I am not a fan of magazines and online sites that tout the best states to live. Those best cities to live rankings are only slightly more helpful, especially if the cities are on the small side and comprise only one or two zip codes. Sure, these lists are fun to read, and I have referred to them often here and in our free monthly newsletter, Home On The Course, but if you are considering plunking down a few hundred thousand dollars for a home, more concentrated research is advised.
Once such source for that kind of research is USA.com, where you can find all kinds of census-related information down to the zip code level. The data includes average housing costs, population information, including how fast the area is growing, crime statistics, income, school information and the climate, including its effects on heating and air conditioning usage.
However, even after comparing two communities you are considering in two different areas, your choice may still come down to a lot of personal preference and a little bit of gut instinct. The quality of the data is only as good as those posting it on the web site; for example, in looking at the data for Salem, SC, the home of the golf community Keowee Key, I found that the population of Salem was indicated as just 126. The population of Keowee Key alone is more than 1,000. Such a discrepancy may not be important to most of us, but it does point to the need for caution in “trusting the numbers.”
With a little caution, though, USA.com can offer guidance to those for whom no detail is too unimportant.
Winter view at Keowee Key in Salem, SC
For cities popular with retirees, such as Naples, FL, the recession of 2008 came for a five-year visit, but a solid recovery may have arrived to stay. Naples prices that were inflated before the crash have now recovered back to their formerly lofty levels.
A few other areas popular with retirees have not been so lucky, and they may represent significant buying opportunities for bargain hunters. According to Money magazine’s list of “10 Cities Where the Housing Crash Still Looms Largest,” the vast majority of homes in the Las Vegas, Tucson, Ft. Lauderdale and Daytona Beach metro areas have not reached pre-recession levels. In Las Vegas, for example, peak home values in the mid-2000s soared to over $306,000, but today’s current average home value is below $215,000.
These are all warm weather venues, except for a winter month or two in Vegas, featuring plenty of terrific golf communities whose home values are figured into the overall calculations. I did a quick scan of some properties for sale in Las Vegas area golf communities and fit didn't take long to find one nice looking single-family home of 3,134 square feet priced at barely more than $100 per square foot ($329,900 to be exact). Located in the gated community known as San Niccolo, it features 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and is located beside the Southern Highlands Golf Club south of the city and its famed strip. It may be an extreme example of bargains in Las Vegas, but finding other bargains in the area should be less than a roll of the dice.
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