I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.
SD Realtor
January 20, 2011 @
7:59 PM
Depends on the type of kids Depends on the type of kids you have and what they are into.
We need as much room as possible. Our kids like sports, they like gardens, they like to run around with the dogs and they like trampolines.
CA renter
January 20, 2011 @
9:22 PM
permabear wrote:I’m in escrow [quote=permabear]I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.[/quote]
Oh man, permabear, I am so jealous! (in a good way) This is what I would absolutely LOVE to do. Wow. 🙂
Congratulations on finding a suitable lot. If you don’t mind, how difficult was it to find, and about how much was it? Did you price out the costs to build, yet?
How totally exciting!!! 🙂
permabear
January 21, 2011 @
9:17 PM
Thanks CAR! Excited but Thanks CAR! Excited but still a bit nervous. 🙂
How hard was it to find… VERY. As in, for 2 years, we spent every weekend driving all over San Diego, literally driving down every street looking for “For Sale” signs on land. We finally stumbled on a FSBO lot and got a smoking price on it.
Land in the MLS is only a small segment of the land available for sale. Most is FSBO with a crappy sign because land sits so long. The lot we finally found is in a nice area that was just right for our needs. No HOA, CC&R’s, or MR.
Building costs are really competitive right now. It is a great time to build a home. I have noticed a big surge in construction lately – lots of land getting snapped up, and lending loosening. I think in 2-3 years prices could be back up quite a bit.
But right now, you can get a NICE home for $180-200/sf, everything included. This is from multiple architects and GC’s. What I mean is, let’s assume you want 3500 sf. Call that $700k, add the price of land, and you’re good. If you (or anyone else) want more details, I have names of an architect and GC that I can share. Caveat: They haven’t built anything for me yet. 🙂
UCGal
January 21, 2011 @
9:47 PM
congrats on your project, congrats on your project, permabear.
As to backyard size… That’s going to vary from family to family….
We have 1/4 acre – but some of it is taken up with the casita. For us it was important to have room for kid play area (a patio that has a hoop, adjacent to a swingset), outdoor eating area, garden for veggies, fruit trees, and a space for laundry lines. We minimized the grass to get what we wanted. But every family has different needs.
CA renter
January 21, 2011 @
9:53 PM
Great idea WRT driving Great idea WRT driving around, permabear. We used to do the same — driving all over North County looking for land, but that was more during the bubble era, and land was ridiculously expensive, even the FSBO lots. Maybe we should start doing that, again.
Are you designing your own plans, or did you buy plans “off the shelf”?
Please let us know how things go as you build your home. While I’m sure you’ll run into some problems during the proess (as almost every owner-builder does) it will, no doubt, be an awesome experience that you’ll be able to enjoy for many, many years to come.
permabear
January 22, 2011 @
11:31 AM
CA renter wrote:Great idea [quote=CA renter]Great idea WRT driving around, permabear. We used to do the same — driving all over North County looking for land, but that was more during the bubble era, and land was ridiculously expensive, even the FSBO lots. Maybe we should start doing that, again.[/quote]
Prices have come down a lot, but land is starting to get snapped up. I think the economy is finally recovering. I really think the time is now. In 2-3 years I don’t think we’ll be back at bubble prices, but I thinking land/building costs could be up 20%.
[quote=CA renter]Are you designing your own plans, or did you buy plans “off the shelf”?[/quote]
I’ve spent many hours down at the SD county building offices. There are so many regulations, fire sprinklers, seismic, etc. that I don’t think you’re saving money buying plans. You’d have to redo the structural anyway, and that’s what drives costs.
Besides, it’s a custom home! 🙂
We have found an architect that is not only affordable, but does his own structural engineering, which enables him to design with cost in mind. Most architects just do the pretty drawings, and then you have to take them to a structural engineer. The structural is what impacts the building cost – how to actually frame it, run plumbing, etc.
faterikcartman
January 22, 2011 @
3:44 PM
permabear wrote: I really [quote=permabear] I really think the time is now.[/quote]
I’ve said the same thing here before and agree completely. We’re currently waiting and waiting (and waiting) for our short sale land purchase to go through.
Please give a prayer or cross your fingers for us!
