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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on March 07, 2017, 04:19:47 PM

Title: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Ben on March 07, 2017, 04:19:47 PM
Technically inexpensive rather than cheap. :)

I get these kinds of lists from the interwebz real estate sites a lot and some of them are quite enlightening. Like this sample of humongous homes at very reasonable prices. Especially so when I compare to CA. These would all be way too big for me to want to heat/cool/maintain, but it's an interesting comparison of price/geography.

https://www.trulia.com/blog/big-houses-for-sale-under-400-k/?ecampaign=con_eyecandy&eurl=www.trulia.com%2Fblog%2Fbig-houses-for-sale-under-400-k%2F
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: HankB on March 07, 2017, 05:19:08 PM
Wonder what condition these places are actually in . . . along with insurance, taxes, utilities, etc.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/)
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Boomhauer on March 07, 2017, 09:14:18 PM
Wonder what condition these places are actually in . . . along with insurance, taxes, utilities, etc.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/)

I can tell you the utilities are ridiculous on a big house. I have a family member in Texas that has a 5000 sq foot house. His utilities are on the order of $2500 a month IIRC.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 07, 2017, 10:32:50 PM
Wonder what condition these places are actually in . . . along with insurance, taxes, utilities, etc.


The first one I looked at was built in 1840-something, so...
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: 230RN on March 08, 2017, 12:37:11 AM
I don't want a big house.  I want a big outbuilding.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 08, 2017, 07:18:35 AM
I can tell you the utilities are ridiculous on a big house. I have a family member in Texas that has a 5000 sq foot house. His utilities are on the order of $2500 a month IIRC.

Unless he's got 20 people living with him I call no way.  We had 3200sqft and our high was during the summer of about 350 for electric, but then gas was lower at about 30 and water was about 60. He might be pushing a grand for his utilities, but if he's got a two story he's got multiple zones which keeps the house more efficient. 
That was in Houston, btw.  We ran the AC from about March to Nov.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: K Frame on March 08, 2017, 07:24:23 AM
I would VERY much be at home in that Edwardian Queen Anne.

It's absolutely gorgeous.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: K Frame on March 08, 2017, 07:59:33 AM
My Mother's house is about 4,200 sq feet, built in 1903.

The only bill that's outrages is the heating, primarily because it's oil fired. Electric is about $120 a month, averaged out.

So, to average $2,500 a month, he's either in an insanely priced area, or he's running the heat and air conditioning at the same time 24x7 and leaving every light on in the house all the time.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: HankB on March 08, 2017, 10:43:27 AM
I can tell you the utilities are ridiculous on a big house. I have a family member in Texas that has a 5000 sq foot house. His utilities are on the order of $2500 a month IIRC.
I'm in Texas . . . my house is considerably smaller than 5000 square feet, but making due allowance for size, $2500/month for utilities is way, WAY out of line unless he's keeping indoor temperature at 65 all summer and watering a couple of acres of lawn every day.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 08, 2017, 10:48:11 AM
I'm in Texas . . . my house is considerably smaller than 5000 square feet, but making due allowance for size, $2500/month for utilities is way, WAY out of line unless he's keeping indoor temperature at 65 all summer and watering a couple of acres of lawn every day.


Depends on the size of his grow operation.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: dogmush on March 08, 2017, 10:50:44 AM

Depends on the size of his grow operation.

Apparantly it's about 4500sqft
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: K Frame on March 08, 2017, 10:53:09 AM

Depends on the size of his grow operation.

I guffawed!
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Ben on March 08, 2017, 10:59:16 AM

Depends on the size of his grow operation.

You probably know a lot about that stuff these days. What percentage of your customers are "gardeners"?  =D
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 08, 2017, 11:00:24 AM

Depends on the size of his grow operation.

Fistfuls wins innernetz today
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 08, 2017, 02:52:59 PM
You probably know a lot about that stuff these days. What percentage of your customers are "gardeners"?  =D


We have a hippy-dippy, "sustainable" gardening/composting/virtue-signalling business just down the street from where I work. I guess they soak up most of that business. Plus, they advertise, and we don't.
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: Blakenzy on March 09, 2017, 10:44:47 AM
I am old enough to know that list price is always, always a scam (to some degree)... you WILL forever end up paying much more for "the thing" of your interest.

The exception is, ironically, if you are buying off the black market. There the stated price, is usually the OTD price, IF you make it out the door

For a house that would be ITD price... in the door ;) :P
Title: Re: Big Cheap Houses
Post by: charby on March 09, 2017, 11:13:53 AM
There are lots of older big cheap houses where I live, but you don't want to live in that neighborhood, (you won't get shot but anything not bolted down outside will walk off or your vehicle will be broken into several time), or the house is such bad shape it goes for land/lot price.