I looked for a house for over six months before I found a realtor. When I told him my price range, he said "But you were pre-approved for more." I wanted a smaller, older home on a big lot in a non-scary neighborhood. Because I was only relocating 1 1/2 hours away, I had been up a lot looking around. When I started working with him, the first house I looked at turned out to be the one I bought. It had zero curb appeal but was otherwise perfect. The front looks a lot better now with a lot of landscaping! He did remark he had tried to show this home many times before but everyone had turned it down due to being really ugly at first glance. Also, turned out the realtor used to live on the next block and only moved because he needed more space. So anyway, maybe look at some ugly houses! BTW, this house was in great shape and really well-maintained. I just had to move in!

I just googled Greenville, SC and looked at realtor.com and Zillow really quickly. I put in 150-200 price range, but quite a few house came up below 200.

I of course don't know the neighborhoods, what are the safe areas?

I remember you- long time, no see! I live in the Greenville area, too, and I built the house we wanted, as not much else was available. We would have liked an old house, but out in the country. The old houses out here are far and few between, and poorly built. We're near retirement, and built a one bedroom (!) house of around 1400 square feet. We wanted a reasonable sized house on rural property, and very energy efficient to keep costs down once we are on a fixed income. Good luck!

I do remember you. Good to see your post and I do hope you find your dream home or at least a home you can make into your dream home.

You really pay to live in the safer neighborhoods here. $150 to $200 per square foot (and up) for the closer in, nicer neighborhoods. If that wasn't bad enough those nicer, older neighborhoods are all larger homes. It's just me so I don't want to heat, cool, furnish and pay taxes on a house twice as large as I need. I'm 55, pushing 56 so I need to get this house paid off as soon as possible. I can do that in the $175,000 range but doing that in the $300,000 range is out of the question and I don't want to continue working until I'm 90. I can find more options, still larger than I want, if I go "further out" but I work downtown and the rush hour traffic (morning & evening) here is insane with some of the worst, most aggressive drivers I have ever seen so I really don't want to live "further out". Again, given the reasons I stated before I have a hard time believing there isn't more demand and more availability for the type home I'm looking for. All in all it's a daunting task.

Maybe consider a townhouse or condo? As a single middle aged man, it might make more sense to be in town?

I just looked on Zillow and there are many nice move in ready townhouses. All under 150,000. I am not sure why you are having difficulty finding something.

From what I see around here, the traffic really depends upon the direction you go. I-85 seems to have an accident every day, and I-385 isn't much better. We live north; even north of Travelers Rest. My wife works down town, and her 17 mile commute takes right at 1/2 hour. Compared to where we lived in FL, it's an easy ride.

Most divorced men find they prefer living in a rental apt, not a house. They rarely have time for house maintenance and lawn care as they work very long hours Throw in child visitation and perhaps a tiny bit of social life, and a rental apt is the way to go.

Mushcreek, I looked in the TR area with a Realtor. While I liked the topography better on that side of town I have reservations about the commute. It's not so much the time/distance as the drivers who think anything larger than one and a half car lengths between you and the car in front of you belongs to them. Everything the Realtor showed me over there was vinyl wrapped "starter homes", low on the fit and finish scale and built by production builders with very, very short driveways, like barely one car length. Not sure my Silverado would fit between the garage door and the road. Townhouse or condo has association fees, regime fees, condo fees, whatever that never stop so you never truly get one of those paid off. Yes I'm divorced but the kids are 18 and 22 now so no more weekly visitation although I would welcome that so plenty of time for a small yard. If I'm willing to ditch the brick, increase the size to 1,800 sf and play Mad Max out on 385 during my daily commute then the problem is solved. Gotta pick my poison I suppose.

The mindset that small=cheap is fairly prevalent everywhere I've lived, unless you can find a funky old cottage somewhere. There are some small houses out here, but it's likely too far out. A small brick ranch just sold for $110K nearby, but I expect it was a fixer-upper. Being out in a rural area has it pros and cons, but I find the peace and quiet to be worth the added travel. Once you get north of TR, traffic really thins out. I'm not in a subdivision, of course. Most of the 'neighborhood' is mobile homes, and folks are rather poor (but nice). Not everyone's cup of tea.

thinking ahead to costs when you're on a fixed income is very wise. The costs won't go down, only up, so have as few as possible.

something will turn up hopefully that will 'fit' you.

keep us posted on your 'adventure'.

Columbia- NO!! You are NOT the only one! I am also in Fl, only been here two years but do not like the horrid heat (came from Cody, WY), and hate alligators! I want ~800-1,000ft2 house. Would like Ashville area but that would be $300k..... Greenville has a pretty bad crime statistic, IMHO, as does most of FL. Maybe I was just spoiled with low petty crime in Cody. I already have houseplans. But do not want to be as you found- an expensive shack with security bars...... Keep in touch with how you make out, plz.

No, you are not alone. I am also looking, my ideal house would have 2BR, 1BA, in a nice, safe, neighborhood.

