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bearishgurl
Participant[quote=CA renter][quote=spdrun]CAr – outside of CA, commercial property is often taxed at a higher rate than residential as regards value.
As far as schools, I have a really bad feeling about punishing kids for the crimes of their parents by denying them an education. If anything that would increase crime.[/quote]
Yes, that may be the case in other states, but it’s not the case in California.
Agree about not punishing the kids, which is why the kids would be entitled to a public education, but the cost would be borne by their parents’ employers. It would be illegal to employ someone without paying the full cost of luring people here from other countries. The punishment for the crime would involve steep fines and the potential to lose their business assets.[/quote]
Agree with this fix wholeheartedly.
Thousands of “Mexican” kids (yes, crossing the US border every single weekday) attend US public schools and community college in SD and Imperial counties. They are often dropped off at school or the trolley station/bus stop by their parents or other relatives on their way to work to their job in the US. They use fake addresses in the US and pay (monthly or a lump sum per school year) friends and relatives on this side of the border to sign an affidavit for the school district stating that they are the “guardian” of said student(s). (The school districts do not require these “guardians” to be court-appointed.) The guardian then submits their lease agreement/deed showing that they have the right to occupy said address and at least one utility bill with the guardian’s name on it and presto, another SD County K-12 student is created out of thin air!
This happens done every single April thru August in every single school district and nearly every K-12 school in the county is affected by this phenomenon … some MUCH moreso than others.
Ask yourself why your kid’s public school has no more room for new students whose families just (legitimately) moved into the attendance area. This phenomenon plays a HUGE part in why many schools are so crowded and no district superintendent is ever going to fix it of their own volition. The reason is because each district gets paid by the state for each student’s warm body that fills a seat every single day. It’s all a numbers game to them and with a wink and a nod by the super, it’s been going on as long as I can remember …. and I have a l-o-o-o-ng memory :-0
Participant[quote=CA renter][quote=harvey][quote=CA renter][…]I’ve had Mexican-American friends tell me that the Mexicans were going to “take back” their territory in a bloodless war, simply by out-populating the white Americans.[…][/quote]
Well with friends like that…
God help us if the brown people outnumber the whites!
Looks like you have nearly a dozen posts here in the past day or so – I haven’t read them all but a quick skim shows you are really agonizing over this issue.
Goddamn, you really are a hardcore racist.[/quote]
Troll much?[/quote]
Good L@rd …. pri_dk, you ARE trolling again. I want to know exactly what a “Mexican” or “Mexican American” looks like to you.
Mexicans or “Hispanics” are actually of the Caucasian race so, uhhh, technically, they’re “white people.”
Regions with significant populations
The following countries have a census category for “white”. Many other countries have significant populations which are considered white, but do not have such a category.United States 223,553,265
Hispanic America 144,496,999
Russia 113,545,521
Brazil 91,051,646
United Kingdom 54,153,898
South Africa 4,586,838https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasian_race
You must agree that it’s not that easy to tell many “Mexicans” or “Mexican Americans” apart from “other Whites” these days.
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]BG, go with the milled matching wood. The extra money is worth it.
A house is much nicer when there’s flow from room to room. A house that looks piecemeal is kind of unattractive.
I like wood that is laid then sanded and finished for a smooth surface without the seams.[/quote]
I agree, and that is how my existing wood floor is … very professionally done.
I’d have to see how much it will all cost and try to figure potential resale value against that additional cost. Of course, I wouldn’t lose money, regardless, but don’t want to spend money, unnecessarily, either, if I end up selling. My house is very nice, as are several other major remodels around here. However, we still have longtime rental homes and other homes (mostly occupied by low-income “heirs”) around here which I feel drag down the value of pride-of-ownership homes.
Many prospective homebuyers in the +/-$500K range today are sensitive to a neighborhood’s first impression while driving thru it, even though it is a good neighborhood. This keeps them from asking their agent to view the inside of the property. Of course, +/- $500K is still close to an “entry-level” price point for a SFR in SD County so I’ve never understood how this group feels they can afford to be so “picky.” But most are, thus they are still renters.
