10 Most (and Least) Affordable Housing Markets

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Did you say that Santa Maria is a beautiful bedroom community? Dont want to be lumped with Santa Barbara? Look at the headlines this week in Santa Maria. There has been killings, stabbings, hit and runs, gang activities. In fact-look at the headlines every day in Santa Maria. There isn't a small city anywhere that has as many gang related activities as Santa Maria. 60% of the town is hispanic. Most hispanics are peaceful hard working family people-but the ones in Santa Maria. They are hoodlum gang members.
2 things happen when you step outside in Santa Maria:
You either get shot
or you get overwhelmed from the rotting smell of the surrounding vegetable fields.
The person who said Santa Maria is a beautiful bedroom comunity must be a politician or real estate developer. Get it straight.

of CA 9:16PM December 10, 2008

I grew up in Westport, CT. I now live in Westchester County, ny with my husband.
Fairfield county is the least affordable place to live. It's not reality, beautiful, but i was jaded. You cant get anything for under $1 million there.
Westchester is beautiful, but people need to check out Greenwhich, Darian, New Cannan, Westport, Southport, you'll be speachless!!!
Now, that's livin!

j p of CT 12:29PM October 11, 2008

There is a difference between affordable housing and quality of life. Raw sewage in our waters can be found in San Diego as well as Youngstown.
No matter where you live if your income falls below the area median income affordable housing may be a luxury you can't afford. Food, health care and transportation may consume a larger proportion of a low-to-moderate income.
Government, conventional and non-profit low down payment and down payment assistance available every where in the country are under utilized and frequently unknown. Finding real estate agents, loan officers and public servants who are willing to take the time and complete the additional required paper work is also an issue.
Low-to-moderate income may not have access to computers or speak english as a first language. Emailing a loan application won't work with this socio-economic group. Creative marketing and community outreach are needed.
Green, safe, decent and affordable housing for every family should be one of our national goals. This isn't the case at the moment, but with time, work and effort it can be.
Yasmin Sabur
developer
myhomedownpayment.com

yasmin sabur of CA 12:15AM September 23, 2008

I live in a suburb of Youngstown Ohio and let me tell you that this place is a shithole. First let me start out by saying I can watch raw sewage being dumped into Lake Milton (A State Park) and every once in a while during the winter you can see the frozen wads of toilet paper moving around under the ice. There are more crackheads per square mile than anywhere else. It is cloudy with overall crappy weather 10 months a year. There aren't any jobs that don't involve GM in some way that are really worth having. If you move to Y-town make sure you own a firearm.

David W. of OH 10:25PM September 15, 2008

my area where i live, plainville,conn. house prices140k on up.

mk.burnette of CT 10:15PM September 15, 2008

I believe you also have to look at the job market. After all an affordable home is only affordable if you are employed and have the money to spend on it.

Laura of MO 5:12PM September 15, 2008

Wendy,
While the prices you quoted are certainly very affordable when you compare them to other areas of California, and while there may be "pockets" of affordability left here and there when you compare to areas like San Diego, as a whole California is one of the most expensive places in the country to live. Come here to Vermont or to places like the greater Houston area and you'll find prices for the same thing you just quoted to be almost $100,000 lower.
Realtors sometimes lose sight of the fact that a quarter million dollars is a LOT of money, no matter how "affordable" you might think it is. There are many areas of the country that are much more affordable and you can buy a lot of house for $150,000 or less.

Paul of VT 6:08AM September 09, 2008

You can buy a 4 bedroom condo for $214 here now and it's not affordable?????
You can buy a 3 bedroom home on a huge corner lot for $274,000 and we are not affordable???
Please quick lumping us in with Santa Barbara... we are a beautiful pocket community BETWEEN San Luis Obsipo and Santa Barbara and are wonderfully affordable!
Wendy Teixeira
Santa Maria's 2007 Realtor of the Year
Prudential California Realty

Wendy Teixeira of CA 11:34AM September 05, 2008

It's interesting that, with one exception, the least affordable housing areas are all on the coasts and the most affordable are inland. I think that part of the reason is the cost of transport of goods which dictates manufacturing be close to inexpensive transportation and that is usually water.

Richard of TX 11:56PM September 04, 2008