Advice needed with home buying

[Scarlett]

[quote=sdmove]I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

The problem, at your range, with UC is that condos attract either students or more riff-raff (as renters). Many are not well built, HOAs are high, can be raised even further.

What you should try to find out is if you CAN GET FINANCING on those condo/townhouses complexes. MANY lenders don’t lend on them because of LOW owner occupancy – i.e. rentals. That is the case with Southpointe which hovers right around 50% ( I was contemplating buying there last year). Another reason for not obtaining financing is various litigations with the HOA involved. It’s better you find that out right away before wasting too much time considering them. It can vary with the complex.

Your guesstimate of commute to PQ is about right – in the afternoon maybe more, depending where in PQ, but 5 to 56 backs up pretty bad at 5 oclock.

If you aren’t doing so already, go to open houses in those areas, don’t look at more expensive than 400K and try to narrow down the number of areas you are considering. It will take a while until you get a better handle on pluses and minuses of each area. If you can focus on one area is better. It may take more than 1 year, I wouldn’t hurry such an important process, but you don’t need to be concerned where your oldest goes to kindergarten, even if you have to move him/her in the first grade. Doyle is quite good. API scores for 2010 was above 900.

EDIT: I have a feeling that it might be easier to get financing on the SR townhomes than UTC condos or LJ Village Sq townhomes, but again, I would check that out with a broker.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=sdmove]Thanks bearishgurl. I appreciate your guidance as a lot of people forget to include HOA and MR in their pricing decisions.

I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

sdmove, I looked at UCGal’s Pennant Village listing and I think that’s a good option for you.

If you could possibly save and qualify for just a bit more, I want to recommend these units. I don’t know if there is any pending litigation or if they will now qualify to be financed. They are units I’m familiar with and they have a lot of amenities for your HOA dues, which are $330 – $396, a bit high. Remember that a condo insurance premium is less than the premium for an SFR, because the association is insuring the common areas and common construction.

I just consulted SDLookup and I was in error that I pet-sat on Mahaila Ave (above). This was another friend’s unit. This complex on Mahaila Ave is first class right in line with the complex on the north side of Friars at Fashion Valley Road. It has fantastic amenities.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100066187-3969_Mahaila_Ave_103_San_Diego_CA_92122

I’m pretty sure these next two are actually in the same complex as I pet-sat in for 10 days. Mind you that it was the holiday season of 1981 and I’m just trying to go on memory here. This complex would have only been only 1.5 yrs old at the time, which sounds correct. If these are the right ones, they are 3 stories with open space between them and the UTC Mall (also fairly new at that time). The gym and other amenities made me feel like I was staying at a nice timeshare. I stayed in a 4 bdrm 1750+ sf unit like the ones below. It was VERY quiet. I couldn’t hear any neighbors and it was also well-built. It was just like living in an SFR.

I CAN tell you that my friend paid about $157K for it new and at the time I pet-sat, the HOA dues were about $159. Of course, this is irrelevant today, lol.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100065782-4481_Via_Pasear_San_Diego_CA_92122

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100073019-4408_Via_Amable_San_Diego_CA_92122

I also have a friend who owns a 3 bdrm unit in Eastbluff and I would not recommend those units for a family because their kitchen was very small with about 12 sq ft of counter space (half the size of the kitchen in UCGal’s patio home listing).

edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=]

[bearishgurl]

[quote=sdmove]Thanks bearishgurl. I appreciate your guidance as a lot of people forget to include HOA and MR in their pricing decisions.

I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

sdmove, I looked at UCGal’s Pennant Village listing and I think that’s a good option for you.

If you could possibly save and qualify for just a bit more, I want to recommend these units. I don’t know if there is any pending litigation or if they will now qualify to be financed. They are units I’m familiar with and they have a lot of amenities for your HOA dues, which are $330 – $396, a bit high. Remember that a condo insurance premium is less than the premium for an SFR, because the association is insuring the common areas and common construction.

