Buying house problem/ques

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

The more and more I am listening to everyone the more I think that trying out NC would be one of the best things for me.......We could always come back.

---

FSIL lived in a basic ranch on LI. Sold it and moved to North Carolina. Now she has this huge, beautiful house and her morgage is less than our rent for a 1BR apt. Sometimes I just want to move down there. I think I could live anywhere that has great shopping!

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

---

Posted by zoe282

Go to the carolinas!!! I honestly don't know the draw to stay here...if your family is down there, you can get a bigger and better house, and have land I say go for it! I'm from PA and i find it very difficult to afford a house here. FH and I were lucky cause we won this lottery for next generation housing in plainview where we got a town house for 250K but after this i have no clue what we will do...i can't see spending a fortune for a house built when my grandparents house was.....i'd love to go south!! lol

PS...why is your name the hawks nest? Anything to do with St. Joes in Philly?

---

I feel the same way, all these houses where built 70 years ago have a million things wrong and yet they sell for over half a million dollars, crazy.... The houses I am looking at in NC are built after 2003 are over 2000 square feet and are only around $250,000-$300,000. There are really only 2 reasons for me to stay my family is here (fh family is in NC) and the salary difference. If you want to have some fun look at www.fmrealty.com and look at the differences in houses. That is a Raleigh, NC website. I always look at zipcodes 27614, 27613, 27587.

My name is Hawks Nest becuase there is this scenic overview in Northeast PA called the Hawks Nest. THat is where I got engaged. FH is scared of heights and everytime we drove through there I wanted to stop and take a picture and he never wanted too. Well on SEpt 1, 2007 he asked to stop because he wanted to get over his fear, I am not sure which fear he got over marriage or heights, lol....

---

I will definitley check out that website although it depresses me! lol Like you said you can always come back. Personally for me after I am married I want to have a family and I want to give my kids what I had in PA which is a big yard and a pool and a big house to play in where they can have their own rooms...Here...the yards are small and you need to build a floor on them to get more bedrooms!
As for Hawks nest is that Hawk Mountain? I've been there so many times!

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

---

Posted by Mici n KC

We are in the process of buying a house. We have most of our wedding paid off already so that's a huge help. We are purchasing in Nassau (I need the LIRR and FH needs to be at his job at 6:30am). I do think that home buying in LI is particularly hard for young couples. But I also know the Belmar/Howell area very well and the prices are relatively the same. Also that area of New Jersey has very high taxes. If you think it's cheaper, you might as well stay in NY. However, if you go out more towards Howell and further west there are brand new homes in communities/developments which you can't really find anywhere in Nassau.

---

The whole thing is so confusing. I was looking at www.homes.com in the Howell area and the houses there are for the most part brand new and beautiful. If we where to move to long island I thin kwe would have to move to suffolk becuase I want a house that has a nice size backyard and some good square footage. What part of Nassau are you buying in?

---

Valley Stream. If you do want a large house with a lot of land then you definitely need to move to suffolk for reasonable prices. Do you work in the city? It would be a very long commute from either Suffolk or the Howell area.

---

Posted by Espo22

---

Posted by 2007 Crescent Bride

---

Posted by Espo22

---

Posted by kimandvin

I make a very decent salary and so does my fiance.. however it was too close for us to be buying a house and paying for our own wedding at the same time. if you can wait I would say too just so that you don't get stressed out with expenses that you may not realize are in a house.. We want to live in MAssapequa( LI) once we are married,. but it is not at all affordable for young people.. Im not sure about Jersey though.. Hope that helops!

---

massapequa isnt that bad, ive seen decent prices for homes there and taxes better than some places.

---

I am in Massapequa Park and I pay almost 10,000 with the star rebate for taxes. My house before the construction was 1141 sq ft and I was paying 7300.

---

some i have seen in the 10k range and some lower...but the prices of houses themselves are lower...ive seen TONS of houses for under 600k. I do a search for 600k and under in certain areas in queens and maybe 5 things will come up. But of course some are going to be higher than other

---

There are plenty of homes in LI that are under $600k, but the taxes are very high in pretty much all the decent areas. You can get a nice house for even $400k and you're still paying $7500 a year in taxes.

