[70Degrees]

[quote=masayako]Thanks to our U.S monetary policy and bail outs, the foreigners are all taking advantages of our Real Estates market. We hardworking money savers are screwed.[/quote]

Maybe I’m misreading something, but I think you are implying that foreigners (e.g., me) buying real estate in the USA is a bad thing and somehow we are screwing you.

It seems to me that for every buyer there is a seller, and I don’t know about you but whenever I’ve been a seller I’ve been very very happy when the house is sold, and really I could care less who it sold to. The foreign buyers are increasing the buyer pool and hence causing houses to sell quicker.

Every foreigner buying means an influx of cash into the local economy both from the sale (full value, not just RE fees!) AND from all the other things that go along with a house purchase. This is in contrast to a local selling one house and buying a new one where the net contribution would be much smaller.

[70Degrees]

[quote=masayako]Thanks to our U.S monetary policy and bail outs, the foreigners are all taking advantages of our Real Estates market. We hardworking money savers are screwed.[/quote]

Maybe I’m misreading something, but I think you are implying that foreigners (e.g., me) buying real estate in the USA is a bad thing and somehow we are screwing you.

It seems to me that for every buyer there is a seller, and I don’t know about you but whenever I’ve been a seller I’ve been very very happy when the house is sold, and really I could care less who it sold to. The foreign buyers are increasing the buyer pool and hence causing houses to sell quicker.

Every foreigner buying means an influx of cash into the local economy both from the sale (full value, not just RE fees!) AND from all the other things that go along with a house purchase. This is in contrast to a local selling one house and buying a new one where the net contribution would be much smaller.

[70Degrees]

Thanks sdr, I’ll give them a call too.

[70Degrees]

Thanks sdr, I’ll give them a call too.

[70Degrees]

Thanks sdr, I’ll give them a call too.

[70Degrees]

Thanks sdr, I’ll give them a call too.

[70Degrees]

Thanks sdr, I’ll give them a call too.

[70Degrees]

We looked at the custom areas in Santaluz extensively. My (by no means exhaustive) pro/con list looks like:

Pros:
– large lots
– lots of open spaces
– large houses
– great central park/open green area
– *very good* “community” feel – there were always people at the cafe and club house and it had a great vibe.
– Fitness center was well staffed and in general everything seemed very well run/organized as far as the club went

Cons:
– tons of empty lots. This has to hurt both the club (less dues paying member opportunities) and puts downward pressure on prices until the development is fully built out.
– seems like alot of distressed sales. I’m not being scientific here – its just a “feel” based on watching it since last fall
– huge mello roos (crosby suffers this problem too). The MR does NOT get you anything as far as club access/facilities goes.
– desert landscaping. I think they consider it a plus, and others might as well, but we didn’t like the look & feel of rough dry scrub. I’m sure its easier on the water bills, but it just wasn’t the look we wanted (we’re moving Canada so desert is distinctly foreign to us!)

[70Degrees]

We looked at the custom areas in Santaluz extensively. My (by no means exhaustive) pro/con list looks like:

Pros:
– large lots
– lots of open spaces
– large houses
– great central park/open green area
– *very good* “community” feel – there were always people at the cafe and club house and it had a great vibe.
– Fitness center was well staffed and in general everything seemed very well run/organized as far as the club went

Cons:
– tons of empty lots. This has to hurt both the club (less dues paying member opportunities) and puts downward pressure on prices until the development is fully built out.
– seems like alot of distressed sales. I’m not being scientific here – its just a “feel” based on watching it since last fall
– huge mello roos (crosby suffers this problem too). The MR does NOT get you anything as far as club access/facilities goes.
– desert landscaping. I think they consider it a plus, and others might as well, but we didn’t like the look & feel of rough dry scrub. I’m sure its easier on the water bills, but it just wasn’t the look we wanted (we’re moving Canada so desert is distinctly foreign to us!)

[70Degrees]

We looked at the custom areas in Santaluz extensively. My (by no means exhaustive) pro/con list looks like:

Pros:
– large lots
– lots of open spaces
– large houses
– great central park/open green area
– *very good* “community” feel – there were always people at the cafe and club house and it had a great vibe.
– Fitness center was well staffed and in general everything seemed very well run/organized as far as the club went

Cons:
– tons of empty lots. This has to hurt both the club (less dues paying member opportunities) and puts downward pressure on prices until the development is fully built out.
– seems like alot of distressed sales. I’m not being scientific here – its just a “feel” based on watching it since last fall
– huge mello roos (crosby suffers this problem too). The MR does NOT get you anything as far as club access/facilities goes.
– desert landscaping. I think they consider it a plus, and others might as well, but we didn’t like the look & feel of rough dry scrub. I’m sure its easier on the water bills, but it just wasn’t the look we wanted (we’re moving Canada so desert is distinctly foreign to us!)

