Carlsbad or Penasquitos for 500K?

[sdrealtor]

Scarlett
Here is my advice and take it for what you paid for it. IMO, Casting such a wide net tends to be more of an impediment than a benefit. My best results typically come when someone has a laserlike focus. When we know what and more importantly where we are trying to be the results always seem to be better.

I’d spend my time getting more familiar with the areas you are interested. Take a good hard look and decide where you really want to live be it NC Inland (PQ/RB), central (MM/SR/Tierrasanta) or NCC (Carlsbad/Encinitas). Then get yourself the best help you can find to help you identify and capitalize on the perfect opportunity when it pops up.

[sdduuuude]

I agree that 500K isn’t going to get you what you want in UC. Could be worth waiting the extra year or two it takes to save a larger down-payment, though.

To answer the original Q, I would take PQ over Carlsbad due to the traffic on I-5. I’m just not a fan of NC-coastal and I would assume you might get a little more space inland as well, though I haven’t actually shopped them.

[sdduuuude]

I agree that 500K isn’t going to get you what you want in UC. Could be worth waiting the extra year or two it takes to save a larger down-payment, though.

To answer the original Q, I would take PQ over Carlsbad due to the traffic on I-5. I’m just not a fan of NC-coastal and I would assume you might get a little more space inland as well, though I haven’t actually shopped them.

[sdduuuude]

I agree that 500K isn’t going to get you what you want in UC. Could be worth waiting the extra year or two it takes to save a larger down-payment, though.

To answer the original Q, I would take PQ over Carlsbad due to the traffic on I-5. I’m just not a fan of NC-coastal and I would assume you might get a little more space inland as well, though I haven’t actually shopped them.

[sdduuuude]

I agree that 500K isn’t going to get you what you want in UC. Could be worth waiting the extra year or two it takes to save a larger down-payment, though.

To answer the original Q, I would take PQ over Carlsbad due to the traffic on I-5. I’m just not a fan of NC-coastal and I would assume you might get a little more space inland as well, though I haven’t actually shopped them.

[sdduuuude]

I agree that 500K isn’t going to get you what you want in UC. Could be worth waiting the extra year or two it takes to save a larger down-payment, though.

To answer the original Q, I would take PQ over Carlsbad due to the traffic on I-5. I’m just not a fan of NC-coastal and I would assume you might get a little more space inland as well, though I haven’t actually shopped them.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]Awesome finding AN! Nice yard. Good location.
SMALL bedrooms though, I can’t understand why they couldn’t have made at least the MBR bigger – at 2000 sf?! Still I wonder why it has been so many months on the market. Sounds like it’s a short sale or a REO though. I haven’t looked much at NW Mira Mesa yet, but when I did, I didn’t see many properties within our parameters, but the chances of finding here something we’d be happy with are better than UC, IMHO. One never knows, so we are watching multiple zip codes. PQ, MM, UC… and South Carlsbad 🙂

How old are the houses in NW Mira Meaa? Any known common problems with their foundation/plumbing/etc?[/quote]
That property has been on/off the market at least once before and I think it’s a SS. sdr can verify that.

The reason the bedroom for that house is small is because they put more space in the kitchen and family/living room. My house have similar sq-ft but my bedrooms are larger. It’s all about the floor plan.

The supply for 1800+ sq-ft in west MM is very slim right now and the price for them are not that great (although it’s still better than UC). 2 years ago, the price would have been about 10% less for similar property.

NW MM, were mostly built in the 80s and 90s. North of Calle Cristobal is 90s, South of it is 80s. I don’t know about foundation/plumbing issues for those houses but my house in SW MM have no issue.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]Awesome finding AN! Nice yard. Good location.
SMALL bedrooms though, I can’t understand why they couldn’t have made at least the MBR bigger – at 2000 sf?! Still I wonder why it has been so many months on the market. Sounds like it’s a short sale or a REO though. I haven’t looked much at NW Mira Mesa yet, but when I did, I didn’t see many properties within our parameters, but the chances of finding here something we’d be happy with are better than UC, IMHO. One never knows, so we are watching multiple zip codes. PQ, MM, UC… and South Carlsbad 🙂

How old are the houses in NW Mira Meaa? Any known common problems with their foundation/plumbing/etc?[/quote]
That property has been on/off the market at least once before and I think it’s a SS. sdr can verify that.

