Baker ranch Lake Forest (Rancho Santa Margarita, Aliso Viejo: rental, HOA, condos)

[thezeb00]

Hi All,
Please advice what you people think about BR, it's location, value etc
Went to grand opening at the weekend, it's was crowded, there were so many people out these which makes me feel this is going to sell like a hot cake. Any advice on pros and cons would be greatly appreciated and are there any advantages/ disadvantages of buying in early phases of development like this. Thanks a lot
P.s looking to buying three bed townhouse in brook land by Shea homes

[thezeb00]

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
SFR are in range from high 500k to low 600K, 3-4 beds. NO Melos Ross , is this good enough reason for BR to flourish ? There r some big homes too but they r out of our reach

[Joe Van Fossen]

The lack of mello-roos is nice for new construction in South OC. SFR in the high 500s/low 600s is reasonably competitive for the area, especially if you like new construction. However, a townhome in the low 500s seems a bit high for the area.

Advantage of buying in early phases: usually pay less than later phases (unless the market goes in the other direction)

Disadvantages: you'll be living in/around a construction zone for a while, HOA facilities/amenities may not be ready for use

[thezeb00]

No response from others

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by thezeb00

No response from others

I suspect it is because, at least judging from what I saw of the promo video, Baker Ranch will probably look pretty much like Aliso Viejo, which looks pretty much like Rancho Santa Margarita, which looks pretty much like______________________________.

There is a certain sameness to the looks of most newer South County communities. So, people make buying decisions ("Do I live in Baker Ranch, Sendero, Ladera Ranch, MV, Aliso Viejo, RSM, or...?") based upon a variety of other factors.

To each his own.

I do think the lack of Mello-Roos fees will be a drawing card for many, but check an address at the County Assessors office to see if there are any "hidden" bond charges on the tax bill.

Somebody pays for the maintenance of sewers, local roads, parks, etc.

Also, tread carefully and do a very thorough home-by-home comparison analysis to make sure you would not be paying more in the long run for a Mello-Roos free house.

For example, all other things being the same, what sense is there in paying an extra $100K for a home (plus the increased property taxes and mortgage interest payments) just to escape maybe $1K in annual Mello-Roos fees?

People, not you, sometimes go crazy when they hear "Mello-Roos" and rush into paying an exorbitant amount for a home simply because it has "NO MELLO-ROOS!"

Marketers know all the gimmicks.

[pacific2]

I live in one of South County's newer communities and I think the overall look is much like this (hence, the lack of excitement over yet another development):


Weeds - The Opening (le generique) - YouTube


Nevertheless, good luck in your house-hunting. The weather is great.

[Joe Van Fossen]

The one thing that does make Baker Ranch stand out from those other developments is that it's surrounded by commercial development, and some people may not find that very appealing.

[ExeterMedia]

Originally Posted by Joe Van Fossen

The lack of mello-roos is nice for new construction in South OC. SFR in the high 500s/low 600s is reasonably competitive for the area, especially if you like new construction. However, a townhome in the low 500s seems a bit high for the area.

Advantage of buying in early phases: usually pay less than later phases (unless the market goes in the other direction)

Disadvantages: you'll be living in/around a construction zone for a while, HOA facilities/amenities may not be ready for use

I agree with the above. I bought an older SFH rental near that area for below 500k back in 2010. I think 500k for a townhome is really high for the sqft I'm seeing on their website.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by thezeb00

Hi All,
Please advice what you people think about BR, it's location, value etc
Went to grand opening at the weekend, it's was crowded, there were so many people out these which makes me feel this is going to sell like a hot cake. Any advice on pros and cons would be greatly appreciated and are there any advantages/ disadvantages of buying in early phases of development like this. Thanks a lot
P.s looking to buying three bed townhouse in brook land by Shea homes

If you have kids and/or pets and you want them to spend at least some time in your backyard, then you may want to think twice about Baker Ranch. Ditto for having BBQ's and for outdoor entertaining.

While it's true that SoCal in general, and OC in particular, is infamous for its postage sized backyards, it seems that the Baker Ranch builders take the concept to a new level. All of the "courtyards" and "outdoor retreats," for condos, townhouses and SFRs alike, seem to be incredibly small.

It's true that a lot of people deal with this problem by going to the park, but it's still worth thinking about.

[FLSkater]

There's also a jail right around the corner. My husband and I just passed that way the other day going to the Spectrum. Just look for all the barbed wire fence right past Baker Ranch on Alton.

Although I love new construction homes, we decided to go with a resale around the RSM area for two reasons -
- most new home developments overlook major highways or near something very undesirable - a jail, a landfill, etc.
- the size of the lots. Or lack of size is more like it. Now, since you are looking at a townhome that may not be an issue for you. We used to live in FL on a 19,000 sq ft lot, so seeing lot sizes that were 4,000 was a real issue for us.

I do plan on looking at Baker Ranch just to see the home layouts and the way they are decorated.

One plus in my book - it's right around the corner from Lake Forest Ice Palace!