Real Estate

It's surprising where the Internet will lead you. I was following this post on the food thread and after reading the article I became curious. What happens to the local housing after a boom goes bust? Is the local architecture a snapshot in time of 1920's affluence? I went looking for pictures of Cairo, WV, didn't find any good ones of their city center, and went looking at the real estate boards.

That's where I found this, a 2900 square foot Victorian with 6 bedrooms and an 810 sq foot Great Room for $129,00 with taxes, if I'm reading the site correctly, of $182.20 per year.:shock::destiny::jig: It's also just outside of town and next to/near a state park.

The picture is a long shot, and I have no idea about heating costs for a house that size in WV. For all I know it's a real money pit, but now that our kids are all out of school, I can still dream about moving into an 80-year-old victorian.

Link is asking for a login... :(

Fixed. It takes about 2 minutes to load. They must be running a server off of a Commodore 64.:right:

Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 3 full Square Feet: 2995 Area: Wv - Outside Wood County MLS ID: 215414 Status: Contingent

Garage: 3.0
Taxes: $182.00:heartpump
Lot Dimensions: 1.35 acres m/l

So a 1920 Victorian on almost 1 1/2 acres with 6 bedrooms for $129k with $182 a year in taxes.

Is real estate in WV cheap or is this the house from the Shining?

The great room by itself is 27x30, which makes it larger than some houses.

Ok, so it's a little isolated. I'm guessing that this was the home of a mine owner or manager, which is why it is outside of town. I even checked the community report.

Man, I wish I could move there.

The closest city is Charleston and it's 50 miles away.

me in 2001 wrote:

A few years ago I went to Charleston West Virginia for a week on business. The first day I drank the coffee at the seminar I was attending. It was weak, bitter, and cold. The second day I drank the coffee at the hotel where I was staying. It was weak and bitter.

That night, I drove around town looking for a coffee shop. I found one. It opened at 7:30 am. The following morning, I went there and when it opened at 7:40, I took their Mr. Coffee carafe and poured it into one of the complimentary foam cups. They didn't even pour it for you. And the coffee was weak and bitter.

Facing another day of crappy coffee was too much, but I had a non-refundable ticket. I finally found a decent cup - at a Krispy Kreme.

Now, oddly enough, these West Vriginians worship the laid-back, rush-free culture that doesn't fly in the big city. I take that to mean they don't really need coffee; I take that to mean that coffee is a part of the rush culture that doesn't support sitting around.

If I were in your position I'd be seriously thinking about looking into it more. That's soooo cheap. Maybe there is something wrong with it, but if there isn't and you want the quiet life, then 50 miles isn't that far if you're willing to do one shop a week etc.

Aliantha wrote:

If I were in your position I'd be seriously thinking about looking into it more. That's soooo cheap. Maybe there is something wrong with it, but if there isn't and you want the quiet life, then 50 miles isn't that far if you're willing to do one shop a week etc.

Actually, it might be 50 miles from Charleston, but its actually just outside of Cairo.

Of course the town may not be in great shape since they lost their marbles.

Cairo is the center of the universe as regards machine-made toy glass marbles. Three separate marble companies have operated in Cairo, although no marbles are made there today. A commemorative marble-playing park in the wonderful downtown area is proof of the pride the local community takes in its rich history of manufacturing beautiful glass toys.

The fire department looks ok. I would still like to see what their main street looks like.

This article made it sound interesting.

In the oil-boom town of Cairo, West Virginia, sweaty ladies in waist-pinching corsets once wilted like flowers beneath the September sun.

(snip)

Much has changed in Cairo since the heyday of Ammonia Cokes. During its oil boom days, Cairo was one of the wealthiest towns, per capita, in America. Today, the town is a largely depopulated, faded relic of bygone glory, but it is blessed with a beautiful setting, fascinating architecture, an authentic swinging bridge and a pleasant atmosphere of nostalgia.
Trendy ladies now wear short shorts and tummy-baring tank tops during sultry days in Cairo, and they don't tend to faint from the heat. But, thanks to local history buff Dean Six, it is once again possible to buy Ammonia Coke on Main Street. Dean is co-owner of The Scoop ice cream parlor in Cairo, and, as a humorous bit of nostalgia, he has added Ammonia Cokes and historically accurate Castor Oil Cocktails to the menu.

Mmmmm...marbles. A lost art!

If I move in before May 2007 I can be near Route 50 in time for the [FONT=Arial][SIZE=3]eighth annual Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale. [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][SIZE=2]A[/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][SIZE=2] 2000 mile yard sale.:yelgreedy[/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT]

holy snapping frog shit! How exciting!!!

You're not eligible to buy there Rich.....Unless the Mrs will give you a divorce so you can marry your sister.:cool:

Oh. My. Word.

If it has flush toilets and high speed internet, I should take a serious look at that. I'm sure there are plenty of nuts and drunks in West Virginia.

Shame someone screwed up what was likely a perfectly good fireplace by converting it to gas.

Holy guacamole, I want to go to that yard sale!!!

I figure you run a huge Celtic music festival there once a year and you'll own that town, rednecks and all. You're really thinking about it aren't you?

DucksNuts wrote:

Holy guacamole, I want to go to that yard sale!!!

Same here. Of course I'd have to clean out the garage first to make room and then rent a trailer to hold all of the junk I'd pick up.;)

Next year you would see me acting suprised on Antiques Road Show when the $40 desk I bought got appraised at $75,000:yelgreedy

Famous last words:

"Honey, you remember that guy I sold your Granma's table to? Isn't that him on the TV"?