A Slice of Pizza and a Foreclosure?
November 15, 2006
As the foreclosure market across the USA heats up, so do those mouth-watering
pizza slices. And while the foreclosure statistics might come as welcome and
unexpected news to those hungry for affordable homes in desirable locations,
the hometowns of some of America’s favorite pizza joints might really come as a
surprise.
Here is a list compiled with the help of real estate data from Bargain Homes and
Bargain Network, including info about the Top Five cities where you can find
the best pizza alongside outstanding deals on real estate.
NYC
Everyone recognizes that NYC is not only home to a huge Italian-American
population, but the city also serves up some of the world’s most celebrated
pizza. So why not begin our Bargain Network tour with a peek at the Big Apple –
and nearby Brooklyn – where family pizza recipes have been handed down for
generations:
DiFara’s on Avenue J in Brooklyn has been around for 42 years, but has had the
same chef the entire time, owner Domenico DeMarco. He grows his fresh herbs on
the windowsill and people sometimes wait in line for hours just to score his
delicious pie. If you get an appetite while house hunting, stop by for pizza
that will make you want to pick up and move to New York.
A quick check of Bargain Homes data on Brooklyn and NYC reveals 353
pre-foreclosures and 69 foreclosures, including about 100 upscale properties
priced about half a million dollars. And there are more than 150 homes on list
priced under $350,000.
Atlanta
Pizza may not seem like a Southern dish, but don’t tell that to the folks who
patronize Everybody’s Pizza in Atlanta.
Everybody love Everybody’s, which offers delivery plus two convenient locations
at 1040 N. Highland Ave. (in the heart of the Virginia/Highland neighborhood)
and in Emory Village at 1593 N. Decatur Road.
Check out this nationwide praise for Everybody’s:
“Great Pizza” – N.Y. Times
“Best Pizza” – ATLANTA Magazine
“Best Pizza in America” – TODAY Show, NBC-TV
“Best Pizza” – Best of Atlanta Guide
More than 1300 Bargain Homes foreclosures are available within 10 miles of
Atlanta, including 25 centrally-located homes priced between $100,000 and
$250,000. And more than 800 in that price range are available within 10 miles
of downtown. Job growth in Atlanta is strong and the cost of single family
homes there is below the national average.
Detroit
Today, half a century after the introduction of "Detroit's Best Pizza" as voted
by the Detroit News, Buddy's Pizza continues to flourish and win top honors.
With nine locations in Motown, Buddy's is the local favorite. Bob Talbert,
former Detroit Free Press columnist, wrote, "Is Buddy's the best pizza? It sure
is, because it is the one that all the others are compared to." Year after
year, Buddy's is voted Detroit's #1 pizza.
Within a 10-mile radius of Buddy’s are more than 2,400 foreclosures. And that
includes more than 2000 homes priced below $150,000. With the national average
cost of a home now at around $225,000, that represents a discount of more than
30 percent.
Phoenix
When it comes to pizza, the Old West has the best.
Pizzeria Bianco was rated the best pizza in the entire USA by NYC-based food
critic Ed Levine. He said that if he could have just one pizza before dying, it
would be a from Pizzeria Bianco in downtown Phoenix.
On Bargain Homes you’ll find around 90 foreclosures and almost 1,000
pre-foreclosures ranging from below $50,000 to the high six figures, including
lots of excellent REO properties, close to this world famous pizza eatery in
the popular retirement location of Phoenix, Arizona.
Oakland
Zachary's Pizza in Oakland has won over 100 “Best Pizza” awards. Here is what
the highly prestigious Michelin Guide said about Zachary’s:
The Windy City's signature dish has been enjoying success in Oakland since 1983
at this no-frills pizzeria. Zachary's specializes in stuffed deep-dish pizza
made filled with your choice of 19 ingredients...."
Within a stone’s throw of Zachary’s are over 2500 pre-foreclosures and more than
300 foreclosures. And Oakland is among America’s Top 10 Healthiest Cities,
which means you can eat even more pizza than normal and still be healthy.
We limited our picks to one great pizza from five great cities, although it was
hard to choose just one town or a single pizza place. For more information on
real estate bargains across the USA, grab a slice and then visit the
often-updated resources at Bargain Homes.com.