OR, this group ends up buying a condo/PUD (with MR/HOA dues) in a complex which “looks” better from the street but they actually own nothing but maybe a small fenced-in patio and are encumbered with the above (substantial) expenses for the length of their ownership. Go figure :=0
Here’s another quickie flipper listing I got in my e-mail this morning … a price reduction of $5K.
It’s located on a nice, tidy street (walk to ALL within 5-8 minutes incl a HUGE outdoor shopping mall). The well-built homes in this ‘hood originally had 2.5″ solid red oak floors. The flipper likely purchased it in July from a seller who didn’t quite get all of the permits (or signoffs) they should have gotten from the city for a “complete remodel” they embarked upon at one point (but never quite completely finished?). Now we have a flipper still mightily attempting to get $135K over what they paid for it two months ago. They obviously used the cheapest (with visible plastic ridges, lol) “engineered laminate” flooring planks they could scare up to install here (probably for $1 or less per sf). Thus, they got the flooring (materials only w/tax) for ~$2K instead of the $7K it would have cost them ($8k if they would have done the stairs) had they used solid wood prefinished 2.25″ red oak planks from Lumber Liquidators (i.e. Durawood or Bellawood). And of course, their installation cost was much, much less for this “plasticesque” floor.
The floor in this listing just screams “cheap” and “daycare center” and looks horrible in the fairly large living/dining area and I feel that the decision to install it was a travesty. However, flippers are business people. They probably figured they couldn’t recover the cost of the materials/installation for solid hardwood floors to match the ‘hood, since it appears they just replaced the windows, front door, cabinets, granite, appls, fixtures, etc . . . even “painted” the plywood stairs, lol.
I have a lot more than $135K in equity in my home (and yes, I DO have the signed-off white paper and the detailed original architectural plans for my home). We’ll see what happens with this listing, which illustrates my dilemma pretty well. The OP here should take note NOT to “over-improve” for the neighborhood he/she will purchase into or has just purchased into … even if the improvement is just to restore the property to its original finish level … especially since he/she bought at today’s prices.
Do SD County Gen Y buyers (those looking for a family-sized SFR in the $500K range) really CARE if the floor is real or fake?? Not sure ……. h@ll, maybe that’s the least of their concerns :=0
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]… I don’t mind changing, get rid of fax machines, land-lines, etc… I don’t understand people who resist change.[/quote]
Tell this to law firms and other professional businesses who still depend upon these stalwarts … every day … hence I still have a fax machine hooked up in my home.
Participant[quote=treehugger]Hey BG, sold the Prius myself in a matter of days to the first guy to look at. I bought it used for a great deal and sold it for near what I paid, so can’t complain. I don’t drive much so it was nearly 5 years old with less than 44,000 miles.
My new car is LOADED (so was my prius), I have the premium, sport, and comm packages came with NAV (large screen) and even have a subwoofer (I don’t even know what that is). I will admit that so far I think the nearly 5 year old Japanese technology is much more intuitive and advanced than current day state of the art German tech. I have only had the car a few days and am still trying to figure stuff out.
Not sure yet what my personal MPG will be, but the car is rated for up to 32 with the AWD (35 without). The Prius averaged 52 and the previous 4runner averaged 18 (which was painful).[/quote]
That’s GREAT, treehugger! Yeah, it would take me a long time (I’d have to split it up to several sessions) to learn (and retain) all the bells and whistles of a late model vehicle. I watched a fairly long demo on utube of the Toyota “Entune” in-dash system and it seems pretty intuitive but no way would I be that fast in getting it to do what I want it to do. And I still wear an earpiece (bluetooth) to talk on the phone and have been wearing them at home, in public and on the road for the last 10 years or so (I know that bluetooth is in-dash now on most late-model vehicles). Old habits die hard.