---

Posted by Mici n KC

---

Posted by Espo22

---

Posted by 2007 Crescent Bride

---

Posted by Espo22

---

Posted by kimandvin

I make a very decent salary and so does my fiance.. however it was too close for us to be buying a house and paying for our own wedding at the same time. if you can wait I would say too just so that you don't get stressed out with expenses that you may not realize are in a house.. We want to live in MAssapequa( LI) once we are married,. but it is not at all affordable for young people.. Im not sure about Jersey though.. Hope that helops!

---

massapequa isnt that bad, ive seen decent prices for homes there and taxes better than some places.

---

I am in Massapequa Park and I pay almost 10,000 with the star rebate for taxes. My house before the construction was 1141 sq ft and I was paying 7300.

---

some i have seen in the 10k range and some lower...but the prices of houses themselves are lower...ive seen TONS of houses for under 600k. I do a search for 600k and under in certain areas in queens and maybe 5 things will come up. But of course some are going to be higher than other

---

There are plenty of homes in LI that are under $600k, but the taxes are very high in pretty much all the decent areas. You can get a nice house for even $400k and you're still paying $7500 a year in taxes.

---

The problem is that the house for $400 was built in 1929 and most need a lot of work t omake it apprpriate for 2007...so not only are you paying that much you need to update and you pay crazy taxes...plus...a 60 x 100 lot...I have a friend that paid 500K for a house in syosset 2 Bedrooms 60 x 100 lot 10,000 in taxes and things are already breaking cause it was built in 1930....I just don't get it...but i guess it's cause i am not from here..

a 2 bedroom 1500 sq ft home in NC is 130k - 180k built in the last 5 years or so............

---

Posted by zoe282

The problem is that the house for $400 was built in 1929 and most need a lot of work t omake it apprpriate for 2007...so not only are you paying that much you need to update and you pay crazy taxes...plus...a 60 x 100 lot...I have a friend that paid 500K for a house in syosset 2 Bedrooms 60 x 100 lot 10,000 in taxes and things are already breaking cause it was built in 1930....I just don't get it...but i guess it's cause i am not from here..

---

This is very true, but there are houses out there that were well maintained. When we were looking with our realtor I was getting very discouraged because all I saw was a lot of work. FH has friends that are in the trades so we would get a big break on the labor, but we'd still need materials. Our realtor told us that our best chance would be an older couple looking to move that maintained the house. And what do you know that's what happened! Sure we have work to do, but everything is in great condition.

---

Posted by MrsK2008

a 2 bedroom 1500 sq ft home in NC is 130k - 180k built in the last 5 years or so............

---

It's sickening, I know. FH would love to move there but he's got a good and secure job so we're not moving. My job would move with me (as my salary) which would be fine, but his wouldn't.

my FH makes very good money and i make a decent salary - so together we can afford a small house in staten island - a 3 bedroom townhome in a great neighborhood with no backyard OR we can move to Florida where my parents live and spend less money on a house twice the size, that is on a nice sized lot, that has a nice big backyard with an inground pool, etc. etc. Sooooo our plan is to move there b/c we can live it up a little down there......we can absolutely afford a home now in NY with our 2 incomes andits just the two of us - but what about when there are 4 of us? or 5 of us? are we going to afford it all on one salary so i can stay home? that i'm not so sure....at least in Florida we can still live comfortably on one salary with kids....my parents live on just my dad's pension and they def have more expenses than FH and I and there are 3 of them.....so if they can do it i know we'll do very well down there....and FH can transfer jobs and keep his salary - but he'll have to commute 1 hr and 15 mins each way

but as appealing as Florida is - i am still petrified to move!!! some days i cant wait for the wedding to be over so we can go and other times i never want to leave staten island.....we joke and call staten island the black hole - it just ***** you in

---

Posted by MrsK2008

I am such a tight wad! I was all for buying a year ago and then we started to look at co ops and condos because thats all we can afford really.

The truth about co ops anc condos is that you may as well buy a house for another 250,000 becuase you are going to be paying ridiculous maint. fees.

I have lived here for 11 years and it has been a constant struggle. Had it not been for FH I would have left 3 years ago.

We too went to NC and scouted property and careers. We were set and ready to go when not only the housing market crashed, but the job market too.

