What can you buy for around $100,000?
Photo courtesy of Zillow
Despite all the talk of vanishing affordability across the country, there are still a lot of bargain prices on homes across the country.
For $100,000, you can get antique hardwood floors and a finished basement in Huntington, West Virginia. In the Bronx, it'll buy you 720 square feet and some windows. In Charlotte, North Carolina, you can buy a two-bedroom contemporary home with a covered patio.
Of course, "buyer beware" always applies. If you're looking at a property priced well below average, make sure you know why. It could be a steal, or it could be a money pit.
Here are some listings we found on Zillow for around $100,000 in cities all over the U.S.
"What Can You Buy" is a series that looks at what type of house and amenities you can get at particular price points in various locations across the U.S. Be sure to check out a few of the other posts in the series: What can you buy for around $300,000?, What can you buy for $40,000?, What can you buy for $25,000 (or less)?
Dallas
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This three-bedroom, two-bathroom, traditional home in the Burton Terrace neighborhood of Dallas went on the market for $100,000 this month. It was last purchased in July at a foreclosure auction for a mere $48,025. The property features lots of yard space, ample storage, a fireplace, two-car garage and covered patio. It has been updated significantly with new lighting, plumbing, kitchen counters and appliances, carpeting and a fresh coat of paint.
The property's valuation is slightly below the median $112,300 home value in the Dallas metro area. It's also below the median value for Burton Terrace, which was $111,899 as of August 27. In contrast, the median home value in Dallas' Bluffview neighborhood is listed at $355,800.
Jacksonville, Florida
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If you have $100,000 and want to live in the Arlington Hills area of Jacksonville, Florida, you can buy this two-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse. It has tall ceilings, one-car garage, fireplace and large backyard deck area. The home's value has dropped since it was last sold in July 2005 for $122,000.
This home's price point is just below the $119,500 median value for Jacksonville and the $104,500 median value for its neighborhood. Jacksonville real estate values may have gone up 10 percent overall in the last year, but that doesn't mean homes aren't still super cheap: In the New Town area, the median home value is $39,900.
Chicago
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For $100,000, you can buy this one-bedroom, one-bathroom lakefront condo in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. It has a patio, parking, public transportation access and a laundry room and elevator in the building. Its value hasn't changed much since August 2000 when it sold for $106,000.
The Chicago housing market is sluggish right now. Zillow predicts that following a period of minor growth -- 3.4 percent in the last year compared to San Francisco's 13.8 percent -- the city's home values will fall by 0.7 percent by 2015. This property is priced under the median home value for Chicago, which is currently $181,200, as well as the $139,500 median value for Rogers Park.
Huntington, West Virginia
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This three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in the Highlawn area of Huntington, West Virginia, went on the market for $100,000 at the end of last month. It features the original hardwood floors from when it was built in 1900, a fireplace, finished basement, new roof and sizable yard.
A house this size would typically cost $151,554 in Huntington, according to Zillow. The price of this property is also lower than Huntington's median home value of $120,000.
St. Louis
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In St. Louis, $100,000 can buy you this three-bedroom, two-bathroom, historic home that went on the market in April for $119,000. The South City property has a partially finished basement, an outdoor storage shed and deck and hardwood flooring on the lower levels. Recent updates include new stainless steel kitchen appliances, a renovated bathroom and clean landscaping.
The price of this home is actually a little higher than St. Louis' median home value at $93,400. Zillow predicts that the St. Louis real estate prices will start to rise from their "cool" status in the next year, but only slightly at 0.2 percent.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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This three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in the Oak Manor subdivision of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is priced lower than average. The $100,000 corner lot property features a kitchen buffet area, open floor plan, large backyard and playfully bright interior wall paint. It last sold in May 2001 for $79,900.
On WalletHub's 2014 list of the Best and Worst Cities for First-time Homebuyers, Louisiana's capital ranked lowest in the state based on its housing market, home affordability and "community environment." However, the same study also found that Baton Rouge had some of the lowest real estate taxes in the country. Still, this home may be appealing to a first-time buyer since it's priced lower than the median $179,900 and is located near a growing jobs market.
Phoenix
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This three-bedroom, one-bathroom ranch house in the Maryvale neighborhood of Phoenix went on the market for $100,000 last month, before being recently reduced to $97,500. The property has an updated kitchen, brick-paved outdoor patio and 1,000 square feet of floor space. The owners are hoping to get a lot more for it than they paid in September 2011, when the home was sold for $27,200.
In a city where Zillow says homes have a 22.2 percent chance of losing value, this remodeled property shows a lot of promise. Its price is lower than the median $164,200 home value in Phoenix.
Cincinnati, Ohio
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For $100,000, you can buy this three-bedroom, 2.5-bathoom brick house close to the hip Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It features built-in cherry cabinetry, a cozy side porch, hardwood floors, a one-car garage and lots of storage. The home's current listing price is lower than its sale prices in both October 2001 at $109,000 and August 2008 at $111,000.
Cincinnati has one of the most affordable for-sale and rental housing markets of any metro area in the country, according to Zillow. The company says most Cincinnatians only allot 11.4 percent of their income for a median-valued home, compared to people in San Francisco who spend 42.6 percent.
Charlotte, North Carolina
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This two-bedroom, two-bathroom contemporary home in Charlotte, North Carolina, went on the market for $100,000 in July. It has new carpeting, a covered patio, outdoor storage and a fixable but non-functioning fireplace. Its value has increased since it last sold in October 2004 for $90,000.
Charlotte's home prices are on the rise, but price increases are slow-going. Their median values have gone up 7.3 percent in the last year, and Zillow predicts another 3.3 percent increase by 2015. This house falls under the $153,100 median price in Charlotte.
Bronx, New York
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You'd be hard-pressed to find anything livable for $100,000 in Manhattan. But if the Jerome Park area of the Bronx will whet your big city appetite, you can buy this one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 1950s co-op. It has hardwood flooring, lots of natural light and 720 square feet of floor space.
For the area, this home is very inexpensive. In New York, the median co-op this size would cost around $365,040, according to Zillow.