Can you build a decent home, not including land, for $150,000?

[HeroOfPellinor]

That's including materials and labor. I would do all the minor stuff like painting and could do some stuff like installing sinks and garbage disposals and light fixtures (if the wiring was already done). It would need to have 4 bedrooms and a den and probably 2 1/2 baths. It would be in the Sacramento area and my father's best friend is a good honest general contractor--I could ask him, but I'd rather not until we put some more thought into it. Does this sound doable? Any pitfalls?

 

[notfred]

Yes, you could.

 

[BatmanNate]

You bet.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

One story, yes. Two and you're stretching it, especially in Cali (not talking about the land since you mentioned that).

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Quite easily, especially with the business connections you've got.

Make sure to put at least two Cat5e drops in each room through conduit, or you lose your Geek status.

- M4H

 

[Spoooon]

My parents had a house built for approximately $175,000. It's 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Has a formal living and dining area and a den. The master bath is pretty big, with a shower and jacuzzi. This was in a city of around 110,000 people. So, depending on how much housing typically costs in Sacremento, it sounds doable.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Quite easily, especially with the business connections you've got.

Make sure to put at least two Cat5e drops in each room through conduit, or you lose your Geek status.

- M4H

I'd be running some kind of tubing throughout the house that would let me run any kind of cabling that comes out in the future. Right now, Cat5, of course, but I'd like to be able to run any kind of cable between any two parts of the house without gettig dirty.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Any pitfalls to watch out for?

 

[RossMAN]

Yes you could depending on location, location, location ...

In some parts of the US $175k would get you a 1 bedroom studio or a nice 5 bedroom 2 bath house, all depends on where.

 

[StageLeft]

Yes you could build a decent two story 4 bedroom home for $150k not including land.

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Yes you could depending on location, location, location ...

In some parts of the US $175k would get you a 1 bedroom studio or a nice 5 bedroom 2 bath house, all depends on where.

He said build not buy and he also said not including the land.

A house costs basically the same to build in any area of the country.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

This sounds kinda encouraging. I'd still need to take out a loan for the land, but a $100,000 loan would only be like $680 a month and that would be a pretty sweet piece of land.

How do you find land for sale on the web?

 

[richardycc]

Originally posted by: aves2k

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Yes you could depending on location, location, location ...

In some parts of the US $175k would get you a 1 bedroom studio or a nice 5 bedroom 2 bath house, all depends on where.

He said build not buy and he also said not including the land.

A house costs basically the same to build in any area of the country.

you are dead wrong on this.

 

[flot]

A realtor can find you land for sale just like they'd find you a house. Or you can do it yourself at www.realtor.com

You're planning on paying cash for the $150,000 house?

 

[gplanet]

www.landforsale.com

hehe, just trying to think of a domain name that would sell land and sure enough that is one.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
This sounds kinda encouraging. I'd still need to take out a loan for the land, but a $100,000 loan would only be like $680 a month and that would be a pretty sweet piece of land.

How do you find land for sale on the web?

You don't, you drive around places you'd like to live, look for "for sale" signs, and pick up those local realty catalogs.

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: richardycc
you are dead wrong on this.

Well how much does it vary then?


And by the way your sig is a law!

 

[Dragoon42]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Yes you could depending on location, location, location ...

In some parts of the US $175k would get you a 1 bedroom studio or a nice 5 bedroom 2 bath house, all depends on where.

yep yep, it all depends on your location

 

[Alistar7]

COme to Lake Wylie SC, best schools in the state and you can buy 10 acres for 20,000 and have a 3bdrm, 2 bth, w/ 2 car garage built for 80,000....... if you dont mind paying $400 a YEAR in property taxes..........

oh and you then live on a penninsula of a very cool lake.....


Charlotte is only 15 mins away, although alot of my neighboors have horses, land, etc.. Big demand for IT people in the Charlotte area as well fellow AT'ers, large east coast banking center, and they need a ton of tech support for their systems all the time.

 

[StageLeft]

Labor will cost more in Hollywood than in Alaska, but materials will be similar, so as long as you have the land there won't be a terrible price difference whether you build it in the armpit of main or next to some celebrity tramp in Malibu.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
You bet.

 

[ultimatebob]

Where I live, you couldn't buy a shack in the woods for $150,000. Seriously.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Where I live, you couldn't buy a shack in the woods for $150,000. Seriously.

Not "buy", "build".

 

[Scouzer]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Where I live, you couldn't buy a shack in the woods for $150,000. Seriously.

Ouch. My house built in '94 up here in Canuckistan 1000sqft 3 bedroom 2 bathrooms (One only has a shower stall...not sure of proper term).

Bought in '99 for $80k US.


Judging by that... it seems building a fair amount bigger house for $150k should be quite possible.

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Where I live, you couldn't buy a shack in the woods for $150,000. Seriously.

Not "buy", "build".

Nope, still couldn't do it. Land around here is worth around 1 to 1.5 million dollars an acre. It's truly insane.