Search results

CORRECTION: The test is of unknown origin in Snopes (it may or may not be real). The commentary on Snopes debunks it's value in terms of comparing today's students versus the students of 100 years ago... -OCR

This test isn't real. See Snopes for more...it also has some interesting commentary regarding why this myth has spread so quickly... http://www.snopes.com/language/document/1895exam.asp -OCR

Lots of stuff going on, but I thought I'd provide a quick update to the forum... Escrow close date is Wednesday, move in date is this Saturday. Our final inspection was last week, and the staff seemed very eager to correct the small problems we found. Overall, we're still very...

green_cactus, Doesn't that assume that the rate of dual-income households would have to rise in Irvine faster than the other surrounding communities? From what I've been led to believe, Irvine is in better shape than some of the other OC areas in regards to income, reliance on non-RE...

The economics of information states that timing the market is very difficult. Because if it really were that easy to time the market, demand would spike at the "floor", driving prices up. Conversely, it's equally hard to time the top, since if everyone knew it were a top, then there'd be a...

I don't think the Japanese pay cash for their homes in Japan...they rely on mortgages, if they buy at all. Most Japanese rent (less than 50% home ownership...). For that matter, they don't buy homes with cash in America either... If I'm not mistaken, one lesson I've learned on this...

Everyone in here knows that just because the MSRP of a BMW/Mercedes is high doesn't mean the transaction price is high, right? A few years back when Mercedes was selling the 1st gen M-Class, the special lease price was so low, you could get one for cheaper than an Explorer! They were...

I think that the facade of wealth extends throughout this country, not isolated to Irvine... There are a lot of Irvine residents who live here because they enjoy the infrastructure (bike trails, parks, libraries, etc), schools, and proximity to work. If that makes a city feel "wealthy"...

I suppose a conversation that starts with "You paid too much for this XXXX, aren't you foolish" isn't necessarily good conversation regardless of the topic. As a rule of thumb, most people (myself included) don't like hearing from others about why they made a bad decision, especially decisions...

Interestingly, the very things that BK cited as bad features of Woodbury may in fact be good features in terms of natural disaster evacuation. BK's analysis focused on 6 main areas: 1. 4 high volume vehicular arterials. Having 4 major areas of entry/exit lets rapists in, but allows...

Time for another update... We locked our interest rate at 6.125% with 1.625 points, which is 0.375 points lower than in March. Conforming loans are now at least 1/2 to 3/4 points higher than non-conforming, so I'm glad we saved up what we did to get our mortgage under $417K. The...

They were filming in Irvine just outside the apartment complex... I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, but I think KCAL was in Santa Ana because that's where the county courthouse and DA's office is... -OCR

We bought a new home, and we're still happy with our decision, here's why: 1. We're able to put 55% down, so our PITI is near the rental rate for a home this size. 2. We're staying long term in Irvine. 3. The builder offered what we considered a fair price for the home...

For what it's worth, the online brochures for IAC communities in Woodbury don't advertise use of the commons as a feature...I would imagine it would be a big selling feature if the apartment dwellers were allowed to use. It also seems like the IAC communities have their own pools and party...

Slater between Beach and Gothard in HB. It's known to the locals as "The Slater Slums". -OCR

The quantity of people walking around and using the parks was something that stuck my wife and I before deciding on Woodbury. Any ideas about why there are so many people walking around in a city not known for walkers? It is a land design issue? Or a population issue? Or is it me using...

Oak Glen, in Oak Creek, is where we currently live. For the money, you get a fairly well equipped apartment, nice amenities, and friendly staff. It's loud, as the sound carries from the street into your unit. Also, the 2/1 unit is a bit tight for a couple and their cat. Having an...

CK, Yes. Our home is in the same area you looked at. Very close to the park and school. If I'm not mistaken, many of the zero lot-line homes are less than 3,000 square feet. The non-zero lot-line homes are slightly more than 3,000 square feet, while the corner lots are...

Update to the "John Laing Promise" The reason for the $2,000 drop in plan 2 and 3 was the composition of the lots. In our case, the home we're buying is $865,880 (same as current phase), with a $7,000 lot premium for location and non-zero lot line. In other words, in our phase...

Late October/Early November. I believe they're about 2 weeks ahead of schedule. I wonder if Laing is trying to speed up the process to get the homes off their books. I should host an IHB party when we move in. How strange would that be? BK, if you're out there, did you ever get...