Ok, I will post separately about my adventures this past weekend, but here is a summary of my take on the following areas we toured homes in. We are still in SD, but driving back tomorrow. I worked out of my employer’s CV offices today.
Fairbanks Ranch
Santaluz
The Crosby
Cielo
The Covenant
The Bridges
Carmel Valley (Del Mar Mesa and Meadows Del Mar)
RSF Farms
That is also my final order of ranking of the communities.
Here is the deal. I “love” all of them. I would be happy to live and may indeed end up living in any of the above plus Rancho Valencia, Del Mar Country Club, Fairbanks Highlands, and San Digueno Hills (all of which I have toured previously). The last place (which it realy is not) community is nicer than anything I can find up here in the Bay Area and I would be delighted to live in.
We toured homes in all the above areas, plus we toured all the country clubs.
Ok, so why did my rankings end up like this?
Remember my criteria. Large house (6,000-9,000sf) on large lot (1+ acres) for large immediate and extended family. Young kids, preference for gated community with nice kid frienly amenities, great and close schools, that is a balance between privacy and community feel (private, but not too private, neighbors, but not too close). My price range is $2M-$5M, with the sweet spot really in the $3M-$4M range.
BASED ON THAT CRITERIA, here is my take:
1) Fairbanks Ranch.
Neighborhoods: Amazing, like “wow!”
Home quality: Older, true custom estates, 1st rate build quality.
Amenities: Very nice, free, no mello roos!
Schools: RSF school right there, inside the “gates”!
Comments: This is where we really “want” to live. Large majestic homes, on large well manicured lots, with gorgeous majestic neighborhoods (this is the “wow” area of RSF to us). If we can find the “right” house here, we will buy here. But finding that house is hard. Many need updating, but this is the perfect community for us and our needs.
2) Santaluz.
Neighborhoods: Can you say Tuscany? European feel. Nice!
Home quality: Mostly custom to semi-custom. Outstanding build quality on brand new homes
Amenities: Great clubs (Hacienda, Social, Golf). Perfect (best) for kids. Mello roos
Schools: Better than I thought, but not RSF/CV. Good enough.
Comments: If you say you don’t like Santaluz, then you have never been to Santaluz. Of the newer gated communities on our list, this is our favorite. Just great. Props to BobS.
3) The Crosby
Neighborhoods: Beautifully done community. Love those bridges.
Home quality: Custom to Semi-custom. Perhaps slightly higher than Santaluz. Simply amazing homes. Lots not as good as Santaluz though. Smaller and not as creatively positioned.
Amenities: Very very nice clubs (golf and sport). Mello roos
Schools: RSF, longer drive to get there.
Comments: We loved the Crosby. Probably saw the nicest home there on not the nicest lot. Kid friendly, but not as kid friendly as Santaluz, but definatley a first class area.
4) Cielo
Neighborhoods: Kind of sporadic, but very nice. It is all about the views here.
Home quality: Semicustom to McMansion. Varies greatly from cheap to excellent build quality. Some builders cut corners. The ones we are consdering are great, but not as good as FBR, Santaluz, Crsby, Bridges, RSF Farms, most of Covenant. Lots are amazing with those views, though. Did I mention the amazing views?
Amenities: Very nice for a free set up. No complaints.
Schools: RSF, but longer to get tehre.
Comments: The homes are not as well built as the other communities, but some are and no other community can beat those views. They are spectacular. Cielo is a special place and you never know, we may end up there.
5) The covenant
Neighborhoods. Varies. Mostly rural farm like. Too private. No sense of community. Hard to get in and out of some. In places nice views of burnt hillsides.
Home quality. All custom. New homes outstanding build quality. Older are old ranches. Lots are fantastic!
Amenities. Distant
Schools: Distant, but RSF. No Mello Roos.
Comments: Not for us. The Covenant is just beautiful and rural, but too isolating for a family with young children. We want privacy, but also want to know our neighbor and don’t want to get lost going home and want the added security of a gated community.
6) The Bridges
Neighborhoods: Wow, just beautiful. Talk about absolute highest level of environment. The most extravagent and well thought out of the new gated communities if your goal is “luxury” and “wealth.”
Home quality: custom to semi custom. Probably best build quality outside of FBR.
Amenities: High brow club. Maybe too high brow for us. But boy is it just beautiful.
Schools: Same as Crosby, Cielo.
Comments: The homes are just beautiful and of amazing build quality. The neighborhoods are the most plush of the new gated areas and second only to FBR. The lots are perhaps the nicest outside of FBR, with amazing privacy and lush views. So why is is so far down the list? If I were w/o kids, it would be #2 on my list. But I did not see this as the best place for young children. Lots are smaller than I want too. It felt too fancy I suppose. Too fancy for me. I don’t know, but my wife felt the same. We had to change our clothes just to tour the club (in the Crosby too).Probably the most high end of the new communities, but not for us.
7) CV (Meadows Del Mar, Del Mar Mesa)
Neighborhoods: MDM. Nicest in CV. Homes too close together, lots too small, streets too narrow. DMM. Very nice, large lots in CV? Now that is a rare find indeed.
Home quality: MDM. Semi custom. Extremly high build quality. DMM. McMansion down lower, custom higher up. Good to high.
Amenities: good.
Schools. CV. Good enough.
Comments: Not much to say. MDM is out due to small lots and tight quarters despite fantastic houses. DMM still in running due to large lots and convenience.
8) RSF Farms
Neighborhoods: Very very beautiful (if you are a golfer). Not the most kid friendly lots or streets. Not at all!
Home quality: Semi custom. Very nice. Somewhat comprable to Santaluz and Crosby.
Amenties: Nice club, if you are a golfer.
Schools. RSF
Comments: Not for us. Not for our kids. Lovely area though.
Others. Rancho Valencia is up there near FBR in our book. Fairbanks Highlands is very nice (semi custom to McMansion), comprable to Cielo without the views, but the homes smaller. Lots large and usable. Neighborhoods very nice. San Digueno Hills. Very very nice. One of our favorites. Same for Del Mar Country club area.
