the incredible still cruddy housing market on LI

allen levine

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new york city burbs
IF Long Island has taken one of the largest hits in history, and there are more forclosures than ever before in history, well, I had the most discouraging experience today house hunting with my son.
Just turning 28, having a good job, and needing room to expand, my son decided its time to move out and move on, and he wont rent.(he considers it tossing away money)
While I dont think hes ready, hes saved enough for a down payment so I cant really tell him what to do.
But I can stay close and offer my advice.
Today, he didnt need any advice. What we saw was close to horrible.
Western nassau, eastern suffolk county, taxes averaging 8500-11000 yearly, for small capes and small ranches, properties averaging 45-105 foot lots, homes averaging 1200-1400 sq feet. Those figures are enough to make most say forget it, thats ridiculous, but this is a fact on LI, but what we saw today, eh.
First home, it was nothing less than a pig sty. Shame on that woman and her son who lived there. Im no neat freak, nor do I mind messy homes, but filth, so much filth I was sticking to the tile floors that obviously havent been cleaned since the 80s.
The kitchens were originals, maybe 40 years old, as were the bathrooms.
The appliances were so old I found it a bit incredible they still worked.
The scariest thing was when we went down into the basement. First, the stairs were narrow, steep, low ceiling, and no handrail. Im sure this is well below code for any place, but we went down to the "half finished" basement.
Oh my god! That was what I thought. The son, around 35-40, was living down there in that partly finished basement.
IF I owned a pig, it would live in a nicer place, and if they both knew we were coming, as they did, how on earth do you not pick up the tonnage of dirty clothes, and other assorted crapola we had to step over to view the rooms.
It was an unbelievable experience, I never realized what filth people actually live in!
It was a very small home, all furnished with knockdown style stuff from Korvettes from maybe 35 years ago, but I wouldnt knock someone for being poor, but for living in that crapola, shame on both of them.
315 thousand dollars, there wasnt an inch of that home that didnt need redoing. Not an inch.

On to the next one, well, this one was a short sell home, the bank owned it now and the sale price was less than the mortgage left.
It was offered at 325, reduced 75 thousand over the past 8 months, but it should be condemned. Period.
In her defense, the real estate agent had no prior knowledge of this home, she just took us because her office had a key and it was vacant and right in the area we were at. The entire basement/downstairs, was coated greenish black with MOLD!
I should have smacked her in her kisser for taking me into a home that poses a risk to my life and my sons life. She claimed to have no knowledge until right then and there.
Although most of this one was very old, at least half a bathroom was redone maybe 15 years ago, and the kitchen had cabinets hanging on the wall still.
Windows were broken, doors were off, all the screens ripped, it was unlived in, but I believe the bank should take the loss and condemn it.
The mold will probably cost 20 thousand dollars or more to get out, maybe impossible to get out, it was all the way up the walls.
Cracks in the plaster near the upstairs ceilings(as in the first home), with water stains running down the walls, not even an attempt was made to conceal the leaks from the roof. The evidence was clear.
I wanted to go home, Ive seen enough, something is wrong with either these areas or this real estate agent must have been dropped as a child on her head.
 
Then we were asked if we wanted to see one with an inground pool, small home, but 325 range.
Ok, what the hec.
At least when we walked in it was pretty empty, but not filthy.
The kitchen, had only a few cabinets on the wall, looked like cheap plywood with cheap plywood doors, Not oak ply, cheap unfinished plywood, with 99 cent external hinges, obviously a true handyman, this guy who owned this home.(youve seen my garage cabinets, which I made before I knew anything about cabinets, and my garage cabinets are 200 times nicer than his kitchen cabinets, not being cruel, just accurate)
The opposite side of the kitchen had completely different color cabinets, laminate stuff, cheap stuff, kind of stuff you buy in a hardware store and put together for the garage, but it was against a kitchen wall.
The stove had rust on its surface, as did the fridge.
The guy has an inground pool in the yard, but 45 year old appliances in his kitchen. I think he had the first microwave oven made on his kitchen counter.
Neglect was so evident. not neglect do to lack of funds, neglect do to just who the heck cares, I dont get wet at night, IM happy.

In the end, I was sick to my stomach. I think my son was also.

If this is the housing market on LI in the 325 range, its very discouraging.
The pictures online and newspapers are very, very deceptive.
Descriptions are deceptive.

I would have loved to take a few pictures inside, but I dont invade peoples privacy, but I wish I would have never met these people and their homes today.
 
