San Diego Housing Bubble News and Analysis

I'm pretty sure some homes in Highlands Ranch burned in the last fire. Granted, I was evacuated too, but that part of Poway is a pretty high fire danger area. I have small kids and I would not be comfortable living there. Plus, for me, it is too hot.

Its a good area, and you can get some nice views. You should consider it. I used to live in RSF, and find some parts of Poway to be just as satisfying from a unique home and property standpoint. Significantly less expensive if you dont need to impress with a zip code. In that area it is definitely a house by house evaluation, don't assume the one next door is anywhere as nice as the one you like. Everyone has their own opinion - that's my experience.

From what I hear, Poway's school district his highly renowned. There are lots of good hiking/biking trails as well. Don't know if this helps.

BobS
Lots of good shopping just north of Poway in Carmel Mt. Ranch, good restaurants further north in Rancho Bernardo, a terrific school district (generally tied for first place with Torrey Pines HS), and the commute on 56 not bad if not done during rush hour. Weather OK...Jeeze, its not El Cajon.

Raptor Highlands Ranch is a very nice area indeed. I am not sure if it is a little bit too far east of what you want but it is a very nice place. It definitely is out of the way if you will be commuting to say La Jolla or anywhere on the I5 corridor. Yes there were a few homes that burned out there and yes it will get hotter in Highlands Ranch then anywhere you have previously been looking. By the same token, in the springtime when those other areas are shrouded in coastal low clouds it will be clear in Highlands Ranch. I take it you are looking at 13409 Highlands Ranch? As a side note there is and has not been alot of activity there. Seems to me that people pretty much buy there and stay... Given your taste based on the other areas you have been looking, I think you could indeed find a home that you like there, but I am not so sure the locale would suit you.

SD Realtor

RD
Oh man, now you are looking in Poway? Boy, just think, you can now look at 250 more houses, be exasperated when silly homeowners refuse to lower their overprices asking prices and begin the cycle of pissing your wife off all over again! I feel for you man. Ain't home buying fun...

Since you appear to be one concerned with reputations and appearances (thus the search in RSF), you should know that Poway bills itself as "city in the country" and prides itself on the rural feel. It also is well known as the home to many of the area's pro athletes, both baseball and football. Many execs live in the area.

Highlands Ranch Road is really on the edge of Rancho Bernardo and will be perceived as RB to many who visit there. RB, by contrast, has an entirely different reputation: "newly wed or almost dead". :)

4S Ranch on the west end is changing that image somewhat.

It was my wife's idea, not mine. For me, seems way too far for my commute and likely too hot during the summer. Convenience of a location is an important thing to me. My wife is a stay at home mom, so for her it is community.

I am not so concerned with reputation and appearances. Poway looks like the kind of area I would like, except that it is farther from the coast and my job than I would like. I like RSF, not because it has a certain reputation and improves my "appearence," but because it is exactly what I am looking for, close to work and water, large private homes on large private lots, great schools, great weather. La Jolla and Del Mar have that "cache" too, but we are not looking there, other than Del Mar east of 5 on occasion. We looked in CV (Del Mar Mesa) at some 8k sf homes on multiple acres that fit our needs too.

I have a collegue who lives in Poway (the Heritage) near the area I was looking and he is giving me some pointers as he has lived in that subdivision previously as well.

SD Realtor, no not that one. There are a few in there for sale. They look nice in the pics. Apparently. I noticed one particularly nice one has been the topic of dicussion on this board before and has a sorted history. Too bad.

SD Realtor, so I checked 13409 out on the web. What is the deal with that one? Quite a bit less than a comprable in RSF, but no interior pictures is kind of odd?

The one I was talking about earlier is 17812, where there was a previous thread on it in 2007.

I'd rather live in Phoenix than Poway. The weather/money trade-off just isn't there in Poway.

I used to go to Phoenix about a half dozen times a year, no thanks. Even not knowing the area, I am thinking Poway would be much more preferable.

17812 Old Winery is in Winery Estates (92064) not Highlands Ranch - I believe trusty SDR said short sale was pending but is long & involved process.

Oh. One of the listings on that road said HR.

Poway is preferable, if you ignore cost.

For the money you'll spend, you could have a better place in Phoenix. The high end in Phoenix (Paradise Valley) is nice.

Ah yes.... our friend Old Winery... Lots of inquiries on that home. Last I spoke to Sue Herndon (the listing agent) she said that they had an offer into the lender and that the 2/4/08 trustee sale was delayed. Indeed the home is still in the name of the owners so the lender must still be processing the offer.

SD Realtor

SD Realtor. My collegue toured that home before he bought in another subdivision and he said he was shocked that the owners had completely let the home go and it was quite trashed (the pool a swamp, landscaping dying, interior dirty with things broken) and figured it would take a tidy sum to bring it back to the level of the pictures, which he indicated it looked nothing like as they must have been taken years ago.

13409 is a teardown - it has the late-1980s/early 1990s tract-house feel to it, with 3-inch tile etc. The only redeeming feature is the grounds.

Jim the Realtor