[an]

[quote=flu]I’m basically disputing the notion that areas with MR always have higher taxes (as percentage of assessed value) to other older areas without MR.
Not necessarily the case.

AN, the MR in CarmelV, about $1850 goes to schools.
The rest is peanuts. This isn’t that much different from areas with special bond assessments to schools, except that in this case the MR is goind directly to the grade schools in the district (not necessarily remote schools or community colleges,etc)….[/quote]
I agree with your argument. I did state why I think CV MR is not that big of a deal. It’s not special to CV. I think for areas that have mostly built out infrastructure, the MR shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It’s only brand new areas like San Elijo, Del Sur, 4S, etc that it can get crazy. The reason CV doesn’t have bond for community colleges because it’s a tiny area and there probably won’t ever be a CC that gets built there. Just look at San Elijo Hills. Since it’s part of San Marcos, although it’s new and have MR, it has to pay the bond for PALOMAR COMMUNITY COLL PROP M.

[an]

[quote=flu]
[quote]
Let home prices fall to where they’re affordable on one to 1.5x the average income in an area.[/quote]

Tell that to all the existing homeowners, then good luck getting re-elected[/quote]
It might be true for your average homeowners. But for me, as a current homeowners, I’d love to see price fall to 1-1.5x the average income in the area. That would mean I’d be able to pick up an average SFR in MM for between $80-120k. I’m sure you’d be happy with that as well.

For that matter, that mean I can buy a my move up house in Del Mar (just your average house in Del Mar) for $170k-$255k. Or maybe I’ll shoot higher and get an average house in RSF for $200k-300k.

[an]

flu, you should compare CV w/out MR vs CV with MR to have a more apple to apple comparison. They both go to the same MS and HS. A non MR area of CV have tax rate of about 1.027% vs 1.25% for your area. So that .22% comes out to ~$1800/year for a $850k house. Not that big of a deal for a $850k house, but that would be an apple to apple comparison. I think the reason CV have low MR is like Sorrento Heights in MM having low MR while most of MM don’t have MR. That is, because all of the basic infrastructure is already built out, so MR doesn’t need to be as exorbitant. However, an area like Del Sur, 4S, Eastlake, etc, where they have to build all the infrastructure, that’s when MR is quite exorbitant.

[an]

I’m paying 1.11% for a SFR in MM. So, there must be some fixed fee that cause your condo to go up to 1.13%.

Took some random address in Del Sur. The base tax rate is 1.04%, but their total tax including fixed cost is $14891.04 . So, tax + MR is 2.08% based on the assessed value of $716k. That’s almost double the amount one would have to pay for a $716k house in MM.

[an]

Or try to buy a condo in Mira Mesa and then come back to tell us what you learned about weak demand.

[an]

[quote=bearishgurl]Honestly, I don’t understand why a young family of today would prefer Stonebridge over Del Cerro or Fleetridge (both with many stunning-view properties at the same price point). In the big picture, who CARES if some still have Formica in the kitchens?? I’d move in and start cooking in my knotty-pine kitchen with Formica countertops (PL) and “vintage” built-ins if I could afford to buy a place there! It can all be fixed later. But that’s just me.[/quote]
Is it really that hard to understand? Here are examples of 2 houses, one in Stonebridge and another in Del Cerro. Both are ~$1.2M.

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-120027149-14896_Whispering_Ridge_Rd_San_Diego_CA_92131
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-120020803-6836_Elaine_Way_San_Diego_CA_92120

Both have a view but the Del Cerro have a lake view. The Stonebridge is 1300 sq-ft larger (how much does it cost to add 1300 sq-ft, especially if that 1300 sq-ft includes 2 more bathrooms?). The Stonebridge not is easily 30-40% larger (assuming only useable part). Then look at the interior quality (how much would it cost to upgrade to a kitchen and bathrooms like that and flooring for 5500 sq-ft, etc)? My guess is, to make the Del Cerro house to be as big and as well appointed as the Stonebridge house, it would probably cost you another $400-500k ($600k+ if you believe in their claim of $600k in upgrades). So, unless you’re fine with the Del Cerro house the way it is, it wouldn’t make financial sense to buy the Del Cerro home and upgrade it to the level you can get from the Stonebridge house.

Another good example to prove my point is:
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-110058628-6651_Belle_Haven_Dr_San_Diego_CA_92120
vs
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-120034726-11494_Sweet_Willow_Way_San_Diego_CA_92131
3400 sq-ft vs 5000 sq-ft, 1/4 acre lot vs 3/4 acre lot, look at the interior quality. How much would it cost to add 1600 sq-ft? How much would it cost to remodel to get a kitchen and bathrooms like that?

