Georgia City Named Most Affordable To Buy A Home

Homeownership is something that many people strive for.  And it's something to be proud of.  But, let's be honest, it is expensive, especially with the cost of living these days. There's a lot that goes into homeownership too.  When it comes to buying a home, there are various things to think about. One website, Homebuyer.com did some research and found the most affordable cities to buy a home, and surprisingly, it was a Georgia city that took the top spot.

When buying a home, you have to consider the location for various reasons: proximity to family, work, and schools. Then, of course, there's the cost of the home. However, according to The National Association of Realtors, the affordability of a home comes in second on the list of priorities when purchasing a home.  The first priority is the "quality of the neighborhood."

What makes a home affordable?  Of course, the first thought is the overall cost and mortgage payment (and interest rate). But there's also the property tax and insurance costs.  And you also have to think of transportation costs to work, shopping, and school.

To determine the most affordable cities to buy a home, Homebuyer.com used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Altos Research. They used public and private homeowner data to find the relative cost of homeownership in the country. The algorithm they used looked at the 800 largest Census-recognized cities in the U.S.

This report "reflects the traits and attitudes of first-time homebuyers." They assume the home buyer would be using a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 3 percent downpayment. And they also assume the homebuyers earn a "modest household income" and have an average credit score.

Of the 800 cities this study looked at, Macon, Georgia is ranked the number one most affordable city to buy a home. They list the average mortgage rate around $871. With insurance, property tax, and transportation costs, they have the overall cost of homeownership at $1,892.

Macon's Chamber of Commerce has been hard at work to promote the city's low cost of living for a couple of years now with their Choose Macon initiative. The site highlights the great things about Macon and includes a cost of living calculator to compare everything from mortgage rates all the way down to pet care.

Homebuyer.com did break the research up into different categories.  You have the overall most affordable cities to buy a home, where Macon ranked number one.  But they also broke it up by large, mid-sized, and small cities.  The only other city in Georgia to break the top 10 list was Albany, coming in at number 6 in the small cities category.

Whether you've lived here your whole life or you recently moved, you know there's a lot to love about the South. From big cities, or small towns, there are great places to live and visit. Here in the Georgia and South Carolina, we love to see some of our great cities being highlighted.  And that's exactly what Southern Living Magazine has done!  Some Georgia and South Carolina Cities are on their South's Best Cities List!

In fact, in the top 10 on this list, there are 3 Georgia and 2 South Carolina towns! Georgia and South Carolina actually claim the top two spots on the list! However, you don't have to remind us just how much the South has to offer.  The cities on this list are full of history, art, great food, entertainment and more.

Another great thing about this list is it wasn't just compiled by someone at Southern Living Magazine.  The list is actually voted on by readers. And we have to say, they did a pretty good job at highlighting great cities.  The top cities on this list are definitely ones that truly embody Southern hospitality, culture, and history.

Alpharetta ranked number 9 on the list. And while many consider it part of Atlanta, it actually stands own it's own.  The area is a popular place to live and visit too.  The downtown area has many great restaurants, plus many great shops.  There's also greenspace for spending time outdoors with the family too. It's definitely a growing city that's worth a visit!

Atlanta comes in at number 4 on the list.  And for good reason.  There's so much to do and see in the area.  You've got history, entertainment, parks, sports, and more!  Plus there are unique neighborhoods to explore, the zoo, the aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and more to entertain every interest!

Savannah ranks at number 2! There's so much to love about this beautiful city.  The history, shopping, dining, and more.  You can't stop in Savannah without a visit to River Street to check out the shops and stop by for some pralines at the local candy shop and check out the view of the Savannah River.  Don't forget about the ghost tours and Forsyth Park!

Greenville is a city that is definitely bustling with so many great things, including great restaurants, entertainment, arts, and more.  And don't forget to check out Falls on the Reedy for beautiful sights and waterfalls!

Charleston came in at number 1 on the South's Best Cities List. It is a beautiful city that boasts Southern Charm that easily draws you in.  The downtown area is full of great sights, restaurants, and shopping.  It's full of history, great food, coastal breezes, and so much more.