Gotcha and knowing Encinitas it had to be in one of a small handful of neighborhoods one of which I used to live in. For whatever reason people like writing Encinitas on their return address and they sell for a healthy premium over similar homes in adjacent 92009 despite using all the same local services including the same schools. It just is what it is.

I stopped by Treviso several months ago and liked the floorplans. It seemed like a more than fair value to get a newer home in 92011. I understand wanting new also as I bought new in 99 as did all my neighbors. It was great and there was a real comradery but understand this is a mobile place to live. In the first 5 years the house next door sold twice, my kids lost their best friends to relocation and some of what I romanticized about growing old with neighbors and kids did not come to be.

Also when Poinsettia opens up it could be a very busy thorofare. Right now there is a ton of traffic from San Marcos, Vista Shadowridge, Oceanside, Rancho Carillo and beyond that uses RSF/Olivenhain/Leucadia Blvd to get to the 5. A lot of that traffic could well end up on Poinsettia so I would put a big premium on getting a lot/location away from the noise and visual path of that.

Here is one more big consideration. For a nice, new home with a good location it looks like a very good value and it is right now. But I beleive appreciation over time will be below average due to lot sizes. When you buy a house you are essentially buying an expensive car on a prime parking space in Manhattan. Over time that parking space gets more valuable but the car depreciates unless you upgrade it or replace it. Homes are no different. It will hold its value as a newer home with a more modern floorplan on the low end of the price range in 92011 but in 15 to 20 years it will be an older home in need of remodelling on a small lot. As land becomes more scarce and valuable that is where the above average returns are likely to be.

Bottom line there is a lot to like about Treviso especially on the right lot/location but in the end it depends upon personal situation and goals.

One more note on timing with an anecdote. Lots of opinions get thrown around by agents many of which are dead wrong. One is that to move up you need to spend as much as 50% more than your current home to make it worthwhile. What you need to be is patient, smart and take advantage of seasonality.

Case in point, last Fall I sold a friend/clients 2200 sq ft 35 year old home on a busy neighborhood feeder street in 92011 and they upgraded to a 3700 20 year old home on a quiet cul de sac with a great view in 92011 for 10% more than the house they sold. The house they sold was very nice as he was in the kitchen/bath remodelling business but it was pretty maxed out. And here’s the kicker, they bought their new home with a contingency on selling their present home. It was an amazing feat to pull off and no way it would have happened anytime other than Fall. Thats the power of seasonality!