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Sometimes one needs to look outside their comfort zone. From what I've read of the situation up there, one would be way better thinking further south! :D
 
Just went thru the same thing with my son and daughter inlaw this summer, amazing what and how people can live:eek: Also amazing on the prices of housing in different areas, around here 325K will get you just about any high end house. Good luck with the search, hope something shows up for him.
 
my friends kid got a house 6 months ago, 350, had to gut the kitchen and bathroom, but the house was in good shape and well maintained.
An old kitchen doesnt mean it isnt taken care off.
They ordered the cabs and did the installation themselves, so they saved quite a bit.

I live in western nassau, where taxes for my small cape run around 6000-7000
If you move two miles west into NYC limits, the taxes drop 5 thousand dollars yearly.
 
Maybe you should ask her if they were filming for some new episodes of candid camera. Seriously, you should look her straight in the face and ask her if she would realy pay that type of money just to bulldose it down.

I would also suspect that some of the people that were living in these homes new they were going to lose them and just didn't care anymore. Our neighbor just lost their house. When they moved out they would come back at night and strip the copper out of it. Tried talking to the police about it but they said as long as the bank didn't take possesion of it yet there was nothing they could do. Kind of ticks you off cause we end up paying for it. Now i'm ranting!
 
Allen:

Yikes! In in New Jersey about 30 minutes due west of Manhattan along I-78. I feel your pain about the housing market price wise. We got into our first house 18 years ago based on cash the LOML had saved up. I don't know how someone today can afford to buy their first home given these Northeast home prices. What was $150K then is now $400K.

Yuck is all I have to say about the house conditions you describe. I went to a Yard Sale recently in a house up the street from me. The house is a rental property. There was a room in the front of the house with a bare plywood floor, newly installed sheetrock ceiling literally BLACK with mold. There appears to be an active roof leak. The kicker - the house is owned by a local roofing company.

It is pretty amazing what filth some people will live in. I've seen some disgusting things in the homes of some disturbed folks, but this just sounds like pure sloth.

I won't even comment on the property taxes. My BIL who lives in NJ had stopped into a housing development in the state of Delaware. He got the prices and asked for the monthly property taxes. The Real Estate Agent said - Monthly property taxes? Are you from New Jersey? The annual real estate taxes were $870.00. I don't know how they finance thing in DE but that sounds better than the $11K Allen is talking about. I don't even know what I'm paying but it's proably in the $9-10K range.

All I can do is wish you and your son luck on the house search.

Cheers

Jim
 
Well, I guess I'll quit whining about my $50 increase in property taxes this year. Mine "jumped" from $1200 to $1250 at the same time housing values dropped. And around here 325k will get you 3000+ sq ft easily with some nice extras on 1/4 acre. But still alot of houses for sale and sitting empty.
 
I sure ain't going to complain... the realtor apologized when she told us about the taxes on my place.. she thought they were high.. Under $400 per year... I paid more per month in Houston than I pay a year here.

Allen, sounds like LI is much like Tucson when I was out there a few years ago... I've told people that in Tucson, you can get a really nice $100,000 house for about $400,000.... does the job market actually support home prices at that level?
 
My wife and I are looking for our first house. We are looking in the West Los Angeles area. At the low end, a 1600 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bath house goes for 650K to 750K. Average quality house goes for 750K to 875K. In the last three months we have put an offer of $780K and $765K on two different properties. We got outbid both times. Our budget is 850K and we still haven't been able to find a house. We can get a house for around 400K about 25 to 30 miles from WLA but neither my wife nor I want to drive that much to work.
 
does the job market actually support home prices at that level?

There are alot of people hurting up here. But I know there are people hurting all over the country.
My son has a secure job, and gets nice increases each year, something that isnt common anymore.
Im relieved he found his niche in the world and gets paid handsomely at the same time.
I know hes very serious. How do I know?
He spent his thanksgiving vacation ripping down all the wall paper I had prepared myself to do. He wants me back in the garage as soon as possible making him a dining table and a bedroom set.
 
My wife and I are looking for our first house. We are looking in the West Los Angeles area. At the low end, a 1600 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bath house goes for 650K to 750K. Average quality house goes for 750K to 875K. In the last three months we have put an offer of $780K and $765K on two different properties. We got outbid both times. Our budget is 850K and we still haven't been able to find a house. We can get a house for around 400K about 25 to 30 miles from WLA but neither my wife nor I want to drive that much to work.

