Big Houses for Cheap Prices: 10 Best Cities in 2025

Big Houses for Cheap Prices:

I was on the phone with my buddy Mike last week and he was practically yelling. “Dude, we closed yesterday — five bedrooms, three full baths, finished basement, two-car garage, huge yard… $218k. In Cleveland!”

I could hear his kids screaming in the background like they’d just won the lottery. Because they basically had.

Meanwhile my other friend in California is still paying $4,200 rent for a 3-bed townhouse with no yard and street parking.

That’s the split-screen reality of American housing in late 2025. Most of the country feels impossible, but huge parts of it are still stuck in 1995 pricing. And right now — November 2025 — the combination of slightly higher inventory and rates hanging in the low 6s is making normal families pull the trigger on houses that feel like winning the damn lottery.

Table of Contents

The 5 things I’m telling everyone right now

• The Rust Belt is still absurdly cheap — you can buy a legit 3,500 sq ft brick house for the price of a used Suburban. • Southern and Midwest cities are catching up fast as the best “bang for buck” options outside the pure Rust Belt. • The absolute biggest homes come from fixer-uppers — sometimes 5,000–7,000 sq ft for under six figures — if you’ve got the stomach (and budget) for renovation. • Mortgage rates are bouncing between 6.1–6.4% this week depending on your credit — the lowest payment environment we’ve had in almost three years. • There are finally houses sitting on the market long enough for regular people to actually buy them instead of flippers scooping everything day one.

Okay, but why are these places still so damn cheap?

Because nobody wants to admit it, but huge sections of the Midwest and parts of the South lost population for decades. All those big old houses didn’t disappear — they just sat there waiting for someone with a remote job or the guts to move.

Now throw in remote/hybrid work and people are finally going, “Wait… why am I killing myself for a shoebox in Denver when I can have a freaking mansion in Pittsburgh for less than my property taxes here?”

The national average for a 4-bedroom is pushing $500k now, but you can still slice that number in half — or more — if you’re willing to leave the usual suspect cities.

The 10 Cities Where Normal People Are Actually Buying Big Houses Right Now

These are the places I’m personally watching like a hawk (and sending listings to friends daily):

Detroit, MI — people still think it’s a war zone. It’s not. Whole neighborhoods of gorgeous 1920s brick colonials, 4-6 beds, $80k–$220k.
Cleveland, OH — my personal favorite. Tree-lined streets, good schools in the suburbs, 3,000–4,000 sq ft brick beauties $140k–$280k all day.
Pittsburgh, PA — rolling hills, killer food scene, and you can get a 4-bed with a view for under $300k easy.
Toledo, OH — honestly ridiculous right now. I saw a 4,200 sq ft 5-bed last week for $149k. Needed work, but still.
Buffalo, NY — those big old Victorians with stained glass and wraparound porches? $180k–$340k. Insane.
Memphis, TN — big newer ranches on half-acre lots, 4-6 beds, low taxes, $250k–$350k range.
St. Louis, MO — the brick architecture here is unreal. Finished basements, 4–6 beds, $220k–$380k.
Birmingham, AL — newer construction, growing job market, huge houses under $350k and property taxes that won’t make you cry.
Kansas City (both sides) — half-acre lots standard, 4-5 beds, $300k–$400k and you still feel like you robbed someone.
Youngstown/Warren, OH — the cheat code city. Straight-up mansions for under $120k if you’re handy.

The States Where “Big House Cheap” Is Basically the Default Setting

Just open Zillow, type these states, filter 4+ beds, sort price low to high, and prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor:

West Virginia · Ohio · Mississippi · Arkansas · Oklahoma · Alabama · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Michigan

I’m not exaggerating — in half these states the median price for a 4+ bedroom house is still under $280k. Under.

The Fixer-Upper Cheat Code (Warning: Highly Addictive)

This is where the truly stupid-good deals live.

Just this week I saw:

→ 6-bed, 6,000 sq ft 1890s Victorian in Detroit — $89k → 5-bed, 5,400 sq ft brick monster in St. Louis county — $127k → 7-bed, 4,800 sq ft house on 4 acres in Toledo — $112k → 5-bed, 4,100 sq ft colonial in Cleveland with original woodwork — $96k

These prices feel fake. They’re not. They just need love.

Here’s the deal though — if you’ve got $100k–$150k cash (or a good 203k loan), you buy one of these, fix it up, and you’re sitting on $400k–$500k worth of house with a mortgage cheaper than most people’s car payment.