A view is incredibly important to us — but see large yard and privacy as even more important. Still, are you going to die in this house or move after 15 years? If you’re going to move build a two story and enjoy your kids growing up at home. If you’re going to die there consider going single story and smaller if necessary. Hopefully there’s a nice park nearby.
CA renter
January 22, 2011 @
10:20 PM
Agree that prices are finally Agree that prices are finally becoming somewhat sane in a number of areas. It’s just a matter of finding what you want, where you want.
Okay, you’re really making me anxious to go ahead with the land/custom build, too. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of for a long, long time. Hope you don’t mind if I bug you for some tips and names of your architect, contractor, etc. 🙂
Yeah, “custom built” means designing it yourself. Buying off-the-shelf plans kind of ruins the whole thing, doesn’t it?
I’m very excited for you! 🙂
Anonymous
January 25, 2011 @
4:23 PM
Permabear, did you have Permabear, did you have difficulty getting financing? I’ve been interested in doing a custom home but I heard this was a big issue.
Also I’ve never bought a house before and I would be a little nervous about doing a custom home for our first one.
permabear
January 30, 2011 @
12:29 PM
Thanks for the encouragement, Thanks for the encouragement, we’ll see how close we can get to that house concept. 🙂
There are a couple banks that will offer construction financing still if you are building a primary residence. US Bank has good programs. You will need at least 25% down with 10% reserves. So if you needed $800k to build, that means $200k down and another $80k in the bank.
I think your gut is right in telling you that building a custom home as your first home is a bit crazy. Personally I would start with a fixer, to see if you have the stomach for construction/remodeling. I love it but it drives a lot of people batty because there’s always unknowns and things never go smoothly.
bearishgurl
January 23, 2011 @
11:38 AM
permabear wrote:I’m in escrow [quote=permabear]I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.[/quote]
Congratulations, permbear! If you don’t mind my asking, did you find a suitable lot in the PUSD? And is it vacant? If so, are utilities readily available? I seem to remember that PUSD was your location parameter over 2 mos ago.
What style of house will you be building? And, will it be a one or two story??
Hobie
January 20, 2011 @
8:49 PM
Seems now kids don’t like to Seems now kids don’t like to go outside as much as we did. And they are involved with many activities away from home. That said, I’d still go with a large space.
This way your house will be the house everyone will want to come over and play. You will be meeting new parents who have some strange thoughts on raising kids that you may not want to have your own exposed to and having them home makes it easier to keep an eye on their supervision.
I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area.
I also vote for the one story with a large kid playroom at the opposite end of the house from the master bedroom and office. They love to play video games in surround sound and loud!
Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.
scaredyclassic
January 20, 2011 @
9:12 PM
big. preferably bordering a big. preferably bordering a national forest
temeculaguy
January 22, 2011 @
11:19 PM
walterwhite wrote:big. [quote=walterwhite]big. preferably bordering a national forest[/quote]
I like that comment, the problem is that you need to account for the age of the kids and the proximity of neighbors. When mine were in that 2-13 age bracket, I had a big lot and a pool but it was on a cul de sac on a street filled with kids their age. Rarely were any of those 20+ kids in backyards, they go out front. I don’t think all kids today are in lots of activities, just city kids. My kids had to be dragged sometimes to stuff and jumped out of the car the moment we came home because there was always something going on in the street, not in a backyard. But there were some swingsets, some pools, some basketball courts, baseball and football were in the street, you don’t need everything at one house, they just need access to stuff at different houses. Having a lot big enough to have everything defeats the purpose if you are missing the most important ingredient….other kids.
Then consider that the day they get their license, it’s all over, and you will be taking care of that unused entertainment complex so plan accordingly.
It’s about shelf life, if you have a 5 year old, factor that into your housing choice. If you have a 12 or 13 year old boy, forget it, it’s only a couple of years before they discover boobs and they will like those for the next 70 years, the trampoline will lose all of it’s luster in very short order.
CA renter
January 20, 2011 @
9:20 PM
Hobie wrote:Seems now kids [quote=Hobie]Seems now kids don’t like to go outside as much as we did. And they are involved with many activities away from home. That said, I’d still go with a large space.
This way your house will be the house everyone will want to come over and play. You will be meeting new parents who have some strange thoughts on raising kids that you may not want to have your own exposed to and having them home makes it easier to keep an eye on their supervision.
I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area.
