Why are homes in the USA - such as Florida - so cheap?

I live in the UK. When I see programmes about people thinking of buying houses in the USA I am amazed that houses in desirable areas such as Florida seem to be so cheap to buy. Big houses, small price.


There must be a catch somewhere, or Americans would buy up all the houses advertised at a bargain price.


All I can think of is that there expensive hidden charges, such as the cost of repairing the roads and footpaths outside the Florida homes. And high charges for other services, like water, gas, electricity, phones, as well as compulsory fees for maintaining individual gardens and communal grassed areas and flower beds.


I am sure that lots of people will be able to tell me whether it is cheap or expensive to live in Florida, once the house itself has been paid for.

Why are homes in the USA - such as Florida - so cheap?
Because some are made with cheap materials. Especially mobile homes, which many are not up to code, and can be destroyed by the storms we've been known to get here recently. Concrete Block or steel is possibly the best protection against severe weather.


Hurricanes and tornadoes are not fun, so if your home needs to be improved, there are mere days before the next big storm is scheduled to hit!! ( A weatherman friend had informed me that something is coming across FL very soon.)





Houses here in FL range anything from $150K to $1.2 million. Most of the new homes built in my county average $250-$450K. That is not cheap to me. $60K-$90K is cheap, but those homes are around 15-20 years old or more, and just need much remodeling done to upgrade them. There are some developers slashing prices or including more amneties with the home, such as throwing in a free car or motorcycle with purchase. Or adding on more appliances or increasing space in a room, such as using a built-in for storage, etc.








With all the new houses and neighborhoods going up, and the retail centers, etc, and the current drought conditions, we are having a TIME trying to find water and utilities for residents here, and there are sinkholes and other issues in spots, and all the weather craziness(like hurricane season and our recent wildfire frenzy)....so that is the problem, as well as FL homeowners insurance, and such. I wish we could catch a break soon, or else I want to move out of here!
Reply:I think it depends on where you live in Florida.





Some areas have higher real estate prices, more expensive restaurants and stores (including premium pricing on groceries and gasoline), higher real estate taxes and real property insurance - particularly for flood and windstorm insurance.





These pricier areas tend to be along Florida's shorelines. So many people dream of living on the beach someday, but not every one can afford the price tag.





Inland, things are more affordable - but there's no beach, and you may be a far drive from a full slate of cultural and entertainment options.





There are still a few bargains left in Florida, if you are a beach baby, and want to be near the exciting stuff.





Consider Venice, on the Gulf of Mexico, only 15 minutes south of Sarasota, 1 hour from Tampa, 2 hours from Orlando, and so on.





Check out www.searchforvenice.com for more information and pictures on the area, and links to community resources - plus a search engine for real estate that doesn't require registration.





There are certainly some wonderful opportunities right now, in all price ranges, and all lifestyles (condo on the water? golf course community? maintenance free villa? country club living? boat in the backyard? pool home near the beach?).





Best wishes and good luck!
Reply:The housing market in Florida is extremely depressed right now and that drives prices through the floor.
Reply:I am in California, we do not think of houses as "cheap" here, they average about $650,000 for a modest home, and that is actually down some. The rest of the country must be a lot cheaper. Hawaii is high but not as high as this.
Reply:The first thing most Europeans forget about the US: Lots of land! The state of Florida is larger than Ireland, so we're talking lots of open land, most of it privately owned so there's no significant restriction on building. Cheap land helps keep house prices down.





Then again cheap is all relative; there's a huge swing in property prices depending on what part of Florida you live in. Miami Beach is not cheap, even by London standards. There's also huge difference in the job markets; good paying jobs are scarce in some parts of Florida, which also keeps a lid on property prices. Florida has no income tax, so they pay higher property taxes and sales taxes. Insurance is outrageous but beyond that, what you see is what you get.





Sell your UK place and retire to the USA! You can tell us how bad our beer tastes, locals will dig your accent and we'll all think you're cool.
Reply:It is expensive to live in Florida. Once you buy the house you have outrageous property tax as well as high insurance rates due to the hurricanes.