Why home prices in Texas including Dallas and Houston are so cheap compared with the national average?
345347
All depends on supply and demand. For instance the demand to live in Texas is not as high compared to those who live in California Bay Area due to it's climate, job growth, and other options.
338877
Lots of decent places in USA to do that. Most of them are in economically depressed rural America. Heck, I am in Nebraska and there are places where you can buy Huge houses on Acreages for under $50,000. There are not any jobs there unless you are a farmer...but the property is cheap!
1174408
I moved to Reno from Texas!  The crime rate is significantly less than in Texas.  You turn on the news in Texas, and they tell you so many people have been shot and robbed, etc.  You turn on the news in Reno and they tell you that not as many people are buying bread this year as last.  It's interesting.  Sun Valley (a "suburb" of Reno) has the highest crime rate in the area.  It's still a low percentage though.  The lowest crime rate is in South Reno, which is mostly upper income people and retirees from California.  The median rent is between $600-$1200 for apartments.
862604
Here is a very good (and recent) article in the FT about house prices: http://www.johnkay.com/in_action/468\nAccording to John Kay, we are not currently in a bubble in the UK because most people who currently buy are planning to live in their house (i.e. speculators who intend to make short term profits represent a small part of the overall market). \nMoreover, his opinion is that prices in cities like London reflect the location rather than the accommodation itself, and since location is a scarce resource, there is no reason why prices for houses in the most demanded location should fall.\nHope this helps!
115300
It is about the same as it is here. In some places it is actually higher. I see alot of people "filling up" in the US from Mexico all the time. But I've heard that it's not so much because of the price difference, its because the quality is better.
114010
I went back and read your question.  Where are you coming from?  The cheapest way to move anywhere is to drive.  Rent a u'haul truck, tow your car, and just drive.  What part of Texas are you moving to?  I'm from Texas.  Good luck
36614
Texas has one of the lowest cost of living indices.  Of course, some regions of Texas are lower (and higher) than others.  Generally, the "Valley" region is likely one of the lowest within Texas, ie, close to the border in the Brownsville area.
175059
try this site for house to rent in the houston area. They do have agents but aleast you can take a look inside the house without having to hear all the sales talk from the agents
664205
Houston has:\n78% more murders than the rest of the Country.\n146% more robberies than the rest of the Country.\n156% more arson than the rest of the Country.\n\nThe list goes on and on...
311137
I lived in Texas for 18 years (14 in Dallas, 4 in Houston).  For the last 3 years, I've lived in San Francisco.  Here are some contrasts I've noticed:\n\n1) Prices.  Texas is dirt-cheap, especially for real estate and gas.  California will suck money out of you whether you're renting an apartment or buying a house.  I bought gas yesterday for $3.40 / gallon.  \n\n2) Traffic.  The traffic I've experienced in San Fran and LA is worse than anything I've experienced in Dallas or Houston.  \n\n3) Weather.  Here, California beats the pants off Texas.  Mild weather in the Bay Area, great weather along the coasts and such.  I left the 110-degree summers in Texas.\n\n4) Liberal / Conservative balance.  California and Texas, two very opposite states.  'Nuf said.\n\nThis is just a comparison between the big cities in California and those in Texas - both states are large enough to have a lot of variance in living conditions throughout.  I guess it all depends where in California you'd like to live.\n\nBottom line: I'll be here in California for a few more years.  I'll live in a tiny shack and spend half my salary on gas for a small car, but will play outside year-round while my friends in Texas sit inside by the air conditioner this summer.
1058921
A buyer's market?? I think it depends on the housing market you are in. In some markets, sales are still going strong, while in others, there is more inventory on the market than willing and able buyers. So I would say it depends on the market It appears you are in Dallas Tx, I think Dallas is at an equilibrium right now, but what I would do would be to do what a buyer does when they are about to buy a house and look at CMA - comparable market analysis to see what similar homes sold for, I would also look at what similar homes currently on the market are selling for. In doing this, I would see how my property stacks against those currently on the market, price per sq ft of my property to the others. I would also do an  add/subtract on price with other properties. So if I have a pool and the current market cost of putting in a pool is 60K, then to compare my property to others, I would take that out of my cost. Finally I would look at the days on market for each of the homes currently on the market. Based on the information uncovered, then determine if its a buyer or sellers market. Hope this helps and best wishes with your home sale if you decide to go ahead with it.
983172
Property prices are no different than anything else. It is the changes in the supply and demand.  There are many reason these change;  interest rates, population growth in the particular area, number of homes / apartments available, the price differences between existing homes and new homes, the relative costs to operate or live in 1 area vs another, quality of the school districts, etc.  \nPrices can go up and prices can go down.
555753
Due to burst.  Real estate in way too many areas is way overpriced, most of it driven by Baby Boomer c**ksuckers who are buying up second homes and overinflating prices.\n\nAs the Boomers retire, they're going to figure out that without viable buyers for their pieces of crap, the prices are going to drop.
239220
I would say the Dallas area rather than just Dallas. In the suburbs south of Dallas, you can find some really good deals on homes. Not in the city limits. South Dallas is a high crime, but in the south part of Duncanville or in the Cedar Hill/Desoto areas.\n\nIt's way cheaper than north Dallas area and you still have good access to downtown.
254487
Have you looked at Albuquerque, NM ?\nTexas price might seem to be lower but property and school taxes add up big time.
57108
I can't answer specifically about the Texas real estate market, but I can speak about loans in general. Debt is not intrinsically bad, but it is very easy to misuse.\n\nThe short answer: if you are not going to invest the money you would have on hand if you took a loan, just pay cash. If you are savvy enough to calculate the cost of the loan, and weigh that cost against other investments, you might want to take the loan. (To the point of the above answers, you have to be very honest with yourself about your investment savvy... if you really know what you're doing and are highly confident about your return, that's one thing, but if your investment strategy involves undiversified risk, don't do it.)\n\nLong answer below...\n\nWhen you buy a home, it is really an investment. Ideally, the price of the home will go up, so you can eventually sell it (or at least count it among your total net worth). So think of it as part of your investment portfolio.\n\nThere are then two things to consider: (1) do you want to diversify your portfolio so all of your money isn't sunk in the house, and you can spread it amongst other investments? (2) Will your non-house investments outperform your house, with the added handicap of the interest rate you're paying on the mortgage?\n\nThe actual calculations depend on the interest rate you're getting. Be especially careful if you are getting a variable rate mortgage, as interest rate increases could chnage your calculations. If you are getting a fixed, this is less dangerous, and you can even calculate the total cost of the loan quite simply.\n\nEdit: good point by the person below, they're correct in that tax considerations may be the biggest thing here. I'd vote for them.
532924
Texas is a state school that lives large off its endowments,and may be less expensve than some--its a great school--good luck