That’s great mileage for the little Merc! Yes, buying a 4Runner would still be worth it for me if I “retired” to a small mtn town where I could walk to all or just drive a short distance to the store. Even in South Lake Tahoe (pop 52K), the city bus (every 15 mins) is free for residents and tourists alike (for errands, dining, wine tasting and skiing, etc) and there are many walkable neighborhoods right in town, even walking distance to the lake! All the other benefits of the 4WD 4Runner outweigh its relatively poor gas mileage for people who live in the mtns, IMO.
For others who have a daily commute over ~10 miles one way or have to constantly drive around for errands in stop and go traffic, a vehicle with better gas mileage would be a much better choice.
I’ve only had a home theatre subwoofer … never one in a vehicle. Wouldn’t that cause the stereo system to pound and vibrate in a small vehicle? Is it in the trunk?
Participant[quote=spdrun]You can replace a tablet a lot cheaper than a car NAV system. With tablets being mainstream, a car NAV system that will be obsolete in a year or two is as useful as nipples on a male pig.[/quote]spd, you’re telling this to someone who still uses foldout paper maps that my neighbors pick up for me for free when they visit the local AAA office (I’m not a member, lol). I keep a magnifying class in my console to help me see the small things on them :=]
Participant[quote=treehugger]I did it, sold the Prius and bought a GLA 250. I test drove pretty much all the competition! The new lexus SUV was really nice, similarly equipped a bit more money, and a bit larger, personally, I HATE the front grill and could not get over how much it disturbs me. The little lexus CT 200h hybrid is again a nice car, but style wise just not doing it for me (on the flip side one of my friends has decided she loves it and is selling her Prius and getting one), we looked at the audi 3 (not a fan), and the BMW 1 and 3, not really what I am looking for (fyi the new BMW 1 is coming out in a few weeks and sounds interesting with some really good deals on the current 1 series, but I think it looks similar to the audi 3). I even looked at the Mazda lineup they have a 3, 5, and 7, which are actually really nice but the 3 is too small and the 5 loaded ends up being nearly the same price. I really liked the Toyota highlander, but it is way too big for me and the hybrid is expensive.
Overall for looks I preferred the Mercedes GLA 250, just my preference. Gas mileage, performance, and price were also great, so for me the clear winner was the GLA.
I will say that all of the dealerships I went to were HUNGRY!!! The deals were fantastic, I got a fully loaded AWD MB for about $10,000 off MSRP and I really think that the Lexus and BMW dealerships were just as open to deals. Well except for Toyota Highlander, no deal there.[/quote]
Thanks for this post, treehugger. It sounds like you did pretty well, deal-wise! Did you sell your Prius yourself or trade it in? Yes, some of the Lexuses which came out in recent years (sedan, coupe and CUV) are tiny. I have to laugh at the recent and current ES models as its trunk is half the size of its predecessor! And the NT and CT are about the size of a Prius (well, the NT CUV could be a tad larger). I think Lexus is trying to now cater to a younger demographic to expand their devotee base, hence the “F Sport” model which debuted in model year 2013. Yes, I’m SURE that the F Sport grille, in particular, evokes a love it or hate it feeling but nothing in between from people who see it for the first time, lol … The grille on the 2016 model is even more obnoxious, as are the grilles on the ’14 and newer 4-Runners (borrowing the style from the FJ Cruiser). Gosh, I LOVE those new 4-Runners, especially the “Trail” Editions. They supposedly only get 17-18 mpg in the city, though, which was the same MPG that our Hilux SR-5 4×4 got back in the day. I really enjoyed driving that truck and even drove it coast to coast a couple of times (to FL and back). I was also the principal driver pulling a large skiboat to a family-owned lake cabin in flyover country (total of 39 ft long) and it towed extremely well, even with a manual transmission!
I DID read a review for the GLA 250 over the weekend and it stated that most of the models did NOT come with NAV or a screen of any kind and that it was extra. Did you get yours with NAV/Audio, etc?
Participant[quote=bibsoconner]Sometime ago, I used McKeon Hardware Floors. On one job they repaired and refinished some hardwood floors, on the other they replaced carpet with hardwood. It was somewhat challenging as the floor changed heights (slightly). But they did a good job of getting it all level. Highly recommended.[/quote]
Thanks for that tip, too, bibs. I’ll look them up. Yes, I already know I will need 3 red oak “risers” in different configurations but fortunately, they are all available by the foot over the counter at Dixieline (one mile from me).
