1- 1.5M SFR - Best Bet in OC w/ scenic views - good schools

For 1-1.5M Budget, where in OC will you buy your primary SFR? Criteria is: 9+ rated schools, no cell

  • Anaheim Hills - w/ Mountain Views

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Yorba Linda

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Irvine - Boxed SFR from 3 sides :(

    Votes: 2 16.7%
  • Laguna Hills

    Votes: 2 16.7%
  • Aliso Viejo

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Brea

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Fullerton

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lake Forest

    Votes: 4 33.3%

  • Total voters
    12

dream16

New member
Hi All OC Neighbors:

One of my classmates just bought a SFR for 1.2M - 3500 sq.ft ($315/sq.ft) - SFR in Anaheim Hills - schools rated at 9/10/9 - with $100 HOA and no Mello-Roos. It is a 20 year old house renovated-tear down 2015 and built back. He closed in October 2017, so shielded himself from Trump's 750K mortgage deduction limit, although he paid 30% down, so doesn't really make much of a difference.

Anaheim Hills - he gets scenic mountain views, privacy !

Other friends - bought in Brea and Aliso Viejo, i own property in Irvine.

I am a sucker for mountains/scenic views/privacy and having a big SFR which is NOT boxed from 3 sides like the 1-1.5M range SFR's in Irvine.

Apart from the options suggested in poll above, what other cities would you put your money down in OC to buy an SFR as a primary residence to call it home?

I am into IT - so can't live very further down into the weeds of San Juan Capistrano. Location wise - i guess if i will eventually work in Irvine or Downtown LA or say Pasadena (worked/lived there for 3.5 years) - none of the cities i mentioned will be ideal. City of La Verne can be - but its not in OC. I can do twice a week work from home sort of a thing down the line.

I am trying to stick to 1-1.5 M range and hence looking for options to eventually have a goal in sight - to where to put my money on in the coming future. Basically, trying to narrow down to a city.

Please chime in with your thoughts !



 
All depends on where you and your spouse work and want to be close to.  I think the best bang for the buck for what you are looking for will be found in Anaheim Hills, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Tustin, and Foothill Ranch if you want to be within a close drive to Irvine. 
 
USCTrojanCPA said:
All depends on where you and your spouse work and want to be close to.  I think the best bang for the buck for what you are looking for will be found in Anaheim Hills, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Tustin, and Foothill Ranch if you want to be within a close drive to Irvine.

Thanks, i am assuming Foothill Ranch is an area within Lake Forest. If you have the option to work permanently from home - which one would you pick as the best bang for the buck?
 
Depends how you define "bang for the buck": Appreciation potential? Quality of life? Etc.

I'd likely lean towards Coto De Caza,  budget $1.4m, and go Private School. Yes, the HOA is higher than your target, but from the viewpoint of an "Area environment/lifestyle bang for the buck" scale I'd want to invest in Coto.

Secondarily, I wouldn't stay away from areas with Mello Roos. Some parts of RSM are "Mello Roos Free" at this stage, with more and more homes seeing the MR bonds being paid off. So you buy at $1.4m in RSM with a 1.4 tax rate today. but in a year or two the MR will be zip.

Example:

[url]https://www.redfin.com/CA/Rancho-Santa-Margarita/5-Via-Belmonte-92688/home/5115855[/url]

My .02c
 
dream16 said:
Hi All OC Neighbors:

One of my classmates just bought a SFR for 1.2M - 3500 sq.ft ($315/sq.ft) - SFR in Anaheim Hills - schools rated at 9/10/9 - with $100 HOA and no Mello-Roos. It is a 20 year old house renovated-tear down 2015 and built back. He closed in October 2017, so shielded himself from Trump's 750K mortgage deduction limit, although he paid 30% down, so doesn't really make much of a difference.

Anaheim Hills - he gets scenic mountain views, privacy !

Other friends - bought in Brea and Aliso Viejo, i own property in Irvine.

I am a sucker for mountains/scenic views/privacy and having a big SFR which is NOT boxed from 3 sides like the 1-1.5M range SFR's in Irvine.

Apart from the options suggested in poll above, what other cities would you put your money down in OC to buy an SFR as a primary residence to call it home?

I am into IT - so can't live very further down into the weeds of San Juan Capistrano. Location wise - i guess if i will eventually work in Irvine or Downtown LA or say Pasadena (worked/lived there for 3.5 years) - none of the cities i mentioned will be ideal. City of La Verne can be - but its not in OC. I can do twice a week work from home sort of a thing down the line.

I am trying to stick to 1-1.5 M range and hence looking for options to eventually have a goal in sight - to where to put my money on in the coming future. Basically, trying to narrow down to a city.

Please chime in with your thoughts !

I thought you lived in NYC?

(Going back back to Cali Cali?)
 
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