Housing Globe: discover the places shaping the housing landscape

Imagine buying a house in Pennsylvania for just $8,000. Across Pennsylvania's former coal, steel, oil, timber, and railroad towns, homes are incredibly affordable. However, the low price tag often conceals a much larger story about the challenges and changes these areas face.

Join us as we visit nine struggling and shrinking towns in Pennsylvania, from Schuylkill County's coalfields to the eerie streets of Centralia. Discover why homes in towns like Shenandoah, Braddock, Johnstown, Mount Union, Renovo, Austin, Oil City, Aliquippa, and Centralia are so inexpensive, what happened to their once-thriving industries, and what potential buyers need to know about these too-good-to-be-true bargains.

These towns tell a broader tale of Pennsylvania’s abandoned places, Rust Belt decline, Appalachian towns, coal mining history, steel towns, population loss, and extremely cheap real estate.

Our journey concludes in Centralia, where the ground beneath the town has been smoldering for decades. Would you consider moving into a $8,000 home if it meant living in a declining town with limited job opportunities, scarce services, and a long distance to the nearest hospital?

Share your thoughts and let us know where you're watching from.

Chapters

00:00 The $8,000 Pennsylvania House

01:23 Shenandoah — The Anthracite Town That Collapsed

03:21 Braddock — When Steel Left

05:20 Johnstown — The City That Kept Shrinking

07:24 Mount Union — The Industry Beneath the Ground

09:19 Renovo — The Railroad Town Waiting for a Comeback

11:16 Austin — The Town Destroyed by Water

13:07 Oil City — Where America's Oil Industry Began

15:02 Aliquippa — The Steel Town That Lost Its Mill

17:03 Centralia — The Town That Lost the Ground

19:32 Why Pennsylvania's Cheap Towns Keep Emptying

What You'll Discover

• Why some Pennsylvania houses sell for less than $10,000
• The decline of Pennsylvania's coal towns
• What happened to Pennsylvania's steel towns
• Why Johnstown lost so much of its population
• The story behind Centralia's underground mine fire
• Pennsylvania's abandoned and shrinking towns
• How the Rust Belt changed Pennsylvania
• Why cheap houses can come with expensive problems
• The hidden costs of buying abandoned or distressed property
• What life is like in these forgotten Pennsylvania communities

This content is for informational and historical purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Property values fluctuate, and viewers should conduct their own research or consult a qualified expert before making property decisions.

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Explore the unique situation in the Ozarks, where houses can be bought for astonishingly low prices. Discover why these properties, like one sold in Koshkonong for $9,150, are so cheap and the real cost of owning them.

These towns, such as Koshkonong and Rush, Arkansas, have witnessed the demise of railroads, timber, and mining, leading to population decline and stagnant development.

We'll visit:

• Koshkonong, Missouri — A house sold for just over $9,000 in a tax sale.
• Thomasville, Missouri — Once a county seat, now bypassed by development.
• Rush, Arkansas — A ghost town after the zinc mining boom.
• Grandin, Missouri — A lumber town that collapsed post-timber exhaustion.
• Linn Creek, Missouri — Disappeared under the Lake of the Ozarks.
• Doniphan, Missouri — Facing decades of population loss.
• Mountain View, Arkansas — Revived through music and tourism.
• Rockbridge, Missouri — Survives as a private village.

Understand the hidden costs of these cheap properties, such as long commutes, limited job opportunities, and expensive repairs, which may offset the low purchase price.

Discover the forgotten side of the Ozarks, featuring small towns, abandoned communities, and ghost towns.

Would you buy a house in the Ozarks for $9,000 knowing what comes with it?

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Explore West Texas towns where time seemingly stopped around 1974. These towns weren't preserved as tourist attractions but remain unchanged due to economic shifts. Discover towns like Ozona and Pecos to the ghost town of Terlingua and the isolated Mentone, showcasing a unique Texas experience.

These towns feature original storefronts, old motels, historic courthouses, neon signs, and railroad-era structures, offering a glimpse into a bygone era. Learn about the stories behind these timeless places:

• Ozona: The sole town in vast Crockett County.
• Pecos: Balancing a vintage downtown amid a modern oil boom.
• Iraan: Home to 1960s Alley Oop statues from a former roadside attraction.
• McCamey: A former oil boomtown surrounded by modern wind turbines.
• Van Horn: A 1930s railroad town near a contemporary rocket launch site.
• Sanderson: A town marked by a devastating 1965 flood.
• Marathon: A tiny Big Bend town retaining its original scale.
• Valentine: Known for unique roadside Americana.
• Terlingua: A ghost town with actual residents.
• Mentone: The least populous county seat in the U.S.

These towns halted development due to factors like the closure of mercury mines, traffic rerouting, and shifts in the oil industry. For those intrigued by Texas's hidden past, forgotten towns, ghost towns, and the lesser-seen side of the Lone Star State, this exploration is for you.

Which West Texas town seems most timeless to you, and what place should be next on the list? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Discover hidden gems in South Carolina with our guide to twelve iconic small-town supper clubs. From a shack on a tidal creek in Charleston that bounced back from a fire to the oldest restaurant building on the Grand Strand, each spot offers a unique experience filled with history and flavor. Explore a landlocked seafood house serving flounder on a TV-dinner tray, a steakhouse by a mill pond, and more.

Experience vibrant Southern charm and flavors at these must-visit supper clubs, fish camps, and steakhouses. Be sure to check operating hours and call ahead for reservations, especially for larger parties.

Cayce • Clemson • Pacolet • Darlington • Ridgeway • Santee • Garden City Beach • Murrells Inlet • Cross • Spartanburg • Boykin • Bowens Island

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In 1851, a doctor in a small Florida port town patented a machine for making ice, intending to cool rooms for yellow fever patients. This invention was the precursor to modern mechanical refrigeration, essential for the development of cities like Miami, Orlando, and Houston.

Interestingly, the town where this breakthrough happened remains unchanged. These towns appear old not due to neglect but because they couldn't afford reconstruction. Prosperous towns tend to replace old buildings, but these ten towns preserved their history.

Key Towns:
Two Egg, Sopchoppy, Carrabelle, Wewahitchka, Havana, Monticello, White Springs, Micanopy, Cedar Key, Apalachicola

Visitor Tips:
Visit on weekdays to avoid crowds. Support local businesses to help maintain these towns. Engage with locals to learn about their history. If interested in property, note that low demand keeps prices low.

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