Participant[quote=XBoxBoy][quote=bearishgurl]
I have a 1.5″ red oak dining room and hallway which has been professionally finished and is still beautiful but those planks have long since been discontinued as they were used from about 1948 to 1952 (when the 2.5″ planks began to be used en masse). On the back of these original planks, it says “Hurtsboro” (a mill in Kentucky at the time).
[/quote]If you are trying to match solid planks, (not laminate) go to Frost Hardwoods and they can mill you just about anything you like. Unlike Lumber Liquidators and other flooring places, Frost is a full service mill.[/quote]Thanks for the tip, XBox! I’ve got some extra boards I’ve sanded down and can take them down there for advice!
It would look so much better if I could actually match the floor that I already have. My house was extensively remodeled back in the nineties by the previous owner, adding over 700 sf (new white paper) and thus some of the old floor had to be removed.
My 1.5″ solid plank floor (of the mid-century era) will most definitely cost more to install than the 2.25 – 2.5″ planks today, due to more nailing required (it’s more tedious). In addition, it would have to be professionally finished, using an electric floor buffer or professional application of polyurethane. I had a well-known wood flooring person here in town (the one who gave me the $4400 estimate just on my LR alone) tell me a few years ago that if he was able to get them milled for me at all, it would likely be in a place like Kentucky and I would have to pay $220 (just for enough for a ~360 sf LR) just to have them shipped to me and then they would have to sit in my garage for 2-4 weeks in unwrapped bundles to “acclimate” before being installed.
That’s a lot of time, money and hassle, imho. I know where Frost is and I’ll visit them but I suspect I would have to order enough for the rest of the house at once from them to lower the price since it will be milled just for me.
Participant[quote=Jazzman]There’s carpet in the kitchen? You might want to pull that up. Tiles might be better option for the floor. I would have thought a hard wood floor might show wear in a kitchen.[/quote]
Uh, Jazzman, you didn’t read my posts very well. Either that, or your reading comprehension isn’t too good :=0
Participant[quote=svelte][quote=bearishgurl][quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.
I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.
If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]
Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”
And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.
[/quote]
Where do I begin.
Just stop pushing the Toyota bs! It’s as if Mr Toyoda inserted a microchip in your brain that says buy nothing but his products! Step back and look objectively! They are no better and no worse than any other brand!!
When someone starts a thread about a certain product, they really aren’t asking to be steered towards your sacred cow!
And some of us – me in particular – cannot stand Toyota or Lexus. There will never, ever be one in my garage…that’s how much I hate that company.
Lastly, believe it or not, not all people buy great looking cars to get attention. We buy cars because we like them, not what other folks think, and I suspect a lot of other folks do too. One of my cars has a reputation as an old geezer car, but I don’t really give a flyin f. I enjoy it, it brings me pleasure, so I’ll continue to own and drive it and smile the whole time. Whether it gets attention or not.[/quote]
Uh, svelte …. this OP actually WAS and IS a Toyota owner …. at least twice … hence my suggestion. And you’ve posted before here that your son purchased a used Lexus for a good price and was happy with it.
Yes, I’ll admit that I’m partial to Toyota products but I’ll be the first to tell you that I ALSO don’t give a flying fig what people think of my 21-year old sedan. Except for a 1970’s era Corolla and the 1990 Hilux pickup described here (both loaded and cost much, much less at the time than do new vehicles today), every single vehicle I have purchased has been used.
And I am older and have purchased MANY used vehicles in my lifetime.
I, too smile every year at the time my ($89) registration arrives from the DMV.
Not sure if the latest model Lexuses really have a “new car premium” because my research showed me that they cost the same (or nearly the same) used for the two model years preceding the newest model.
