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I grew up in Hebron. It's a great little town. I cannot speak to availability of stores, services, etc., as I have not been there in a few years, but it is in a great location about half way between Bismarck and Dickinson along I-94. This can be an advantage in the winter as the interstates are usually safer than the secondary roads. Last time I was there, they still had a grocery store and clinic, couple of restaurants, and auto repair places, etc. I agree with Star691 that you will likely have some major work to do in a house in the 25k range. Small town ND would be more like around 40k in my experience to get a move in ready house. And yes, be prepared for the winters, they are brutal!
Doubt you will find anything anywhere close to your price in the bigger towns in ND. Everything in western ND is super inflated due to the oil boom (has dropped off a little, but no where close to what you want). In eastern ND, there has been some economic development that has also raised prices a bit... You can look at Jamestown or Valley City, but I doubt it.
Thanks for the very useful tips. Yes, I am looking at Hebron. Interesting take on the desirability of living near the Interstate, will definitely keep it in mind.
A $25K will usually need work. Pay close attention to water problems. Like damp basements, damaged foundations, septic problems, low areas in the town. Most small towns outside of the larger towns are dying in the Eastern half of ND. Medical clinics/hospitals closing, grocery stores closing, ect. Young people are moving into the larger towns because that’s where the Walmart’s are located. That’s where the entertainment, shopping, cheaper goods, big hospitals, colleges are located. If your out away, you will be driving or buying a lot online. That’s what I’ve had to do. The little hardware store, Automotive parts, sporting goods, there is no selection and it seems like they don’t care. So I just order what I need online. I try and shop local, but I give up. Be prepared to be self reliant. Fix and repair all your stuff. There is not that many people close to help you do stuff. There is no AAA out away from the bigger towns. You are on your own. Cell service can be spotty too in areas. But a big benefit I’ve found is it’s cheap to live in eastern ND, and, very peaceful. I can work around my place and not see a car go by on the dirt road for hours at a time. And I’ll recognize the car that does drive by as one of my neighbors.
Thanks for the useful information, though it is a little frightening to know, us not being handymen. Probably want to stay within an hour of a big town, then!
Hello Poster,
I gather you are just doing your research and studying your options. And I know sometimes in life we just want to experience something that is the "opposite" of what is our usual existence.
North Dakota seems to be the opposite for you. You have lived in large, international cities and most importantly, those with a warmer climate.
I respectfully suggest you take a part of your savings -- a small part -- and rent. Rent in a small town. Get an apartment for $300, $400 or so per month. Yes, it's possible in ND. See if you think you can make the adjustment.
In small towns, there will be people who will see you as the "other." The outsider. You might stick out like a sore thumb or you may stick out entirely in a good way. It's the ugly side of provincialism when people can't open their minds to other ways of viewing the world. See if you can live comfortably with THAT.
Most importantly, imagine life there in 10 or 20 or 30 years. Is this the life you want to ride out until the end? And for your child who will feel responsible for assisting you, it's not like New Mexico is just around the corner. You can get senior housing in NM too --- sure you want to escape the heat so shoot for the mountains. Many counties in the US offer affordable income adjusted Senior Housing.
Even on a tight budget, you can still have most things you want in life, just perhaps... you can't have everything. Good luck.
Hi, You are absolutely right and it is a big move which may blow up. If it does not work out, we will have to resell the house which again may not be easy, as I see a lot of properties in these towns sitting around on Zillow for months and years. We currently live on rent, and I am sure we can continue like that, its just that its not the same feeling as owning your own place. We know, as we had our own place now long gone.
I'd agree about renting first. 6 months or month to month. Maybe in South Dakota. Be able to drive around and look at houses. I would not buy sight unseen. At least fly in, rent car and look at your top candidates.
I'd suggest trying to get a place within 30 minutes of a town at least near 10k population. Within hour or so of larger city would be handy in many ways.
