Looking for the cheapest, smallest BUT safe home anywhere in the US

[halivingston]

I need to buy a home for two purposes

(1) I need an address where I can get mail
(2) It has a roof, one room with (preferably cheap) utilities, a kitchen and bathroom and high speed internet.

And I'll be a nomad travelling in and outside the United States.

I will need the address for basic mail and registration, and I'll be there probably 30 days (spread out) in a year. So hopefully I won't get shot living those 30 days in a year and my home won't get flooded.

So, it really has to be rock bottom (think sub-$50k).

Does this exist?

EDIT: Added fast home internet requirement, preferably 100mbps+.

[nordsteve]

Lots of options. Here's a mobile home in a vacation community that meets your requirements.

https://www.edinarealty.com/homes-for-s ... 37-6195913

[newyorker]

Here you go

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 2941006163

[halivingston]

Here you go

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 2941006163

This looks great, I wonder why they are saying it is only available May through October. If I own it, I can be there whenever I want.

I should also add, there should be high speed internet!

[Californiastate]

IIRC SD is a common address for full time RVers.

[newyorker]

Here you go

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 2941006163

This looks great, I wonder why they are saying it is only available May through October. If I own it, I can be there whenever I want.

I should also add, there should be high speed internet!

Man! You are picky

[AerialWombat]

I need to buy a home for two purposes

(1) I need an address where I can get mail
(2) It has a roof, one room with (preferably cheap) utilities, a kitchen and bathroom and high speed internet.

And I'll be a nomad travelling in and outside the United States.

I will need the address for basic mail and registration, and I'll be there probably 30 days (spread out) in a year. So hopefully I won't get shot living those 30 days in a year and my home won't get flooded.

So, it really has to be rock bottom (think sub-$50k).

Does this exist?

EDIT: Added fast home internet requirement, preferably 100mbps+.

Consider “moving” to South Dakota instead. Countless full-time RVers, liveaboard sailors, and expats do this. Here’s but one of many guides:

https://www.nomadswithapurpose.com/sout ... l-time-rv/

[LydBen]

Here you go

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 2941006163

This looks great, I wonder why they are saying it is only available May through October. If I own it, I can be there whenever I want.

I should also add, there should be high speed internet!

You can buy a house elsewhere in Iowa for less than 50k, and with indoor plumbing. https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 2942425346

[boogiehead]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

[Apathizer]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

[Valuethinker]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

Homes tend to decay if no one is living there.

A sort of condominium arrangement suggests itself. However the fees tend to escalate as the building gets older.

[halivingston]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

[Apathizer]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

No, contrary to widespread misconception, most spiders are harmless to humans, and some are beneficial since they potentially prey on problematic insects like ants.

Quite a bit depends on location. I'm in a semi-rural area. Many of the older houses have issues with rodents, carpenter ants and other insects. Also, if there's a yard you have to cut it at least semi-regularly otherwise it takes over.

These issues generally aren't concerning in most urban areas. But homeownership is still really expensive and inefficient for someone who only lives there a month out of the year.

[Valuethinker]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

In cold climates it can be as simple as burst water pipes.

Also moisture tends to penetrate the walls and you get damp & mould. Plants tend to grow through the walls.

It might be less of a problem in a desert climate.

There is an everpresent issue with vandalism. Depends on where you live, of course. I imagine most HOAs have requirements about grass cutting & keeping garden cut back, etc.

[JoeRetire]

I need to buy a home for two purposes

(1) I need an address where I can get mail
(2) It has a roof, one room with (preferably cheap) utilities, a kitchen and bathroom and high speed internet.

And I'll be a nomad travelling in and outside the United States.

I will need the address for basic mail and registration, and I'll be there probably 30 days (spread out) in a year. So hopefully I won't get shot living those 30 days in a year and my home won't get flooded.

So, it really has to be rock bottom (think sub-$50k).

Does this exist?

EDIT: Added fast home internet requirement, preferably 100mbps+.

You don't need to buy a home. You could rent a room and get all these benefits.

But elsewhere you indicated you were planning to have two children 2-3 years from now. So unless something has changed, or if your spouse and children won't join you for those 30 days, I'm guessing "one room" won't really be sufficient.

