Taking the plunge

[SD Realtor]

Could not agree more with what sdr said. You have ALOT of company looking for what you described. Another consideration would be area. For that same 560-620k you may get a little bit more selection and more home in Poway. Of course there is also Sabre Springs and CMR if you want and all of these are Poway schools as well but a longer commute (assuming you work where everyone else does).

Again though, I wouldn’t buy unless you have a liquidity cushion after you plunk the downpayment down. Some people can live without that cushion and build it up after they buy, some people wait.

[paramount]

How about buy a 300k house and have one parent/guardian stay home with the kids?

[paramount]

How about buy a 300k house and have one parent/guardian stay home with the kids?

[paramount]

How about buy a 300k house and have one parent/guardian stay home with the kids?

[paramount]

How about buy a 300k house and have one parent/guardian stay home with the kids?

[paramount]

How about buy a 300k house and have one parent/guardian stay home with the kids?

[Scarlett]

Hey, you are doing very well for this stage in life. You can do either. I would start looking and focusing on the areas you want – and hold yourself to NOT fall in love with a house the first 6 months when you are looking. It will be HARD if this is the first you are doing this. Or if you fall in love, do not put an offer. Really it’s for the best in long term. (There are some rare exceptions, i admit.)You have to really know what you want, and there is such a diversity of houses out there that you wouldn’t know what you want until you see a lot of different types. With townhouses, it narrows it down quite bit in CV,but, if I’d be in your shoes I’d buy a detached house in PQ. Have you considered Scripps Ranch?

As I said on the other thread mentioned here – I’d borrow 5% from 401k to come with 20% down and keep some cash on hand.

Your search may last for a year or more – time in which you’d keep saving money. So I wouldn’t worry about how much to wait and where to get your last 5% for down. Start looking NOW. After 6 months of ACTIVELY looking thru a lot of houses you’ll be much more selective and you’ll know when you found what you wanted.

Another piece of advice – with kid(s) – which are expensive – and your income (identical to ours) – I’d stay under 550K even if you put 20% down. – you can get a good size nice house in PQ with 4 bdr for that.

Best of luck!!!

[Scarlett]

Hey, you are doing very well for this stage in life. You can do either. I would start looking and focusing on the areas you want – and hold yourself to NOT fall in love with a house the first 6 months when you are looking. It will be HARD if this is the first you are doing this. Or if you fall in love, do not put an offer. Really it’s for the best in long term. (There are some rare exceptions, i admit.)You have to really know what you want, and there is such a diversity of houses out there that you wouldn’t know what you want until you see a lot of different types. With townhouses, it narrows it down quite bit in CV,but, if I’d be in your shoes I’d buy a detached house in PQ. Have you considered Scripps Ranch?

As I said on the other thread mentioned here – I’d borrow 5% from 401k to come with 20% down and keep some cash on hand.

Your search may last for a year or more – time in which you’d keep saving money. So I wouldn’t worry about how much to wait and where to get your last 5% for down. Start looking NOW. After 6 months of ACTIVELY looking thru a lot of houses you’ll be much more selective and you’ll know when you found what you wanted.

Another piece of advice – with kid(s) – which are expensive – and your income (identical to ours) – I’d stay under 550K even if you put 20% down. – you can get a good size nice house in PQ with 4 bdr for that.

Best of luck!!!

[Scarlett]

Hey, you are doing very well for this stage in life. You can do either. I would start looking and focusing on the areas you want – and hold yourself to NOT fall in love with a house the first 6 months when you are looking. It will be HARD if this is the first you are doing this. Or if you fall in love, do not put an offer. Really it’s for the best in long term. (There are some rare exceptions, i admit.)You have to really know what you want, and there is such a diversity of houses out there that you wouldn’t know what you want until you see a lot of different types. With townhouses, it narrows it down quite bit in CV,but, if I’d be in your shoes I’d buy a detached house in PQ. Have you considered Scripps Ranch?

As I said on the other thread mentioned here – I’d borrow 5% from 401k to come with 20% down and keep some cash on hand.

Your search may last for a year or more – time in which you’d keep saving money. So I wouldn’t worry about how much to wait and where to get your last 5% for down. Start looking NOW. After 6 months of ACTIVELY looking thru a lot of houses you’ll be much more selective and you’ll know when you found what you wanted.

Another piece of advice – with kid(s) – which are expensive – and your income (identical to ours) – I’d stay under 550K even if you put 20% down. – you can get a good size nice house in PQ with 4 bdr for that.