[an]

[quote=flu]Well, so I was at the ice skating rink. And geesh, my kid’s friend is like 6. Granted, she can skate really really well, the parent didn’t want her kid to play with mine, because she wanted her to “train”. Same kid is 6 and is doin like long division and binomial equations at school.. WTF is the point?[/quote]
I missed this. If the 6 year old truly can understand binomial equations, then she’s definitely special. Most kids at this age can barely multiply and divide. This remind me of this kid: http://www.technonewspaper.com/this-teen-successfully-solve-mystery-puzzle-newton/962.html. Some people are truly special. I think that kid’s dad was teaching him Calculus when he was 8 and by the time he was 10, his math capability surpasses his dad’s.

[an]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=briansd1]I’m not a big fan of AMG Mercedes. They look like mafioso cars, especially when the get a few years old. That’s not the image I want for me.

OK, what’s a good Rolex to buy? I’m thinking something subdued and not too flashy.[/quote]

Brian: I don’t think the words “subdued” and “Rolex” really go together. The Submariner in stainless is about as subdued as Rolex gets.

You should get an Omega Seamaster. James Bond wears one. Plus, he drives an Aston-Martin. Those aren’t “mafioso” looking at all. Very British and dignified and FAST. Of course, you’d need to upgrade your wardrobe with some Savile Row bespoke suits, which would mean pleats, bracer buttons and cuffs. Can’t have everything, right?[/quote]
This Rolex Datejust is pretty subdued: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=rolex+datejust&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&ion=1&biw=1440&bih=1025&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3147243792747068584&sa=X&ei=w-MFUILhFKbC2wW7wKSrBQ&ved=0CGYQ8gIwBQ

If Brian wants Omega, I think the Constellation: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=omega+constellation+mens&hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1440&bih=1025&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7279346229338301616&sa=X&ei=e-QFUJiXM9Ly2gW3zfWoBQ&ved=0CFcQ8gIwAQ is pretty subdued too.

[an]

[quote=flu][quote=Diego Mamani][quote=AN]I used to break faces easily (done it twice).[/quote]
Watch faces, I hope you mean…
Why don’t you wear your watch on the right hand?[/quote]

Just feels weird. Well, see, I’m kinda particular. Certain things I have to do with right hand some things lefty way.

I bat right, but hold a racket on the left hand. I eat using my left hand to hold utensils but I use scissors with my right.[/quote]
Totally agree. It would just feel weird when I wear the watch on my right hand. Yes, i mean watch faces :-).

[an]

[quote=flu]There’s something to be said about left handed asians…
Because I think at some point or the other, parents tried to correct that…. So I’m sure there’s a bunch of asian righties that are really closet lefties.

Me? I was too stubborn, so I came out of the closet and stayed out as a lefty…[/quote]
This is why I write with my right hand. When I was learning to write, I was forced to practice writing with my right hand. I stopped fighting and learn to write with my right hand. However, I do everything else with my left.

[an]

[quote=flu]I really wish I could like watches. But i end up trashing watches.

See, most of you are probably right handed and wear your watch on your left arm.

Me? I’m screwed up since I’m a lefty, and still wear my watch on the left arm. What ends up happening is since I’m a lefty, I constantly slammed my watch around writing, doing other thing. I have never been able to have any sort of watch last longer than a year.

So out of fear, I never bothered to think about getting a watch more than $40 or so…[/quote]
I’m left handed and wear my watch on my left hand. I used to break faces easily (done it twice). But with my Omega, it survives many bang ups.

[an]

[quote=SK in CV][quote=AN]With that said, I think you’re just having a case of grass is greener on the other side. Would CV schools be where it is with the reputation it has w/out the kids from those tiger parents? Mira Mesa schools can use a few more tiger parents. Just look at the API scores of the subgroups. TPHS and MMHS are pretty comparable until you get to the Asian category. TPHS Asian blew by MMHS like it was standing still. Would CV be fetching to premium it does w/out its schools?[/quote]

It isn’t just the schools in CV. It’s just as much the families. A handful of them might be tiger families, but I’m guessing most are not. There’s a culture both within the school and in the kids homes where academic achievement is a good thing. Kids study. Few of them work. (I’m talking about the high schools here.) There aren’t a lot of behavior problems. There isn’t a lot of bullying. The kids in band are just as cool as the football players or the basketball players. There are as many AP classes available as a kid (or parent) could want. My daughter got straight A’s. She could have taken 2 more AP classes. She wasn’t in the top 10% of her graduating class. (They dont publish class rankings, i think in order to avoid competition. I only know that because there’s some special UC entrance benefit for graduating in the top 10% of the class.) That means that at least 10% of the class too more AP classes than she did AND got straight A’s.