I'd probably focus on Devils Lake, Jamestown and Dickinson areas of ND, Belle Forche, Huron, Brookings, Watertown SD. Maybe places like Beatrice or St. Paul NE.
Especially Brookings SD. Nice college town. Some larger companies with IT work. Nearby lakes. Not that far from Sioux Falls.
There are deals to be had out here, but certainly not in the areas where the oil and gas industry is omnipresent. We tend to drive up prices no matter where we are, with places like Williston and some of Fargo's outskirts seeing price increases unheard of in the modern era.
It's still a hell of a lot cheaper than Houston which I left when I came here, but for North Dakota natives some of the home prices the last couple of years have been flat out insane. Like it or not, many parts of this state cater to engineers and other people like me at the expense of the locals.
I bought in Williston in early 2019. 4 bedrooms, 3 car garage and just shy of 3400 square feet. The same house I now reside in was worth quite literally 100K less only ten years ago. That is the influence of us oil and gas folks. We are like locusts.
That being said, there are real bargains to be had out here, but they are going to be in places far removed from the influence of Shell Gas, Haliburton, etc.
Personally, I love the Dakotas. I love living here. They could only remove me with a crowbar at this point, but oil and gas has had a significant influence here, and I would be amiss if I did not be transparent enough to admit that all of this influence has not been positive.
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ND is a long and expensive way from NM. Might be cheaper to fly from Asia. Certainly faster.
Western NE, KS have very low cost housing, as do some towns in eastern Wyoming and Colorado. Even small towns in NM mtns can have pretty low cost homes or rentals. Probably could find a rental derelict home on a ranch, and fix it up for low cost housing (rent). Higher elevations of West Texas is next door to NM and will have a bunch of oil related foreclosures. my low-cost housing spreadsheets looked very negative on buying cheap houses due to oil industry ( I was using tax free Wyoming). Better to rent, in case you are ever forced to sell at a time when the market has dried up and left town . If you are that short on funds, be sure to get a state with a decent healthcare insurance exchange, and social services.
Will advise you to look at local realtor sites to find the cheaper housing. For example Hettinger which is a nice little town with a teaching/academic hospital has lots of cheap houses but they are not listed on sites like Zillow.
I'd agree about renting first. 6 months or month to month. Maybe in South Dakota. Be able to drive around and look at houses. I would not buy sight unseen. At least fly in, rent car and look at your top candidates.
I'd suggest trying to get a place within 30 minutes of a town at least near 10k population. Within hour or so of larger city would be handy in many ways.
I'd probably focus on Devils Lake, Jamestown and Dickinson areas of ND, Belle Forche, Huron, Brookings, Watertown SD. Maybe places like Beatrice or St. Paul NE.
Especially Brookings SD. Nice college town. Some larger companies with IT work. Nearby lakes. Not that far from Sioux Falls.
There are deals to be had out here, but certainly not in the areas where the oil and gas industry is omnipresent. We tend to drive up prices no matter where we are, with places like Williston and some of Fargo's outskirts seeing price increases unheard of in the modern era.
It's still a hell of a lot cheaper than Houston which I left when I came here, but for North Dakota natives some of the home prices the last couple of years have been flat out insane. Like it or not, many parts of this state cater to engineers and other people like me at the expense of the locals.
I bought in Williston in early 2019. 4 bedrooms, 3 car garage and just shy of 3400 square feet. The same house I now reside in was worth quite literally 100K less only ten years ago. That is the influence of us oil and gas folks. We are like locusts.
That being said, there are real bargains to be had out here, but they are going to be in places far removed from the influence of Shell Gas, Haliburton, etc.
Personally, I love the Dakotas. I love living here. They could only remove me with a crowbar at this point, but oil and gas has had a significant influence here, and I would be amiss if I did not be transparent enough to admit that all of this influence has not been positive.
Hi, thanks for the info. Regarding the influence of the oil/gas industry, which areas would you think would be less affected ? How about South Dakota ?
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