[70Degrees]

We looked at the custom areas in Santaluz extensively. My (by no means exhaustive) pro/con list looks like:

Pros:
– large lots
– lots of open spaces
– large houses
– great central park/open green area
– *very good* “community” feel – there were always people at the cafe and club house and it had a great vibe.
– Fitness center was well staffed and in general everything seemed very well run/organized as far as the club went

Cons:
– tons of empty lots. This has to hurt both the club (less dues paying member opportunities) and puts downward pressure on prices until the development is fully built out.
– seems like alot of distressed sales. I’m not being scientific here – its just a “feel” based on watching it since last fall
– huge mello roos (crosby suffers this problem too). The MR does NOT get you anything as far as club access/facilities goes.
– desert landscaping. I think they consider it a plus, and others might as well, but we didn’t like the look & feel of rough dry scrub. I’m sure its easier on the water bills, but it just wasn’t the look we wanted (we’re moving Canada so desert is distinctly foreign to us!)

[70Degrees]

We looked at the custom areas in Santaluz extensively. My (by no means exhaustive) pro/con list looks like:

Pros:
– large lots
– lots of open spaces
– large houses
– great central park/open green area
– *very good* “community” feel – there were always people at the cafe and club house and it had a great vibe.
– Fitness center was well staffed and in general everything seemed very well run/organized as far as the club went

Cons:
– tons of empty lots. This has to hurt both the club (less dues paying member opportunities) and puts downward pressure on prices until the development is fully built out.
– seems like alot of distressed sales. I’m not being scientific here – its just a “feel” based on watching it since last fall
– huge mello roos (crosby suffers this problem too). The MR does NOT get you anything as far as club access/facilities goes.
– desert landscaping. I think they consider it a plus, and others might as well, but we didn’t like the look & feel of rough dry scrub. I’m sure its easier on the water bills, but it just wasn’t the look we wanted (we’re moving Canada so desert is distinctly foreign to us!)

[70Degrees]

[quote=svelte]
I would be curious to hear what you have thought of Canadian health care.

Were there long waits?

What did you like? What did you dislike?

I’m not taking sides, just curious.[/quote]

I grew up here, so its hard to compare our health care to any other health care as I don’t know any other. That said ..

I think we have good care. The only waits I ever really hear about are for specialized tests and surgeries for things that aren’t immediately life threatening. If you are dying or something, they’ll get you in. If you have a cold or you got drunk and fell and hit your head, well, you may wait.

My first hand experience on the test side is mixed. I had an issue that got diagnosed as something that wasn’t urgent and hence my tests were scheduled 6 months out. 5 months later it turned out it WAS an urgent issue and I got in for surgery that day and had all the tests I needed within hours. I ended up spending a few weeks in the hospital. It didn’t cost me anything. I did have supplemental employer health insurance, but thats only to cover the upgrade from a shared hospital room to a semi private room – it didn’t change my care level at all.

People don’t go bankrupt because they had to go to the hospital, and people don’t avoid going to the doctor because they can’t afford it. That said, in my case it would have been nice to have the option to pay and get my test sooner.

[70Degrees]

[quote=svelte]
I would be curious to hear what you have thought of Canadian health care.

Were there long waits?

What did you like? What did you dislike?

I’m not taking sides, just curious.[/quote]

I grew up here, so its hard to compare our health care to any other health care as I don’t know any other. That said ..

I think we have good care. The only waits I ever really hear about are for specialized tests and surgeries for things that aren’t immediately life threatening. If you are dying or something, they’ll get you in. If you have a cold or you got drunk and fell and hit your head, well, you may wait.

My first hand experience on the test side is mixed. I had an issue that got diagnosed as something that wasn’t urgent and hence my tests were scheduled 6 months out. 5 months later it turned out it WAS an urgent issue and I got in for surgery that day and had all the tests I needed within hours. I ended up spending a few weeks in the hospital. It didn’t cost me anything. I did have supplemental employer health insurance, but thats only to cover the upgrade from a shared hospital room to a semi private room – it didn’t change my care level at all.

People don’t go bankrupt because they had to go to the hospital, and people don’t avoid going to the doctor because they can’t afford it. That said, in my case it would have been nice to have the option to pay and get my test sooner.

[70Degrees]

[quote=svelte]
I would be curious to hear what you have thought of Canadian health care.

Were there long waits?

What did you like? What did you dislike?

I’m not taking sides, just curious.[/quote]

I grew up here, so its hard to compare our health care to any other health care as I don’t know any other. That said ..

I think we have good care. The only waits I ever really hear about are for specialized tests and surgeries for things that aren’t immediately life threatening. If you are dying or something, they’ll get you in. If you have a cold or you got drunk and fell and hit your head, well, you may wait.

My first hand experience on the test side is mixed. I had an issue that got diagnosed as something that wasn’t urgent and hence my tests were scheduled 6 months out. 5 months later it turned out it WAS an urgent issue and I got in for surgery that day and had all the tests I needed within hours. I ended up spending a few weeks in the hospital. It didn’t cost me anything. I did have supplemental employer health insurance, but thats only to cover the upgrade from a shared hospital room to a semi private room – it didn’t change my care level at all.

People don’t go bankrupt because they had to go to the hospital, and people don’t avoid going to the doctor because they can’t afford it. That said, in my case it would have been nice to have the option to pay and get my test sooner.

[Author]

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