I also vote for the one story with a large kid playroom at the opposite end of the house from the master bedroom and office. They love to play video games in surround sound and loud!
Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.[/quote]
Good ideas WRT the separate space.
Ideally, kids could have a nice, smooth patio area where they can ride their toys/bikes/skates and play basketball, etc. In an ideal world, this space would be really, really big. 🙂
permabear
January 22, 2011 @
11:44 AM
Hobie wrote:I would include [quote=Hobie]I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area. [/quote]
All great ideas – thanks. One thing we could do is layout our floorplan to create 2-3 somewhat separate yards, rather than one big space. This may work best for the lot too. Thoughts?
[quote=Hobie]Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.[/quote]
I like this. My grandparents have one of those and it was great for outback/swim days.
sdrealtor
January 22, 2011 @
1:38 PM
Congrats permabear and I hope Congrats permabear and I hope you build your dream house and enjoy it for many years. I second the vote for multiple outdoor areas with separate designs for kids and adults if you have the space. Make sure to build a kegerator into a BBQ island out back and put it right next the property line so your neighbor can reach over and pour himself one. Your neighbor will thank just like I thank mine who did exactly that.
flyer
January 22, 2011 @
4:29 PM
Completely agree space is Completely agree space is greatly desirable for raising a family. Our kids grew up on almost an acre in RSF, and had a ball.
Congratulations on your purchase, and good luck with your project. Just wondering in what general area of the county you made your land purchase?
We have some friends, new to San Diego, who are also looking to build. They also want to avoid MR, etc., but don’t want to be more than 5-10 miles from the coast. They can’t seem to find anything within the budget range you mentioned in those areas.
permabear
January 23, 2011 @
5:50 PM
flyer wrote:Just wondering in [quote=flyer]Just wondering in what general area of the county you made your land purchase?[/quote]
It is an unknown “in-between” area technically in SD County jurisdiction, near RB. It’s North of Santaluz, right next to The Crosby, and West of 4S Ranch. It’s called “Santa Fe Hills” and is a collection of 2-acre minimum lots.
Our lot is technically 2.54 acres, but due to strict SD County regulations for fire, biological space, rainwater, etc, we end up with about a 15,000 sf pad. There are other parcels in the area that have more buildable space, but our views are unreal.
[quote=flyer]We have some friends, new to San Diego, who are also looking to build. They also want to avoid MR, etc., but don’t want to be more than 5-10 miles from the coast. They can’t seem to find anything within the budget range you mentioned in those areas.[/quote]
It is very tough. It took us 2 years of VERY diligent looking. We found this place by driving down a random road we didn’t even know about. We saw it and said “That’s it!”
Realtors and the MLS probably can’t help your friend. This is not a criticism of either, but I’ve come to understand raw land is just a weird commodity. Nearby our lot is a big sign that says “For Sale By Owner – NO REALTORS!!” I would post the info on it, but I checked into the parcel and there’s weird IRS tax liens on it.
If your friend is truly serious, they need to be driving around all over – down every deadend street, frontage road, etc. Sooner or later they will find a weird empty piece of land. From there it’s legwork – calling the county, figuring out the APN, oftentimes contacting the owner directly to ask if it’s for sale. In some cases it’s a family heirloom and people may want to sell. Othertimes it’s in a trust and they plain can’t. It’s not easy, which is probably why the simplicity of communities like Santaluz holds such appeal.
bearishgurl
January 23, 2011 @
6:03 PM
permabear wrote:It is very [quote=permabear]It is very tough. It took us 2 years of VERY diligent looking. We found this place by driving down a random road we didn’t even know about. We saw it and said “That’s it!”
Realtors and the MLS probably can’t help your friend. This is not a criticism of either, but I’ve come to understand raw land is just a weird commodity. Nearby our lot is a big sign that says “For Sale By Owner – NO REALTORS!!” I would post the info on it, but I checked into the parcel and there’s weird IRS tax liens on it.
If your friend is truly serious, they need to be driving around all over – down every deadend street, frontage road, etc. Sooner or later they will find a weird empty piece of land. From there it’s legwork – calling the county, figuring out the APN, oftentimes contacting the owner directly to ask if it’s for sale. In some cases it’s a family heirloom and people may want to sell. Othertimes it’s in a trust and they plain can’t. It’s not easy, which is probably why the simplicity of communities like Santaluz holds such appeal.[/quote]
Good legwork, permabear! What you did was exactly the route I have/would advocated taking if a buyer is looking for a buildable lot (or even if they have a certain house-style/lot configuration in mind in a very specific area)!