As much as I want to buy, I won't. We have no desire to stay here, but right now we have no general direction as to which way to go.

So we will sit on our cash and invest as wisely as we possibly can and pray it all falls into place.

You girls that own have ballz cause I am scared to death!

Seriously, can I just buy an RV and move into central park?

---

i thought you did own? weren't you asking about maintenance being tax deductible yesterday? Do you rent and still pay maintenance? If so then I don't think that's deductible. Sorry, I just assumed you already owned a co-op and were paying maintenance. Didn't mean to give you wrong info.

I'm a homeowner, and so is fh, additionally we're looking at purchasing a home.. its been a struggle because althouhg it's everything we want, its an estate property so it's taking a long time to get to closing.. the goood thing about that however is that we wont' close till april/may so by then the wedding will be over and paid for.

i'd totally suggest leaving the stateto anyone who can and is interested in. i'd LOVE TO... but fh just got the job of his dreams here and he needs to put in time in his positoin before he tries to trnsfer.. if he can though, i'm open to moving wherever!! there are bad kids in need of an education everywhere..

---

Posted by Future Mulligan

my FH makes very good money and i make a decent salary - so together we can afford a small house in staten island - a 3 bedroom townhome in a great neighborhood with no backyard OR we can move to Florida where my parents live and spend less money on a house twice the size, that is on a nice sized lot, that has a nice big backyard with an inground pool, etc. etc. Sooooo our plan is to move there b/c we can live it up a little down there......we can absolutely afford a home now in NY with our 2 incomes andits just the two of us - but what about when there are 4 of us? or 5 of us? are we going to afford it all on one salary so i can stay home? that i'm not so sure....at least in Florida we can still live comfortably on one salary with kids....my parents live on just my dad's pension and they def have more expenses than FH and I and there are 3 of them.....so if they can do it i know we'll do very well down there....and FH can transfer jobs and keep his salary - but he'll have to commute 1 hr and 15 mins each way

but as appealing as Florida is - i am still petrified to move!!! some days i cant wait for the wedding to be over so we can go and other times i never want to leave staten island.....we joke and call staten island the black hole - it just ***** you in

---

FH have this convo all the time............I have been a jet setter and been all over the planet, so I am not afraid to move.

He has barely left his neighborhood in queens.

---

Posted by Future Mulligan

my FH makes very good money and i make a decent salary - so together we can afford a small house in staten island - a 3 bedroom townhome in a great neighborhood with no backyard OR we can move to Florida where my parents live and spend less money on a house twice the size, that is on a nice sized lot, that has a nice big backyard with an inground pool, etc. etc. Sooooo our plan is to move there b/c we can live it up a little down there......we can absolutely afford a home now in NY with our 2 incomes andits just the two of us - but what about when there are 4 of us? or 5 of us? are we going to afford it all on one salary so i can stay home? that i'm not so sure....at least in Florida we can still live comfortably on one salary with kids....my parents live on just my dad's pension and they def have more expenses than FH and I and there are 3 of them.....so if they can do it i know we'll do very well down there....and FH can transfer jobs and keep his salary - but he'll have to commute 1 hr and 15 mins each way

but as appealing as Florida is - i am still petrified to move!!! some days i cant wait for the wedding to be over so we can go and other times i never want to leave staten island.....we joke and call staten island the black hole - it just ***** you in

---

Florida sounds great! I agree with you also. My mom was a stay home mom and I want to be the same. It just terrifies me what one has to make to live on 1 salary around here. It is next to impossible. FH never wants to move at precana we said this will be our biggest fight in the future...so we'll see what happens.
It's ok to be scard though. New things terrify me! but look at it this way once you have kids your life will be centered around them an dtheir school and you'll make new friends with parents of their friends....people move all the time and make it work...I know it would be hard for me too though...

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

The more and more I am listening to everyone the more I think that trying out NC would be one of the best things for me.......We could always come back.

---

i know at least three people (couples) that haved moved to NC and then come back. It's hard to leave NY if this is all you know. I used to tell FH that we should move to PA or something near his friends and he's like you would HATE not being near the city and your family. I think he's probably right, I love NY i just hate how $$ it is JUST because it's NY.

