Who bought the 2010 home?

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
CK,

My relative just moved in to secret location on the exact street for $629,000 on a 9,000 sf lot. Definitely a BK approved aesthetic. 2 houses across the street looking like the Father of the Bride house. Mature canopy trees shade the entire street.
 
[quote author="graceomalley"]CK,

My relative just moved in to secret location on the exact street for $629,000 on a 9,000 sf lot. Definitely a BK approved aesthetic. 2 houses across the street looking like the Father of the Bride house. Mature canopy trees shade the entire street.

[/quote]

...Ok, now you have my interest. We are going to the secret spot this weekend to look at houses along with our other routine there. Even if we don't find a house, the dumplings will taste really good on a cold weekend.
 
Don't worry. Even though I know your site location I won't go rob you using my icicle gun because you will no longer have that $800k cash.

Thanks for the note.
 
[quote author="mikeirvine"]
I really like online BK, CK and Panda, from to nite post I see the other side of you guys and let keep it that way for now.

Mike <!-- s:) -->:)<!-- s:) -->

[/quote]

Agree. We just got off on the wrong foot.

But I think maybe the architect and accountant should be more fearful of the Hollywood movie guy than the other way around! <!-- s;) -->;)<!-- s;) -->
 
[quote author="ck"]
[quote author="graceomalley"]CK,

My relative just moved in to secret location on the exact street for $629,000 on a 9,000 sf lot. Definitely a BK approved aesthetic. 2 houses across the street looking like the Father of the Bride house. Mature canopy trees shade the entire street.

[/quote]

...Ok, now you have my interest. We are going to the secret spot this weekend to look at houses along with our other routine there. Even if we don't find a house, the dumplings will taste really good on a cold weekend.
[/quote]

I will be at secret location this Sunday. Make sure to bring something red. I can't do it tomorrow. Daughter will be taking her level 9 Piano exam at Irvine High. After she passed level 10 and panel she will be eligible for college scholarship. She is earning her future tuition now and that will be less of a financial burden for me.
 
[quote author="waitin4ever"]To be honest this is not irvine specific. The prices of new homes are not that much different in say Laguna Niguel/ Aliso.

Somehow the IHB/TI seems to discuss this as an irvine specific issue but its the same across OC.

[/quote]

I concur with respect to new communites, we have looked all the same places.

Resale is better in AV/LN, but there is that pesky inventory problem in those cities as well. OC is a tough market now.
 
[quote author="graceomalley"]CK and Panda,

I have been preaching this for 3 years. There are options. For the sake of your family by not putting them in financial stress. No money can buy back a wrecked marriage. There are many smaller cities not rated due to small population are much safer than Irvine.

Go seek out other cities and schools in the 80 percentile with above average safety you pay a lot less for a home and enjoy your family and a backyard more.

You do not need to live in the top 4 safest cities to survive. It is totally compulsive paranoia to think that. There are plenty good families and educated kids from other cities too. Pocket the saving and give your children a college education or put it in a sack for them to buy a house in the future. Kids do not need the best schools to succeed they need parents to spend time with them not at work to slave for a mortgage.

The key is to buy a good brand at a bargain and not the best brand at a rip-off price. I guarantee you live just as long and your kids will attend a good college when you live in a good brand city vs a best brand city.

I came from nothing, I attended a bad school in a city of crime and I and many others have turned out better than OK. Trust me you do not need to have the very best. It is actually better to stay modest and your children will thank you later in life.[/quote]

Doesn't your daughter go to a school in Irvine even though you live elsewhere? I think it's TUSD...but still.

Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree with you that there are lots of great cities to live in other than Irvine. Nobody should live in Irvine just for the sake of living in Irvine if that puts them in financial stress. Nobody should think that Irvine is the only place where their kids will be safe and successful. That's just ridiculous.

I just think it's a little hypocritical to preach that people should live in other cities and forget about Irvine...while you send your own daughter to an Irvine school. (If I'm incorrect and this is untrue, I apologize.)

Suppose you didn't own a property in Irvine so you couldn't use that address. Would you still live where you live now? Suppose you lived in the Santa Ana Unified district. Would you send your daughter to an SA Unified school?

I'm not trying to be antagonistic, but I'm curious.
 