[coalcracker]

I grew up in a small former coal town in PA. My parents still live there. In the nearby communities, you can still find plenty of small, crappy row homes for under $50k.

Understand you will be living in far away from major cities, the home will not be nice and built 50-100 years ago, and many homes near you may be vacant. But my parents home is decent, their internet is as fast as any big city, and they've never been robbed or shot at

[truenorth418]

OP you may want to check out Escapees RV. They provide domicile services for full time travelers including legal address and mail box / mail scanning services.

[CaptainT]

Why not use a friend or family members address and just live in a hotel or air bnb for 30 days.
There are also mail forwarding services
Buying a house for less then a month a year seems silly to me. Houses require upkeep ranging from mowing to repairs.

[hoofaman]

If you can spend a bit more, 100k will get you a nice place near many midwestern small cities

[sailaway]

Chiming in to agree that houses need ongoing work. Even some people who live in their homes end up delaying and the problems just get worse.

Plus, cheap places don't tend to be particularly close to airports. You could be setting yourself up for an extra flight and a long drive with each visit.

The postal service that works as an address is becoming more common. Even a Postal Annex near us has added the digital scanning and forwarding for nomads.

Another option is to invest in a condominium in a tourist area that has a service to rent the unit out as a hotel suite when you aren't using it.

[letahl]

I bought a two room house a decade ago in new Mexico for $15k from some people I met over a fence in a field. It cost a couple grand to get a well which I put in with stuff from ace hardware just had to have it drilled and permitted, plumbed it myself just followed instructions in a book. About five grand for a holding tank as it's not on sewer and too small for septic. Had electricity and wood stoves for heat. It's held up fine because it's super dry there. I don't think you'll find something on Zillow but if you travel and talk to people something like that can always turn up even if it requires a little upgrading. I'd look in upstate new York and the northeast corner of Vermont as well. There of course you'd need to winterize when you leave but that's not so hard.

[alex_686]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

There are lots of things that need maintenance. Weeds can do a number on siding. Pipes burst. A unattended damp spot can lead to mold. etc. Houses can be low maintenance but not zero. I once got hit with a $600 water bill because a tap was barely left on when we were on a long trip.

Might I suggest a condo instead? Small ones can be cheap if you are willing to wait and let the market come to you.

[quantAndHold]

You do not want to own an unoccupied home. That will never end well.

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

The other idea would to be to rent a room in someone’s house. Then you can come and go as you please, without worrying about safety or maintenance.

[Mike Scott]

You do not want to own an unoccupied home. That will never end well.

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

The other idea would to be to rent a room in someone’s house. Then you can come and go as you please, without worrying about safety or maintenance.

this is the way

[dbr]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

A structure is organized material subject to entropy driving to disorganize material, eventually leaving nothing but dirt and gas.

More specifically homes deteriorate by the actions of bacteria (rot), oxidation (fire, sun, and water), solution (water), tearing and ripping (wind and water), chewing (insects and critters), cracking (expansion and contraction), intentional and unintentional damage (occupants and vandals), and so on.

[22twain]

You definitely don't want to leave a house just sitting there for months on end, or even a few weeks, while you're gone. When we've gone on trips longer than a week, we've given a friend a key so he can come inside once a week and check things out, in addition to driving past on his way to work.

[AnnetteLouisan]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

Why not get a crappy apartment instead? Lots of ‘em.

[dbr]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

Why not get a crappy apartment instead? Lots of ‘em.

One would think so. But even an apartment can be broken into, burned down, or one can be evicted if something goes wrong. I do know people who have retained a condo while actually living outside the country all but a couple weeks of the year. Another couple lives outside the US but retains a house that is occupied by relatives except when they need it for a couple of weeks.

Even safer might be a storage locker and living in AirB&B.

[RetiredAL]

I need to buy a home for two purposes

(1) I need an address where I can get mail
(2) It has a roof, one room with (preferably cheap) utilities, a kitchen and bathroom and high speed internet.

EDIT: Added fast home internet requirement, preferably 100mbps+.

White Sulphur Springs, MT.
Very rural. Town is 900, county is 1500. An hour east of Helena.