---

Posted by snwb08



i thought you did own? weren't you asking about maintenance being tax deductible yesterday? Do you rent and still pay maintenance? If so then I don't think that's deductible. Sorry, I just assumed you already owned a co-op and were paying maintenance. Didn't mean to give you wrong info.

---

What I said was FH and I were approved for a laon straight to close but we were hesitant because we can't afford a house, only condo or co op. Our loan officer told us that maint. was not a tax write off on a condo or a co op and that was part of the reason we had yet to buy a home.

I can't part with the money we have saved to put 20% down on a 300k home. I can't let it go, i would rather rent.

However, if we get into a co op and at least some of the maint. is a write off, that would make me alittle happier.

---

Posted by snwb08

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

The more and more I am listening to everyone the more I think that trying out NC would be one of the best things for me.......We could always come back.

---

i know at least three people (couples) that haved moved to NC and then come back. It's hard to leave NY if this is all you know. I used to tell FH that we should move to PA or something near his friends and he's like you would HATE not being near the city and your family. I think he's probably right, I love NY i just hate how $$ it is JUST because it's NY.

---

there are a lot of cities out there...Philly is the 5th largest city in the country...you could move to a suburb of that? Would that be near his friends? Same with Pittsburg...a pretty decent size cities. I think people around here forget that NYC isn't the only city and LI isn't the only suburb of a city..lol

---

Posted by MrsK2008

---

Posted by snwb08



i thought you did own? weren't you asking about maintenance being tax deductible yesterday? Do you rent and still pay maintenance? If so then I don't think that's deductible. Sorry, I just assumed you already owned a co-op and were paying maintenance. Didn't mean to give you wrong info.

---

What I said was FH and I were approved for a laon straight to close but we were hesitant because we can't afford a house, only condo or co op. Our loan officer told us that maint. was not a tax write off on a condo or a co op and that was part of the reason we had yet to buy a home.

I can't part with the money we have saved to put 20% down on a 300k home. I can't let it go, i would rather rent.

However, if we get into a co op and at least some of the maint. is a write off, that would make me alittle happier.

---

oh okay. just making sure - i don't know about condos and maintenance but condos you pay real estate taxes i think so that's deductible.

i could only afford a co-op as well. my sisters were all like your apt is more than our houses were!! hello, that was nine years ago.

---

Posted by zoe282

---

Posted by snwb08

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

The more and more I am listening to everyone the more I think that trying out NC would be one of the best things for me.......We could always come back.

---

i know at least three people (couples) that haved moved to NC and then come back. It's hard to leave NY if this is all you know. I used to tell FH that we should move to PA or something near his friends and he's like you would HATE not being near the city and your family. I think he's probably right, I love NY i just hate how $$ it is JUST because it's NY.

---

there are a lot of cities out there...Philly is the 5th largest city in the country...you could move to a suburb of that? Would that be near his friends? Same with Pittsburg...a pretty decent size cities. I think people around here forget that NYC isn't the only city and LI isn't the only suburb of a city..lol

---

i told him that - his friends are about 40 minutes from philly... i would definitely move to the philly area - i really like it over there. but he won't leave his mom. and he's right, I would miss my family but it's still manageable to get here from PA - not like we have to fly. I'm still working on him... maybe in a few years.

---

Posted by snwb08

---

Posted by zoe282

---

Posted by snwb08

---

Posted by Hawks Nest

The more and more I am listening to everyone the more I think that trying out NC would be one of the best things for me.......We could always come back.

---

i know at least three people (couples) that haved moved to NC and then come back. It's hard to leave NY if this is all you know. I used to tell FH that we should move to PA or something near his friends and he's like you would HATE not being near the city and your family. I think he's probably right, I love NY i just hate how $$ it is JUST because it's NY.

---

there are a lot of cities out there...Philly is the 5th largest city in the country...you could move to a suburb of that? Would that be near his friends? Same with Pittsburg...a pretty decent size cities. I think people around here forget that NYC isn't the only city and LI isn't the only suburb of a city..lol

---

i told him that - his friends are about 40 minutes from philly... i would definitely move to the philly area - i really like it over there. but he won't leave his mom. and he's right, I would miss my family but it's still manageable to get here from PA - not like we have to fly. I'm still working on him... maybe in a few years.

---

Good Luck!!