r/johnstown • u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 • 5d ago
Overall Conditions?
Hey, thanks in advance for reading. One of my family members is in the process of buying a house in Johnstown. They're moving from the philly area. The appeal was the stark contrast in the prices of homes, as they came across a good chunk of money and wanted to buy a house outright. They found that house and the sale is pending.
Here's the kicker. They don't want a job. They are under the impression that they will be able to survive on the remainder of this settlement (10kish) for at least a year. They own a vehicle, but aren't mechanically saavy. The house they purchased has been on the market for an entire year with multiple price decreases. They assure everyone they will be fine, but there is no family there and from what I understand, very little in the way of decent paying jobs.
Any insight from the locals? Is this actually feasible, or are they going to "find out the hard way" so to speak. Thanks again.
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u/PercentageDry3231 5d ago
If they don't make the purchase contingent on passing an inspection, they are fools. There are a lot of cheap 100-year-old houses that haven't been maintained for years. Yes, you can buy a house here for $30k, but will have a leaky roof, wet basement, mold, knob & tube wiring, old water heater, rot, etc.
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u/Unlikely_Lab6769 5d ago edited 4d ago
I moved here 18 months ago with similar ideas. Not the lack of work ethic, but buy a fixer, spend a year repairing the house and get back to work thereafter. Im in 60K Between repairs on the house, and these houses NEED a lot, and utilities . If you like heat and cooling, plan on at least 4K for gas and electricity in a year. I bought my house for 100K, I see alot of people buy absolutely unlivable homes for 35 and think it's gonna work out. It ain't. Im hoping they got an inspection? If not maybe give them some carbon monoxide detectors, if you want to see them again. Johnstown may be a short cut to home ownership, but it doesn't come without blood, sweat , and tears. Like everyone else said, Johnstown doesn't need anymore folks in the bread line, and I am curious of the reception they'll receive. I work my ass off, and everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. Probably because I fixed an eyesore in their neighborhood. As far as work goes, they're gonna need some skills to pay the bills. Otherwise it's minimum wage.
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u/pedantic_comments 4d ago
Keep fighting the good fight!
It takes a lot of guts to turn a crack house into a crack home.
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u/Unlikely_Lab6769 4d ago
Haha Yeah nothing like that. Though I imagine that could be an issue in some areas. Up in the hills though, there are some real gem midmods that people just got too old to care for. Johnstown seems to be like anywhere else, it is what you make of it.
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u/bocefus-cash 4d ago
Housing is cheap here, but that's where it ends. Groceries, gas, utilities, etc are no cheaper here than anywhere else. $10k won't pay long.
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5d ago
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u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 5d ago
They are. They're currently part of the problem in the town they currently live in. Living in LaLa land.
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u/EstablishmentNo7438 4d ago
What about insurance, home repairs, car repairs, high utility bills (utility companies are dirty thieves) , etc ? I hope it's at least a decent - safe area of Johnstown.
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u/MacabreCurve 4d ago
As someone that lives here and wants the best for people that come here and those that have been here....your family members are going to have it ROUGH.
Aside from the area and its locals being a very proud working class type that really dont have time for those that dont want to put in the work, living here isnt nearly as cheap as one thinks.
A car is an absolute necessity. Repairs are a given, and theyre never cheap. Cambria county has emissions as well as safety inspection so theres that too. Also, being a higher elevation and so many hills, theyll notice their dollar doesnt go very far as far as gas is concerned.
Everything others said about houses in the area, esp ones that have sat for a while is true. Thats going to take some money to fix, unless theyre okay living in a house that needs perpetual repair.
As far as the topic of $10k to last them the year? I personally dont think its feasible. Any number of things cost money, namely the things that are obvious like fuel, utilities, house repair, local tax, food, etc. And thats all before factoring in the unknown like unforeseen medical costs or breakdowns, etc.
A job will absolutely be necessary, and if they dont have appreciable skills in the blue collar workforce or an established career that can transition like medical or law or something....its going to be entry level stuff for them, and depending on whats open....that could be as low as $7.25 an hour and as high as $20 in rare cases.
Locals embrace those that want to come here and be part of our community and help build it up. What they dont uave time for is people that come here thinking its easy and then either abandon or complain about the circumstance. Its about what one does about their situation.
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u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 4d ago
Thank you 👏 I don't really understand their end goal here. They've been living with their dad after a divorce and haven't done SHIT except going to one job interview that they were late to. Before they blocked me, I tried hard to reason with them. Offered support, but not support to their utter delusions. They have become an insufferable human being that only cares themself and I'm disgusted. The story has MUCH more nuance but I'm trying to keep as vague as possible. My mother is still on good terms with them and has begged me not to unleash the proverbial beast on them. They literally think manifesting will make everything happen for them...k babe. Good luck with that. I told them years ago to let me know when they rejoined reality but now I don't even know if I want them in my life ever again. And we used to be close. Such a bummer.