Are you going to build a mid-century style home on it, as was your plan in the November thread??
NotCranky
January 24, 2011 @
9:54 AM
As far as what size yard As far as what size yard goes, kids seem pretty adaptable. When we could go anywhere we wanted to as kids, apartments were fine.Now they are very limiting IMO. On the other hand it seems kids will utilize,at least to some degree, every inch of home territory that they are allowed to do something inventive upon. One noticeable problem is that as the lot size grows there are fewer kids nearby for youngsters to make friends with.
permabear
January 25, 2011 @
2:24 PM
bearishgurl wrote:Are you [quote=bearishgurl]Are you going to build a mid-century style home on it, as was your plan in the November thread??[/quote]
Oh hell jeah. Mid-century inspired, at least. :-)[img_assist|nid=14528|title=Modern L home|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=759|height=466]
permabear… that looks like permabear… that looks like a really cool/hip/liveable house. Sweet!
flyer
January 24, 2011 @
1:42 PM
permabear–thank you for your permabear–thank you for your feedback.
I am very familiar with the area you mentioned, and will suggest our friends take a look around there.
Like us, their kids are grown, and, they are torn between going a few miles inland, or staying near the coast. Although we enjoyed raising our kids in RSF, we may sell our home there and move back to the home we own in Del Mar. Both areas are great, so it’s a tough choice.
It sounds like you have made a wonderful decision for you and your young family, and I wish you all of the best. As a native who has traveled all over the world, I can tell you San Diego is a wonderful place to live your life. Enjoy!
January 20, 2011 @ 7:47 PM
I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre
I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.
January 20, 2011 @ 7:59 PM
Depends on the type of kids
Depends on the type of kids you have and what they are into.
We need as much room as possible. Our kids like sports, they like gardens, they like to run around with the dogs and they like trampolines.
January 20, 2011 @ 9:22 PM
permabear wrote:I’m in escrow
[quote=permabear]I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.[/quote]
Oh man, permabear, I am so jealous! (in a good way) This is what I would absolutely LOVE to do. Wow. 🙂
Congratulations on finding a suitable lot. If you don’t mind, how difficult was it to find, and about how much was it? Did you price out the costs to build, yet?
How totally exciting!!! 🙂
January 21, 2011 @ 9:17 PM
Thanks CAR! Excited but
Thanks CAR! Excited but still a bit nervous. 🙂
How hard was it to find… VERY. As in, for 2 years, we spent every weekend driving all over San Diego, literally driving down every street looking for “For Sale” signs on land. We finally stumbled on a FSBO lot and got a smoking price on it.
Land in the MLS is only a small segment of the land available for sale. Most is FSBO with a crappy sign because land sits so long. The lot we finally found is in a nice area that was just right for our needs. No HOA, CC&R’s, or MR.
Building costs are really competitive right now. It is a great time to build a home. I have noticed a big surge in construction lately – lots of land getting snapped up, and lending loosening. I think in 2-3 years prices could be back up quite a bit.
But right now, you can get a NICE home for $180-200/sf, everything included. This is from multiple architects and GC’s. What I mean is, let’s assume you want 3500 sf. Call that $700k, add the price of land, and you’re good. If you (or anyone else) want more details, I have names of an architect and GC that I can share. Caveat: They haven’t built anything for me yet. 🙂
January 21, 2011 @ 9:47 PM
congrats on your project,
congrats on your project, permabear.
As to backyard size… That’s going to vary from family to family….
We have 1/4 acre – but some of it is taken up with the casita. For us it was important to have room for kid play area (a patio that has a hoop, adjacent to a swingset), outdoor eating area, garden for veggies, fruit trees, and a space for laundry lines. We minimized the grass to get what we wanted. But every family has different needs.
January 21, 2011 @ 9:53 PM
Great idea WRT driving
Great idea WRT driving around, permabear. We used to do the same — driving all over North County looking for land, but that was more during the bubble era, and land was ridiculously expensive, even the FSBO lots. Maybe we should start doing that, again.