I think if you put these same kids in almost any school, they’d perform almost as well. And unless things have changed dramatically in the last 5 years, these are NOT mostly tiger parents.[/quote]
I think you’re basically saying what I said in a different way. CV school is one of the big reason that draw people to CV. Which also is one of the reason CV has its premium. I never said CV schools can teach the kids better than other schools. There’s no way for me to prove one way or another. However, I think API scores has a lot more to do with demographic than school’s teaching ability. The Asian demographic there does really emphasize academic. Their result shows, whether you think it work or not.

Just because the “tiger” parent term was made popular recently doesn’t mean the “tiger” behavior hasn’t always been there among parents who are educated and driven themselves. I think educated upper middle class parents know that they got where they are because of their education. So, many push their kids to excel in education, hoping their kids will do better than they did. So, whether it’s a word like “tiger” or not, the behavior has always been there. BTW, the culture you described is a mild “tiger” parent behavior to me. It’s just the extreme “tiger” parent don’t just think academic achievement is a good thing, it’s an expected thing.

If you graduated in the top 10%, you’re guaranteed a to be accepted to one UC. Mine was UCI (I didn’t go there though). My cousin just graduated this year and she got accepted to both UCLA and UCSD. Her parents didn’t push are at all (her academic accomplishments was all her own). She wasn’t in the top 5 and her GPA was 4.5 (straight As). Are you sure they don’t publish ranking? At least for MMHS, they did and they still do. Not all successful kids have “tiger” parents. My cousin is a prime example. However, I think she can do much more if her parents are “tiger” parents. I think her potential is higher than her result.

[an]

[quote=flu]Yeah, but do you blame us? Look at all we had to give up….Real leather versus Pleather in our cars, TRACT homes with dissolvable walls, no AC and no front and back yard…. No furniture in our home except for the $99 Ikea special…

Not like we’re living a luxurious life like some of more privileged, affluent constituents in wealthier Mira Mesa… I mean, most of us workaholics slave away and return to the Slums in Carmel Valley after working on that information super-railroad, brick by brick…For shame.[/quote]
You were on a roll until you got to the walls. I definitely have to beat. At least you have walls to dissolve. Unlike CV, us in MM have to deal with unbearable heat. We’d die if we didn’t get AC. I also have your furniture beat. I’m still using the dining set we bought for <$200 many years ago while we were renting. With that said, I think you're just having a case of grass is greener on the other side. Would CV schools be where it is with the reputation it has w/out the kids from those tiger parents? Mira Mesa schools can use a few more tiger parents. Just look at the API scores of the subgroups. TPHS and MMHS are pretty comparable until you get to the Asian category. TPHS Asian blew by MMHS like it was standing still. Would CV be fetching to premium it does w/out its schools?

[an]

[quote=SK in CV]Just for some more words of encouragement, both of my kids graduated from UC (different campuses). All of the UC campuses are in the top 20 most competitive public universities in the country. Neither one of them ever felt any competition from other students. This isn’t anything I (or my dear ex wife) deserve any particular credit for, other than making sure their mindset was to challenge and compete only with themselves. There’s plenty of other crap to stress kids out. Competing with their classmates doesn’t have to be one of them.[/quote]To some, who buy in CV specifically for the school (tiger parents or not), only to have their kids to only go to the top 20 public university, would make them feel like they failed or the school failed or they wasted a bunch of money for nothing. Now, if their kids end up going to the top 5 or top 10 university (private and public), then they might feel like it’s worth the money.

[an]

[quote=Fearful][quote=AN]Not everyone want or care to romp on a car. But my point is, on average those who buy luxury goods tend to be able to afford it.[/quote]
All in balance, my good man.

People sometimes ask me, you’re rich, why don’t you buy better stuff? I tell them, you don’t get to be rich by spending money. If that was how it worked, everyone would be rich![/quote]
Totally agree, it’s a fine balance. Most people do not live solely for the future. We all have to make a decision whether a particular purchase will adversely affect your future goal. Some people would spend minimally now till they save $10m+ (just some arbitrary number) while others would say, I can make me happy now and settle for only $5M for retirement. There’s no right or wrong. It’s just different for everyone. Again, my point is, on average, those who buy $100k car or watch probably already have millions in the bank and are not leveraging to buy those luxury goods.

[Author]

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