Santa Ana vs. Anaheim

Wow... that's quite a bit of information. Basically, he's a 25 year old accountant with a budget of 300K. His parents insist that he buys a 3 bedroom house with a yard... they think it'll make more sense in the long run. I think he should buy a 2 bedroom condo in a better neighborhood and move up to a SFR after getting married and having kids. I'll just have to wait and see how he proceeds...
 
[quote author="Mcdonna1980" date=1253612740]







Bk, you mentioned commercial expertise within Anaheim. Do you think Anaheim will eventually become the job center of Orange County.</blockquote>


NB and Irvine will always rank at the top for corporate companies where the address is important for image. Start up companies, light manufacturing, warehouse and distribution and Research and Development will find Anaheim financially feasible and still enjoy all the OC amenities. Construction related businesses were operating mostly out of Anaheim before the bubble and this industry left a huge vacancy in the city.



The city does not brand their business park district well and I see some bumps in their future. Things like signage, lamp post banners, and monuments are needed to advertise their existence.
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1253664455]Wow... that's quite a bit of information. Basically, he's a 25 year old accountant with a budget of 300K. His parents insist that he buys a 3 bedroom house with a yard... they think it'll make more sense in the long run. I think he should buy a 2 bedroom condo in a better neighborhood and move up to a SFR after getting married and having kids. I'll just have to wait and see how he proceeds...</blockquote>


That actually is an interesting question. Considering today's low prices and low interest rates, which is better, buying an inexpensive condo now and moving up to a house in a few years, or just going straight to buying the house now? Personally, I think the second is a better move. Interest rates and prices are near their absolute lows-they may still be low later, or they may rise. Plus, add in transaction costs (6% commission twice (once directly (house purchase), once indirectly(condo sale)) when you move up), the cost and hassle of moving, and going straight to the house makes sense to me-if one can afford the monthly payment from the start. Paying the extra commission alone makes it a bad deal, IMHO, and there's no telling where interest rates will be in a few years.
 
Those are some good points. However, I feel that you start building roots where you live. So far me, it's better to find a good location and grow around it; that is, buy a bigger house in the future when needed. He has never lived in Anaheim nor Santa Ana. I think it would be better for him to just buy a condo in Costa Mesa (near his work) or Garden Grove (near his parents). Heck, he might even find one in FOUNTAIN VALLEY.... he he he....
 
A single guy buying a 3 bedroom house to live in alone? That's insane. It would be insane even if it wasn't a major hardship by being far from family, friends, and work.
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1253676761][quote author="hs_teacher" date=1253664455]Wow... that's quite a bit of information. Basically, he's a 25 year old accountant with a budget of 300K. His parents insist that he buys a 3 bedroom house with a yard... they think it'll make more sense in the long run. I think he should buy a 2 bedroom condo in a better neighborhood and move up to a SFR after getting married and having kids. I'll just have to wait and see how he proceeds...</blockquote>


That actually is an interesting question. Considering today's low prices and low interest rates, which is better, buying an inexpensive condo now and moving up to a house in a few years, or just going straight to buying the house now? Personally, I think the second is a better move. Interest rates and prices are near their absolute lows-they may still be low later, or they may rise. Plus, add in transaction costs (6% commission twice (once directly (house purchase), once indirectly(condo sale)) when you move up), the cost and hassle of moving, and going straight to the house makes sense to me-if one can afford the monthly payment from the start. Paying the extra commission alone makes it a bad deal, IMHO, and there's no telling where interest rates will be in a few years.</blockquote>


Hmm..........."his parents insist". Sounds like the parents have some financial input. It truly doesn't make any sense for a 25 year old single guy to strap himself down to a house and yard, I have to agree on that point. Unless he is going to be married soon and wants to start a family, he's going to regret this decision. If the parents aren't paying for something, he should just be honest about his own needs. If the parents are paying, I guess none of us gets money with no strings attached.
 
[quote author="Mcdonna1980" date=1253619749][quote author="No_Such_Reality" date=1253618840][quote author="hs_teacher" date=1253580108]He said something about Brookhurst and Ball. The thing is, he works in Costa Mesa and would now need to take the 5 and 55. But he doesn't seem to care about the location or neighborhood. He just insists that it's a pretty decent house. I fear that he's only focused on the house and not taking into consideration the location.