Are you designing your own plans, or did you buy plans “off the shelf”?
Please let us know how things go as you build your home. While I’m sure you’ll run into some problems during the proess (as almost every owner-builder does) it will, no doubt, be an awesome experience that you’ll be able to enjoy for many, many years to come.
January 22, 2011 @ 11:31 AM
CA renter wrote:Great idea
[quote=CA renter]Great idea WRT driving around, permabear. We used to do the same — driving all over North County looking for land, but that was more during the bubble era, and land was ridiculously expensive, even the FSBO lots. Maybe we should start doing that, again.[/quote]
Prices have come down a lot, but land is starting to get snapped up. I think the economy is finally recovering. I really think the time is now. In 2-3 years I don’t think we’ll be back at bubble prices, but I thinking land/building costs could be up 20%.
[quote=CA renter]Are you designing your own plans, or did you buy plans “off the shelf”?[/quote]
I’ve spent many hours down at the SD county building offices. There are so many regulations, fire sprinklers, seismic, etc. that I don’t think you’re saving money buying plans. You’d have to redo the structural anyway, and that’s what drives costs.
Besides, it’s a custom home! 🙂
We have found an architect that is not only affordable, but does his own structural engineering, which enables him to design with cost in mind. Most architects just do the pretty drawings, and then you have to take them to a structural engineer. The structural is what impacts the building cost – how to actually frame it, run plumbing, etc.
January 22, 2011 @ 3:44 PM
permabear wrote: I really
[quote=permabear] I really think the time is now.[/quote]
I’ve said the same thing here before and agree completely. We’re currently waiting and waiting (and waiting) for our short sale land purchase to go through.
Please give a prayer or cross your fingers for us!
A view is incredibly important to us — but see large yard and privacy as even more important. Still, are you going to die in this house or move after 15 years? If you’re going to move build a two story and enjoy your kids growing up at home. If you’re going to die there consider going single story and smaller if necessary. Hopefully there’s a nice park nearby.
January 22, 2011 @ 10:20 PM
Agree that prices are finally
Agree that prices are finally becoming somewhat sane in a number of areas. It’s just a matter of finding what you want, where you want.
Okay, you’re really making me anxious to go ahead with the land/custom build, too. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of for a long, long time. Hope you don’t mind if I bug you for some tips and names of your architect, contractor, etc. 🙂
Yeah, “custom built” means designing it yourself. Buying off-the-shelf plans kind of ruins the whole thing, doesn’t it?
I’m very excited for you! 🙂
January 25, 2011 @ 4:23 PM
Permabear, did you have
Permabear, did you have difficulty getting financing? I’ve been interested in doing a custom home but I heard this was a big issue.
Also I’ve never bought a house before and I would be a little nervous about doing a custom home for our first one.
January 30, 2011 @ 12:29 PM
Thanks for the encouragement,
Thanks for the encouragement, we’ll see how close we can get to that house concept. 🙂
There are a couple banks that will offer construction financing still if you are building a primary residence. US Bank has good programs. You will need at least 25% down with 10% reserves. So if you needed $800k to build, that means $200k down and another $80k in the bank.
I think your gut is right in telling you that building a custom home as your first home is a bit crazy. Personally I would start with a fixer, to see if you have the stomach for construction/remodeling. I love it but it drives a lot of people batty because there’s always unknowns and things never go smoothly.
January 23, 2011 @ 11:38 AM
permabear wrote:I’m in escrow
[quote=permabear]I’m in escrow on a 1/3 acre lot and am going to be building a custom home.
How much lot is good for 2 young kids (one boy, one girl, under 5 years old). I’m trying to figure out how much of the lot we should chew up for home. We would prefer a one story, but would go two story to allow for more yard.[/quote]
Congratulations, permbear! If you don’t mind my asking, did you find a suitable lot in the PUSD? And is it vacant? If so, are utilities readily available? I seem to remember that PUSD was your location parameter over 2 mos ago.
http://piggington.com/should_i_build_or_buy_nc_inland
What style of house will you be building? And, will it be a one or two story??
January 20, 2011 @ 8:49 PM
Seems now kids don’t like to
Seems now kids don’t like to go outside as much as we did. And they are involved with many activities away from home. That said, I’d still go with a large space.
