Starter home or condo in Encinitas

[hawk]

My husband and I are currently saving for a downpayment. We are going to wait at least one year to purchase a house/ condo, due to current inflated market conditions and his lack of tenure at his high school (he is a teacher I am an attorney).

I wanted to get your opinions on starter places in Encinitas. We need to be relatively close to the coaster as I work downtown, and am not willing to go further north than the Encinitas coaster station.

We have looked at condos in Village Park, Park Place and Saxony (the DR Horton ones) which we thought were a bit too close to the frwy, Pacific Serena (not so sure…) and the exterior of Encinitas Village.

We would like a 3 bdrm 1000 sq ft min. We are betting that the fixer upper houses in Village Park area are going to continue to go down.

Any thoughts? We have only lived here for about 6 months so any comments are greatly appreciated.

[gn]

“We are going to wait at least one year …”

How about waiting at least 3 years ?

Due to recent condo constructions, there is currently a large condo surplus in SD county. Thousands of new condo units are being constructed in downtown will add more to the surplus.

This will help bring down condo/house prices in north county.

[gn]

“We are going to wait at least one year …”

How about waiting at least 3 years ?

Due to recent condo constructions, there is currently a large condo surplus in SD county. Thousands of new condo units are being constructed in downtown will add more to the surplus.

This will help bring down condo/house prices in north county.

[sdrealtor]

Actually Encinitas has one of the lowest levels of condo inventory relative to dettached homes along the coast. For this reason, condos in Encinitas tend to cost the same as Carmel Valley while dettached homes are cheaper in Encinitas than CV. Its a real problem and there is no hope of any reasonably priced condos being built in encinitas anytime soon. When I get some time I’ll give you some more information on the area I know like the back of my hand.

[sdrealtor]

Actually Encinitas has one of the lowest levels of condo inventory relative to dettached homes along the coast. For this reason, condos in Encinitas tend to cost the same as Carmel Valley while dettached homes are cheaper in Encinitas than CV. Its a real problem and there is no hope of any reasonably priced condos being built in encinitas anytime soon. When I get some time I’ll give you some more information on the area I know like the back of my hand.

[hawk]

Thanks sdrealtor…whether I buy in one year or 3 we are pretty set on Encinitas for a variety of reasons such as character that Carmel Valley lacks, and the fact that it is near my husbands work.

We are not looking for anything new and would prefer to find a fixer upper and eventually upgrade ourselves. There is really no hope of us purchasing a house in Encinitas without it being a fixer upper or attached (or maybe in Cambria?? but they have hoa/ mello roos)

We are being patient but would like to get some second opinions on our impressions of neighborhoods and the like.

Thanks again. I am so glad that I found this site (I have been lurking for awhile!)
c

[hawk]

Thanks sdrealtor…whether I buy in one year or 3 we are pretty set on Encinitas for a variety of reasons such as character that Carmel Valley lacks, and the fact that it is near my husbands work.

We are not looking for anything new and would prefer to find a fixer upper and eventually upgrade ourselves. There is really no hope of us purchasing a house in Encinitas without it being a fixer upper or attached (or maybe in Cambria?? but they have hoa/ mello roos)

We are being patient but would like to get some second opinions on our impressions of neighborhoods and the like.

Thanks again. I am so glad that I found this site (I have been lurking for awhile!)
c

[SD Realtor]

hawk I also know Encinitas, not as well as sdr but pretty well. A very nice couple let me list their park village condo and it went very quickly. Lots of people came to look at it and they priced it to sell and it went. Indeed the attached homes in Encinitas have held up much much better then other attached homes throughout the county. It has good schools, it has character, and it seemingly is a desired destination for alot of people.

I have another client and she sold her condo in Hillcrest and has me on high alert for a townhome or a twin home in Encinitas. She is very specific about what she wants and as sdr said the inventory in Encinitas for townhomes is scarce at best. I even tried to show here some of the twin homes that are in 92009 like la costa meadows and that area and she is sticking to her guns and wants Encinitas.

