My wife and I are also considering old CV if we can afford it. I like it MUCH more then new CV. I like the homes off of El Camino, north of Del Mar Heights. They are a bit pricey though. I did a search on the MLS for the Carmel Park home you referred to but could not find it. One thing I have found though are even some of the older CV homes that don’t have MR or HOA are still cookie cutter and are boxed in pretty tight. Personally that is not for us. As to whether they will hold up better then the new CV is speculative. Certainly no MR or HOA will save you a few thousand a year so that is good. Pros of this area include a much easier commute, (unless you work out east) closer to the beach, no MR/HOA or at least lower HOA, and again if you get into certain subdivisions a larger lot and yard. Still the pricing is high for those better subdivision.
