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ocrenter
Participant[quote=Navydoc][quote=ocrenter]Uh, this house and toll brothers homes are in completely different leagues. It is like comparing Ivy Gates homes to Maybeck or Sivercrest in 4S.[/quote]
Boy you aint kidding. We toured the available new stuff in Stonebridge, i.e. Montoro and Serenity, but when we saw the Toll models there was no comparison. So last November we put a deposit on a phase 2 lot, and they’re trenching it now.
My feelings are thus: as any regular here knows, I’ve been wathing this market for 6 years now. Any resale I buy I’m going to have to modify extensively to get what I want, and then I’ll stress about how bad a deal I got. Buying new takes all that anxiety out of the decision. I trust the Toll quality of construction, and I believe they’re building the best houses in Stonebridge. The community looks nice too, since they have phase 1 almost ready for stucco, there are no 2 houses that are the same. You certainly can’t say that about Montoro. As for commute, 4S and Stonebridge tested out about the same, and I’ll probably ride my bike down to Mira Mesa Blvd and catch a bus to Balboa, which works well for me.
Really can’t wait to move back to SD. Anybody want a nice house in Gaithersburg MD?[/quote]
navydoc, congrats on the move back to SD and getting in with Toll Bros.
the reason for Stonebridge is the estate like homes and the large yard yet at very decent prices. The only other place with this type of inventory of new homes on large yards in a good school district would be at Black Mountain Ranch, but then the MR and HOA are kicked up another notch.
seriouisly, if you want starwood type homes (aka Astoria at the beginning of Stonebridge and Pomerado), you are better off finding something in Scripps Ranch proper or 4S, unless you can get them for cheap.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]
While your generalization may or may not be correct about highlands pricing being generally higher I think there are mitigating circumstances. For instance highlands is a better location with regards to commute then Stonebridge. A HUGE monetary advantage lies with NO MR for the San Angelo homes (if I am not mistaken) and like an 86 buck a month HOA fee. (OCR can correct me on all that). Do you realize how much you save in the long run? .[/quote]
It really isn’t that hard to figure out.
The stonebridge MR and HOA amounts to basically $100k in term of monthly mortgage cost. So all things being equal, the stonebridge home should be $100k less.
Now ocean view homes typically carry another $100k in premium.
So an equally sized home in highlands getting $800k makes perfect sense. And to be frank, that Starwood home in stonebridge should be $600k.
Participant[quote=kkun]Even with the shortcomings mentioned (eg sloped backyard, little noise, not great interior), this is a great deal. Even with some interior and backyard fixing it will be at good price. Now, if you don’t like Stonebridge, that’s a different deal. This house is very close to Pomerado- as opposed to Toll Brothers homes that are probably 5 miles inside Stonebridge.
[/quote]Uh, this house and toll brothers homes are in completely different leagues. It is like comparing Ivy Gates homes to Maybeck or Sivercrest in 4S.
Participantmore problem with starwood. it is at the bottom right below Stonebridge to the south and Pomerado to the west. I sense very strong pattern of white noise throughout the day. Great for folks with tinnitus!
what is truly amazing is someone actually almost paid a cool million for this back in the days… ($954k)
Participant[quote=sd_resident]This recently sold house shows a decline of 34% from Summer 2005. $ per Sq. Ft. price is $177.
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-110061487-12884_Starwood_Ln_San_Diego_CA_92131Has Stonebridge reached it’s bottom yet? I am trying to understand why it’s avg $ per Sq. Ft. price is much below older Scripps Ranch especially Scripps Highlands area. Compared to 4S Ranch, I like it’s proximity to Sorrento Valley where I work. Access to areas like Poway and Mira Mesa makes it convenient for shopping (Costco, Kohls, Home Depot etc) and entertainment/dining. Backyards are also much bigger than most of the houses in 4S. 4S has a community feel though and schools are closer as compared to Stonebridge.[/quote]
I’m not so sure this is a true bargain.
it has a sloped yard with people looking right down at you.
that’s a $50k reduction for me right there.
the back yard improvements consist of a single slab of concrete and not much else. so there’s a lot of work to be done.
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-110033512-12253_Misty_Blue_Ct_San_Diego_CA_92131
this Miramar Ranch North Scripps Ranch home is a little older and $100k more, but it has a nice pool/spa with a slide and very well kept. it does have a slope but everything is well covered up so you don’t get that “looked down” feel. the difference in MR/HOA is about $500/month in the Miramar Ranch North home’s favor. that $500/month is the equivalent of the $100k extra in mortgage cost at 4.5%.
Participant[quote=CA renter]Not sure how much a landscape contractor charges, but what about DIY? For concrete, just hire a concrete contractor (I have a great one if you want his name) and have him pour the slabs and walkways, then you can outline flower beds, etc. and either lay sod or use seed for any grass you might want to plant.
I’ve heard of people paying crazy amounts to landscape designers/architects when they could do it themselves for a tiny fraction of the cost.
