Birbla

Discussion summary

A Reddit discussion about US government homes under $100k highlights potential hidden costs and risks, with some users skeptical about the value and transparency of such properties.

What the discussion says

  • Some users warn about hidden debts and costs associated with these homes.
  • Others criticize the post for clickbait and misleading information.
  • Several comments suggest the properties may be suitable for building or renovation.
  • A few users emphasize the difficulty in valuing real estate sight unseen.
“Buying these homes can come with massive debt attached, making it a ripoff.”
— deadbabe
“The post might promote misunderstandings among casual readers.”
— odyssey7

Comments

Hacker News

I'm guessing since the map is price limited there are likely many more properties out west except they are higher priced? $800 for a small chunk of vacant land behind something industrial near what looks like a lonely highway exit somewhere inland California. Then the East half has lots of reasonable looking homes. I hope the people left behind and homeless are getting by.

by skyberrys

Over the weekend, I pulled some data from my website to find the cheapest homes you can buy from the US federal government. The outliers (a $3,000 house in Flint, MI) are often in quite a state of disrepair, but there are lots of...lots...which are in reasonable condition across many US states.

by player_piano

Well, yes, I have in fact always dreamed of owning an abandoned house in Flint, MI

by airstrike

A few years ago an apartment in my building was up for a foreclosure sale. Price looked good but turned out it was literally impossible to figure out (1) how much or the original dead beat's mortgage i would be on the hook for (2) tax burden and (3) unpaid coop fees i would owe.

So even as finance save person already in the building, it was impossible to figure out what I'd be getting/owing. Really ruined my taste for these things.

by xyzelement

I've gained a taste for a yt channel that shows depopulated towns across the US.

It seems to me that local governments must also have tons of properties to sell or give away. The real issue is that these are in places where people don't usually want to live.

by forinti

It's hard to actually use this map and inspect individual homes. Clicking into a listing replaces the map view, so you lose the context of where you were looking, and the way the dots animate in make it harder to visually remember where you were. And you can't zoom in further to distinguish multiple overlapping properties.

by pimlottc

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  • Hacker News
  • I'm guessing since the map is price limited there are likely many more properties out west except they are higher priced? $800 for a small chunk of vacant land behind something industrial near what looks like a lonely highway exit somewhere inland California. Then the East half has lots of reasonable looking homes. I hope the people left behind and homeless are getting by.
    by skyberrys
  • Do you pull data from non-HUD sources too?

    https://www.realestatesales.gov/

    by DarkContinent
  • Why go to all this trouble? Just go to realtor.com (no relationship) and enter your desired parameters thusly: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Oakland_CA...
    by mlmonkey
  • Over the weekend, I pulled some data from my website to find the cheapest homes you can buy from the US federal government. The outliers (a $3,000 house in Flint, MI) are often in quite a state of disrepair, but there are lots of...lots...which are in reasonable condition across many US states.
    by player_piano
  • Well, yes, I have in fact always dreamed of owning an abandoned house in Flint, MI
    by airstrike
  • A few years ago an apartment in my building was up for a foreclosure sale. Price looked good but turned out it was literally impossible to figure out (1) how much or the original dead beat's mortgage i would be on the hook for (2) tax burden and (3) unpaid coop fees i would owe.

    So even as finance save person already in the building, it was impossible to figure out what I'd be getting/owing. Really ruined my taste for these things.

    by xyzelement
  • I've gained a taste for a yt channel that shows depopulated towns across the US.

    It seems to me that local governments must also have tons of properties to sell or give away. The real issue is that these are in places where people don't usually want to live.

    by forinti
  • It's hard to actually use this map and inspect individual homes. Clicking into a listing replaces the map view, so you lose the context of where you were looking, and the way the dots animate in make it harder to visually remember where you were. And you can't zoom in further to distinguish multiple overlapping properties.
    by pimlottc