With the housing slump still continuing, even though it is not quite as bad as it was during the last couple of years, people are becoming more and more interested in locating a market they can afford.  These days, the location of their dreams matters less than the location they can afford — after all, beggars cannot be choosers, right?  As a matter of fact … that is dead wrong.  Because there are a number of surprisingly valuable housing markets that you may never have considered.

Take the sunny, sand swept city of Sarasota, Florida, for example. It is continued a fairly upscale community, located on the west coast of Florida.

Of course, Sarasota should only be an option for those potential homeowners who are in the six figure range. There, the average home goes for about $141,000 — which really is not bad, considering the location.

Remember, when considering price, it is relative to the city.