In its heyday, Detroit was a bustling city. The population spiked from just over 285,000 in 1900 to over 1.5 million by 1930.
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The legendary Hotel Pontchartrain had a reputation for luxury. It hosted several presidents, and auto industry executives were known to conduct business in the hotel bar.
In the early 1900s, Detroit became the automotive capital of the world. Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company in 1903, and the Dodge brothers and Chrysler also did business in Detroit.
New residents flooded the city as demand for labor rose. And unions hugely improved working conditions for these workers, giving them 8-hour workdays and a minimum wage.
With the population boom came a thriving arts and culture scene. One of the top destinations in old-time Detroit was the Detroit Opera House.
Detroit wasn’t all about the auto industry. The Detroit River was a major hub for cargo shipping and passenger transport throughout the Great Lakes region Other big industries included stoves, ships, cigars, pharmaceuticals, beer, and rail car
Even if Detroit’s winters were harsh, the scenery was beautiful.
STATUS OF DETROIT TODAY ….
Detroit’s median home sale price is around $25,200, which is a huge jump from earlier in the year, when rock bottom was at $17,000 (though way down from its 2006 peak of $83,00).
But you can buy a house for cheaper than that. A ton cheaper, in fact.
Wayne County treasury officials are going door-to-door striking controversial deals with whomever is living inside about 1,500 of the more than 6,000 tax-foreclosed properties, according to Christine MacDonald of The Detroit News.
Even though last year’s unpaid property taxes total $17.6 million, the city says it prefers occupied homes to unsold lots and is willing to sell the properties for as little as $500.
The county treasury hasn’t made the list of properties available to the public yet since it’s attempting to first visit a majority of the homes that it believes to be occupied, MacDonald says.
In the meantime, we found at least 13 homes (and one retail space) that you can buy for less than $100. With some deals in the single digits, we posit that these are some of the cheapest houses you can find in America.
A 3-bedroom brick bungalow on Indiana St.
Price: $1
Square feet: 1,434
Zillow estimates this home’s worth at $24,600. The price was reduced $49 last December. The single family home also has a full basement.
A single family 3-bedroom on Garland St.
Price: $1
Square feet: 1,244
Zillow estimates this home’s worth at $28,800. It features a large living room and a one-car garage.
A single family 3-bedroom home on Hartford St.
A severely fire-damaged 3-bedroom ranch on Parkside St.
Price: $1
Square feet: 704
Zillow estimates this home’s worth at $23,700. This house last sold in July 2003 for $20,000.
A single family two-bedroom on Forestlawn St.
Price: $25
Square feet: 1,200
Zillow estimates this home’s worth at $25,000. It was recently listed.
A fire-damaged brick apartment on Nottingham Rd.
Price: $25
Square feet: 1,755
This house last sold in October 2008 for $12,000. The price has increased $1 since Dec. 16, 2011.
A fire-damaged 2-bedroom home on Virgil St.
A fire-damaged ranch-style home on Rockdale St.
A fire-damaged brick bungalow on Glenwood St.
A 3-bedroom home on West Chicago St.
A 3-bedroom home on Evanston St.
A single family fire-damaged home on Springwells St.
Price: $94
Square feet: 1,104
Zillow estimates this home’s worth at $37,700. This house last sold in July 2006 for $110,00.
BONUS: Retail space on Michigan Ave next to an oil change station
Price: $14
Square feet: 3,000
Zillow estimates this property’s worth at $175,600. It was recently listed.
SOURCE::::: BUSINESSINSIDER.COM
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Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/detroit-houses-for-1-dollar-2012-2?op=1#ixzz2ZgDA0lJ9
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