I’d think if you plan on staying in Chula Vista long term then you might as well go for it. If prices do go down at some point it’ll probably coincide with higher rates and your payment will be roughly the same. Just make sure you can comfortable afford the monthly payment. Dont get swept up in the “being priced out forever” BS though. Forever is a long time and a lot could change, but if you like the area, home, etc. and are thinking long term I’d think you will do well.
On the remodel front we did our entire kitchen through IKEA for about 7500 with quartz counters/new sink/ceramic tiles/paint/etc (we did keep the old appliances since it was a bitchin old Roper and the fridge still worked). We figured we’ll upgrade those when they stop working. We also did our bathrooms for 1500-2k. Go to Bedrosians and sort through the stuff people ordered and never picked up or they ended up with extra for some reason. We got really cool limestone that was $25/sq ft, but they sold the whole pile of leftovers for $100 bucks. Just make sure you factor in a little extra so you have enough.
I’d think you could go to Pinterest or a million websites for ideas if you need them. Good luck to you!
