The Oil City Photo Trip - You can ride shotgun (Bridgeport: coupons, renting)

[tallrick]

Well Miami residents don't allow trees anyway, and here in Key Largo the trees often are looking dead due to the low rainfall. I need to drive around and get some pics of the Miami people actually live in. That's not a pretty place for sure, and even in Oil City you don't see cars parked in the front yard on the grass like in Miami, assuming there is any grass left in Miami. It's a dry, dusty desert right now!

[mystree]

So where's the bowling alley?

oil city itself doesn't have one but the surrounding towns do,franklin,cranberry and titusviile. Approximately 15 mins to any one of these.

[Cosmic]

I would still have questions what it would be like to live in Oil City.

The one big area NAH is super messed up on is what it is like to buy a house that requires rehab anywhere. Whole different ball game today.

It depends on an area having enough price appreciation to make the project finally be economically viable in most cases. You usually never are able to do it where you can get out equal if you had to turn around and sell it the day after the rehab is done. You also need a good support base where you can buy the necessary materials at something like contractor wholesale pricing. Can't pay retail.

That support system is probably down in Pittsburgh somewhere. So you have to pay your dues and learn a big city area as well. Plus may need a truck, in addition to the car he doesn't yet have.

You can buy houses in move in condition. I doubt they are cheap. Those streets on the top of the hill have some new and good quality houses, also probably some over on the south side. Probably the same deal as in many places, the better housing sells at a premium.

Some houses have a fair level of rehab, question being in the details of how they did it, what were the economics of the situation? What are the rules and regs, how are thing enforced? Oil City does not appear to be the type place that has much building supplies support for either rehab, repair or new construction. Many smaller towns can be extremely predatory with pricing for those type materials, if available at all.

I never thought he had much of a game plan. Some of the ideas are a form of suicide. He is attempting to come from a different region / culture and is a total novice and apply some half cracked theory, a deadly combination. I did check that Realtor(dot)com by using Woodsfield. Eleven houses listed. More than half are probably bogus, troll type listings. No broker listed with the MLS#, or it is an auction house with something that has been rolled around in many variations, or is some screwball deal where some local is posing as an agent for like REMAX. Only the listings with local known brokers count, even those might be a bit suspect. It is not the reference source he believes it to be. You must understand any town within the context of how they play the real estate game.

So I doubt one trip answered everything. More like the opener to a long process if one wanted to pursue the issues.

Those super cheap houses he talks about are probably like everywhere else, super over priced for their condition. Generally they are worth just the lot price plus a wee bit more. Rough idea is 25 - 30% of the asking price. Many of those in Oil City fail the smell test just on location. Horrible location, horrible view, you could rehab it into a mansion, still would be nice place in a horrible location. You have to tear that entire section of town down and start completely over, a complete redesign, urban renewal type deal.

Oil City may be a nice place to live. But I think you have to know why you want to be there. I doubt it is the place to go for a perfect house at a give away price. Oil City may have a bright future and morph into a very desirable place but I doubt with folks like NAH moving there looking for the deals of the century. The newcomers will have the money to pay the freight to it right. Many smaller towns in the USA will have come backs, each will probably have its own characteristics how it gets done.

[Blaine]

I can't remember when I read a thread and laughed so hard. I loved every minute of it!
Forget the Alaskan vacation. Next year, Im vaca'ing in Fab Oil City! Heaven's only 2 hours from my new town in WVA!

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by Blaine

I can't remember when I read a thread and laughed so hard. I loved every minute of it!
Forget the Alaskan vacation. Next year, Im vaca'ing in Fab Oil City! Heaven's only 2 hours from my new town in WVA!

West Virginia is also nice, could very well find an "Oil City" in that state. A nice WV city/town I would consider settling in. What town are you in? How cheap are houses? How much shopping is there? How safe is it?

[Blaine]

I already found my "Oil City". Its called Fairmont, West Virginia. I got my house for a song, but know that I will be waist deep in rehabs for the next couple of years to get it up to par.
I can tell you, as one person moving into what you're looking at...you cant go in with delusions of grandeur...houses like you're looking to take serious work and commitment. Its an uphill battle to work towards something you can be truly proud of in the end. You have to go into it with your eyes open, not just blinded by a low housing pricetag.
Anyway, enough of that...if you're actually interested, Fairmont looks almost identical to your Oil City, but it's close to Morgantown and WVU, so it has decent shopping, and some places to eat without having to drive up down and all around to find it. (as a side note to Cosmic, the hunt for chow was a personal favorite part of your saga. You made my night, and I thank you for that!!)

[Need_affordable_home]

What kind of problems does your house have? Is your house still livable? What if you put off on the repairs? How much is rehab costs? I am still trying to decide if a $15k house that needs repairs is worth it over a perfect $50k house.

[OvertaxedOnLI]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

I am still trying to decide if a $15k house that needs repairs is worth it over a perfect $50k house.

How do you define "perfect"?

[joee]

Beautiful place up there in fairmont isn't blaine

[Blaine]

The trouble that you're not seeing, is that there is no such thing as a perfect 50K house, my friend. It may seem like it at the time...but I assure you, it isn't happening. I dont want to bust your bubble, but anything that low is going to need some form of work.
Anyway, as Cosmic stated before, my house was bought basically for the shell and the land of it...plus a killer view. Nope, it's not livable. Not by a long shot, but with the work Im putting into it will make it worth it in the end.
Rehab costs are all relative. What I pay will not be what you pay, or what my neighbor pays. It all depends on what you're looking and willing to invest vs. what your NEED to invest. Im good friends with some contractors, and using the opportunity to cash in some owe-you-ones. Also, every house needs diff. things. There's no real set guideline that a rehab will cost
Rehabbing takes a lot of commitment and money to burn, basically. Im selling my home in Baltimore, and using the equity made to purchase and rehab an older place.
Also know that home inspection in WV are noted to be very leniant, so even going off the words of a professional isnt all you'd think it to be.
It's a big jump...just dont put all the eggs in one basket, and keep your eyes open, ok?

Yup, it's gorgeous Joee...Im a nature buff, and just one look at those mountains and I was a goner. It is definately gorgeous out there!