What does everyone think is a good price for a house is?

Jenn - I am not sure how you feel about going out east, but Selden is a nice area and in a great school district.

Michelle - you are in a great school district and such a great area. The only reason we left there was b/c of the commute. You get so much more bang for your buck for a great area with the great school district too.

That's hard for me to answer right now. If you asked me last year when I was looking at houses, I said the prices were crazy. Now, that I'm a homeowner, I think $350 - $400 is cheap. However, if I was still in the market, I may not think that.

I don't know ... you take the good with the bad and honestly, I rather live in a smaller house and be near my family then move far out and be in a big house by myself. But that just my opinion.

We also bought now what we could afford. School district is so important, but I know I am going to move before my kids start school. Although I'm not in a bad district, I just want a better one. So we bought a 'first house' ... one where we have equity in (especially after Rob did all the work) and one where we can take advantage of tax returns and still be able to save each month.

I want a bigger home one day that will probably cost $600K - $700K in today's dollars. Is that crazy? Yes, but that's the way it is and I'm coming to accept it.

Think of it this way ... you house will always be worth at least what you paid for it, generally speaking. So ... NY will always be worth more than say a house in Arizona. It is just the way it works!

Liz

we actually bought a house already in nassau we are just waiting to close. I was just curious because I see the houses people are posting as crazy prices and some of them don't seem that bad. I just find it interesting what people think they can get in todays market.

I agree with what alot of people have said on this thread.

It is a personal decision to say what is a good price for a house. A lot of personal values go into place. To me, my values include living in NY, in a great area for schooling, within 45 minutes to NYC, a safe community and a feeling that I fit into the community. I also want access to public transportation and not far from major highways and parkways. Because of these values, I have learned to accept that houses that meet these criteria will have a larger price tag then those that don't. I don't think that $350-400 is unreasonable for a home with that criteria even if it needs some updating or other work. For me, I did not want as much work and I had to pay a even higher price tag. I also wanted a house that I would want to spend the rest of my life in and not move again! I do have to do work to make it my style but thank goodness no major work or at least right away. It will take time though to get it where I want and it wil take money but we are not rushing it.

Maybe I am the crazy one but that is how I felt. I do agree that NY real estate is outrageous and I feel lucky that I was able to save enough to afford a house that met my values and criteria. It is funny because a friend just bought a house in NJ and from the ad he sent us and pictures - it seems very similar to mine - size and style (maybe mine is a little newer) and it actually met most of my criteria at almost half the cost of my house...but to me he is living in NJ not NY and that is something that I personally do not want to do...so to me the wasn't good for that house (again personal decision). So I paid for for NY. I think buying a house is all give and take.