I don't know where you live but down here in Virginia Beach the routine price for 2,500 - 3,000 square foot homes in nice "middle-class" neighborhoods is $250,000 - $400,000.

The House Hunters shows are filmed all over the United States, and there is a separate-but-related series called House Hunters International that has had episodes in France, Italy, Costa Rica, Ireland, etc. They always tell where they are at the beginning of the episode, and during the episode they will mention where the three houses are.

In earlier years on the show, they didn't give prices. But for that last two seasons they have.

350,000 here will get you an older home, about 2000 - 2200 sq ft.

I don't think you can buy a house in CA for $350,000.

You sure can't buy a house in my town for $350,000. That might make a down payment.
I don't think there is a single house listed under a half million. And that will get you an older home that has had no updating and needs work.
That's just the way it is here in California.

I know what you are saying. The prices of some of these houses are outrageous. When I watch, I am just thankful that I don't live in the areas where the prices are what they show on "House Hunters". I love watching the show though!

$350,000 in my area won't get you anything. It is all closer to $800,000 for a fixer upper in a not so good neighborhood.

i think most of this county is clueless about the cost of housing in popular or metro areas. you can't enter the orlando housing market (not some trailer sized place) for under $250-300K. when i left chicago more than 10 yrs ago starting prices were well over $250K. that's why i came here and bought a nice house for $100K 7 yrs ago, today even w/ market setbacks neighbors are getting $250K which is down from $300K. i can't wait to sell and move up to a $450-500K place, that would get us an estate in most of the rest of this county LOL. here in orlando we'll get 2,200 sq ft w/ 2 car garage and a nice pool valued at $50K on an acre if we're very lucky. of course i'd LOVE to move down to south fl into the very nice cities but that's a million $$ minimum and i'm not willing to work that long or hard just to afford it. ~ liz

Glad I live in Arkan-SAW!!! LOL

I love that show, but it seems that they are all reruns as of late. I like it better when they do give prices and it seems like many episodes don't. I was unaware that the new shows all gave prices. Apparently they need to film a few more!

My neighbors just put their home on the market this week. $450,000, and NO view..
We have a water view and people will pay more for"view", one neighbors house sold sight unseen because it sits on the bluff! They just trusted their realtor!
In town you can get a home for mid $200's, but prices depend on the areas. I find the prices amazing, when you think about we live on an Island and it is either military or retirees. Kathy

You know, its funny because when I watch this show I always think how inexpensive the houses are. I cannot believe some of the huge houses these people are looking at for about a quarter of what it would cost here.

$350,000 will get you a modest home, around 1800 square feet.

This is why I moved away from California!

I like the show too. I am always shocked at what other people must pay for a home in other areas. I don't know how they do it. Where I am, you can buy a nice modest older home for $170,000-$250,000 & a new construction semi or townhome for as little as $200,000. Single family new homes and larger renovated older homes can go from $300,000 and up but there are lots of nice, comfortable small homes in our area in the lower price range.
LOL, I say lower! When we bought our home 30 years ago it was less than the price of new car now!
That's why we're staying put!

In my small town, you can still find a very well kept clean house for $50,000 with one bath and 2 bedrooms. I'd say at least 1/4 of the population live in a small house like that. An investor could do well here purchasing Rental Property.

This Old Pink Brick house I inherited is on 1 acre with tons of beautiful Oak Trees. The house is probably 1,900-2,000 sq. feet. A Realator told me it was worth about $160,000. I think $40,000 would update this house properly.

BTW! I love to watch House Hunters.

Gayle

Housing on the west coast is always more expensive than in the east with some exceptions. Incomes are also higher in the west than east, everything is relavent. If you sold a house in the west and moved east you would be left with lots of money.

$350,000 would get you a very nice very large home in this area...unless you farm.

If you farm - it would almost buy a farm!

80 acres of decent farm gound runs about 400,000 - 500,000.

This is funny - $350,000 won't buy you anything here, either. Cause there AIN'T ANY THAT HIGH!

Well, actually, there are a few. My boss built one of the very most expensive homes around here - estimation is that it cost $500,000. People drive past it in awe.

And like iowagirl, if you want to buy farmland, it is very very high in comparison to homes. That's because, at least in my area, investors from the east coast are buying the farms and operating them through farm managers. Those of us from here who live here are being squeezed out of our own market.

The house behind us on the ridge just went up for sale. It has very little usable land. It is all steep hillside. This is what houses go for in this part of CA. I am glad we got our place 22 years ago. We couldn't afford it now. Here is the URL. Aptos CA
Clare

Glad I live in East Texas! I watch those shows and it REALLY makes me glad I live in East Texas.

