I’ve been discussing Sky Ranch and Santee to help answer questions on the community and city, and to let people know why we chose to live here. We too were skeptical, unsure, and nervous about our decision. We did LOTS of research on Santee and housing prices, and what I’m telling you is that we have been VERY happy with our decision to buy in Sky Ranch, and we have been VERY happy with Santee, the stores, the restaurants, the activities available. PLUS, have you seen the new Town Center Community Park they are building. It will be HUGE, with lots of sports activities that will be tied into the YMCA and Sportsplex USA: http://www.sportsplexusa.com/Santee/AboutSantee
We used to live in RB in the 4S Ranch area, and we searched for approximatley 4 years to buy a home.
We laughed when people were buying homes at the height of the boom and waiting hours in line, getting into lotteries, just to get called to buy a house that was surely overpriced.
We relied on this website and others and statistical, historical data on the real estate market, to know that something wasn’t right. When only 3-5% of San Diegans could afford the average home (historically it had been at 50% at times), and when banks were giving everyone a loan, we thought, we need to wait it out, even if it’s years. We made money as a family, and we still were looking at condo style homes with zero lot lines in 4Closure Ranch. We even had a loan, in hand, with a fixed 30 year rate back in 2005, then in 2006, and still we didn’t buy!
We looked all around, and we noticed that the surrounding, outlying areas of San Diego were taking the biggest drops after the boom, i.e. – Chula Vista, San Marcos, Santee, etc. We were looking for a new home, and these areas all had new developments, that were dropping their prices and throwing in big incentives like crazy to get buyers.
Commutes to Sorrento Valley and La Jolla were a big deal for us, and commutes to Mission Valley/Fashion Valley and Downtown were also key. I’m telling you as an owner in Sky Ranch, that the commute to Sorrento Valley is not bad at all. I can make it leaving around 7:15 to 7:30 in about 25 minutes, no joke. I was really suprised myself. Since they have recently (probably 6-9 months ago) opened 3 lanes going over the hill in and out of Santee on the 52, it is MUCH, MUCH quicker. When the 52 is open, I know it will be even quicker, and that’s a fact. I can even make it to downtown in about 25 minutes going 67 South to 8 West, then 5 South, or I can go 67 South, 8 West, 125 South, then 94 West.
Hobie, I’ll get the water, sewer, garbage, utility numbers for you, but honestly, it’s not that bad.
flu, the 1 acre lot I was showing/listing here is a special lot. Yes, most of that lot isn’t usable or flat, but it keeps neighbors away. Also, that house for $699,990 has an odd driveway that will need some additional extensions on the side to help pulling in. It is on a slope, but you have no neighbors behind or on the other side of the house.
It has been discounted because of it’s location on a slope on the backside of the mountain and because of it’s odd backyard with flat and slope areas mixed in.
All, the houses in Sky Ranch have different price points, so eveyone needs to stop quoting $800k. This is NOT the average price of the homes up here, right now. This is an Eaglepointe model, FULLY LOADED, on a culdesac.
The houses in Eaglepointe are in the $699k – $750k range right now.
The houses in Crestview are in the $525k – $580k range for 2400 – 3200 sq. ft. (single and two story homes)
kcal09 and Aecetia – I’ll let you in on a little secret. The Sky Ranch HOA is looking to try and lower the HOA up here! Yes, LOWER the HOA. The original HOA was overbudgeted, and it’s in the process of being revised and resubmitted. So, YES, HOA fees can come down, and they will in Sky Ranch.
HOA is taking care of the areas of your property that are beyond the fence lines on your property. Residents are talking about trying to extend their yards to reclaim some of this property to build out the backyards.
AN – The back yards aren’t huge, and as flu and others discussed, part of the properties are on the slopes since we are on the mountain. Plus, with slopes comes no neighbors across the street from you, and no neighbors directly behind you. Yet, you do have less usable flat lot area and the footprints of the homes are large. Now, NOT ALL homes have no one across the street. It depends on where your house is on the mountain.
The distance between homes is decent. Eaglepointe homes have more disance between them than the Crestview homes. Eaglepointe homes are located, on average, on 14,000 sq. ft. lots, so the 1 acre is not the norm. Crestview has smaller lots.
Right now, Lennar is looking to build one last Plan 3, which looks like it will be released towards the end of this year. So, there will be another of the larger-end Eaglepointe homes available. They only have a few more Eaglepointe phases left, then they will all be sold out.
Everyone, we were very suprised about the weather in the Summer up in Sky Ranch, in a good way. It is not as hot as it is down in the valley area, like Santee, El Cajon, etc. There is a very nice breeze up here, which warms up around noon, but is very cool in the morning and night. It is no hotter, and actually cooler than when we lived in RB because we have more of a breeze up here up on the mountain. Also, it is VERY quiet up here at night and the mornings, before the construction trucks and workers start arriving.
Here are some other developments in Santee that have been selling too:
Everyone’s situation is different. Sky Ranch won’t be for everyone. All I know is that, the people who chose to buy here, for their reasons, have been extremely happy!