Just something to consider…[/quote]
Nothing wrong with doing it that way. Concrete after all, is the biggest issue.
I would not try to save money on the architect. Being able to get fresh and usable ideas is extremely important. I think we paid $2000 for the architect. Certainly there are cheaper ones out there, some contactors even do it for free. But this is the most important part of the game, don’t give in on temptation to save in this area.
Make sure you visit the concrete guy’s prior work, especially a few years old to make sure there’s not large amount of cracks. Most concrete guys should be able to do irrigation/drainage. If they can’t, hire someone to do it first, then get the concrete guy in.
Buy a bunch of PVC pipes to bury under various parts of concrete. This way you will always have flexibility with wiring and lighting and fountains.
Hire someone else for the softscape. Make sure they dig deep and add gypsum underneath all of the plants.
Seriously think about using artificial grass, price now down to less than $7/sqft for good quality stuff. As long as you use out of SD folks. All SD based artificial grass people are still charging $10/sqft plus last time I checked. Check out Hunny Do Grass based out of Hisperia. (if you are working with an architect, you can work with him to minimize unnecessary grass as well.)
We had a 13000 sqft project, the highest price quote was $120k, we got it done for half that. Because of drip irrigation and artificial grass, our water bill is around $120/month when others around us can get to $200-300/month.
Participant[quote=CA renter][quote=ocrenter][quote=sdrealtor]But if you perform below average you should fall behind. Its the private sectors way of showing you where the door is without getting sued.[/quote]
ultimately that’s the downfall of the public sector. the pay increases are all set in stone, regardless of performance.[/quote]
I’m pretty familiar with a number of public employers and their compensation numbers. Of the ones I’m familiar with, almost all have had their compensation frozen or seen net decreases in total compensation since about 2008. No net raises in the vast majority of cases. Their compensation has gone down in real terms, and in many cases, in nominal terms.[/quote]
But that’s looking at a short term deviation from the norm secondary to budgetary crisis at all levels of government. Overall, the government employees are significantly overpaid.
Participant[quote=pri_dk][quote=ocrenter]ultimately that’s the downfall of the public sector. the pay increases are all set in stone, regardless of performance.[/quote]
Getting raises when everybody else is not?
Doesn’t sound like much of a downfall.[/quote]
downfall as in it being the ultimate reason why the public sector tend to fail the public it serves. not downfall for the pulbic sector employees.
Participant[quote=sdrealtor]But if you perform below average you should fall behind. Its the private sectors way of showing you where the door is without getting sued.[/quote]
ultimately that’s the downfall of the public sector. the pay increases are all set in stone, regardless of performance.
Participant[quote=jimmyle]Try to call a Pakistani “Indian”.[/quote]
True, that’s a definite minefield there. And remember, one speaks Urdu and the other speaks Hindi, although it really is the same language.
Participant[quote=walterwhite]Oc you’re preaching to the choir. I believe our automobilic society makes us nuts.
Cars are worsecthan drugs. They isolate. They give weird feelings of power. They are expensive. Society subsidizes and organizes itself around the needs if cars. And they kill a lot of us. They make it intolerable to be outside most places, and they even occasionally kill in a pedestrian only farmers market.I hate cars.
On the other hand occasionally in foul weather they’re nice on a longer trip.[/quote]
Haha, yes, I do recall the incidence when a Buick decided to go after a bunch of Santa Monica tree hugging fresh fruit buying pedestrians.
The other day someone was quite excited to tell me she has joined a walking club. That’s what cars have gotten us down to: natural walkers who now need to join clubs to walk.
Participant$1000 per month increase.
Participant[quote=walterwhite]bicycles made in taiwan are generally much better than bicycles made in china.[/quote]
Just food for thought, sometimes the industrial revolution just isn’t what it is cracked up to be. Think back to the days Beijingners all were on bikes. They could actually breath and see each other without the thick smog getting in the way… I suppose there’s always a price to pay for progress.
Btw, that smog is the product of less government regulation as well. Ron Paul supporters should take note.
Participant[quote=outtamojo][quote=ocrenter][quote=outtamojo]Gosh, and no one’s even mentioned the Jason Whitlock thing yet…..[/quote]
only because that is not worth the bandwidth it traveled on.[/quote]
Fascinating…journalists have been fired for less.[/quote]
Of course they had. Because it was white on black racism. We all know African Americans are ultra sensitive about that and they will over react. They have a complex, a chip on their collective shoulders. That’s why whites can’t make black jokes, because most African Americans can’t handle the joke.
Asians dont really have a complex in this regard. After all, blacks never enslaved us. So we look at it for what it is: a jealous loser trying too hard to be funny and it back fired on his ass.
What we do have a complex about is demonstrated right here. You can’t have a Taiwanese assert Taiwanese identity without hoards of Chinese crying foul and call you names and tell you to go back to where you came from. Because they too, have a complex and that chip on their collective shoulders.
The double standard is definitely there. But it is what it is and we move on.
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