I totally agree and posted a few posts earlier this year. We were never interested in 4S Ranch but we drove around and looked at some houses when we were in the due diligence stage during our home search.
We wanted to see for comparison purposes what they have to offer in 4S Ranch. I couldn’t believe how cheaply built some of the newer houses being built there were.
I just didn’t get it either that people would pay $700k to $800’s to live in 4S Ranch. Yes, I know the school district is great there but I just didn’t see the appeal of people paying those kind of prices for that quality of home.
There is a huge dividing line from the $700’s on up and it seems like many people in 4S Ranch are really stretching or stretched to live there.
We ended up buying in Santaluz. It was more expensive at around $1 million vs. 4S Ranch but the quality was so much better, low density, homes were gorgeous, lot and grounds meticulously maintained, etc. Also, I like the fact that the HOA is so strict. People get letters saying to take down your Halloween decorations. Some things are super picky like you can only paint your garage/house one color but we enjoy living in Santaluz.
At those kinds of prices, I’d bite the bullet and buy in a nicer area but I just think it comes down to people really stretching to buy at those prices to begin with and won’t get qualified to spend more.
The kick in the pants is that most of 4S Ranch still has Mello Roos taxes just like other nicer areas so it’s not like you are saving money there. You still have the MR taxes in 4S Ranch.
I will never understand the appeal of people spending $800’s to buy in 4S Ranch.
The high density, zero lot lines are not just limited to 4S Ranch however. When we were looking at houses, we looked at several in Carmel Valley and it was very bad there as well and much more expensive per sq. foot. Neighborhoods like Pacific Highlands Ranch in Carmel Valley had some beautiful homes but the density was horrible! Some houses you had 5 homes directly looking into your back yard. (3 behind and 2 side houses) all looking directly on your zero lot line back yard. I couldn’t understand people paying $1 million for those houses either. But at least there wasn’t Mello Roos in many of the CV neighborhoods like 4S Ranch.
