Real estate prices in Texas crazy cheap?

[Jonathan Whatley]

Home insurance is also high in Texas. I only found one insurance company that wasn't charging an outrageous rate; I received probably over a dozen quotes. New builds in Houston are required to meet specifications to minimize flood damage. If you're buying a pre-Hurricane Harvey home on the first floor, good luck.

And if you don't purchase insurance, the property is basically unmortgageable.

[LevelUP]

There are a lot of people who enjoy pushing fear.

Now you see why I said that.

A lot of comments in this thread seem discouraging to an immigrant considering moving to the U.S. for a better life.

This is what dreams are made of. Welcome to USA, self!
https://www.tiktok.com/@kimgallardo_/vid...0693050625

My American dream
https://www.tiktok.com/@family_from_ukra...2261888287

Seeing an American landmark for the first time
https://www.tiktok.com/@eva_baker/video/...4243006763

[sanantone]

There are a lot of people who enjoy pushing fear.

Now you see why I said that.

A lot of comments in this thread seem discouraging to an immigrant considering moving to the U.S. for a better life.

This is what dreams are made of. Welcome to USA, self!
https://www.tiktok.com/@kimgallardo_/vid...0693050625

My American dream
https://www.tiktok.com/@family_from_ukra...2261888287

Seeing an American landmark for the first time
https://www.tiktok.com/@eva_baker/video/...4243006763

Telling truth. You worship an idol who pushes fear and division, so this is strange coming from you. People should make informed decisions. Houston is at great risk of flooding whenever a tropical system hits. You don't want to buy a home and not be able to afford property taxes, insurance, increases in the HOA fee, and special assessments. Some people don't mind being in high-crime neighborhoods, especially if they don't have children, but many other people do mind. People with kids also tend to be concerned about schools. There's nothing wrong with renting until you can afford something that's not a money pit and hard to sell. 98 days on the market in a major city isn't pushing fear; it's a real number.

[Jonathan Whatley]

I would love for a DegreeForumer like the OP to move to the US! I would hate for him to have too little information to his question, about potential pitfalls of a condo listed at $60k in a generally prosperous big city.

[sanantone]

This condo has been for sale since August 2020! Here's some advice from someone who recently bought a home (in Texas, but that's irrelevant) - don't just look at the days on the market. When the listing is removed and re-listed, that resets the counter. It's had a few pending sales that didn't go forward. Why? There could have been serious problems with the inspection. The types of buyers who would be interested in this kind of property might have difficulty qualifying for a mortgage. FHA could have said no because the HOA isn't financially solvent. The place could be uninsurable. If you follow the advice of the naive, you could end up with an expensive nightmare.

[LevelUP]

I found several condos in Houston, TX, for like $60,000-$80,000. 
 
So, are condos in Texas just so crazy affordable, or am I missing something important? It seems too good to be true, and I know that most people on this forum live in the US, so maybe you can help me understand the situation. I would be very thankful!

There are lots of condos in the 60k to 80k, here is my link again
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhom...ondo/sby-1

We are talking about the entire market of Houston and any other area of Texas that may be affordable.

[sanantone]

You need to enter the first condo with a biohazard suit. The second condo is kind of cute. The third condo is totally trashed.

Edit: Just avoid Oakwood Gardens. A flipper might have snatched up that one that has a pending sales. It appears to have mold and a leaking ceiling. The floors need to be replaced. Some of these places are health hazards.

They keep getting worse. LevelUp, did you look at any of these?

[LevelUP]

You need to enter the first condo with a biohazard suit. The second condo is kind of cute. The third condo is totally trashed.

You would be 100% correct—there is mold in that condo. And you would also be 100% correct that there is mold in every house and in every breath of air you take.

Get any organic material wet, come back in a few days to a week and there will be mold. 

People are more afraid of mold than the Ebola virus.

[sanantone]

You need to enter the first condo with a biohazard suit. The second condo is kind of cute. The third condo is totally trashed.

You would be 100% correct—there is mold in that condo. And you would also be 100% correct that there is mold in every house and in every breath of air you take.

Get any organic material wet, come back in a few days to a week and there will be mold. 

People are more afraid of mold than the Ebola virus.

Excessive mold that's not in the shower requires professional services. We also have to consider that many properties were flooded back in 2017, and some people couldn't afford to fix the water damage. There was also a lot of water damage in Houston back in 2021 when our state let us freeze to death.

[LevelUP]

You need to enter the first condo with a biohazard suit. The second condo is kind of cute. The third condo is totally trashed.

You would be 100% correct—there is mold in that condo. And you would also be 100% correct that there is mold in every house and in every breath of air you take.

Get any organic material wet, come back in a few days to a week and there will be mold. 

People are more afraid of mold than the Ebola virus.

Excessive mold that's not in the shower requires professional services. We also have to consider that many properties were flooded back in 2017, and some people couldn't afford to fix the water damage. There was also a lot of water damage in Houston back in 2021 when our state let us freeze to death.

There is no established EPA standard for what constitutes a dangerous level of mold.
https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-testing-or-sampling

However, some people are highly allergic to mold, and even minor water damage, such as a pipe leak or burst, can cause water to wick up the drywall over a large area.

The only way to properly address this is to remove all affected drywall, typically up to 4 feet high, treat the area with mold remover, and encapsulate it with specialized paint. In many cases, local regulations prohibit homeowners from undertaking such extensive work themselves, meaning they must hire a contractor, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

When mold is severe, you can often smell it as soon as you enter the house.

This kind of property is typically suited for experienced house flippers.

For homebuyers, it is critical to hire a property inspector during the closing process. A thorough inspection can identify issues with the property, and buyers can often negotiate a discount on the purchase price based on the inspector's findings.