https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 07:17:53 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing/page/2#post-996339 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 12:28:10 +0000 MsLipGloss 996339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: No. For many many reasons, no. (Resale, fluid population, future zoning issues, etc.) Also, keep in mind that because law enforcement is typically not welcome in a low-income neighborhood, crimes may not be reported as frequently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing/page/2#post-996305 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 12:18:27 +0000 lizzywiz 996305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: I say go for it. And if things in the neighborhood start to deteriorate (unlikely, but...), be part of the solution!<br /> You can make it the *perfect* neighborhood for you and your family by being active community members.</p> <p>full disclosure- I live in a not great part of town with people living on a low income/ welfare and for the most part, I LOVE my neighborhood/ street. We have block parties and garage sales and know each other better than many people in the suburbs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing/page/2#post-996258 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 12:07:05 +0000 MrsTiz 996258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure how the resale value will change..it's not like they're building the low income housing after you buy the house.. it's already there, so the house is listed appropriately to be next to low income housing. If it isn't ghetto or doesn't have a ton of activity I don't see the issue.</p> <p>I do agree that you should drive by in the evening, then again at night, once more on a Friday/Saturday night, and again in the middle of the day to see how the activity is </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing/page/2#post-996214 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:51:45 +0000 meganmp 996214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of my absolute, hands down, most favorite apartments ever that we lived in was right next to a homeless shelter. If it had been a) big enough and b) affordable, I would have absolutely, totally bought there. Sometimes, it doesn't matter what is next to you when you move in, the sh*t can always hit the fan afterwards. One of the worst places that my husband lived was in a very fancy area of Seattle- it just so happened that he had crazy, crazy neighbors. I would do as PP suggested- check it out at all hours of the day- early morning, dinner time, 10pm, etc. That will give you a better feel for what it is like. Low income housing does not necessarily equal bad neighbors, just as a fancy neighborhood does not always equal awesome neighbors. As for the resale value, you're thinking of buying it now, correct? So it can't be that bad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-996210 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:50:21 +0000 NovBaby1112 996210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: well, marblehead is a small town and has a very like community feel. DH's aunt lives there and it's one of those "everyone knows each other, leaves their doors unlocked" type place. This housing complex for low income families was put on the street, not sure what year/etc, but it is a few brick buildings. </p> <p>@MamaMoose: lol! that's what I am thinking too...but then again, I am a tad worried about resale value...lots of thinking to do!</p> <p>@PrincessBaby: omg! that's so scary! this area is def not bad like that, but i see what you mean</p> <p>Thank you so much everyone for your opinions!!! It is really helpful!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-996187 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:40:34 +0000 PrincessBaby 996187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Never. It seems like, aside from the safety issue, you would have issues with it's value increasing/resale, which is ultimately what you want to look at when buying a property. It's an investment, and for financial reasons, youwant to do what you can to make sure you get return on your investment when you sell it. Living across from a low income housing will always be a detriment to the value of that property.</p> <p>An ex of mine bought in an up and coming neighborhood a few blocks away from a less desirable area. The foot traffic in front of his house at all hours of the night was crazy (as they prob didn't have very many cars), and we never felt safe walking the dog. His next door neighbor was murdered in a robbery and he moved out at that point and it took him over a year to sell it. He would have had a tough time even w/o the murder, just bc of it's proximity to that area. The house was really nice, but I learned from his mistake and I'd never sign a mortgage on a property that had a very questionable location. Honestly, location is everything when it comes to real estate! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-996176 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:37:44 +0000 MamaMoose 996176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: I was going to tell you not to buy it until you said it's in Marblehead. I'm fairly certain there are no major drug deals going down in Marblehead! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-996153 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:30:20 +0000 LindsayInNY 996153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's throwing me off is the fact that you initially said "in a really great area"... So it sound like it WAS a great area until you learned about the neighboring property... How big is the housing building? It is one building or more than one? I don't think it would be a complete deal breaker for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995590 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 09:04:47 +0000 mlm2934 995590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would pass on it. We can't predict where life will be in 5 years, so even if it seemed like dream house and worth it now, I'd be scared of situation changing and having a hard time reselling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995572 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:59:26 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 995572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It would have to be THE house. And not because of the people but rather the property value of my house upon resale. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995504 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:43:41 +0000 avivoca 995504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would take the chance, but it would also depend on the overall neighborhood feel. I lived in low-income housing in my college town, but the property was well maintained, there was never any trouble, it was quiet, and if there were disabled vehicles, they weren't totally junky (my car was one of the disabled every now and then). The property values near us were very good.</p> <p>ETA: Just checked Zillow, and there are two houses on that street for sale for over $200,000. It's a nice area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995482 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:37:01 +0000 Mrsbells 995482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My prime concern would be the resale value. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995477 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:35:45 +0000 hilsy85 995477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We passed on a townhouse for basically the same reason...but thiswas in nyc and I did not at all feel comfortable next to this housing project, plus the neighborhood was still kind of up and coming. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995462 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:32:14 +0000 NovBaby1112 995462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sunshine1810: thank you!</p> <p>@mrs. wagon: thanks for sharing your experience!! wow, 20 people in a 1,000 sq ft apartment??? that is crazy! </p> <p>@Aimed: good idea!!! thank you!!!!</p> <p>@Leialou: yea, resale is a big factor we need to take into consideration. </p> <p>@mrs. wagon: we plan on totally lowballing if we decide to go for it! not by *too* much, but def need to make it worth our risk!