[UCGal]

[quote=CA renter]
Wow, those are some tall kids you have there, UCGal! :)[/quote]

I really should stop spiking their milk with miracle grow. LOL

[UCGal]

[quote=CA renter]
Wow, those are some tall kids you have there, UCGal! :)[/quote]

I really should stop spiking their milk with miracle grow. LOL

[UCGal]

[quote=CA renter]
Wow, those are some tall kids you have there, UCGal! :)[/quote]

I really should stop spiking their milk with miracle grow. LOL

[UCGal]

It is completely worthless in neighborhoods that have very low turnover.

It also seems to factor in list prices for the neighborhood – so if a neighbor lists his house for a completely pie-in-the-sky high price, the zestimate for the neighborhood goes up. When they sell at a realistic price OR pull it from the market, it seems to settle back down.

It also does not take into account issues that can swing a sales price like interior remodels (or lack thereof), view or landscaping, etc…

At times, seems to be entirely random. My house was listed with a zestimate 300k below what it is currently zestimated at. The first price was ridiculously low, the current price is probably higher than we could get. When we refi’d last year we had an appraisal – that price was in the middle.

I take zillow with a HUGE grain of salt.

[UCGal]

It is completely worthless in neighborhoods that have very low turnover.

It also seems to factor in list prices for the neighborhood – so if a neighbor lists his house for a completely pie-in-the-sky high price, the zestimate for the neighborhood goes up. When they sell at a realistic price OR pull it from the market, it seems to settle back down.

It also does not take into account issues that can swing a sales price like interior remodels (or lack thereof), view or landscaping, etc…

At times, seems to be entirely random. My house was listed with a zestimate 300k below what it is currently zestimated at. The first price was ridiculously low, the current price is probably higher than we could get. When we refi’d last year we had an appraisal – that price was in the middle.

I take zillow with a HUGE grain of salt.

[UCGal]

It is completely worthless in neighborhoods that have very low turnover.

It also seems to factor in list prices for the neighborhood – so if a neighbor lists his house for a completely pie-in-the-sky high price, the zestimate for the neighborhood goes up. When they sell at a realistic price OR pull it from the market, it seems to settle back down.

It also does not take into account issues that can swing a sales price like interior remodels (or lack thereof), view or landscaping, etc…

At times, seems to be entirely random. My house was listed with a zestimate 300k below what it is currently zestimated at. The first price was ridiculously low, the current price is probably higher than we could get. When we refi’d last year we had an appraisal – that price was in the middle.

I take zillow with a HUGE grain of salt.

[UCGal]

It is completely worthless in neighborhoods that have very low turnover.

It also seems to factor in list prices for the neighborhood – so if a neighbor lists his house for a completely pie-in-the-sky high price, the zestimate for the neighborhood goes up. When they sell at a realistic price OR pull it from the market, it seems to settle back down.

It also does not take into account issues that can swing a sales price like interior remodels (or lack thereof), view or landscaping, etc…

At times, seems to be entirely random. My house was listed with a zestimate 300k below what it is currently zestimated at. The first price was ridiculously low, the current price is probably higher than we could get. When we refi’d last year we had an appraisal – that price was in the middle.

I take zillow with a HUGE grain of salt.

[UCGal]

It is completely worthless in neighborhoods that have very low turnover.

It also seems to factor in list prices for the neighborhood – so if a neighbor lists his house for a completely pie-in-the-sky high price, the zestimate for the neighborhood goes up. When they sell at a realistic price OR pull it from the market, it seems to settle back down.

It also does not take into account issues that can swing a sales price like interior remodels (or lack thereof), view or landscaping, etc…

At times, seems to be entirely random. My house was listed with a zestimate 300k below what it is currently zestimated at. The first price was ridiculously low, the current price is probably higher than we could get. When we refi’d last year we had an appraisal – that price was in the middle.

I take zillow with a HUGE grain of salt.

[UCGal]

[quote=nocommonsense]

I do NOT want to see learning foreign languages to become a requirment in the public schools. As I stated in my last post, you may THINK you want it now, but trust me you don’t.[/quote]

Don’t most 4 year colleges (U.S.) still require some foreign language coursework in high school? Or was that eliminated along the way.

That would make it a good idea – although not required to graduate high school.