The reason the bedroom for that house is small is because they put more space in the kitchen and family/living room. My house have similar sq-ft but my bedrooms are larger. It’s all about the floor plan.

The supply for 1800+ sq-ft in west MM is very slim right now and the price for them are not that great (although it’s still better than UC). 2 years ago, the price would have been about 10% less for similar property.

NW MM, were mostly built in the 80s and 90s. North of Calle Cristobal is 90s, South of it is 80s. I don’t know about foundation/plumbing issues for those houses but my house in SW MM have no issue.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]Awesome finding AN! Nice yard. Good location.
SMALL bedrooms though, I can’t understand why they couldn’t have made at least the MBR bigger – at 2000 sf?! Still I wonder why it has been so many months on the market. Sounds like it’s a short sale or a REO though. I haven’t looked much at NW Mira Mesa yet, but when I did, I didn’t see many properties within our parameters, but the chances of finding here something we’d be happy with are better than UC, IMHO. One never knows, so we are watching multiple zip codes. PQ, MM, UC… and South Carlsbad 🙂

How old are the houses in NW Mira Meaa? Any known common problems with their foundation/plumbing/etc?[/quote]
That property has been on/off the market at least once before and I think it’s a SS. sdr can verify that.

The reason the bedroom for that house is small is because they put more space in the kitchen and family/living room. My house have similar sq-ft but my bedrooms are larger. It’s all about the floor plan.

The supply for 1800+ sq-ft in west MM is very slim right now and the price for them are not that great (although it’s still better than UC). 2 years ago, the price would have been about 10% less for similar property.

NW MM, were mostly built in the 80s and 90s. North of Calle Cristobal is 90s, South of it is 80s. I don’t know about foundation/plumbing issues for those houses but my house in SW MM have no issue.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]Awesome finding AN! Nice yard. Good location.
SMALL bedrooms though, I can’t understand why they couldn’t have made at least the MBR bigger – at 2000 sf?! Still I wonder why it has been so many months on the market. Sounds like it’s a short sale or a REO though. I haven’t looked much at NW Mira Mesa yet, but when I did, I didn’t see many properties within our parameters, but the chances of finding here something we’d be happy with are better than UC, IMHO. One never knows, so we are watching multiple zip codes. PQ, MM, UC… and South Carlsbad 🙂

How old are the houses in NW Mira Meaa? Any known common problems with their foundation/plumbing/etc?[/quote]
That property has been on/off the market at least once before and I think it’s a SS. sdr can verify that.

The reason the bedroom for that house is small is because they put more space in the kitchen and family/living room. My house have similar sq-ft but my bedrooms are larger. It’s all about the floor plan.

The supply for 1800+ sq-ft in west MM is very slim right now and the price for them are not that great (although it’s still better than UC). 2 years ago, the price would have been about 10% less for similar property.

NW MM, were mostly built in the 80s and 90s. North of Calle Cristobal is 90s, South of it is 80s. I don’t know about foundation/plumbing issues for those houses but my house in SW MM have no issue.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]Awesome finding AN! Nice yard. Good location.
SMALL bedrooms though, I can’t understand why they couldn’t have made at least the MBR bigger – at 2000 sf?! Still I wonder why it has been so many months on the market. Sounds like it’s a short sale or a REO though. I haven’t looked much at NW Mira Mesa yet, but when I did, I didn’t see many properties within our parameters, but the chances of finding here something we’d be happy with are better than UC, IMHO. One never knows, so we are watching multiple zip codes. PQ, MM, UC… and South Carlsbad 🙂

How old are the houses in NW Mira Meaa? Any known common problems with their foundation/plumbing/etc?[/quote]
That property has been on/off the market at least once before and I think it’s a SS. sdr can verify that.

