Ah, San Francisco — the destination of a lot of people’s dreams.  The housing mark there is surprisingly good — but only for certain price ranges.  We might as well say that right off the bat.  Homes in Sarasota, Florida may average out to a hundred grand or more, but homes in San Francisco are currently averaging out to more than five hundred grand.  Again, however, you have to remember that this town is home to the Painted Ladies.  You are looking at sprawling Victorian homes, the likes of which not even who knows how many years of Full House could really prepare you for.

So, in comparison with other areas, San Francisco is still an expensive place to live — but you have to realize that the real estate market there has undergone a very sharp decline since the housing crash, which means you could theoretically get a fantastic home there for what is, in comparison to what it once was, quite a steal.

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.