[quote=SDEngineer][quote=PKMAN]We also looked at Skyranch but never gave it a serious thought due to:
HOA was a big factor and I understand that it’s not tax-deductible. I’d rather have MR + low HOA for at least MR is tax-deductible.
Skyranch didn’t have mid-tier homes to choose. It start at sub-$400K townhouses to $600K+ houses (the least expensive Crestview homes were above $600K when I looked at them about a year ago) and nothing in between.
But the biggest gripe I had was the steep climb to the community. This would be very bad for the car, as it would worsen the gas mileage, wear out brake pad and tire tread much faster and make the engine work much harder and it normally would.
So I ended up buying in the Riverwalk community, north of the Trolley Center. Its townhouses are much nicer (and bigger for about the same price range) than Skyranch’s and it has the right mid-tier house that’s ideal for me. Low HOA and no MR!!![/quote]
Actually, although many people do wind up deducting Mello-Roos (mistakenly), they are NOT tax deductible in most cases, and if you get audited, you may be required to repay that deduction with penalties. They aren’t considered the same as your normal real estate taxes.
Here’s the FTB (Franchise Tax Board for CA) official word on Mello-Roos taxes:
Nothing comes for free, I guess if you are crazy about a nice view from the top of the mountain wearing out your car prematurely may not bother you too much. One of the turn-offs to us was driving by the ugly apartment complexes before you get on the freeway.