[quote author="mikeirvine"]trust me I understand what you BK, Panda are talking about ....

I start looking for a home in redondo beach in 2006, I can't get much there. My budget at that time was 650k to 700k and I can't get anything at that time. The price is too high and I believe the market will crash and it did .... and much cheaper now in LA. But something happened in LA that I decided it not a safe place for my family, I even think of moving out of the US at that time.

When I move to Irvine more than a year ago, I want to spend only 500k to 600k for a condo in Irvine as I prefer the water and felt that Irvine is boring ... I rather save my money to buy another older home near the water later and fix it up.

I love laguna beach but it cost around 1.3 mil to get a 2000 /sf with no back yard. I drove there almost every weekends in the morning and nite for a few months. I found my small dream home but it was unfinished and they want all cash. I know at that point I can't afford that as I will put my family in a lot of stress.

Only until recent months, I began to like Irvine .... mainly because my wife and kid are very happy here. The new homes start building and it not cheap but it more affordable compare to where I really want a home near the water.

After 4 yrs of searching a home, I'm <!-- s:( -->:(<!-- s:( --> of looking and waiting. Me and my family like only two lots plans for the entire new home and that happen to be sonoma and they offer one of them to us ...... I can wait and pass for cheaper and better ones later but I don't know when and where ..... the money in the bank is just numbers to me now and I careless compare to what my family want.

No matter what our stories are, I learn a lot here and thanks. Really hope you guys found what you are looking for.

Mike



[quote author="ck"]

Not at all, Mike....even though we all may not agree --- its good to talk about what is on our mind. It's all a process. I have learned so much from so many here. Trust me, I understand exactly what you want for your family, its the same thing I want for mine. Like Panda said, its all a process or a journey. It takes time to figure out what is going to be the right thing for us.

Mike, while I don't like the price you paid for the house --- I respect that you can afford it and are therefore doing right by your family. Exactly as I am doing for mine. I know I really can't comfortably afford what I hope to provide for my family in Irvine, so I'll go somewhere I can --- because I refuse to put my wife or daugther through financial stress.

I hope others who are reading this thread and maybe not as financially secure as Mike (maybe more like me! <!-- s:o -->:o<!-- s:o -->) think through all the alternative before you feel like you have to stretch too far to attain Irvine. There are alternatives.

And this is coming from Mr. and Mrs. Irvine (CK and wife). Although some people might call us Mr. and Mrs. Louis Vuitton, but that's another story.[/quote][/quote]
Mike, are you sure you were looking in the right places in Laguna Niguel? I helped one of my buyers find a gorgeously upgraded 3,000sf+ home in a gated community for less than $270/sf. I see a lot of resales go in the $275-$300/sf some with big yards and views. Also, there are several gorgeous Moulton Ranch (Laguna Hills) homes with views to die for that sold for $280-$290/sf. I have several buyers who make $200-$400k/yr and they don't even have Irvine on the radar scene because they believe it is overpriced and nothing really makes it special. Other cities provide much better options for them....homes with larger lots, little-to-no Mello Roos, gorgeous views, and good schools. I do have a handful of buyers that will only buy in Irvine but there's nothing out there right now. It really is a shame that folks like CK won't be living in Irvine. When it comes time for me to buy, I probably won't be buying in Irvine either even if I did have $800k cash.
 
I was just speaking to a lady walking her dog this morning; I have seen her a few other times. Our conversation turned into housing; can you believe what they are charging for those new houses? Pointing to Montecito/Carmel shaking her head... Yeah, I said, TIC sure knows what they are doing. I shared that we rent and we like to buy here, but there are other options, elsewhere for our family.

I was expecting her to say she rents also, but come to find out, she owns a Stonetree.

There were many people like this during the bubble and even now. Owners of a certain neighborhood who, even they think the prices in their neighborhood is outrageous. They don't drink the Kool-Aid being handed out at the corner stop sign. If anybody has an unbiased, fair market opinion on how much home prices should be, are the current owners, who love their neighborhood and are there to stay.

Even she is afraid of what Woodbury will become... that's got to tell you something...!
 
I do not endorse irvine at the current pricing. It is not a good value. If a detached home is $300 k like mine I would recommend irvine all day long but the reality is it is not.
My daughter started school in irvine while I lived there and she will finish her middle school there.

For those who can afford a house with a yard and make over $300k a year then no problem. However, a majority do not make that and I am advocating alternatives for nice people like panda and ck.

I am an iho because of good timing and others do not have my kind of luck. I believe in getting the most for paying very little and I found my secret to beating the irvine system by spending $285k. Only an insider can pull this off. So I am telling all of you now. Timing is way too late for all of you.

To let you know my cheapskates strategy to having the very best school for virtually paying nothing I will be buying a dirt cheap property in stanton because my daughter is accepted to oxford academy. She also can attend Troy as a out of district student from floral park. Call me what ever you like. I do not believe in paying full price in anything.

This post is taking forever from my iPhone while I am enjoying the free Woodbury pool facility. I have 2 hours to kill waiting for my daughter's test. I just love my universal fob key. Thanks fe9, mike, aj and mike for paying for this facility.

Until irvine returns to fundamental I will continue to show consumers about other options.

Just to let you know I can afford the current irvine home but Diane keaton's childhood home is a much better value for $1.2 mil. I never endorse sa schools in the first place and I would not send my daughter there. The homes and safety in fp are excellent. I have the best of both world for the money I spent strategically.

This post is taking me forever on my iPhone.
[quote author="traceimage"]
[quote author="graceomalley"]CK and Panda,

I have been preaching this for 3 years. There are options. For the sake of your family by not putting them in financial stress. No money can buy back a wrecked marriage. There are many smaller cities not rated due to small population are much safer than Irvine.

Go seek out other cities and schools in the 80 percentile with above average safety you pay a lot less for a home and enjoy your family and a backyard more.

You do not need to live in the top 4 safest cities to survive. It is totally compulsive paranoia to think that. There are plenty good families and educated kids from other cities too. Pocket the saving and give your children a college education or put it in a sack for them to buy a house in the future. Kids do not need the best schools to succeed they need parents to spend time with them not at work to slave for a mortgage.

The key is to buy a good brand at a bargain and not the best brand at a rip-off price. I guarantee you live just as long and your kids will attend a good college when you live in a good brand city vs a best brand city.

I came from nothing, I attended a bad school in a city of crime and I and many others have turned out better than OK. Trust me you do not need to have the very best. It is actually better to stay modest and your children will thank you later in life.[/quote]

Doesn't your daughter go to a school in Irvine even though you live elsewhere? I think it's TUSD...but still.

Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree with you that there are lots of great cities to live in other than Irvine. Nobody should live in Irvine just for the sake of living in Irvine if that puts them in financial stress. Nobody should think that Irvine is the only place where their kids will be safe and successful. That's just ridiculous.

I just think it's a little hypocritical to preach that people should live in other cities and forget about Irvine...while you send your own daughter to an Irvine school. (If I'm incorrect and this is untrue, I apologize.)

Suppose you didn't own a property in Irvine so you couldn't use that address. Would you still live where you live now? Suppose you lived in the Santa Ana Unified district. Would you send your daughter to an SA Unified school?

I'm not trying to be antagonistic, but I'm curious.[/quote]
 
I know T-Mare would put up a good fight for SA school district especially the ones in FP...

hey, BK, I got the kid this morning, but how about meeting at Carmel and causing a LOL ;D, OMG :o and WTF >:( scene!
 
Thanks for the explanation, BK.

Suppose you had a young child and lived in Floral Park. All your school solutions involve buying multiple properties in other cities, which most people can't afford. You would have to find another way, or else actually live in the cheapo house in Stanton.
 
And that is the duality that is BK.

He'll say two different thinngs to suit the mood or to fuel the flames. Back on the IHB, he would back graph in saying there are no FCBs... but he has extensive knowledge of FCB behavior.

He will say Irvine is nothing special, yet he's designed the homes, praises the schools and recognizes the safety.

And he's right, it's too late to do what he does... but then what's the answer? What if you want to live in Irvine? Well... if you can afford it, you pay the price... if you can't you should rent. If you don't want to rent... you may have to look elsewhere.