I also love the show but also in awe of the prices...Way back in the 50s, we bought our 1st house, older house with 13 rooms, and paid $7000. for it..We sold it later for close to $50,000 and it just sold again for close to $100,000..It's very hard to get a "starter" home these days, everything is big, big or bigger....
The way some of the prospective buyers comment, don't you think alot of that is rehearsed? And what gets me, after paying all that money, then they re-do the kitchen or bathroom...Just breaks me up!
At this stage of my life, give me a little double wide on a small level lot and I'd be happy.....

In Norfolk, VA, a 2500 square foot house runs $350,000 and up. I have often wondered how people can pay these prices.

WHere I came from (Alton, IL), $100,000 got you a nice brick ranch with 1800 square feet (three bedrooms and two full baths)in a very nice neighborhood, but there were no jobs there.

Rose

I love House Hunters too, but when we watch I'm amazed at how cheap some areas are!! Nice houses, big yards etc.

New houses down the street can go for 700K. We don't live in that neighborhood, but we could probably sell our townhouse for 450K. We bought it 5 years ago for much cheaper and we certainly aren't rich! It's all perspective. My DH's salary is probably much higher then if we lived in a small town?

The international shows are very interesting too-everywhere is so small!

I wish they would do a house hunters around here. $350,000
would buy a most beautiful new house on the top of a hill with trees and many acres to boot. Fresh air, low crime, and friendly neighbors. You can have your animals, gardens, paddocks, pool, whatever! If your wanting the big city, that it won't do.

I like house hunters too. It's interesting to see what you get for the same price in different parts of the country.
Although I can believe the prices(I lived in CA as a teenager) I know I would never pay them. I love having the opportunity to have great place paid off and all mine and not have to spend most of my income to do so.

In Canada,housing prices are also all over the place.
We're in the process of selling our present home and moving back to the east coast.
We bought this house 15 years ago for 142,000.00,and it's now going on the market for 260,000.00.We have not done any major renovations,just general upkeep and a deck.
In the area we are moving to,you can still get a nice retirement home for about 30,000.00.We actually are looking at a two storey older home for 25,000.00 which is beach front property.It's a good thing for people like us who are retiring,as it lets them keep a bit of mad money for travelling etc.
I am actually watching House Hunters as I type this...love this show!

Where I live(W TX) $350,000.Would buy a really nice new home!
In 1989 we bought a 4 bedroom,2 bath 2000 sq. ft brick home on 2 acres with a small guest house.It was built in 1981 and in very good condition.Asking price was $80,000. but we got it for $75 because that is what was owed on it and there was a tax lien so the seller wasn't making any money on the sale.DD and DSIL just put an offer on a 3 bd. room and study,similar size on 2 1/2 ac. built in 1981,kitchen and baths need some updating,near Norman,OK for $218,900. That is one of the lower priced homes they looked at,plus it has been on the market for almost a year and the price has been reduced once already.I'm sure it would sell in the $300,000. range if the people weren't desperate to sell.I can't imagine paying that much for a home.I can get the same house for around $150,000. where I live!

I have the same reaction as Steph when watching this show.

It's not only California though. Like anothr poster said it's most larger metropolitan areas. Whenever I think how little house you get for your money here in California I remind myself it could be worse. I just think about what some New Yorkers have to pay for an apartment. With rules. At least I own my own house and the land under it with a decent sizes backyard.

Newer 1.5 million plus homes being built have what would be considered a garden patio for their backyards. They are built so close together that they would be called condos but for the separate walls. The floor plan are horrible. Many are built on hillsides and have the entry on the bottom (full story of stairs to the kitchen and living room in the middle) and the bedrooms on the top.

that's what my dd2 paid for a subdivision home in oakland county michigan...if they'd waited another 6 months to a year, it would ahve dropped some...but with a baby, apt living wasn't an option when they sold their started home...

my little 1300sf house we sold in 88, for $117,000 (santee ca) was last year close to a half million! that's just plain crazy!

wild child that's exactly the floor plan dil's mother lives in and she isn't on a hillside!

Vancouver and Toronto are the two most expensive cities to live in Canada. We can't afford to upgrade to a larger home in the Toronto area, because even a very modest small house will start at 500K. The upside however, is that if we move back to Windsor to be near family in our retirement, we'll be able to buy a really nice home there for that price, with money to spare.

Love the show and somewhat amazed at the prices, but being from California, not too much.

Wish I could remember all the addresses of where we lived in Ca. I was putting some in Zillow to see what they sell for now.

Last one we lived in we bought for $23,000 around 1975/6 and sold for $49,000 in 1980. It's estimated at $245,000 now. I entered my late MIL's property and it was outrageous, the house old and run down, the estimate was $209,000 and said it just sold for $100,000. Belonged to my BIL and he was probably glad to get rid of it for that.
Haven't heard from him in awhile, going to have to check that out.