He was also considering a house on McFadden and Bristol in Santa Ana. I think that's a horrible location because it's in the middle of Santa Ana and far away from all freeways. But once again, he thought the house, itself, was nice.



Personally, I live in Tustin and I'm so glad I'm close to the 55 Freeway. There's not a single day that I don't use that freeway to go somewhere. I'm not too fond of Tustin, but I'm glad I have easy access to get out and about.</blockquote>




The commute will suck. No honestly. It'll be an hour long. He will be stuck in grid lock both directions.</blockquote>


An alternative to the freeway would be to take Harbor straight down to CM. It would be about 10-13 miles from Anaheim to Costa Mesa. Google says 30 minutes for one way. I guess how accurate that is would depend on how good a job the traffic light engineers did on Harbor.</blockquote>


Done it. It's worse.
 
[quote author="tmare" date=1253700901][quote author="Geotpf" date=1253676761][quote author="hs_teacher" date=1253664455]Wow... that's quite a bit of information. Basically, he's a 25 year old accountant with a budget of 300K. His parents insist that he buys a 3 bedroom house with a yard... they think it'll make more sense in the long run. I think he should buy a 2 bedroom condo in a better neighborhood and move up to a SFR after getting married and having kids. I'll just have to wait and see how he proceeds...</blockquote>


That actually is an interesting question. Considering today's low prices and low interest rates, which is better, buying an inexpensive condo now and moving up to a house in a few years, or just going straight to buying the house now? Personally, I think the second is a better move. Interest rates and prices are near their absolute lows-they may still be low later, or they may rise. Plus, add in transaction costs (6% commission twice (once directly (house purchase), once indirectly(condo sale)) when you move up), the cost and hassle of moving, and going straight to the house makes sense to me-if one can afford the monthly payment from the start. Paying the extra commission alone makes it a bad deal, IMHO, and there's no telling where interest rates will be in a few years.</blockquote>


Hmm..........."his parents insist". Sounds like the parents have some financial input. It truly doesn't make any sense for a 25 year old single guy to strap himself down to a house and yard, I have to agree on that point. Unless he is going to be married soon and wants to start a family, he's going to regret this decision. If the parents aren't paying for something, he should just be honest about his own needs. If the parents are paying, I guess none of us gets money with no strings attached.</blockquote>


Ok, so his parents is providing the down payment. They want him to rent out the other rooms until he gets married and have kids. They think that make more financial sense. I don't see him enjoy living there though. :(
 
[quote author="FairEconomist" date=1253698677]A single guy buying a 3 bedroom house to live in alone? That's insane. It would be insane even if it wasn't a major hardship by being far from family, friends, and work.</blockquote>


It's not insane if you can afford it and it's close to family, friends, and work. I just bought a 4 bedroom house, and I'm a single guy who lives alone. Of course, I live and work in Riverside, where prices are half what Anaheim's average is and a third of Irvine's.
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1253723961]Where was this picture taken?



{snip}



I have more...</blockquote>


I really like that house, but I wonder how long it will be until the City or a disabled activist busts them for encroaching on the sidewalk with their mailbox.



Also, maybe the perspective in the pic is off, but why would you raise the street level or drop your curb level at the walkway and encourage water to come onto or otherwise pond on your property?
 
No curb and gutter. I do not think there is a sidewalk in the neighborhood. The walk depicted in the photo is actually on private property for guests parking along the sidewalk. City often required a typical street, curb, sidewalk standard. It has to be in an rural area or a rebuilt in an old neighborhood.
 
ha ha... my buddy emailed me today. now, he's looking for a 2 bedroom condo in GG for 200K. Guess he realized now that he doesn't need all that space, but would prefer a more convenient location.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1253788252]Single story home and absence of sidewalk is the base of Villa park.</blockquote>


I stumped BK <em>*does a little dance*</em>. I stumped bk <em>*does a little dance*</em>.



I can't believe it! I thought for sure BK would end up posting the GPS coordinates along with a history of this neighborhood.



I have another great house to post a pic of on the same street, but it will have to wait until either tomorrow or the next day for me to use the computer with access to the photo.
 
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