in those suburbs, we briefly considered one particular outer suburb bc of the schools - we have a special needs son and this particular district has a stellar special needs program - but we drove around there and we were just, like.......... no.

we're looking in an inner-ring suburb (lakewood) somewhat similar to cleveland heights, where that house i linked to is located. adjacent to the city, lots of older homes, mostly 1900-1930, maybe a little denser than cleveland heights, interesting cultural/commercial districts w/ lots of shops, restaurants, etc. somewhat more expensive though, one reason is that they are pouring a ton of money into their schools, which are way better rated than they used to be even a few years ago

we just visited town and looked at this house for $185k, kitchen is a little weird but overall it is a beautiful house in a really great neighborhood http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1485-Marlowe-Ave-Lakewood-OH-44107/33499487_zpid/

lol we have the opposite where a condo/purchased apartment has no space and you could have a house for the same amount of money

if I worked downtown, the area transit website says I could take the bus and be there within 15 minutes

Housing prices have gone insane in my area - since last fall properties that were around $105k have started moving to $115-120k and there's no sign of a slowdown.

lol at the idea of this being "going insane"

A 10-15% increase in six months isn't crazy?

if it's that much every six months, sure

could be a one-time price correction, and a $10k - $15k swing isn't huge, especially if it's 10% of a pretty inexpensive house

I love houses like that one on Marlowe Ave. Pretty sweet.

Wouldn't care about the kitchen being weird, even though the stairs back there look pretty steep.

Remember when marathon bars went from 28p to 30p that was like 7% hike overnight like woah

In short, no that is not crazy if it is crazy the crazy it is is crazy cheap for a house

feeling like "just how bad can Cleveland be?" looking at the price of these beautiful houses

there are definitely large swathes of cleveland that are in rough shape, much like detroit, lots of vacant homes and "urban prairies" where vacant homes were razed. other parts are really nice though and thriving. it's a mixed bag. lots of neighborhoods are being revitalized in cool ways even if others are beyond decline. if you drive from one nice neighborhood across town to another, you will pass through some very rough areas though

Marcos, my gf lives in Lakewood with her 8 year old daughter (I live in Shaker) so if you have any questions about the city let me know.

oh wow cool! i grew up there (west side, bay village), i have tons of family all over, lakewood, east side (mentor), etc

Hope you find something!

I'm bowling at Mahalls tomorrow ;)

nice! lakewood market is very active it seems, many of the nicer houses are sold within a week or two. still not super crazy though. some multiple offer situations but not much is going beyond asking price and many things are sold below

in boston where i live now i've heard about like 10-11 offers made within 24 hours and places going for $100k over asking price, that is nonsense

little bit more ridiculous on a $100k house than a $1M house tho

true

ha ok, wait. That Marlowe Ave house is sweet, but I didn't realize that there was an emergency room entrance three lots up the street.

yup, though the hospital might be closing

might become just a rehab center or something

In short, no that is not crazy if it is crazy the crazy it is is crazy cheap for a house

Lol

If you want to live in Cleveland:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/2420-Derbyshire-Rd-cleveland_rb/

whoa

A 10-15% increase in six months isn't crazy?

prices are rising 20% in nine months where I live and a 1bdr 1bath cottage nearby sold for $860,000 last month. I reiterate my lol.

(US$664,000.)

wow that Derbyshire mansion is crazy, I wonder if there will be any takers

lol marcos we're actively looking in boston suburbs and these cleveland links are killing me

$19 a sq foot!! Insane.

From the photos, all I'd really want to do to that mansion house is make sure the pipes work and and maybe update the toilets and sinks and then just live out my own Grey Gardens fantasy.

I kind of like the old-style bathrooms. Plus, steam cabinet!

Oh def. Any updating would be period-correct. I just want to make sure toilets flush and stay flushed.

I don't know for sure but I think there are maybe a decent amount of homes like that in Cleveland, and not enough people willing to invest in rehabbing them

I spent 3 years looking for a place in the Boston area, and most of the condos near public transportation seemed like glorified dorms--600/700 feet 1BRs listed over $300K and $500/600 monthly homeowners fee. Yet so many of them went under agreement even before the open house happened. Investors would be putting down cash and waiving the inspection and that was that. The place I am in now (which is awesome) had 7 other bids besides mine, and then it went into a second round of bidding, with the top 4 bids putting another (higher) bid in. Pretty sure I would have never been successful without my buyer's agent.

I kind of like the old-style bathrooms. Plus, steam cabinet

Ah, yes. Nothing like having a good ol fashioned Cleveland steamer at your disposal whenever you felt the urge.

Ha!

Ok could somebody identify for me the mystery plumbing fixture in the Cleveland mansion, between the toilet and the shower? It's way too large to be a bidet, but too small to be a bathtub (and the actual tub is five feet away). And it's got about 7 pipes leading to it, not including the drain. What is that thing?

I was wondering the same thing.

Baby bath?

But why would a baby need whatever those six knobs do? It looks harder to bathe a baby in there than in the regular tub.

It's a sitz bath.

We have a winner! But I'm still surprised for a seemingly high-end sitz bath to show up in a private house - every one I've ever seen was at a hospital, usually much smaller, and without the separate plumbing for salene, baking soda, and other additives. Most either sit in an existing sink, commode, or bathtub. Anyhoos, here's how to use one should you find ono where you are and have a need. I now know what to put in those empty corners we can't always work out of remodeled bathrooms....

I think this was very posh at the time, kind of like having a Jacuzzi bathtub.

I never knew there was the perfect bathtub fixture just waiting for me, in Germany, 85 years ago.

It's an arse sink?