I am agreement with everyone here that the market will continue to depreciate for the next few years. My only variation is that certain submarkets for certain types of homes will hold up better and some will plummet much worse.

The attached housing market in Encinitas has declined off the highs but not nearly as much as other attached housing submarkets. Whether that will continue to hold true is speculative but the demand is there and the supply is not so this bodes better at least for the short term.

She also would really love a detached home in Encinitas but they are out of here price range for now. Sounds like you guys are in the exact same boat.

SD Realtor

[SD Realtor]

hawk I also know Encinitas, not as well as sdr but pretty well. A very nice couple let me list their park village condo and it went very quickly. Lots of people came to look at it and they priced it to sell and it went. Indeed the attached homes in Encinitas have held up much much better then other attached homes throughout the county. It has good schools, it has character, and it seemingly is a desired destination for alot of people.

I have another client and she sold her condo in Hillcrest and has me on high alert for a townhome or a twin home in Encinitas. She is very specific about what she wants and as sdr said the inventory in Encinitas for townhomes is scarce at best. I even tried to show here some of the twin homes that are in 92009 like la costa meadows and that area and she is sticking to her guns and wants Encinitas.

I am agreement with everyone here that the market will continue to depreciate for the next few years. My only variation is that certain submarkets for certain types of homes will hold up better and some will plummet much worse.

The attached housing market in Encinitas has declined off the highs but not nearly as much as other attached housing submarkets. Whether that will continue to hold true is speculative but the demand is there and the supply is not so this bodes better at least for the short term.

She also would really love a detached home in Encinitas but they are out of here price range for now. Sounds like you guys are in the exact same boat.

SD Realtor

[4plexowner]

Condos are only one rung up the real estate ladder from mobile homes

Your primary residence should not be viewed ONLY as an investment vehicle but, from an investment standpoint, condos are not the best place to be in any real estate market

Condos will get hit the hardest in a downturn and they will be the last to recover when the market turns back up again

[4plexowner]

Condos are only one rung up the real estate ladder from mobile homes

Your primary residence should not be viewed ONLY as an investment vehicle but, from an investment standpoint, condos are not the best place to be in any real estate market

Condos will get hit the hardest in a downturn and they will be the last to recover when the market turns back up again

[sdrealtor]

Hawk,
More when I have time but i’m not a big Cambria fan. My wife and I looked at them about 100 times when they were being built and wanted to like them but couldnt. Same goes for Saxony. Too small, high hoa but no/weak rec facilities, mello roos, high density, not a great location. There are much better choices imho as long as you arent too hung up on newer properties. I had a client two years ago looking at Cambria with an agent that didnt really understand the intracies of South Carlsbad/Encinitas. I found them a place about 800 sq ft bigger for about $70K less and their place has held its value while the Cambria place would have slid at least $50K. Needless to say they are very gratefull every time we bump into each other at Vons.

sdr

[sdrealtor]

Hawk,
More when I have time but i’m not a big Cambria fan. My wife and I looked at them about 100 times when they were being built and wanted to like them but couldnt. Same goes for Saxony. Too small, high hoa but no/weak rec facilities, mello roos, high density, not a great location. There are much better choices imho as long as you arent too hung up on newer properties. I had a client two years ago looking at Cambria with an agent that didnt really understand the intracies of South Carlsbad/Encinitas. I found them a place about 800 sq ft bigger for about $70K less and their place has held its value while the Cambria place would have slid at least $50K. Needless to say they are very gratefull every time we bump into each other at Vons.

sdr

[sdrealtor]

SD R
You’ll have your hands full with her. Unless she is willing to do major renovations she wont be happy with whats out there.

sdr

[sdrealtor]

SD R
You’ll have your hands full with her. Unless she is willing to do major renovations she wont be happy with whats out there.

sdr

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