If you go a bit south of me, more towards the water, the areas start around 750 and go up. Its very funny out here on LI. 200 yards down my block is another school district, and the homes the same as mine, go for 40-50 thousand more. Same exact property, same exact home. School districts seem to dictate alot of prices.
 
My wife and I are looking for our first house. We are looking in the West Los Angeles area. At the low end, a 1600 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bath house goes for 650K to 750K. Average quality house goes for 750K to 875K. In the last three months we have put an offer of $780K and $765K on two different properties. We got outbid both times. Our budget is 850K and we still haven't been able to find a house. We can get a house for around 400K about 25 to 30 miles from WLA but neither my wife nor I want to drive that much to work.

We're in the northern part of the LA city limits -- sort of the low-rent district compared to a lot of places in LA -- and $350K still wouldn't get you very far in this area. Maybe a 2 bed 1 bath in a depressed neighborhood, and a 50/50 chance you'd need to gut the place and start over with the interior. The houses Mohammad is describing would probably be about $550K to $650K in my neighborhood, with taxes in the $6500 to $7500 range.

Our property taxes have actually gone down in the 5 years we've lived here. Unfortunately, that's because the assessed value has dropped about $130K in that length of time. :doh:

Allen, I have a friend with "clutter issues". It's a strange mental compulsion that the friend can't even explain (and doesn't like, for that matter).
 
My wife and I are looking for our first house. We are looking in the West Los Angeles area. At the low end, a 1600 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bath house goes for 650K to 750K. Average quality house goes for 750K to 875K. In the last three months we have put an offer of $780K and $765K on two different properties. We got outbid both times. Our budget is 850K and we still haven't been able to find a house. We can get a house for around 400K about 25 to 30 miles from WLA but neither my wife nor I want to drive that much to work.
Wow. I've seen the LA traffic on TV, and it looks horrible. And I understand that 25-30 miles doesn't mean a 30 minute drive... but I drove 55 miles one way to work for a lot of years... and even with LA traffic, I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant $300-400k difference in house price. :eek:
 
Well I have driven in LA traffic and I wouldn't drive 110 miles a day there if it was my job...and I'd love to live there if I could afford it. I was out there staying at Danas Point for a week again a year ago last fall. Fell in love all over again...with the weather and was only driving a 5 miles to work. Then I had to go to San Diego to catch the plane home and rememberd what it was like to drive there and this was on a day with relatively light traffic
I suspect that a 55 mile commute could easily add 4 hours to your workday..
Garry
 
Wow. I've seen the LA traffic on TV, and it looks horrible. And I understand that 25-30 miles doesn't mean a 30 minute drive... but I drove 55 miles one way to work for a lot of years... and even with LA traffic, I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant $300-400k difference in house price. :eek:

When I lived in Tustin, CA, I had friends who commuted from Merino Valley, about 45 miles to the North. When houses in Tustinn were selling for $600K, those in Merino Valley were 'only' $400K, but the commute was often 1½~2 hours each way.

One couple had jobs in Newport Beach - he, an air traffic controller, and she an office manager at an investment company. They left home at 5:00 every morning. He started at 6:30 am and got off at got off at 3:00. She started at 8:30 and got off at 5:00. Their routine was for him to go to work, while she went to a gym, then breakfast, then work. He got off, went to gym, then she picked him up and they went to dinner at a restaurant before driving home. They'd get home at about 8:30 pm, and go straight to bed because they had to get up at 4:00 am to start it all over again.

NOT A GOOD WAY TO LIVE!

Between car expenses (fuel, insurance, wear & tear, etc.) and eating out expenses, they found they could have bought the more expensive house in Tustin, made the bigger mortgage payments, and still saved a bit. Plus the stress level was horrific.

After about three years, they sold out in Merino Valley and moved to Irvine, just a few miles from their jobs. They were much happier there...
 
West Los Angeles area. At the low end, a 1600 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bath house goes for 650K to 750K. Average quality house goes for 750K to 875K.

I'd need to get a job paying 2-3 times my income for that. Plus my wife would have to get a job as well... :( Of course, from my perspective even prices in Toronto are nuts.


School districts seem to dictate alot of prices.

I've heard this before about places in the US and I don't get it. Are you forbidden from putting your kid in a school in another district? I know folks here in London who enrol their kids in schools that are in other parts of the city. Sure, they have to drive them now instead of catching a school bus, but that's about it. (But then, we home school, so we don't even pay that much attention to this area even around here)
 
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