[quote=joec]. . . no idea why you like to always add blurbs on HOA/MR, it gets old and makes you look less open minded / wise to meaningful discussions or what anyone has to say.[/quote]
The reason I use those terms (more MR than HOA, actually) is because that is precisely the “bill of goods” that parents and potential parents are sold when deciding to buy in a particular area solely for the school scores. The parents are no doubt also attracted by the newer school facilities (pd for w/MR bonds). The reason they are purchasing solely for the area school scores is because there is more often than not no other redeeming qualities to the property in question. It is often inferior in location, build quality and lot size to older properties of the same size in the more established areas as well as being identical or a mirror image to every fifth house on the block. You can’t deny that the right to attend particular school(s) is the foremost and only reason why most young parents flock to a particular area when they are in the market to buy. Nothing else seems to matter. We have recently discussed ad infinitum on this board how these “school-score chasing” parents are outbidding each other in certain tracts in these *coveted* school attendance areas and driving up these properties’ prices well over their actual worth.
Before “API scores” even came out or became a “hot topic” of debate, what criteria do you think families in coastal CA used to purchased homes?
How about . . . close to other relatives and/or best location they could afford?
Now, location doesn’t seem to matter anymore to the biggest segment of the buying public. It’s all about finding a quickly-built tract thrown up in lizard-land to reside in the attendance area of that *newer* sterile-looking “high-scoring” school with the desert landscaping.
The most important fundamental of buying RE in CA coastal counties has always been “location, location, location.” Obviously, this basic fundamental has taken a back seat in recent years to “elementary school, middle school and high school” (no matter what the additional encumbrances are). The 22-45 year-old age group is the biggest buying segment of the population. The vast majority of the over 45 age group and especially the over-55 age group already has all the housing they need and want (and then some). We just didn’t buy it in the same way. We bought for the most convenient and/or best location we could afford and (hopefully) appreciation.
I don’t have a personal “area bias” for or against here as MR is all over the county.