Best of luck!!!

[Scarlett]

Hey, you are doing very well for this stage in life. You can do either. I would start looking and focusing on the areas you want – and hold yourself to NOT fall in love with a house the first 6 months when you are looking. It will be HARD if this is the first you are doing this. Or if you fall in love, do not put an offer. Really it’s for the best in long term. (There are some rare exceptions, i admit.)You have to really know what you want, and there is such a diversity of houses out there that you wouldn’t know what you want until you see a lot of different types. With townhouses, it narrows it down quite bit in CV,but, if I’d be in your shoes I’d buy a detached house in PQ. Have you considered Scripps Ranch?

As I said on the other thread mentioned here – I’d borrow 5% from 401k to come with 20% down and keep some cash on hand.

Your search may last for a year or more – time in which you’d keep saving money. So I wouldn’t worry about how much to wait and where to get your last 5% for down. Start looking NOW. After 6 months of ACTIVELY looking thru a lot of houses you’ll be much more selective and you’ll know when you found what you wanted.

Another piece of advice – with kid(s) – which are expensive – and your income (identical to ours) – I’d stay under 550K even if you put 20% down. – you can get a good size nice house in PQ with 4 bdr for that.

Best of luck!!!

[Scarlett]

Hey, you are doing very well for this stage in life. You can do either. I would start looking and focusing on the areas you want – and hold yourself to NOT fall in love with a house the first 6 months when you are looking. It will be HARD if this is the first you are doing this. Or if you fall in love, do not put an offer. Really it’s for the best in long term. (There are some rare exceptions, i admit.)You have to really know what you want, and there is such a diversity of houses out there that you wouldn’t know what you want until you see a lot of different types. With townhouses, it narrows it down quite bit in CV,but, if I’d be in your shoes I’d buy a detached house in PQ. Have you considered Scripps Ranch?

As I said on the other thread mentioned here – I’d borrow 5% from 401k to come with 20% down and keep some cash on hand.

Your search may last for a year or more – time in which you’d keep saving money. So I wouldn’t worry about how much to wait and where to get your last 5% for down. Start looking NOW. After 6 months of ACTIVELY looking thru a lot of houses you’ll be much more selective and you’ll know when you found what you wanted.

Another piece of advice – with kid(s) – which are expensive – and your income (identical to ours) – I’d stay under 550K even if you put 20% down. – you can get a good size nice house in PQ with 4 bdr for that.

Best of luck!!!

[hmc]

I think, in this market, you have a lot of opportunities.

The key is to do the home work and be *very decisive*. You will miss opportunities with hesitations. You will never find a perfect home but you must have discipline on what is must to have and what is nice to have.

I disagree that you need 6-12 months to find a home. With today’s information available from internet, you will have a sense what the market is in a couple of weeks, if you work on it.

Let me repeat again, be decisive (with educated information)! If you find a home you like in the near future, don’t pass it just because you are not on the market long enough. Good deals do come and go very fast.

[hmc]

I think, in this market, you have a lot of opportunities.

The key is to do the home work and be *very decisive*. You will miss opportunities with hesitations. You will never find a perfect home but you must have discipline on what is must to have and what is nice to have.

I disagree that you need 6-12 months to find a home. With today’s information available from internet, you will have a sense what the market is in a couple of weeks, if you work on it.

Let me repeat again, be decisive (with educated information)! If you find a home you like in the near future, don’t pass it just because you are not on the market long enough. Good deals do come and go very fast.

[hmc]

I think, in this market, you have a lot of opportunities.

The key is to do the home work and be *very decisive*. You will miss opportunities with hesitations. You will never find a perfect home but you must have discipline on what is must to have and what is nice to have.

I disagree that you need 6-12 months to find a home. With today’s information available from internet, you will have a sense what the market is in a couple of weeks, if you work on it.

Let me repeat again, be decisive (with educated information)! If you find a home you like in the near future, don’t pass it just because you are not on the market long enough. Good deals do come and go very fast.

[hmc]

I think, in this market, you have a lot of opportunities.

The key is to do the home work and be *very decisive*. You will miss opportunities with hesitations. You will never find a perfect home but you must have discipline on what is must to have and what is nice to have.

I disagree that you need 6-12 months to find a home. With today’s information available from internet, you will have a sense what the market is in a couple of weeks, if you work on it.

Let me repeat again, be decisive (with educated information)! If you find a home you like in the near future, don’t pass it just because you are not on the market long enough. Good deals do come and go very fast.

[Author]

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