Been looking at condo prices lately and honestly shocked how many affordable options still exist outside the major coastal markets. Everyone talks about how expensive real estate is, but if you know where to look, you can actually find solid apartments and condos for under 100k.

Started digging into this after realizing the median condo cost in places like Cleveland sits around 161k while San Francisco is pushing 800k. That gap is wild. Turns out there's a whole middle ground nobody talks about.

Austin keeps growing but the outskirts still have pockets where you can grab a place under 100k, especially in older developments. Cincinnati's been on my radar too - way lower cost of living than comparable cities, and the housing market there actually has decent inventory of affordable condos and apartments.

Indianapolis is similar vibes to Cincinnati. Midwest affordability is real if you're willing to look at suburbs. Orlando's another one - they've got so many condos that prices stay competitive, though you might need to be flexible on location. Portland has options too if you venture outside downtown.

Salt Lake City surprised me though. Market's stable there and you can actually find apartments under 100k without settling for sketchy neighborhoods. The suburbs especially have solid condo options.

The tricky part is that most apartments aren't sold as apartments - they're listed as condos or co-ops depending on the market. Condos mean you own the actual unit, co-ops mean you're buying into the building. Different rules apply with each, especially around renting it out later.

I'm not saying these markets are perfect, but if you're actually trying to figure out how much does a condo cost in different regions, the answer varies wildly. These six cities consistently show you can get into real estate for under 100k if you're strategic about timing and location. Worth exploring if you're serious about getting a foothold in property ownership.