This way your house will be the house everyone will want to come over and play. You will be meeting new parents who have some strange thoughts on raising kids that you may not want to have your own exposed to and having them home makes it easier to keep an eye on their supervision.
I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area.
I also vote for the one story with a large kid playroom at the opposite end of the house from the master bedroom and office. They love to play video games in surround sound and loud!
Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.
January 20, 2011 @ 9:12 PM
big. preferably bordering a
big. preferably bordering a national forest
January 22, 2011 @ 11:19 PM
walterwhite wrote:big.
[quote=walterwhite]big. preferably bordering a national forest[/quote]
I like that comment, the problem is that you need to account for the age of the kids and the proximity of neighbors. When mine were in that 2-13 age bracket, I had a big lot and a pool but it was on a cul de sac on a street filled with kids their age. Rarely were any of those 20+ kids in backyards, they go out front. I don’t think all kids today are in lots of activities, just city kids. My kids had to be dragged sometimes to stuff and jumped out of the car the moment we came home because there was always something going on in the street, not in a backyard. But there were some swingsets, some pools, some basketball courts, baseball and football were in the street, you don’t need everything at one house, they just need access to stuff at different houses. Having a lot big enough to have everything defeats the purpose if you are missing the most important ingredient….other kids.
Then consider that the day they get their license, it’s all over, and you will be taking care of that unused entertainment complex so plan accordingly.
It’s about shelf life, if you have a 5 year old, factor that into your housing choice. If you have a 12 or 13 year old boy, forget it, it’s only a couple of years before they discover boobs and they will like those for the next 70 years, the trampoline will lose all of it’s luster in very short order.
January 20, 2011 @ 9:20 PM
Hobie wrote:Seems now kids
[quote=Hobie]Seems now kids don’t like to go outside as much as we did. And they are involved with many activities away from home. That said, I’d still go with a large space.
This way your house will be the house everyone will want to come over and play. You will be meeting new parents who have some strange thoughts on raising kids that you may not want to have your own exposed to and having them home makes it easier to keep an eye on their supervision.
I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area.
I also vote for the one story with a large kid playroom at the opposite end of the house from the master bedroom and office. They love to play video games in surround sound and loud!
Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.[/quote]
Good ideas WRT the separate space.
Ideally, kids could have a nice, smooth patio area where they can ride their toys/bikes/skates and play basketball, etc. In an ideal world, this space would be really, really big. 🙂
January 22, 2011 @ 11:44 AM
Hobie wrote:I would include
[quote=Hobie]I would include an adult area w/BBQ and table and a kid area with a large grass area, smooth concrete for trikes, dirt pile for trucks, and a craft area visable from the kitchen but separate from the main patio. They can paint, hammer, build forts, have tea parties and spill grape juice and not wreck your ‘good’ area. [/quote]
All great ideas – thanks. One thing we could do is layout our floorplan to create 2-3 somewhat separate yards, rather than one big space. This may work best for the lot too. Thoughts?
[quote=Hobie]Another idea is close access to a bathroom from the outside without running through the house. Outside showers sound great but not used much.[/quote]
I like this. My grandparents have one of those and it was great for outback/swim days.
January 22, 2011 @ 1:38 PM
Congrats permabear and I hope
Congrats permabear and I hope you build your dream house and enjoy it for many years. I second the vote for multiple outdoor areas with separate designs for kids and adults if you have the space. Make sure to build a kegerator into a BBQ island out back and put it right next the property line so your neighbor can reach over and pour himself one. Your neighbor will thank just like I thank mine who did exactly that.
January 22, 2011 @ 4:29 PM
Completely agree space is
Completely agree space is greatly desirable for raising a family. Our kids grew up on almost an acre in RSF, and had a ball.
Congratulations on your purchase, and good luck with your project. Just wondering in what general area of the county you made your land purchase?
We have some friends, new to San Diego, who are also looking to build. They also want to avoid MR, etc., but don’t want to be more than 5-10 miles from the coast. They can’t seem to find anything within the budget range you mentioned in those areas.
January 23, 2011 @ 5:50 PM
flyer wrote:Just wondering in
[quote=flyer]Just wondering in what general area of the county you made your land purchase?[/quote]
It is an unknown “in-between” area technically in SD County jurisdiction, near RB. It’s North of Santaluz, right next to The Crosby, and West of 4S Ranch. It’s called “Santa Fe Hills” and is a collection of 2-acre minimum lots.
