I really didn't want to live in town but we have accepted that we'll probably have to. We've been keeping townhouses on our radar, along with anything else within driving distance.

Have you looked into down payment assistance?

What??? That's bullshit and you know it. Even if VT taxes are taken out you will get them back when you file. Let me get my boots shits getting deep in here.

Man I smoked a lot of pot on that monument in college

We haven't been able to save much money since food and the cost of living is so high, so we'd be lucky to be able to put down 3% :( But it's really nice! We'll keep it on my mind, thank you.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5-Burr-Pond-Road-Sudbury-VT-05733/115805251_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

It's been on the market a long time - offer 220. With a 20% down payment your monthly payment could be under 1,500.

This is definitely among the most affordable areas to buy. Could buy something like this duplex just north of Rutland and cover most of your mortgage with the second unit: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/33-35-East-St-Proctor-VT-05765/2060125590_zpid/

Or a cute single family home in Rutland for $200k: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/17-Phillips-St-Rutland-VT-05701/92022104_zpid/

The rural areas are now unaffordable as well. I also would like to live out in the sticks and have some land and get out of SB but along with the OP, anywhere within an hour commute is way out of our price range. The only 'affordable' areas I see when on Zillow is like Springfield/southern Vermont.

We are looking literally anywhere within an hour if Middlebury, so yes. 👍

Check out townhouses! There are actually a ton of them in the area and a lot of people overlook them because they are filtering searches for single family homes.

Thanks, I appreciate it. 🙏

You can see how great it *could* be. But the amount of work this place needs... at today's borrowing rates, it's not a great deal.

:( I hadn't heard about that other stuff.

My husband is paying your state good money in taxes and getting basically nothing in return for it because we technically live in New York.

Have you considered Brandon? It's a relatively short commute to Middlebury, has some nice downtown businesses, and seems to have more affordable housing inventory, particularly if you're open to putting in some work.

:/ I have been looking in Rutland and all the cheaper areas.

It's really cute bute way out of our price range :(

Yes, we are keeping our eyes open for places to open up there

Hey! I'm sorry to hear you weren't able to make it out here, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise because financially you might not have done any better here. I guess you never know what the future holds though.

No, we haven't been back since we left because it's too expensive to travel. I was born and raised outside of Helena and everytime we went to visit it broke my heart to see how different it was from when I was a kid. Bozeman is basically unrecognizable now. Seems like only the rich could afford to live in the country like we wanted so we decided there was nothing left for us there and left.

All I ever wanted was a little house in the country, with chickens and a garden so we could grow some of our own food and live a quiet life. I thought we could have that here but I guess not.

My husband works almost constantly and I don't know how to do DIY so that would be really tough. But I'm happy it worked out for you :)

This is really unfortunate. However, people are right Middlebury is a very expensive tourist/college town. Always has been always will be. It's like Stowe but not as obnoxious.

Advice from a native that works in an overpriced tourist town (Stowe): If you want to buy or rent something cheaper and bigger, you are going to have to commute. It sucks but the majority of my co-workers and I that work at Stowe mountain live about 45-60 mins away from work or they have roommates to be able to afford to live semi-closer. I live 60 minutes away, but the pay makes it worth the commute.

You also are going have to take your expectations of finding a turn key home with a reasonable price out of the equation. At this point a fixer upper, mobile home or modular home may be your best bet but don't take that commute out of the equation.

Have you tried looking in Brandon? Bristol? Pittsford? areas

You are not alone the housing crisis is real and we are all waiting for these second homeowners, Airbnb owners and people that can't hack the Vermont lifestyle to get sick of it and leave. So we can finally buy again!

Don't give up.....Part of living in Vermont is overcoming adversity and becoming stronger for it.

Thanks

Well what was I supposed to do? :(

Whitehall NY? i can't imagine the housing market there is overpriced

That would be great! Right now the very most we can probably afford is $1,500. It's almost half our monthly take home pay but that seems to be unavoidable now.