<p><a href=“Looking for a cheap house? There are plenty of them being auctioned in Newark (PHOTOS) - nj.com”>Looking for a cheap house? There are plenty of them being auctioned in Newark (PHOTOS) - nj.com;
<p>I think there are some cheap houses in Detroit</p>
<p>The trick is to find a location with good ration of salary to housing costs. Ideally it would be an area with variety of jobs, not a “one company town”. </p>
<p>Omaha and Des Moines are nice–if you don’t mind the winters. </p>
<p>Every young couple around us (including ours) just live where they find the jobs.<br>
Nobody can afford moving without having a job offer (young or old).<br>
So, any area is good as long as couple have jobs there. Nothing else is a factor around here. </p>
<p>"I think there are some cheap houses in Detroit "
-There are houses for $1 (yes, one dollar) in Detroit as well as in Spain, Europe.
If couple can live without working or feel that they can obtain employment easily at any place, then sky is a limit. </p>
<p>HGTV Rehab Addict Nicole lives in Minneapolis and buys houses for $1. I’m not sure what the neighborhood are like. </p>
<p>There are reasons you can get cheap houses in Newark. No one wants to live there and the schools are bad. </p>
<p>I agree that the job comes before the house. Also, young couples really need to consider the quality of the public schools, how their beliefs fit in with the dominant religious culture (eg liberals will not enjoy Bible Belt areas) and other factors. No house is worth it if you are unhappy with your neighbors, jobs or schools.</p>
<p>Did the OP tell us what the couple will be doing for a LIVING? They can’t just live in Podunk and fix up a home…they have to earn a living.</p>
<p>What is their career goal? If teaching, they can do that most anywhere. But if it’s more specialized then they have to live where the jobs are. </p>
<p>Yes, their living is architecture. This is just a casting wide net for Mom’s (me) curiosity, but I understand the concern about jobs…</p>
<p>If you don’t mind living in Illinois, you can find many homes in northwest Illinois for under $80,000 and less.</p>
<p>^^Rockford, IL, has some real beauties. But the school situation makes it a tough sell for those with kiddo’s. Empty nesters, like my husband and me, on the other hand, can find some real bargains there. </p>
<p>Plus, if the going rate for houses is $100K, you are not going to be able to do interesting or exciting renovations and you are not going to be make much profit on a flip. </p>