ColumbiaSC - Have you tried Easley, Simpsonville or Mauldin? They're all 10-20 minutes from downtown Greenville. Nice areas with, I think, the kind of houses you're looking for. Here's an example in Mauldin I found on Trulia. Good luck! https://www.trulia.com/property/3254882072-120-Hyde-Cir-Mauldin-SC-29662#photo-1

Darling house shown. Kitchen is pure 1950's. Love it. Probably because it is my era. I would try to preserve this kitchen as is. Other than maybe the counters are worn. Hard to tell from a photo. Wiring might be a nightmare. But I am not an electrician so maybe it is fine.I think they worded the lot size wrong as .43 is almost half an acre not almost an acre. Still it is really cute house and appears affordable. Is the painting splotches on the walls in the basement trying to seal it up from moisture seeping in? Hardwood floors are lovely.

Trying to find a MUCH cheaper house just because you are willing to buy a small house certainly doesn't work around here. My house in SoCal is a massive fixer but in a nice neighborhood. At 3,000 sq ft, it is worth about $800K. I'm doing all the work myself but if you paid someone to do the $300K in work it needs, it would be worth $900K when you were done. The few 1,800 sq ft massive fixers with hopelessly outdated floor plans and no curb appeal are still $650K and sell in days. You are paying most of the price for the neighborhood, NOT the house.

Don't feel bad since around here a small older condo in a decent neighborhood is still $350K and the HOA fee is $300 per month.

Seems paychecks don't keep up with COLA! At least not for nurses... No, I have not looked in those areas, thanks. Will do so. The little ranch is not my style at all. Will try to attach a 'style' pic!

nice modern.

I knew a fellow years ago who had something like that. He took two pieces of a modular home and separated them maybe by 15 or 20 feet. One also projected further forward. Then he had a roof and end walls built between the two modules, very like that in your picture. It was a very nice home, didn't look at all modular and I think it was very economical compared to a new build. Unless he inherited money his was not a highly paid position.

Sorry ssauer, I should have specified, my post was directed to columbiasc, the original poster, who said he was looking for a smaller, older brick house in or near Greenville.

Stringweaver- that is EXACTLY what I want to do- a 'modern dogtrot'!! I want kitchen/den/1/2 bath/laundry/storage in main area, then bedroom/bath about 30' away, connected by a screened lanai. Only particularly 'yard' would be within the lanai- a few roses, patio, large modern cement pavers, a swing/BBQ... The area outside the lanai would be 'natural'. I have been drawing ideas for 15 years!! Very MCM, yet based on the old south dogtrot. I wonder if starting with a metal building/windows may be feasible. Concrete floors. I heated with wood in Cody, Wyoming for almost 20 years until 2015. A mild climate like NC, FL will be a piece of cake! Mini split will be fine. Fireplace/woodstove in case electric outage. I was a happy camper when pwer went out in WY- I had more 'company' then because my house was warm and I could cook on the woodstove! Your friend thinks like me!

Love the humour (Canadian spelling) in your writing. Don't discount the condo/townhouse option. My husband and I, on-and-off empty-nesters, recently moved into a 1,100-sf 100-year-old semidetached home (essentially a townhouse) in our favourite part of Toronto. I love it! Haven't given our previous home a passing thought. It's true we can no longer serve dinner for 15, but how often did we do that before? IMO it's all about location.

I just bought in Inman, sc last year. It's a bungalow /cottage type. No basement. I have to say I can relate to all the decisions about a house. Big, small, old, new,.... Cheap, expensive. Big or small yard.... Quiet or not so quiet. So many things to think over.

But in the end we went with 1000 sq feet on one acre and the most important thing for me is that you can hear a pin drop all day and night... Chirping birds are our biggest complaint lol

Wow! Good for you guys!

I do not know why the realtors are telling you that you can night find a brick house near DT for around 200,000. Look into the Wade Hampton area near Bob Jones University. The Taylors area off of Wade Hampton Blvd is less than 10 minutes from DT. Also, off of Rutherford Rd. There is a neighborhood called Croftstone which you can still find a brick ranch style home under 200,000. It is only 2 miles from DT.

The North Main area is very expensive and buyers do get into bidding wars.

I did a quick search and a brick ranch 3 bedroom, 2 bath sold in the Croftstone neighborhood a few months ago for 182,000.

I made a bad decision this year and went to Florida for a man.... didn't work out, but didn't realize the WHOLE story till my house sold. As my name suggests, I am in Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma. It is still affordable here.

Now I had to find a new to me house, without spending much more than I had. Well, I barely pulled it off. 104,000.00! 3 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 car garage attached and all in a nicer neighborhood than where I was prior.

Drawback: it took all the money I had. It isn't quite as nice as it looked. It is almost starting to look like a money pit. Good thing I can and do a lot myself.

But it is paid for.

That is why I came back. No way would I have been able to stay in Florida or many other states for that matter; for that amount of money, and affording food and all on my limited income.

It really is all about location and compromise.

I wish you luck!

Moni