I just consulted SDLookup and I was in error that I pet-sat on Mahaila Ave (above). This was another friend’s unit. This complex on Mahaila Ave is first class right in line with the complex on the north side of Friars at Fashion Valley Road. It has fantastic amenities.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100066187-3969_Mahaila_Ave_103_San_Diego_CA_92122

I’m pretty sure these next two are actually in the same complex as I pet-sat in for 10 days. Mind you that it was the holiday season of 1981 and I’m just trying to go on memory here. This complex would have only been only 1.5 yrs old at the time, which sounds correct. If these are the right ones, they are 3 stories with open space between them and the UTC Mall (also fairly new at that time). The gym and other amenities made me feel like I was staying at a nice timeshare. I stayed in a 4 bdrm 1750+ sf unit like the ones below. It was VERY quiet. I couldn’t hear any neighbors and it was also well-built. It was just like living in an SFR.

I CAN tell you that my friend paid about $157K for it new and at the time I pet-sat, the HOA dues were about $159. Of course, this is irrelevant today, lol.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100065782-4481_Via_Pasear_San_Diego_CA_92122

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100073019-4408_Via_Amable_San_Diego_CA_92122

I also have a friend who owns a 3 bdrm unit in Eastbluff and I would not recommend those units for a family because their kitchen was very small with about 12 sq ft of counter space (half the size of the kitchen in UCGal’s patio home listing).

edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=]

[bearishgurl]

[quote=sdmove]Thanks bearishgurl. I appreciate your guidance as a lot of people forget to include HOA and MR in their pricing decisions.

I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

sdmove, I looked at UCGal’s Pennant Village listing and I think that’s a good option for you.

If you could possibly save and qualify for just a bit more, I want to recommend these units. I don’t know if there is any pending litigation or if they will now qualify to be financed. They are units I’m familiar with and they have a lot of amenities for your HOA dues, which are $330 – $396, a bit high. Remember that a condo insurance premium is less than the premium for an SFR, because the association is insuring the common areas and common construction.

I just consulted SDLookup and I was in error that I pet-sat on Mahaila Ave (above). This was another friend’s unit. This complex on Mahaila Ave is first class right in line with the complex on the north side of Friars at Fashion Valley Road. It has fantastic amenities.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100066187-3969_Mahaila_Ave_103_San_Diego_CA_92122

I’m pretty sure these next two are actually in the same complex as I pet-sat in for 10 days. Mind you that it was the holiday season of 1981 and I’m just trying to go on memory here. This complex would have only been only 1.5 yrs old at the time, which sounds correct. If these are the right ones, they are 3 stories with open space between them and the UTC Mall (also fairly new at that time). The gym and other amenities made me feel like I was staying at a nice timeshare. I stayed in a 4 bdrm 1750+ sf unit like the ones below. It was VERY quiet. I couldn’t hear any neighbors and it was also well-built. It was just like living in an SFR.

I CAN tell you that my friend paid about $157K for it new and at the time I pet-sat, the HOA dues were about $159. Of course, this is irrelevant today, lol.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100065782-4481_Via_Pasear_San_Diego_CA_92122

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100073019-4408_Via_Amable_San_Diego_CA_92122

I also have a friend who owns a 3 bdrm unit in Eastbluff and I would not recommend those units for a family because their kitchen was very small with about 12 sq ft of counter space (half the size of the kitchen in UCGal’s patio home listing).

edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=]

[bearishgurl]

[quote=sdmove]Thanks bearishgurl. I appreciate your guidance as a lot of people forget to include HOA and MR in their pricing decisions.

I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

sdmove, I looked at UCGal’s Pennant Village listing and I think that’s a good option for you.

If you could possibly save and qualify for just a bit more, I want to recommend these units. I don’t know if there is any pending litigation or if they will now qualify to be financed. They are units I’m familiar with and they have a lot of amenities for your HOA dues, which are $330 – $396, a bit high. Remember that a condo insurance premium is less than the premium for an SFR, because the association is insuring the common areas and common construction.

I just consulted SDLookup and I was in error that I pet-sat on Mahaila Ave (above). This was another friend’s unit. This complex on Mahaila Ave is first class right in line with the complex on the north side of Friars at Fashion Valley Road. It has fantastic amenities.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100066187-3969_Mahaila_Ave_103_San_Diego_CA_92122

I’m pretty sure these next two are actually in the same complex as I pet-sat in for 10 days. Mind you that it was the holiday season of 1981 and I’m just trying to go on memory here. This complex would have only been only 1.5 yrs old at the time, which sounds correct. If these are the right ones, they are 3 stories with open space between them and the UTC Mall (also fairly new at that time). The gym and other amenities made me feel like I was staying at a nice timeshare. I stayed in a 4 bdrm 1750+ sf unit like the ones below. It was VERY quiet. I couldn’t hear any neighbors and it was also well-built. It was just like living in an SFR.