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995439 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:26:41 +0000 bushelandapeck 995439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellobeeboston: oh nice! We will have to get together for a playdate sometime :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995438 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:26:40 +0000 hellobeeboston 995438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>also - just because i'm a freak -- i always check this site: <a href="http://www.familywatchdog.us" rel="nofollow">http://www.familywatchdog.us</a></p> <p>it looks like there might be, like 1, in marblehead, not surprisingly... but always good to check!</p> <p>@Mrs. Jacks: yes - you're definitely right! marblehead is a great little town! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995417 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:21:28 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 995417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sunshine1810: That was a hilarious police blotter! I have a feeling in your town, "low income housing" may mean something different than it does in Philly or Boston ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995405 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:19:41 +0000 hellobeeboston 995405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Orvis18: we are in reading too!! :) love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995392 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:16:45 +0000 mrs. wagon 995392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Orvis18: haha just walled you!</p> <p>@NovBaby1112: reading others' feedback, if you decide to go for it, I would totally lowball offer on it if I were you :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995358 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:11:21 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 995358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would be worried about resale. We passed on a house we loved for that reason. It eventually sold for 40k less than it was listed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995353 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:10:24 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 995353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Aimed: what a great suggestion! I would check with urban planning to get a big picture view of what's going to happen in your neighborhood.</p> <p>We just sold a house and a huge selling point was that light rail was being put in about 8 blocks away. It isn't going in for another five years, but homebuyers are thinking forward. It was close enough to be enticing but not so close to impact the street we lived on with construction or noise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995349 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:09:40 +0000 littlek 995349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: I would pass. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995346 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:08:51 +0000 bushelandapeck 995346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: I didn't know you grew up in Reading! That's where we live and we absolutely love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995311 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:00:55 +0000 mrs. wagon 995311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: Haha I'm sure we've been over this before but I grew up in Reading!! :)</p> <p>I was originally going to comment that we owned a condo in a high rise luxury building that was adjacent to low income housing and I would never do it again... most days we kept our windows closed because of the pure racket coming from the low income housing neighborhood. Loud music, moms screaming for their kids to come in for dinner... of course that's to be expected anywhere where there's people, but multiply it by 50... yeah. Not cool. We still have this thing, years later, whenever we hear a mom calling out for their kids... we immediately say "JAYDEN!! JALEEL!!! DINNER!!!" (I think Jayden and Jaleel lived in the unit right under our window.)</p> <p>BUT! Obviously Marblehead is very, very different from the area our condo was in!! Which was basically IN the city. I would be just as hesitant as you but I think calling the police station and getting their opinion is a really smart idea. I have a friend who is a Boston cop and he would tell us stories about the low income housing right behind our condo and how they'd do drug raids and there would be 20 undocumented immigrants living in a 1000 sq foot apartment. Seriously. I don't see that happening in Marblehead..!!!</p> <p>I'm almost positive that every town has some sort of low income or otherwise subsidized housing, and many towns have really nice complexes for that. My friend's parents always lived in subsidized housing because her dad was disabled, and their apartment was always nice and in a good town with good schools. </p> <p>Good luck!! So exciting!!!!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995297 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:58:32 +0000 Sunshine1810 995297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here you go: <a href="http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/x1465127373/Marblehead-police-log-excerpts-Monday-Aug-5-2013" rel="nofollow">http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/x1465127373/Marblehead-police-log-excerpts-Monday-Aug-5-2013</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995286 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:57:22 +0000 Grace 995286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since the complex is already there, if it was affecting resale value, it should have done that already? It's like living next to train tracks - you won't get as much when you sell, but you also buy it for less. Talking to police was a great idea. For me, it would depend on the area. I've lived in apartments that were nice areas and that were next to low income housing. I found it was mainly families living there (and they were mainly refugees). Perfectly nice people just trying to make ends meet. In bad parts of town, I would expect to see more gang activity but I wouldn't live in those areas if you paid me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995284 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:57:02 +0000 Sunshine1810 995284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: A lot of the time the local newspapers have the police logs published (monthly or some maybe more often). I would check there first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995269 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:53:05 +0000 NovBaby1112 995269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: yea, i know what you mean....I don't mean to give low income housing a bad name, it definitely helps those who need it! but sadly many also take advantage</p> <p>@hellobeeboston: how do you check police logs? we love marblehead too and love the little community, we weren't originally looking there but found this place....i was actually surprised there was even a low income complex in that area. but who knows, still more to look at, its such a big decision!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995254 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:50:04 +0000 Aimed 995254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's a tough one, I don't know the area but perhaps you could check in with the town planning offices as well, in my area at least there is a lot of gentrification going on so if there are plans to relocate the low income housing in a few years it could be a really smart buy.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-buying-a-house-next-to-low-income-housing#post-995238 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 07:45:23 +0000 mediagirl 995238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would worry about resale. We looked in a neighborhood we LOVED but then found out they were putting a low income housing apartment complex outside of the neighborhood and decided not to. Since then, housing prices in that neighborhood have gone down. :( </p>