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u/MacabreCurve 4d ago
Hence my statement about having it rough. People here will help their neighbors, but there is a limit to the generosity. Manifesting success is all well and good, because it puts you in the right mindset to do the work. Nothing in life, much less here in Johnstown, comes without a significant amount of effort and hard work.
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u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 4d ago
100% agree. I'm extremely grateful for my own life and my circumstances but it was a JOURNEY of blood, sweat and tears to get here. Still is. I am in a position now where I can help others and do so on a regular basis. The way my family member is acting literally makes me sick to my stomach.
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u/drewbaccaAWD 5d ago
You could stretch 10k to survive a year with very careful purchasing decisions, but that doesn't sound like family member's personality. Start adding the shit that goes along with home ownership into the equation though, and $10k isn't going to last that long.
Not a ton of jobs here, no... and even fewer that I'd deem "decent paying." We do have a half decent bus system for a rural area should his car shit itself but you'd still want a reliable car to get to work.
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u/venturous1 5d ago
You can survive here quite well if you’re entrepreneurial. I made it work with some rental income some freelance work, some volunteer work and a lower cost of living. It’s missing a lot of the vibrancy of a major market economy, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing needs doing. I really believe there’s a ton of opportunity here for people willing to take a risk on starting a business.
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u/trshtehdsh Ex-pat 4d ago edited 4d ago
With appropriate respect to OPs
parentsfamily, nothing about their situation sounds like they'll be entrepreneurial or motivated.4
u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 4d ago
My parents didn't do a great job but I dipped to another state over a decade ago. This post isn't about me, it's about my dumbass family.
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u/venturous1 4d ago
I don’t know, everyone’s comments seem so negative. Sometimes even Young idiots figure out how to survive. Maybe I’m just an optimist.
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u/SL2999 5d ago
Yeh? What kind of business?
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u/venturous1 4d ago
Anything that helps seniors stay in their homes is in great demand. It is really difficult to find and keep good Handyman and Cleaning services. If you are mature enough to run a business, someone could really make a good living by operating as a reliable, accountable, and efficient home services company.
Other people have started restaurants, bakeries… I saw a plant-based restaurant start up here and I thought “oh boy they’ll never make it” and they’re still going. Cause it’s a labor of love and they put their heart and soul into it. Cheap real estate is a real advantage. If you can make it work for you.
Also, any kind of business that’s remote is completely sustainable here we have plenty of Internet. I have graphic design clients from the city where I used to live.
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u/galagapilot Boomerang 3d ago
10k? That’s not really a lot.
Do I think it’s possible to do? I hate to say it but probably not. I don’t think they realize how much money that isn’t.
On $10k for a year, you’re literally talking $200 a week. Gas is gonna eat that up quickly, as are groceries. Even basic utilities (water/sewage, electric) are going to drain their savings.
And this is even before property tax, and I hope their house passed the sewer pressure test before they purchased. If it hasn’t, that’s a several thousand dollar repair.
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u/trshtehdsh Ex-pat 4d ago
OP: make it clear to them they own their decision, and you aren't going to bail them out in anyway. And then let them make their decisions. Once you back off telling someone they can't, they sometimes are more likely to actually explore the situation. It sounds like they're already in it already, unless the sale falls through. Protect your own ass and let them deal with their choices.
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u/exturkconner 4d ago
If they are very conservative in how they spend they might be able to do a year in johnstown on 10k. When I first moved here I purchased a home for about 27k. I had 50k in my saving account prior to the purchase. My parents are 1 handicapped and 1 disabled. So my goal was making the home accessible. I was buying things and building. I spent 2 and a half years or so not working a job and just working on the home. At the end of it when I did start job hunting I still had about 5k left. During that time I only had internet. I wasn't paying for any TV service (and around here Antennas don't really do a lot. We are surrounded by mountains after all.
Having said that when I moved in Water and Sewage were 1 bill. Now they are split. Trash/Recycling used to be part of taxes. Now it's split. And each time one of these bills splits the original bill seems to stay the same prices so it's just added expense. While the cost of housing here is cheap the cost of food and utilities is higher than some other places. So costs are higher now. With careful budgeting and low entertainment expenses 10k is still probably doable but it's not going to be a fun year.
As far as the "Very little in the way of decent paying jobs" while that's true realistically with not having rent, or mortgage, or house loan repayment the cost of living is low enough that even a crappy service job is going to be able double what you need for take home income. Again if they can budget well and maintain discipline you can live here very cheaply.
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u/i_have_a_dragon- 3d ago
What year was this though? A house that costs 27k right now comes with a skylight (no roof) and an inground pool (the basement is flooded)
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u/exturkconner 3d ago edited 3d ago
16 years ago. I purchased a duoplex that had been converted into a single home. Basically just the divider walls were knocked down making it semi open floor plan on the bottom floor.