That's the problem of Irvine though... there is a large group of people who will pay the price regardless and it makes it more expsensive for people who want to live here because they like it here. Irvine is a non-fundamental city with non-fundamental pricing... and even 3 years from now, we will see it holding value better than other cities. That's what I contended when I first posted on the IHB and I'm sticking to it.

Even though the detractors will disagree on why people like Irvine... they can't disagree that the prices here are still higher than other cities.
 
graceomalley,

I am a long time lurker. I have read many of your posts and I see that you are a very knowlegeable and sharp person. Your wisdoms are very valuable and I appreciate your sharing.
I want to admire you but I am just having a hard time. Example, you enjoy having free access to the Irvine amenities; however, you are not agreeing to TIC (creator of the amenities that you enjoy) getting the financial benefits that the Irvine city offered. Another example, some people are in search of happiness as oppose to finace, why are you not offering the wisdom for both. Please help me to understand you so I can admire a person of your caliber. Thank you. SNC
 
I don't believe Irvine is holding its value any better compared nearby places. From the time i moved to OC I've seen Irvine being 10-15 % higher than rest of OC and that still holds true. IT is not that irvine prices went down 15-20% from their peak and every other place close to Irvine went down 50%. Relatively they have all come down the same amount. the monthly affordability equation changes only because of melloroos. But older homes in irvine have equally less melloroos as other areas.

I do agree that irvine will have that premium of 15% to the nearby neighbourhoods. In any case what does one think will be the eventual per sq ft price in irvine. 225,250,275. for attached and detached condos, tradition SFR's. My feeling is just around 250 for condo's and
275 or SFR's.


[quote author="irvinehomeowner"]And that is the duality that is BK.

He'll say two different thinngs to suit the mood or to fuel the flames. Back on the IHB, he would back graph in saying there are no FCBs... but he has extensive knowledge of FCB behavior.

He will say Irvine is nothing special, yet he's designed the homes, praises the schools and recognizes the safety.

And he's right, it's too late to do what he does... but then what's the answer? What if you want to live in Irvine? Well... if you can afford it, you pay the price... if you can't you should rent. If you don't want to rent... you may have to look elsewhere.

That's the problem of Irvine though... there is a large group of people who will pay the price regardless and it makes it more expsensive for people who want to live here because they like it here. Irvine is a non-fundamental city with non-fundamental pricing... and even 3 years from now, we will see it holding value better than other cities. That's what I contended when I first posted on the IHB and I'm sticking to it.

Even though the detractors will disagree on why people like Irvine... they can't disagree that the prices here are still higher than other cities. [/quote]
 
[quote author="waitin4ever"]IT is not that irvine prices went down 15-20% from their peak and every other place close to Irvine went down 50%. Relatively they have all come down the same amount.[/quote]
Can you show me the data to back this claim?

Looking at current pricing in Irvine compared to other areas doesn't seem to support that.
 
[quote author="snc"]graceomalley,

I am a long time lurker. I have read many of your posts and I see that you are a very knowlegeable and sharp person. Your wisdoms are very valuable and I appreciate your sharing.
I want to admire you but I am just having a hard time. Example, you enjoy having free access to the Irvine amenities; however, you are not agreeing to TIC (creator of the amenities that you enjoy) getting the financial benefits that the Irvine city offered. Another example, some people are in search of happiness as oppose to finace, why are you not offering the wisdom for both. Please help me to understand you so I can admire a person of your caliber. Thank you. SNC[/quote]

snc, welcome and thank you for joining the conversation. As I understand it, BK does maintain a property in Irvine; so as I can assume he does pay Irvine HOAs and tax. So he does have some access into some Irvine amenities. Now since he was an Irvine designer, an insider (our very own deep throat), he has the legendary, fabled, skeleton FOB key. Yes, you can argue that he shouldn't use amenities that he didn't legitimately pay for but having a legal copy (hopefully) to the FOB gives him the authority.

We are all in the pursuit of happiness; we are all choosing what we feel best for our family based upon the amount of our resources we have. BK is looking out for your happiness; BTW again, don't base your happiness upon a house, please! A house/location can be a catalyst to your well being but true happiness is living life well, versus just a pleasurable feeling. A huge factor in living life well, is having financial responsibility as it can have the reverse of robbing your family of happiness as many families who were foreclosed on can tell you...
 
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