M: have you thought of moving at all Sarah?
S: we’ve thought about it, but my husband and I can’t afford it right now. The only thing we could afford would be living in the slums, which is something I don’t want to do.
M: buying a house can be expensive, but there are ways to find cheaper houses.
S: like what?
M: well, sometimes the city auctions off houses to the community. You’d have to make a quick decision about the offer in a day, but you would definitely save money doing it that way.
S: that’s a good idea. Do you know anyone who has done that before?
M: sure, my sister-in-law and her husband just bought a house that way. They’re pretty satisfied with it.
S: is the house pretty run-down.
M: not at all. The woman, who owned it, took good care of it. But when she died, she had no family left and no will, so the government had to sell it for her.
S: was it very old house?
M: it was about 75 years old. There were a few repairs that needed doing, but it didn’t take a lot of money or time.
S: is it in a good location?
M: the area can be a bit rough in the evenings, but the neighbors watch out for each other, so it’s ok.
