A recent nationwide report names Grand Rapids the fourth most
affordable city to live in after factoring in home prices and the
national median income of $64,000. The report says homebuyers are
returning to the market.
According to excerpts from the story:
U.S. home prices are their most
affordable in 18 years, according to a report released Monday. Nearly
73% of all homes sold in the United States during the first three
months of 2009 were considered affordable. That was the highest
percentage ever reported by the 18-year-old Housing Opportunity Index,
an analysis of markets compiled quarterly by the National Association
of Homebuilders and Wells Fargo Bank.
To be deemed affordable,
a family making the median national income of $64,000 must be able to
buy the property and devote no more than 28% of their income toward
housing costs. For the 15th consecutive quarter, Indianapolis led the
nation's large cities (population 500,000 and up) in home
affordability. The Indiana capital tops the list due to very reasonable
home prices and relatively high median income: Nearly 95% of all homes
sold were affordable to those earning the metro area's median income of
$68,100.
Rust-belt cities dominated the most affordable list,
with Youngstown Ohio; Akron, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Syracuse,
N.Y., all near the top.
Read the complete story here.
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