Everybody has Fiber, even those out of town ranch/homes. It a multi-county telephone CO-OP that delivers telephone, TV, and Internet over the fiber. Mail is Post Office pickup, not home delivery.

[Johndoefire65]

My cousin is selling his home for 10k-20k in Minnesota. Not sure on internet speeds. Send me a PM if interested.

My friend just bought a nice small rental home in a local town for 25k.

[Watty]

(1) I need an address where I can get mail

That may be complicated since you will need to figure out what to do with the mail when you are out of town for an extended period of time. Even with a locking mailbox or post office box it will fill up with junk mail.

Just for brainstorming you might consider getting a small condo in a college town that you could rent out to students with a property management company during the school year and use during the summer school break if that works with your schedule.

I agree with the prior comments that there are likely better ways to do what you want to do and checking with the RV websites is a good idea.

One thing to be aware of is that setting of a legal residence somewhere can be more complicated than it might sound and the rules will vary by state.

[AerialWombat]

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

This really is the solution OP is looking for. I did it this way for many years. OP hasn’t responded to any of the comments related to this, however, so I get the feeling they are dismissing this option for some reason.

[LittleMaggieMae]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

You will need to "winterize" the house - drain all the water from the pipes (even for the warm months you are not there).
If you have running water - the toilet (bowl/drain) will go dry, the sink traps will go dry - you will have sewer smell in your house. (Part of winterizing is dealing with the dry drain issues... )

If the house is someplace humid - you will need air flow and/or AC - or you WILL get mold (lots of it).

If there is storm damage - no one will be there to tend to it (a roof leak)

If critters get into your attic or basement - they may have LOTS of time to do damage/pile up feces and urine.

The house not being used - means the well pump, HVAC system, sump pumps, hot water heater have sat stagnant for MONTHS - parts dry out, rust, get buildup. Your stove and fridge will probably also smell bad...

I could go on... but hopefully you get the idea. I assume you have never owned a home for a long period of time (as in more than 5 years...)

[Dottie57]

My cousin is selling his home for 10k-20k in Minnesota. Not sure on internet speeds. Send me a PM if interested.

My friend just bought a nice small rental home in a local town for 25k.

Fairly high tax state. I live here and like it. But I would not want to pay income tax here with SDnext door.

[Broken Man 1999]

I would stay in a decent hotel, preferably one near stores, restaurants, bars, other trappings of civilization, hopefully everything within walking distance.

Financially it would be a cheaper route I believe.

Plus you could sample life in a lot of new places.

Your need for mail services could be trimmed down substantially with some attention. We receive very little mail, and what mail we do receive is seldom that important.

Broken Man 1999

[Johndoefire65]

My cousin is selling his home for 10k-20k in Minnesota. Not sure on internet speeds. Send me a PM if interested.

My friend just bought a nice small rental home in a local town for 25k.

Fairly high tax state. I live here and like it. But I would not want to pay income tax here with SDnext door.

For sure, especially if not living there... I believe SD has taxes on food and such.

Another thing is airport distance, what airport it is, and parking... Sounds like a huge hassle.

[cs412a]

There's lots of housing in the US that meets your criteria. For instance, you could buy a unit in the building I live in.

I'm purchasing a fully updated one-bedroom unit in a building with an elevator, indoor parking garage, and a large storage unit for <$60,000. The unit I currently rent in the same building is not updated; however, it's clean, quiet and everything works. A unit like the one I'm renting sells for ~$40,000-50,000. The HOA fees are $400/month (gasp!) but that's because the board is finally addressing some major repair issues and establishing sufficient reserves to maintain the buildings. There's high-speed internet, the area is very safe, and the small city I live in serves as a regional healthcare hub, so there's no problem accessing good healthcare.

Really, though, you ought to consider the other suggestions people have made. Why tie yourself down? I personally like the idea of staying at a decent hotel within walking distance of restaurants, parks, museums, etc. - maybe the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza:

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/cvgnph ... l0ZQ%3D%3D

[dbr]

PS Spiders may be a positive as they consume other insects. Spider webs are not forms of decay.

