| Location | What $500k Gets You | Monthly Payment* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope) |
620 sq ft 1-bed co-op, built 1930, no parking, no yard, $1,200/mo maintenance |
$4,312 |
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|
San Francisco, CA |
580 sq ft studio condo, built 1980s, no parking, no outdoor space |
$4,610 |
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|
Orange County, CA |
950 sq ft 2-bed condo, built 1976, HOA $520/mo |
$4,380 |
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|
Rochester – Park Avenue |
4-bed, 2.5-bath restored 1905 Victorian, 2,400 sq ft, garage + fenced yard |
$2,680 |
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|
Rochester – Pittsford |
Brand-new 2024 colonial, 4-bed, 3-bath, 2-car garage, finished basement |
$2,850 |
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|
Rochester – Charlotte |
3-bed lakefront condo, 1,800 sq ft, private beach access, rooftop deck |
$2,610 |
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|
Rochester – Canandaigua Lake |
4-bed contemporary on 1 acre, private dock, 180° lake views |
$2,940
|
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Sold 680 sq ft 1-bed Astoria co-op for $610k → bought 2023-built 4-bed colonial in Brighton for $495k. "We went from sharing walls with four neighbors to having a pool and a 3-car garage. Same monthly payment." Closing date: June 2025
Sold 1,100 sq ft 2-bed condo in Santa Clara for $1.38M → bought 5-bed modern farmhouse on 2 acres in Victor for $679k (well under their $1M budget). "We paid cash and still have $700k left. In California that would have bought a parking spot."
Sold 520 sq ft studio in FiDi for $585k → bought a fully renovated duplex in South Wedge for $315k. Lives in one unit, rents the other for $1,950/mo → house pays for itself.
| Location | Property Tax on $500k | Homeowners Insurance | Total Housing Cost (PITI) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brooklyn |
~$18,000/year |
$2,400/year |
~$5,700/mo |
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|
San Francisco |
~$6,200/year (Prop 13) |
$3,100/year |
~$5,600/mo |
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|
Rochester Avg |
~$9,800/year |
$1,350/year |
~$2,750/mo |
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| Expense | NYC | San Francisco | Rochester | Monthly Savings | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rent/Mortgage |
$3,800 |
$4,200 |
$1,600 |
$2,200–$2,600 |
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|
Groceries |
$520 |
$580 |
$380 |
$140–$200 |
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|
Utilities |
$220 |
$260 |
$165 |
$55–$95 |
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|
Transportation |
$300 |
$280 |
$140 |
$140–$160 |
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|
Total Monthly |
$4,840 |
$5,320 |
$2,285 |
$2,555–$3,035
|
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$500,000 budget → Rochester gets you:
