Buying a House in OC

ucoc

New member
We've currently sold our condo in Irvine and are now renting until we find a good 3 bed SFR house in OC. Any recommendations? Our budget is $700,000 to $800,000 depends on the tax and HOA amount. Irvine would be our first choice, but it's almost impossible to find a good SFR in that budget unless the price keeps going down upcoming years.

Our priority lists are
a) SFR
b) Yard
c) Good schools
d) Less tax with hopefully no HOA

We've looked into Yorba Linda, Aliso Viejo and Fullerton areas. Yorba Linda looked the best so far because of the bigger land space, a good community vibe overall and also it has a toll road access for my commute. The location seems good also since we go up north often for family gatherings. I also like Northwood and West Irvine areas for they meet our lists, but again the price is almost too high.
Any comments would be appreciated.
 
At your price range, with no HOA/MR, and a yard, look in the El Camino tract, that's your best bet, it'll be older and most likely a fixer upper.  Anything bigger/nicer/newer will unfortunately be out of your price range.
 
Personally I don't like Yorba Linda... too hot and that 91 commute can be bad.

I do know people who live there and love it.

You say SFR which I agree is very hard if not impossible to find in Irvine at your price range... but that depends on size? 2BR too small? 3BR or 4BR?

Redfin says there are some 3BRs for around $800k.
 
I lived the first half of my life in Yorba Linda and the second half of my life in Irvine.  Irvine is far superior but you get what you pay for.  I didn't know any better when I was living in Yorba Linda so ignorance was bliss and it was just fine growing up.  I lived on culdesac and would frequently play with neighborhood kids in that area on the street, not as likely in Irvine. 

It's funny, living in Yorba Linda, you think Anaheim Hills is the "rich area".  Now living in Irvine, Anaheim Hills is a significant step downwards and you strive for Turtle Rock, Hidden Canyon, Newport Beach... All a matter of perspective I suppose.
 
If you can wait it out, perhaps the prices will come to your budget. There are a few 3/2/SFR Detached Irvine homes out there for example:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/42-Appomattox-92620/home/4783413

I wouldn't write off some of the areas with Mello Roos and or an HOA. I'm in Rancho and our Mello Roos is about a year or so away from being extinguished. The HOA helps keep up some of the appearances and landscaping. I find it well worth the $$$ we're paying for some of the amenities, but also realize everyone has different feelings about HOA's.

A great number of home owners took their properties off market in December to keep out the "lookie-loos" I'd expect many to return in January. Here's one that was pulled in my area - 200 yards from a good elementary school - expected to relist soon. The sign was never pulled out of their front yard. BTW Don't put too much faith in the crappy photo's. I believe they were from the prior listing in 2005.

[url]https://www.redfin.com/CA/Rancho-Santa-Margarita/43-Colorido-92688/home/5115667[/url]

Have your Agent cull for you all of the "hold, do not show's" and "delisted" during December. See if any of these fit the bill. Hopefully when they come back on the market, they will also be at a more realistic price.

My .02c

SGIP

 
akkord said:
At your price range, with no HOA/MR, and a yard, look in the El Camino tract, that's your best bet, it'll be older and most likely a fixer upper.  Anything bigger/nicer/newer will unfortunately be out of your price range.

I do love El Camino houses especially the single floor ones. The only concern from my wife was there was a train railroad in the middle of that area. It would be nice if anyone lives there lets us know the train sound is not much really an issue.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Personally I don't like Yorba Linda... too hot and that 91 commute can be bad.

I do know people who live there and love it.

You say SFR which I agree is very hard if not impossible to find in Irvine at your price range... but that depends on size? 2BR too small? 3BR or 4BR?

Redfin says there are some 3BRs for around $800k.

Thanks for the weather and the traffic information. I?ll keep an eye on those before we make a decision.

We prefer at least 3BR with a good size yard and unfortunately those are hard to come by in Irvine from what we?ve seen. We did see some in Northwood and West Irvine. That?s why I?ve mentioned in the post, but most of them had big streets behind. I guess there is no perfect house.
 
aquabliss said:
I lived the first half of my life in Yorba Linda and the second half of my life in Irvine.  Irvine is far superior but you get what you pay for.  I didn't know any better when I was living in Yorba Linda so ignorance was bliss and it was just fine growing up.  I lived on culdesac and would frequently play with neighborhood kids in that area on the street, not as likely in Irvine. 

It's funny, living in Yorba Linda, you think Anaheim Hills is the "rich area".  Now living in Irvine, Anaheim Hills is a significant step downwards and you strive for Turtle Rock, Hidden Canyon, Newport Beach... All a matter of perspective I suppose.

I appreciate for sharing your personal experience. In what sense Irvine is more superior? You said playing with neighborhood kids were frequent in Yorba Linda but not as likely in Irvine. Doesn?t that make Yorba Linda more a friendly place?
 
ucoc said:
aquabliss said:
I lived the first half of my life in Yorba Linda and the second half of my life in Irvine.  Irvine is far superior but you get what you pay for.  I didn't know any better when I was living in Yorba Linda so ignorance was bliss and it was just fine growing up.  I lived on culdesac and would frequently play with neighborhood kids in that area on the street, not as likely in Irvine. 

It's funny, living in Yorba Linda, you think Anaheim Hills is the "rich area".  Now living in Irvine, Anaheim Hills is a significant step downwards and you strive for Turtle Rock, Hidden Canyon, Newport Beach... All a matter of perspective I suppose.

I appreciate for sharing your personal experience. In what sense Irvine is more superior? You said playing with neighborhood kids were frequent in Yorba Linda but not as likely in Irvine. Doesn?t that make Yorba Linda more a friendly place?