[Apathizer]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

Why not get a crappy apartment instead? Lots of ‘em.

One would think so. But even an apartment can be broken into, burned down, or one can be evicted if something goes wrong. I do know people who have retained a condo while actually living outside the country all but a couple weeks of the year. Another couple lives outside the US but retains a house that is occupied by relatives except when they need it for a couple of weeks.

Even safer might be a storage locker and living in AirB&B.

Any bad thing that can happen with a condo can also happen with an apartment, and since you own a condo it's much riskier. Again, for the OP figuring out a way to establish a nominal address and then renting one month out of the year seems better.

[aj76er]

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

This really is the solution OP is looking for. I did it this way for many years. OP hasn’t responded to any of the comments related to this, however, so I get the feeling they are dismissing this option for some reason.

You can use a PO Box as a mailing address, but not as a residential address for brokerages and banks.

For a legitimate “domicile”, it needs to be a physical address.

[Caliscotsman]

Virtual office with a voicemail/snail mail service.
Hotel/AirBnB while here.

Unclear if you need to establish residency for some reason.

[halfnine]

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

This really is the solution OP is looking for. I did it this way for many years. OP hasn’t responded to any of the comments related to this, however, so I get the feeling they are dismissing this option for some reason.

You can use a PO Box as a mailing address, but not as a residential address for brokerages and banks.

For a legitimate “domicile”, it needs to be a physical address.

There are services that provide a street address instead of a PO Box. Mine has held up so far but institutions are getting sharper at identifying and not allowing them.

[123]

can you explain how they decay? I don't understand. Spiders?

A home that is lived in is generally maintained within a temperature and humidity range that is acceptable to the residents, which tends to the reduce extreme expansion and contraction of many building materials that hastens their decay. Residents generally fix things that go wrong, like leaking pipes, bug infestations, broken walls, broken windows, etc. Unoccupied residences attract miscreants who need a place to live or do the things that miscreants do.

[AerialWombat]

Establish residency in South Dakota, get a PO Box with a mail forwarding service, and rent an AirBNB when you’re in country.

This really is the solution OP is looking for. I did it this way for many years. OP hasn’t responded to any of the comments related to this, however, so I get the feeling they are dismissing this option for some reason.

You can use a PO Box as a mailing address, but not as a residential address for brokerages and banks.

For a legitimate “domicile”, it needs to be a physical address.

There are services that provide a street address instead of a PO Box. Mine has held up so far but institutions are getting sharper at identifying and not allowing them.

A tiny number of states, South Dakota included, allow Private Mail Boxes (PMB) at a Commercial Mail Receiving Agent (CMRA), to serve as your legal residential address. There's a domicile affidavit that you have to file with the state, saying that you don't have another street address. This address was literally the address printed on my driver license, which even had the gold star and met federal RealID requirements. Again, only a few states permit this; everywhere else, it's effectively illegal to be homeless. I had no issues using this address for banks, brokerages, credit cards, and the like.

[AnnetteLouisan]

Deleted by author as OT.

[mkc]

You are better off renting a po box and staying at hotel or airbnb for the 30 or so days you are in the states.

My thinking is similar. I think UPS will provide a physical mailing address at a specific branch.

Buying a home, even a cheap, crappy home to live in only a month out of the year isn't cost effective at all. As you say, renting is much more practical.

Homes tend to decay if no one is living there.

A sort of condominium arrangement suggests itself. However the fees tend to escalate as the building gets older.

Insurance can also be an issue if the property is unoccupied for an extended period of time.

[island]

Until OP returns w a little more info, this is just a waste of time since OP can do these random searches him/herself.
Like no preference for climate, state tax rates, distance from major airport, things to do? There are many livable areas w low home prices, but they will be old and need work, like towns in NE PA. If truly only needed 30 days agree w renting a room or a biz hotel room or condo rental that caters to that.

Any family or friend that will allow you to use their address to send mail to? And forward to u as needed?

[snackdog]

Buy a vacation rental in a hot market and it can be a great source of income when you are not there.

[LadyGeek]

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (where to live).

[59Gibson]

Buying some run down shed and leaving it empty for 335 days/yr. makes no sense.