Buying a house in not the best area.

amother

Wed, Sep 10 2008, 5:08 pm

Would you buy a house that was in a working class predominantly black area, but literally 6 short blocks away from a jewish neighborhood and 7 blocks from two different shuls?

I work with a latino police officer who is retiring and moving out of state. He wants to sell his house so badly, and we happen to be looking now but are on a very tight budget. His house is completely redone, a gorgeous kitchen, full finished basement, and he's only asking 369,000. He told me if we purchase it he can go down to about $350. A two bedroom condo in the jewish area is about the same price, plus maintenance.

I haven't told my husband yet, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to live in a black area (he's racist to begin with.) I'm torn, because no one wants to be a minority, but it's a relatively safe area with teachers and firemen and police men as neighbors. And it's less than a 10 minute walk to kosher food and shuls so in the long run, the hood might turn even more jewish and prices might go up, but that's a gamble.

For anyone in Brooklyn, the house is on avenue M in the east 50s.

What are your thoughts?

red sea

Wed, Sep 10 2008, 6:44 pm

Its really whether both of you are willing to. I think the 30's happened one - 2 blocks at a time, jumping out 7 blocks (or more) past any frum families is really s/t to do only if both of you really want it. The housing prices are still falling.

OldYoung

Wed, Sep 10 2008, 6:46 pm

Would your husband feel comfortable walking home from shul alone at night? I second checking out crime rate. If the neighbors are calm and harmless, that's one thing. But I would be very careful.

Tamiri

Thu, Sep 11 2008, 1:27 am

I would not rush to buy anything now because of the falling prices. Get someone who "knows" to come look at the house and give an estimate of what it's really worth. If the neighborhood is okay, you can be the first ones in, then others will probably follow. It's a brave thing to do but can pay off nicely in the end.
Good luck.

catonmylap

Thu, Sep 11 2008, 2:03 am

No. I'd stay away from it. It's not fun growing up living away from your friends.

I grew up in a house that was between 2 Jewish areas. The area we were in never really filled in. One of the other 2 areas also completely died Jewishly. When I was in 12th grade we moved. My siblings and I advised my parents to stay away from the house that was a little bit on the outskirts and took the more centrally located one(which had a pool). Well, it all filled in around both houses. But the farther out house that had a gorgeous view of trees no longer does because they built houses there. There are like frum people in every house now in both areas.

1-You can't predict how Jewish families are going to move.
2-it's no fun to be the kid who lives far out
3-safety issues (you are talking about a less safe area)

STovah

Thu, Sep 11 2008, 9:50 am

I wouldn't - while the eventual probability is that frum people will move across Flatbush avenue, there are so many houses for sale now in the 30's (Marine Park and across Kings Highway through I), and prices keep coming down on those houses. In my opinion, the expansion across Flatbush avenue is not hapening in the next 3-5 years.

Ruchel

Thu, Sep 11 2008, 10:42 am

6 blocks away isn't far out!! 1 hour walk, THAT is far out!

I would be concerned about safety. Apart from that, aren't most heavily frum communities in not so great areas due to lack of money anyway?
If it's secure, why not.