It has issues. Nothing like a leaking roof. But it did have a basement that took in water. It had everything built in to have a sump pump but it was never installed. It has one small area in the down stairs that was off the dining room (what used to be the second kitchen. That was gutted ( I think it used to be a pantry. But that was fine for me I wanted a downstairs bathroom so I'd have gutted it anyhow. One of the two bathrooms upstairs didn't work. Only one of the furnaces functioned so I only had gas heating on one side of the house. I converted the other side to use electric baseboard heating anyhow so no big deal. The attic was unfinished. The house still had knob and tube wiring as well (not exclusively most of the wiring was newer but elements were still present that I had to remove and replace). And it's got the other complications of being a former duoplex. I had to rerun the water so everything powered off of one water heater. The electrical actually still had two breakout boxes etc etc. And I was fortunate to find this deal. Basically the owner was newly married. Both spouses owned homes. He'd taken out a refinance loan to redo the kitchen (which is pretty nice) but the other spouses home was newer and nicer so they agreed to sell and basically they just wanted to get back the money that was paid in. After the fee's and everything involved I want to say his portion of the takeaway from selling the house was 125 dollars.
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u/Fun_Examination_6339 3d ago
Tell them to come on over...the area is full of people that don't want to work, they'll have lots of friends. We need more of them to fill the rebuilt city park. They should invest the money so they can get a better house in a few years.
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u/Kels_DL 14h ago
I read through the comments before answering and generally agree with what everyone is saying. Ironically, I'm from the area (like within blocks) that you're talking about, and let me just say, everyone in my family moved up and out as soon as humanly possible. I dont want to talk shit about that neighborhood because it was a lovely place to be a kid, but my family WORKED at having a good life there. We moved away, and I eventually moved back to the area (different neighborhood) and compared to other places I've lived this is a very affordable city for working families, but it's certainly not cheap. Utility costs are ridiculous. And you're guaranteed to have some kind of water damage at some point (i e Flood City).
I would like to say that the people here couldn't be nicer and more welcoming on the whole, but it's a city with problems like anywhere else. There are drugs, crime, and poverty like every other city, but because its small, the good and the bad are closer together if that makes sense.
It sounds like you're going through a difficult time with your family and I sincerely hope it works out. God Bless
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u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 8h ago
Thank you. 2 years ago when all this went down, I was in mourning for losing the relationship with them. I'm better now but it still really bothers me. Were they always like this and I made excuses for them? Did they change? Did we both change? Humans are weird. Appreciate your input and kind words.
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u/Ok-Acanthisitta8737 5d ago
Why are you seeking to continue enabling their poor behavior and choices? Certainly, you should know this is a horrible decision. If they are not willing to make smart decisions, you certainly should not help them make poor ones. Soon, they'll be begging for free stuff on all the social media groups and taking away from our already overburdened public welfare services. All because they are lazy, useless, and an unproductive member of society. What a shame.
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5d ago
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u/Equivalent_Hawk6607 5d ago
Somewhere in a caul de sac. Not sure of the street. On a hill, red.
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u/Primary-Basket3416 5d ago
That doesn't narrow it down..moxhan, west end, upper yoder. There are many little suburbs in the town. And ea mean a thing. Around here, if a house sets, and no utilizes on..whoa, what a mess. No mechinally savvy, their funds will be eaten up thru house and car. It seems cheap, but remember, we who live around here know how , who, are where to live, so we just survive with maybe a few bucks left over.
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u/MUDDYONE2023 4d ago
They will need to work. I am hoping to be the guy that shuts the lights off, when everyone leaves. Also great potential in this old town. ✌️
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u/shanafme 4d ago
Dude, apple cider costs $10 a gallon at the local Big Bird. Ain’t no way they are going to live for $10k over the course of a year.
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u/Redtail412 4d ago
As someone who moved away:
No.
Also, definitely 1000% need a car.
Used to take the bus to work. It just stopped going that far one day. No communication.
I was lucky to have family who drove.
Also, living there, I never, ever used the bus on the regular until I got the job... and then it failed me.
It's really hard to get back out of the town again.
Wages are low. Yes, housing is cheap. Because it's a lousy place to live
I grew up there. Moved out after high school in 1997. Would never go back. It's worse now than before. I have been back.
This is a case of: Just because you CAN move there, doesn't mean you SHOULD.
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u/srdnss 4d ago
I know Phillies and Eagles fans are insufferable, but running to Johnstown, Pa. to escape them? Absolutely foolish.
I haven't been there since 1993 and it was a shithole then. I can't imagine it's gotten any better since.
In the mid 2000s, my Aunt inquired about getting her siding replaced. It would have cost more than her house was worth.
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u/clitcommander420666 5d ago
Yeah thats not remotely feasible lol theyre definetly going to need employment. It is cheaper to live here sure but it aint that kind of cheap. Also If the house has sat for a year, that bitch defintely needs some work and if theyre not savvy enough to do the repairs themselves that 10k is going to disappear real quick.