Yes, I DO VERY MUCH like the looks of the newer RX F-Sport (esp the upcoming 2016 model) but it’s likely not a very practical vehicle for me when I finally end up buying a AWD/4WD vehicle. I want/need a vehicle that I wouldn’t be afraid to get dirty. And more rubber and higher off the ground would be much better for my purposes, methinks.
Participant[quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.
I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.
If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]
Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”
And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.
The new or newer RX F Sport might be a little impractical for me but I am just in awe of its looks. A 4-Runner or Jeep GC is probably more practical for me (tires & suspension mostly) and are also very handsome. The newer 4Runner looks a lot like the (now discontinued) FJ Cruiser, but of course it is longer. The 4Runner is in the same price range as the RX (when outfitted with options to compare equally with Lexus std equipment) but I don’t know if that will still be the case in the 2016 model year. The Jeep GC is more expensive than the Lexus in the top 2 trims, I believe, but it definitely has more bells and whistles for mtn driving, gravel roads and trails.
In any case, I won’t be in the market until the last quarter of 2016 and may end up buying used (5+ yrs old).
September 26, 2015 at 4:45 PM in reply to: How will Qualcomm layoff impact SD housing market? #789644Participant[quote=birmingplumb]Hi all old friends from Detroit. Just found out about Qcomm layoffs from daughter working immigration law firm there. 15 % of her firm gone due to layoffs trickle down effect. Hope it shakes out soon and they get back on top . Had to chime in on complaining of “Chinese buyers”-Flu did excellent politically correct job calling bluff of buffoon( we in Motown here do not have her gift.) Our plant just voted down Fiat deal Uaw Local 7 60% “no” not published yet. Can’t wait for a retirement incentive so I can join you all probably either San Clemente Talegra, La Jolla, Temecula, or last but not least Laguna Woods for 150k 2 br. God bless this forum and God bless the people who have been so kind to this autoworker both during the Chrysler bankruptcy and after when the kids all moved there-Motown that means you bearish gurl too ( p.s Big 3 doing ok, thanks for your support God luv you all!)[/quote]
Well, not sure if its your plant that makes them, birmingplumb, but I watched a few videos of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee back in August and was astounded at how luxurious they are inside now … even coming with hydraulics and now an “Eco-Diesel” model! They are the closest American cousin to a Toyota 4-Runner, which I am very familiar with. I have ridden in several JCs/JGCs in the CO mtns on very high, challenging trails (’99 to ’11 models) and was very impressed with their abilities up there! They also seem to last as long as a Toyota now with two of the ones I rode in having an excess of 235K miles on the odometer but still running great! Chrysler seems to have really stepped up their game quality-wise since their BK and even before that with the sturdy JC. In spite of whatever gubment assistance Chrysler/GM have taken in the past, the “Big 3” are doing okay now because they have been coming out with quality vehicles in recent years which sell very well, plain and simple . . . ESPECIALLY in the light truck/SUV (on truck chassis) category :=]
Whether or not you work on the line, ya’ll keep up the good work!
So glad to hear your kids are doing well in SD, birmingplumb and hope your daughter survives the layoffs at her firm.
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]BG, I have never done it but I think nailing is easier/faster than floating or gluing.
You can buy a nailer and practice. If other people can do it, so can you.
The key to a nice job is fine motor skills. If a husky guy can do it, then a slender woman can do I better.I agree with you. Home improvement is expensive. Better to save money.[/quote]
Well, I would prefer the 2.5″ red oak (which is nailed) to the 6″ wide plank (which is typically floated/glued). It appears that the floor nailer is a somewhat stationary tool, so even though it may weight 20 lbs+, I wouldn’t have to hold it too much (I have a bit of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially in my right wrist). If I can do my own nailing, room by room (however slow), I’m pretty sure I could save $5K to $7K, depending on the deal I can get on the flooring (whether all in one purchase or several). For that savings, it would be totally worth it to me if I could get the hang of it and not send nails flying everywhere. Of course, I’m going to have to wear safety glasses and close pets off to where I am working.
I think I’ll look at some utube videos of floor nailing before deciding whether or not to try DIY ….
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