The reason the bedroom for that house is small is because they put more space in the kitchen and family/living room. My house have similar sq-ft but my bedrooms are larger. It’s all about the floor plan.

The supply for 1800+ sq-ft in west MM is very slim right now and the price for them are not that great (although it’s still better than UC). 2 years ago, the price would have been about 10% less for similar property.

NW MM, were mostly built in the 80s and 90s. North of Calle Cristobal is 90s, South of it is 80s. I don’t know about foundation/plumbing issues for those houses but my house in SW MM have no issue.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]About western Mira Mesa – certainly we are looking at that too. The commute and prices are within our parameters. How are the elemenary and middle schools for western Mira Mesa, AN? (e.g. Calle Cristobal) I know the high school is good.[/quote]
Elementary school would be Sandburg Elementary and the API for it last year was a 10: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386089049. The middle school is Challenger and last year API was a 9: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386107056.

BTW, I’m not sure how old your kids are, but they’re building a new elementary school in SW MM, here: http://goo.gl/maps/dw5p. They’re breaking ground this Summer and should be ready Fall 2013. They’re also adding another park next to the school and renovating the old Madox park. That should be done by 2012. Since SW MM kids currently go to Mason Elementary, you can take a look at that school’s API to get an idea of what this new school’s API might be: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386071914.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]About western Mira Mesa – certainly we are looking at that too. The commute and prices are within our parameters. How are the elemenary and middle schools for western Mira Mesa, AN? (e.g. Calle Cristobal) I know the high school is good.[/quote]
Elementary school would be Sandburg Elementary and the API for it last year was a 10: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386089049. The middle school is Challenger and last year API was a 9: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386107056.

BTW, I’m not sure how old your kids are, but they’re building a new elementary school in SW MM, here: http://goo.gl/maps/dw5p. They’re breaking ground this Summer and should be ready Fall 2013. They’re also adding another park next to the school and renovating the old Madox park. That should be done by 2012. Since SW MM kids currently go to Mason Elementary, you can take a look at that school’s API to get an idea of what this new school’s API might be: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386071914.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]About western Mira Mesa – certainly we are looking at that too. The commute and prices are within our parameters. How are the elemenary and middle schools for western Mira Mesa, AN? (e.g. Calle Cristobal) I know the high school is good.[/quote]
Elementary school would be Sandburg Elementary and the API for it last year was a 10: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386089049. The middle school is Challenger and last year API was a 9: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386107056.

BTW, I’m not sure how old your kids are, but they’re building a new elementary school in SW MM, here: http://goo.gl/maps/dw5p. They’re breaking ground this Summer and should be ready Fall 2013. They’re also adding another park next to the school and renovating the old Madox park. That should be done by 2012. Since SW MM kids currently go to Mason Elementary, you can take a look at that school’s API to get an idea of what this new school’s API might be: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386071914.

[an]

[quote=Scarlett]About western Mira Mesa – certainly we are looking at that too. The commute and prices are within our parameters. How are the elemenary and middle schools for western Mira Mesa, AN? (e.g. Calle Cristobal) I know the high school is good.[/quote]
Elementary school would be Sandburg Elementary and the API for it last year was a 10: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386089049. The middle school is Challenger and last year API was a 9: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386107056.

BTW, I’m not sure how old your kids are, but they’re building a new elementary school in SW MM, here: http://goo.gl/maps/dw5p. They’re breaking ground this Summer and should be ready Fall 2013. They’re also adding another park next to the school and renovating the old Madox park. That should be done by 2012. Since SW MM kids currently go to Mason Elementary, you can take a look at that school’s API to get an idea of what this new school’s API might be: http://api.cde.ca.gov/AcntRpt2010/2009BaseSch.aspx?allcds=37683386071914.

[Author]

Posts