Our lot is technically 2.54 acres, but due to strict SD County regulations for fire, biological space, rainwater, etc, we end up with about a 15,000 sf pad. There are other parcels in the area that have more buildable space, but our views are unreal.
[quote=flyer]We have some friends, new to San Diego, who are also looking to build. They also want to avoid MR, etc., but don’t want to be more than 5-10 miles from the coast. They can’t seem to find anything within the budget range you mentioned in those areas.[/quote]
It is very tough. It took us 2 years of VERY diligent looking. We found this place by driving down a random road we didn’t even know about. We saw it and said “That’s it!”
Realtors and the MLS probably can’t help your friend. This is not a criticism of either, but I’ve come to understand raw land is just a weird commodity. Nearby our lot is a big sign that says “For Sale By Owner – NO REALTORS!!” I would post the info on it, but I checked into the parcel and there’s weird IRS tax liens on it.
If your friend is truly serious, they need to be driving around all over – down every deadend street, frontage road, etc. Sooner or later they will find a weird empty piece of land. From there it’s legwork – calling the county, figuring out the APN, oftentimes contacting the owner directly to ask if it’s for sale. In some cases it’s a family heirloom and people may want to sell. Othertimes it’s in a trust and they plain can’t. It’s not easy, which is probably why the simplicity of communities like Santaluz holds such appeal.
January 23, 2011 @ 6:03 PM
permabear wrote:It is very
[quote=permabear]It is very tough. It took us 2 years of VERY diligent looking. We found this place by driving down a random road we didn’t even know about. We saw it and said “That’s it!”
Realtors and the MLS probably can’t help your friend. This is not a criticism of either, but I’ve come to understand raw land is just a weird commodity. Nearby our lot is a big sign that says “For Sale By Owner – NO REALTORS!!” I would post the info on it, but I checked into the parcel and there’s weird IRS tax liens on it.
If your friend is truly serious, they need to be driving around all over – down every deadend street, frontage road, etc. Sooner or later they will find a weird empty piece of land. From there it’s legwork – calling the county, figuring out the APN, oftentimes contacting the owner directly to ask if it’s for sale. In some cases it’s a family heirloom and people may want to sell. Othertimes it’s in a trust and they plain can’t. It’s not easy, which is probably why the simplicity of communities like Santaluz holds such appeal.[/quote]
Good legwork, permabear! What you did was exactly the route I have/would advocated taking if a buyer is looking for a buildable lot (or even if they have a certain house-style/lot configuration in mind in a very specific area)!
Are you going to build a mid-century style home on it, as was your plan in the November thread??
January 24, 2011 @ 9:54 AM
As far as what size yard
As far as what size yard goes, kids seem pretty adaptable. When we could go anywhere we wanted to as kids, apartments were fine.Now they are very limiting IMO. On the other hand it seems kids will utilize,at least to some degree, every inch of home territory that they are allowed to do something inventive upon. One noticeable problem is that as the lot size grows there are fewer kids nearby for youngsters to make friends with.
January 25, 2011 @ 2:24 PM
bearishgurl wrote:Are you
[quote=bearishgurl]Are you going to build a mid-century style home on it, as was your plan in the November thread??[/quote]
Oh hell jeah. Mid-century inspired, at least. :-)[img_assist|nid=14528|title=Modern L home|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=759|height=466]
January 25, 2011 @ 2:27 PM
Absolutely . . . FABULOUS,
Absolutely . . . FABULOUS, permabear! Luv it!!
January 25, 2011 @ 3:28 PM
permabear… that looks like
permabear… that looks like a really cool/hip/liveable house. Sweet!
January 24, 2011 @ 1:42 PM
permabear–thank you for your
permabear–thank you for your feedback.
I am very familiar with the area you mentioned, and will suggest our friends take a look around there.
Like us, their kids are grown, and, they are torn between going a few miles inland, or staying near the coast. Although we enjoyed raising our kids in RSF, we may sell our home there and move back to the home we own in Del Mar. Both areas are great, so it’s a tough choice.
It sounds like you have made a wonderful decision for you and your young family, and I wish you all of the best. As a native who has traveled all over the world, I can tell you San Diego is a wonderful place to live your life. Enjoy!