Just sit on the bench and wait it out.
 
Soylent Green Is People said:
If you can wait it out, perhaps the prices will come to your budget. There are a few 3/2/SFR Detached Irvine homes out there for example:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/42-Appomattox-92620/home/4783413

I wouldn't write off some of the areas with Mello Roos and or an HOA. I'm in Rancho and our Mello Roos is about a year or so away from being extinguished. The HOA helps keep up some of the appearances and landscaping. I find it well worth the $$$ we're paying for some of the amenities, but also realize everyone has different feelings about HOA's.

A great number of home owners took their properties off market in December to keep out the "lookie-loos" I'd expect many to return in January. Here's one that was pulled in my area - 200 yards from a good elementary school - expected to relist soon. The sign was never pulled out of their front yard. BTW Don't put too much faith in the crappy photo's. I believe they were from the prior listing in 2005.

[url]https://www.redfin.com/CA/Rancho-Santa-Margarita/43-Colorido-92688/home/5115667[/url]

Have your Agent cull for you all of the "hold, do not show's" and "delisted" during December. See if any of these fit the bill. Hopefully when they come back on the market, they will also be at a more realistic price.

My .02c

SGIP

Yes, we will have to wait a bit since our rent is up to late 2019. We should start looking more seriously soon though since it may take months to find and remodel and completely move in. Hopefully there will come more homes in our budget. We did see that Appomattax one. We liked everything except it was backing Trabuco. But it was nice that no home was behind. I thought it was sold already, but looks like it?s relisted.
 
eyephone said:
I guess this is for conversational purposes since you are looking to buy late 2019.

We might need to buy ahead for various reasons. The escrow would take 1-2 months. If we need to remodel, that?s another month or two depends on the condition of the home. And if we buy a brand new home, we would have to buy about 6 months ahead. So I think it would make sense to start looking soon.
 
ucoc said:
eyephone said:
I guess this is for conversational purposes since you are looking to buy late 2019.

We might need to buy ahead for various reasons. The escrow would take 1-2 months. If we need to remodel, that?s another month or two depends on the condition of the home. And if we buy a brand new home, we would have to buy about 6 months ahead. So I think it would make sense to start looking soon.

The question is buy now or buy later or sit and wait.
 
ucoc said:
Yes, we will have to wait a bit since our rent is up to late 2019. We should start looking more seriously soon though since it may take months to find and remodel and completely move in. Hopefully there will come more homes in our budget. We did see that Appomattax one. We liked everything except it was backing Trabuco. But it was nice that no home was behind. I thought it was sold already, but looks like it?s relisted.

For what it?s worth as someone who?s lived next to a busy Irvine road... traffic and noise only get worse as the county expands. Just something I would reconsider if I could go back 10 years.
 
superbobbay said:
This house has a nice yard, but right next to the 405.
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/17201-Chestnut-92612/home/4708590

The SFR homes in 700-800k range typically are next to the freeways or train tracks. That Appomattox house is pretty close to the freeway also. Some studies done living within 500 meters of a freeway and your health problems increase quite a bit. If you have small children playing outside a lot, I would worry about that.

Another negative health risk living close to the freeway.
https://news.usc.edu/21282/Children-Near-Roads-Face-Asthma-Risk/

 
If we do ultimately become a mostly electric car nation especially cali then backing to streets and traffic with cars releasing h2o and making no sound may actually reduce or eliminate discount for these properties that back to roads. The privacy is still there barely but nothing some landscaping can?t take care of.



eyephone said:
superbobbay said:
This house has a nice yard, but right next to the 405.
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/17201-Chestnut-92612/home/4708590

The SFR homes in 700-800k range typically are next to the freeways or train tracks. That Appomattox house is pretty close to the freeway also. Some studies done living within 500 meters of a freeway and your health problems increase quite a bit. If you have small children playing outside a lot, I would worry about that.

Another negative effect is that it may cause birth defects living close to the freeway.
https://community.babycenter.com/po...es_infant_autism_risk_would_like_your_opinion
 
1. That will take a long time to go all electric.
2. The freeway is practically always busy. It?s the 405 fwy not the toll road.


irvineband said:
If we do ultimately become a mostly electric car nation especially cali then backing to streets and traffic with cars releasing h2o and making no sound may actually reduce or eliminate discount for these properties that back to roads. The privacy is still there barely but nothing some landscaping can?t take care of.



eyephone said:
superbobbay said:
This house has a nice yard, but right next to the 405.
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/17201-Chestnut-92612/home/4708590

The SFR homes in 700-800k range typically are next to the freeways or train tracks. That Appomattox house is pretty close to the freeway also. Some studies done living within 500 meters of a freeway and your health problems increase quite a bit. If you have small children playing outside a lot, I would worry about that.

Another negative effect is that it may cause birth defects living close to the freeway.
https://community.babycenter.com/po...es_infant_autism_risk_would_like_your_opinion
 
Also big rigs, motorcycles gunning it at 100 decibels, emergency vehicles with sirens... lots of things I heard living next to a busy road. It wouldn?t just be personal electric cars anytime soon IMO.
 
Rizdak said:
Also big rigs, motorcycles gunning it at 100 decibels, emergency vehicles with sirens... lots of things I heard living next to a busy road. It wouldn?t just be personal electric cars anytime soon IMO.

Yep. And it?s not the engine noise that is actually a nuisance, it?s just the sound of thousands of pounds of vehicles rolling on the road.

That being said, if you are aware of the issue, and can deal with it or may just be something of a shorter term, many people will trade the discount for the poor location. When we were younger we lived close to a freeway/main road but looking back we probably should have stretched a bit more for a better location. Yet, we were able to sell at a good price because some people don?t mind that proximity.
 
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