I CAN tell you that my friend paid about $157K for it new and at the time I pet-sat, the HOA dues were about $159. Of course, this is irrelevant today, lol.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100065782-4481_Via_Pasear_San_Diego_CA_92122

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100073019-4408_Via_Amable_San_Diego_CA_92122

I also have a friend who owns a 3 bdrm unit in Eastbluff and I would not recommend those units for a family because their kitchen was very small with about 12 sq ft of counter space (half the size of the kitchen in UCGal’s patio home listing).

edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=]

[bearishgurl]

[quote=sdmove]Thanks bearishgurl. I appreciate your guidance as a lot of people forget to include HOA and MR in their pricing decisions.

I love UC and if I could buy a house here, it would be my first choice. PQ probably second. CV if I win the lottery.

My commute to work is anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on lights. This allows me more time with my boys and this is something I will lose if I move to PQ. I am guessing the commute to and from PQ to UC is 35-40 minutes. I would probably leave at 8:15am in the morning – probably the worst time to be on the road. And go home at 5 – equally bad timing.

This won’t be a decision I make lightly so that’s why I am anticipating a 1 year time frame.[/quote]

sdmove, I looked at UCGal’s Pennant Village listing and I think that’s a good option for you.

If you could possibly save and qualify for just a bit more, I want to recommend these units. I don’t know if there is any pending litigation or if they will now qualify to be financed. They are units I’m familiar with and they have a lot of amenities for your HOA dues, which are $330 – $396, a bit high. Remember that a condo insurance premium is less than the premium for an SFR, because the association is insuring the common areas and common construction.

I just consulted SDLookup and I was in error that I pet-sat on Mahaila Ave (above). This was another friend’s unit. This complex on Mahaila Ave is first class right in line with the complex on the north side of Friars at Fashion Valley Road. It has fantastic amenities.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100066187-3969_Mahaila_Ave_103_San_Diego_CA_92122

I’m pretty sure these next two are actually in the same complex as I pet-sat in for 10 days. Mind you that it was the holiday season of 1981 and I’m just trying to go on memory here. This complex would have only been only 1.5 yrs old at the time, which sounds correct. If these are the right ones, they are 3 stories with open space between them and the UTC Mall (also fairly new at that time). The gym and other amenities made me feel like I was staying at a nice timeshare. I stayed in a 4 bdrm 1750+ sf unit like the ones below. It was VERY quiet. I couldn’t hear any neighbors and it was also well-built. It was just like living in an SFR.

I CAN tell you that my friend paid about $157K for it new and at the time I pet-sat, the HOA dues were about $159. Of course, this is irrelevant today, lol.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100065782-4481_Via_Pasear_San_Diego_CA_92122

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100073019-4408_Via_Amable_San_Diego_CA_92122

I also have a friend who owns a 3 bdrm unit in Eastbluff and I would not recommend those units for a family because their kitchen was very small with about 12 sq ft of counter space (half the size of the kitchen in UCGal’s patio home listing).

edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=]

[Scarlett]

[quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.

[Scarlett]

[quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.

[Scarlett]

[quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.

[Scarlett]

[quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.

[Scarlett]

[quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Scarlett][quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.[/quote]

I really expect gas to go back up to $5 per gallon.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Scarlett][quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.[/quote]

I really expect gas to go back up to $5 per gallon.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Scarlett][quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.[/quote]

I really expect gas to go back up to $5 per gallon.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Scarlett][quote=bearishgurl]edit: if you stay in UC, don’t forget how much gas you’re going to save per month (not even considering your time) :=][/quote]

THAT is a very good point, BG, which many forget about. Now, especially with gas prices being what they are, you HAVE to take that into account. For 2 commuters, it may be more than $200 increase in commute expenses. Plus, increase in car insurance rate because of the longer commute to PQ/SR. But… you can get more house there.[/quote]

I really expect gas to go back up to $5 per gallon.

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