[UCGal]

[quote=nocommonsense]

I do NOT want to see learning foreign languages to become a requirment in the public schools. As I stated in my last post, you may THINK you want it now, but trust me you don’t.[/quote]

Don’t most 4 year colleges (U.S.) still require some foreign language coursework in high school? Or was that eliminated along the way.

That would make it a good idea – although not required to graduate high school.

[UCGal]

[quote=nocommonsense]

I do NOT want to see learning foreign languages to become a requirment in the public schools. As I stated in my last post, you may THINK you want it now, but trust me you don’t.[/quote]

Don’t most 4 year colleges (U.S.) still require some foreign language coursework in high school? Or was that eliminated along the way.

That would make it a good idea – although not required to graduate high school.

[UCGal]

[quote=nocommonsense]

I do NOT want to see learning foreign languages to become a requirment in the public schools. As I stated in my last post, you may THINK you want it now, but trust me you don’t.[/quote]

Don’t most 4 year colleges (U.S.) still require some foreign language coursework in high school? Or was that eliminated along the way.

That would make it a good idea – although not required to graduate high school.

[UCGal]

[quote=nocommonsense]

I do NOT want to see learning foreign languages to become a requirment in the public schools. As I stated in my last post, you may THINK you want it now, but trust me you don’t.[/quote]

Don’t most 4 year colleges (U.S.) still require some foreign language coursework in high school? Or was that eliminated along the way.

That would make it a good idea – although not required to graduate high school.

[UCGal]

[quote=briansd1]

I see what you’re saying.

But let’s face it — people want clean updated, spacious interiors.

In San Diego, you can buy an old house in Normal Heights or you can buy a new house in the new master-planned suburbs.

Zoning makes remodeling and adding on to the old Normal Heights house too costly and onerous. So people take the path of least resistance. So we end up with sprawl.
[/quote]

Correction – YOU want clean/updated/spacious… Not everyone prefers that.

I have friends who own in University Heights – they love their older spanish style house. At one point they were considering moving to a big house in the burbs… they decided it would lower their quality of life even as it increased their square footage.

Other friends of mine live in Kensington. They’ve decided to add on to their craftsman era home because it makes more sense for their lifestyle. The love the lines and charm of their older house. The did the number crunching on hiring an architect and doing an addition vs selling/buying. Adding on was the better move for them. (He’s an engineer -so the numbers were scrutinized closely.) It was cheaper to add on than to move – NOT more onerous as you describe.

As far as density of areas, contemporary architecture vs older homes… check out a 2 unit property owned by friends of mine.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Diego/4720-Marlborough-Dr-92116/home/5270812

It has a very charming spanish style bungalow in the front, and a very contemporary loft style 2 br home in the back. All in the walkable neighborhood of Kensington. Based on the style you like – I could see you liking the modern loft. Personally, I prefer the cove ceilings, built-ins, and retro tile, arches, etc, in the front house.

Like I said – everyone has different taste.

[UCGal]

[quote=briansd1]

I see what you’re saying.

But let’s face it — people want clean updated, spacious interiors.

In San Diego, you can buy an old house in Normal Heights or you can buy a new house in the new master-planned suburbs.

Zoning makes remodeling and adding on to the old Normal Heights house too costly and onerous. So people take the path of least resistance. So we end up with sprawl.
[/quote]

Correction – YOU want clean/updated/spacious… Not everyone prefers that.

I have friends who own in University Heights – they love their older spanish style house. At one point they were considering moving to a big house in the burbs… they decided it would lower their quality of life even as it increased their square footage.

Other friends of mine live in Kensington. They’ve decided to add on to their craftsman era home because it makes more sense for their lifestyle. The love the lines and charm of their older house. The did the number crunching on hiring an architect and doing an addition vs selling/buying. Adding on was the better move for them. (He’s an engineer -so the numbers were scrutinized closely.) It was cheaper to add on than to move – NOT more onerous as you describe.

As far as density of areas, contemporary architecture vs older homes… check out a 2 unit property owned by friends of mine.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Diego/4720-Marlborough-Dr-92116/home/5270812

It has a very charming spanish style bungalow in the front, and a very contemporary loft style 2 br home in the back. All in the walkable neighborhood of Kensington. Based on the style you like – I could see you liking the modern loft. Personally, I prefer the cove ceilings, built-ins, and retro tile, arches, etc, in the front house.

Like I said – everyone has different taste.

[Author]

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