I’ve watched three different friends do exactly this in the last 18 months and every single one messages me the same thing six months later: “Bro… we have so much space we don’t know what to do with it.”

The Stuff Nobody Tells You That’ll Bite You in the Ass If You’re Not Careful

Look, I’m not here to sell you a fairy tales. These houses are cheap for a reason sometimes.

Heating a 4,000 sq ft 100-year-old house in Cleveland in January? That’ll be $600–$900 a month if the boiler’s ancient. Property taxes on big homes are higher than you think — even in cheap states you’re looking at $4k–$7k a year. Old wiring, old roofs, galvanized pipes, knob-and-tube — pick your poison. Rural-ish cheap houses often have septic systems that decide to die the week you move in ($20k–$35k surprise, ask me how I know). Insurance can be a pain in certain pockets (flood zones, vacancy history, etc.).

Rule of thumb I give everyone: whatever you think renovation will cost, add 30%. Seriously.

How People Are Actually Paying for These Places Right Now

The financing gods are finally smiling on us again.

FHA 203k loans are still the MVP — you literally roll the renovation money into the mortgage. Buy for $120k, borrow $270k total, end up with a $400k house and one easy payment.

USDA loans — zero down if you’re a little outside city limits (and tons of these big houses qualify).

Local grants in Ohio, Michigan, PA, WV are still handing out $10k–$25k like candy if your income isn’t crazy high.

Rates this week are 6.1–6.4% — a $300k loan (purchase + reno) is about $1,850/month. My renter friends are paying more than that for 2-beds.

Real People Who Actually Did This (Not Hypothetical Bullshit)

Big Houses for Cheap Prices:

Jake & Sarah — Austin to Cleveland Sold their 1,900 sq ft house for $720k, bought a 4,100 sq ft 5-bed brick colonial for $238k, put $110k in, now worth $480k and their kids each have their own room plus a playroom. They text me yard pics every other week like proud parents.

Mike & Lauren — Seattle to Buffalo Grabbed a 6-bed 1894 painted lady for $194k, spent $145k fixing it (new kitchen, baths, roof, HVAC), now worth $475k and they throw epic Thanksgiving with twenty people and nobody’s on top of each other.

Chris (single guy, remote dev) — Denver to Pittsburgh Bought a 4-bed rowhouse with rooftop deck for $179k, spent $60k making it sick, rents out two rooms on Airbnb and lives basically free.

Every single one says the same thing: “I can’t believe we waited so long.”

What Happens Next — 2025 into 2026

Every report I read (Zillow, Redfin, NAR) says inventory keeps climbing slowly in these affordable markets, but nothing crazy — 3-5% tops. Rates should stay in the 5s-6s unless something wild happens.

The window is wide open right now. Come spring 2026 more people will wake up and competition will heat up again. If you’re even 20% serious, winter 2025/early 2026 is your moment.

Here’s the Dead-Simple Plan I Give Every Friend Who Asks

Get pre-approved today (especially FHA 203k if you want a fixer).
Set Zillow alerts for these exact searches: “Detroit MI 4+ bed max $300k” “Cleveland OH 4+ bed max $300k” “Pittsburgh PA 4+ bed max $350k” (Do the same for Toledo, Buffalo, Youngstown — thank me later)
Budget renovation money UP FRONT. Don’t kid yourself.
Find a local agent who actually knows investor/fixer listings (I have names if you want them).
When you see the one, move fast. The very best stuff still goes in days.

Quick FAQs People Keep Asking Me

Where are the absolute cheapest big houses right now? Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown, Buffalo — routinely seeing 4-6 beds under $200k–$250k that aren’t total teardowns.

Which state is the cheapest for large homes? West Virginia wins by a mile, then Ohio/Mississippi/Arkansas fighting for second.

Are the fixer-upper mansions actually worth it? 100% yes if you have $100k+ to renovate and don’t mind dust for a year. The equity gains are stupid.

Can I really get a 5+ bedroom under $300k today? Yes. Every single day in the cities I listed above.

Is late 2025 still a good time to buy one of these? Best time in three years. More houses, softer prices, rates under 6.5%. Don’t overthink it.

How much to fix up a $100k mansion? Cosmetic only: $50–$80 per sq ft. Full everything-new gut job: $120–$160 per sq ft. Plan on the high end.