Clare, isn't Santa Cruz county one of the most expensive in Ca? I know it used to be.

We moved to Mo. in 1980 and bought our 140 acre farm with an old farm house for $90,000. Finally had to tear the house down it was a renovated chicken house. lol. We had a double wide put on the property. I had the farm paid off by then and didn't want to go into a huge debt to have a house built at our late ages. Paid extra on the farm mortage and got it paid off early and the double wide paid off last July.

donna37 - It is not the most expensive but it is up there. Santa Barbara and several Southern CA places have us beat.
Clare

I live in a rural area in the North East. Three small towns nearby with populations of 6,000; 12,000; and 7,000. The job market is not the greatest, but people stay because of family ties the abundant natural beauty, and many outdoor activities:hunting, fishing, etc. There are many decent homes available in the $30,000-$45,000 range. Higher than that will get you a very, very nice older home with good roofs, plumbing, wiring, woodwork, some land, most likely a garage and taxes of about $1,500--$2,500 a year.
The labor pool consists of professional, medical, clerical, some manufacturing, and lots of service industry. Median entry level wages are $10./hour. Professional (i.e. teachers) can start around $30,000.
I've tried to give a little more detailed info in the hopes that someone will answer one of my original questions: what do people do for WORK in those areas with $300k and higher mortgages?
Surely there are McD's and Burger Kings, Walmarts and JC Penneys in your area.
What kind of housing is available for folks working at these kinds of jobs?
tx
Cream

Donna - I grew up in Novato, CA. My parents paid $18,000 for their 1800 SF ranch in 1968. It's now worth around $800,000, according to Zillow.

Sheryl

Bump?

Cream, I can answer your original question. When housing prices are expensive both adults in the household usually work. I have a friend in Petaluma, CA, whose DH is a stock broker and she recently retired as a nurse practitioner. Their youngest DS will finish his medical residency this year and has a job waiting as a hospitalist. His wife is an RN and will work a couple of days a week because she enjoys working. They plan to buy in his parents' neighborhood and will be looking for $400-500k houses. Folks who work at the fast foods places, JCPenney, etc. are usually younger people living with their parents or renting shared places with roommates.
I moved from CA to Iowa a couple of years ago because Iowa has more reasonable housing prices. Even is my Iowa town housing isn't as reasonable as you mentioned.

I really enjoy watching HH because they feature homes in everyones price range. Just the other day someone was looking for a home around $80,000. I didnt think that price still existed. They were looking somewhere in Texas. I think it was around Dallas. Im also amazed at how cheap homes are in the Atlanta area. Im tempted to move there when i see those homes in my price range. HH is a fun show that i enjoy watching.

cream, both my dd2 and sil are professionals (college grads), although she now works from home (her company is based in utah)

either you rent or share housing if you're under a certain salery... or like us, have been your home for 20 years. you also have other areas to choose from to live.

they wanted the school system, and commute to sil's office. if they had wanted almost a hour commute, could have had the same house, for 100,000 less...seeing the current gas prices, it was a smart move in the long run.

Cream, I also wondered how in the world anyone could afford some of the houses....We have a lot of pricey houses in our area and just as many are back up for sale in a year or so..A lot of people don't realize, there are other bills besides the mortage...Also, I've heard, if you look inside some of these homes, they are empty, the owners can't afford to furnish them....
Give me my small, paid for, home any day...

I just looked up the home I grew up in located in San Jose, CA (Northern CA). My parents bought it new in 1959 for $18,000. 49 years later it is estimated to be worth $841.400. Yowza!

We bought our smallish home in Orange County, CA (Southern CA) new in 1981 for $165,000. Today (27 years later), it's worth an estimated $850,000.

Jodi-

I was just in Texas and found a place with a rancher steam, 8 acres and a barn for $250,000. That would buy an older rancher on a small lot here. In a really desolate town you could buy a tiny house for $30,000. I had to stop hubby from house hunting.
Kathy

"Irish", my philosophy, exactly. But it doesn't diminish my pleasure of watching HH.
(:
Cream

We bought our 3 BR,1 bth house here in S.Calif in 1967 for 12,500.00 and last year it was appraised at 449,000.00.To me that's insane.Sure we've upgraded over the years,but not that much.It's crazy the way things are going up and up.

Of course i would take the 449,if i wanted to sell and move,but i don't.I plan to stay here til they carry me out in a pine box.LOL
Kathi

My parents bought their home for $24,000 in 1963. When Mom went to apply for Medicaid as she entereda Nursing Home, it was valued at $499,000.