The first questions I would ask is: Are you working with a local Real Estate Agent? When I assist buyers in purchasing a home I pull all recent sales of similar homes in the area and do a market analysis on the homes, just as a listing agent would do when listing a property. What this will do is tell you what similar homes are selling for in the area and what a fair value for the home is. Remember the home will sell for what a ready, willling, able person is willing to purchase it for. Another thing to keep in mind is if you are going to have a mortgage on this property, your lender will require an appraisal on the property and in order for the loan to be approved the home must appraise out for the purchase price. I would be happy to assist you in the purchase of your next home. Please call me at 815-222-3827 for a Buyers Consultation

The best way to protect yourself is to contact a local Realtor. We have access to the local MLS that gives us up to date infomation on current activity in this area. You're moving from a different market where home values are typically higher. A local Realtor can show you comparable homes in the same area as this one that will help you justify the price. You're right, this area does have great home prices. With the assistance of a local Realtor and the current market conditions, I'm sure you'll get a great buy on a house that meets your wants and needs.