What $500k+ (new contruction) gets you in Santa Ana (Costa Mesa: real estate, townhouses)

[EscapeCalifornia]

This is a small in-fill project at Fairview and Alton in Santa Ana. Its not the worst part of Santa Ana, but nowhere in the city is really that far from the crap. Of course, the models look nice but whoever laid out the lots must have been a master at Tetris. They're squeezed in so tight, they may as well be townhouses. The main street is somewhat narrow so I doubt the fire department will allow parking on both sides. And don't forget those award winning Santa Ana schools!

Picture one shows the lovely view of the street, train tracks (where they blow the whistle for a couple of miles most mornings) and the mobile estates. Fairview is a very busy street but Alton isn't as bad.

Picture two shows the view of TWO of your neighbor's houses. One inconsiderate driver can trap the guy on the right in or out of his house.

[TSO2.0]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

This is a small in-fill project at Fairview and Alton in Santa Ana. Its not the worst part of Santa Ana, but nowhere in the city is really that far from the crap. Of course, the models look nice but whoever laid out the lots must have been a master at Tetris. They're squeezed in so tight, they may as well be townhouses. The main street is somewhat narrow so I doubt the fire department will allow parking on both sides. And don't forget those award winning Santa Ana schools!

Picture one shows the lovely view of the street, train tracks (where they blow the whistle for a couple of miles most mornings) and the mobile estates. Fairview is a very busy street but Alton isn't as bad.

Picture two shows the view of TWO of your neighbor's houses. One inconsiderate driver can trap the guy on the right in or out of his house.

Thank you for posting this. Anytime I think about missing southern CA I can just think of posts like this and then think of my $300K, 3,000 sq foot house on 5 acres in an award winning school district in Eastern WA.

Maybe the snow up here isn't so bad.

[OGTSO]

Originally Posted by TSO2.0

Thank you for posting this. Anytime I think about missing southern CA I can just think of posts like this and then think of my $300K, 3,000 sq foot house on 5 acres in an award winning school district in Eastern WA.

Maybe the snow up here isn't so bad.

I have to agree TSO2.0 ---

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by TSO2.0

Thank you for posting this. Anytime I think about missing southern CA I can just think of posts like this and then think of my $300K, 3,000 sq foot house on 5 acres in an award winning school district in Eastern WA.

Maybe the snow up here isn't so bad.

No argument here.

[SportyandMisty]

I'm lounging by my swimming pool, getting ready to fire up the grill in the 16' long outdoor built-in grill/wet-bar, in the back yard of my 4800 square foot 4 year old house that cost me $464K. I love the 1800 square-foot over-sized 5 car garage/shop with epoxied floor & 4 post lift. I won't mention that we have no state income tax.

[tehuti]

I guess it's just a matter of perspective. Having grown up in NYC, in the boroughs - Brooklyn and the Bronx, not Manhattan, I wouldn't trade SoCal for very much. Sure we have our problems but to me the positives far outweigh the negatives. As far as the original post is concerned, if I could afford a $500k+ home I definitely wouldn't be looking for one in Santa Ana anyway, so????? As expensive as it is to live here, there are still plenty of options in that price range I would think.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

This is a small in-fill project at Fairview and Alton in Santa Ana.,,,.

Any new construction like this will require nearly $75,000 in permit fees and hook ups. Money is better spent on remodeling. Hook up fees are gone and permit cost is much less.

[David Aguilar]

They could market it as Costa Mesa/South Coast adjacent lol.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by TSO2.0

Thank you for posting this. Anytime I think about missing southern CA I can just think of posts like this and then think of my $300K, 3,000 sq foot house on 5 acres in an award winning school district in Eastern WA.

Maybe the snow up here isn't so bad.

But being cooped up a good part of the winter probably sucks.

And having kids on a five acre lot must be fun too when the nearest kid is 1/4 mile away and half your neighbors are either childless (retired) or insular and anti-social (They don't like people: "Get off my property") because otherwise they wouldn't have purchase a five acre lot in the first place.

"Man I wish my parents bought a home in a normal subdivision so I had some other kids to play with"

[RCLL]

Originally Posted by Charles

But being cooped up a good part of the winter probably sucks.

And having kids on a five acre lot must be fun too when the nearest kid is 1/4 mile away and half your neighbors are either childless (retired) or insular and anti-social (They don't like people: "Get off my property") because otherwise they wouldn't have purchase a five acre lot in the first place.

"Man I wish my parents bought a home in a normal subdivision so I had some other kids to play with"

Personally I think I would be depressed in that type of environment, away from civilization. As with all real estate, there are pro and cons.