Buying a land and building a Home... please help... (San Francisco: sale, real estate)

[sydney-sider]

Hello guys, we are deciding to relocate to SF Bay Area. We are just astonished about housing prices mainly near Bay Area. Most of the houses are way too old for our budget. We've seen a few land we are interested in to purchase. Our question is how much to build a home. Or can you refer a website that does home buiding only. How much roughly does it cost to build a home? we have found decent lands in Half Moon Bay, Mill Valley etc, but really unsure what else to look for... ?water ?electricity ?sewage and what sort of cost are we looking for, say if the price of land is ex. $350,000 - any replies will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY WEBSITES THAT JUST CATER FOR HOMEBUILDING ONLY, IF WE HAVE THE LAND.

[ImRandy]

Be careful about the land you find in Half Moon Bay. It's not the cost of the land that is the issue but the ability to get water in a timely fashion if at all.

[andybuildz]

Originally Posted by sydney-sider

Hello guys, we are deciding to relocate to SF Bay Area. We are just astonished about housing prices mainly near Bay Area. Most of the houses are way too old for our budget. We've seen a few land we are interested in to purchase. Our question is how much to build a home. Or can you refer a website that does home buiding only. How much roughly does it cost to build a home? we have found decent lands in Half Moon Bay, Mill Valley etc, but really unsure what else to look for... ?water ?electricity ?sewage and what sort of cost are we looking for, say if the price of land is ex. $350,000 - any replies will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY WEBSITES THAT JUST CATER FOR HOMEBUILDING ONLY, IF WE HAVE THE LAND.

I've been in the same mindset. We're on LI in NY and our house is on the market now...ugh...I'm a builder in renovations and restorations (see my web site if you want in my profile). Our older daughter lives in SF and we've looked in Sebastopol about 5 years ago. The building issues there and I'm sure surrounding areas make it very difficult to build in many respects...mostly water issues from supply to waste. It gets real expensive.

Recently I've considered the Berkeley area for now just to see if I can make a bit more money on another redo or new. New in a populated area is a lot easier on one hand because all utilities are usually right there so that cuts on a lot of the costs but you then have to weigh out the costs of buying in more populated nice areas. Its a real weigh it all out game.

I have a lot to say about the places we've already looked like Sebastopol five years ago and Carmel Valley, Monterey where we looked this past August.
While the people are super nice in Sebas I didn;t care at all for any of the homes. I thought 99% of them were in crap taste to put it mildly and the numbers they were getting for these tasteless houses blew me away and from what I heard you make no money on homes there. I spose' its a place you'd move to if you plan on staying for a long long time. It just wasn't my taste is all. I like more breathtaking views rather than rolling fields.
even Berkelely had houses/properties with some real nice views where the prices weren't totally out of orbit like CV. I definitely do understand the pricing in Carmel Valley, Monterey though.

I personally need an area where I can find some real junk in a great area and do a rehab or even build new or even knock down to new.

Knock down to new is something you should think about exploring. In some ways its a lot less expensive believe it or not.

I'm open to anything. The past decade I've been real creative about it and its worked out OK...My timing kinda sucks though...lol...so at this point I have to get lucky with the sale and hope the seller drops their price like I've had to and it all becomes a a wash. I see tons of houses "pending" in Berkeley unlike here on LI where houses just sit unless the prices get lowered substantially. Its an interesting time to question RE. Sometimes building new is less costly...sometimes not...like I said..its a real weigh it all out game. Actually, I'm getting a headache from it already...lol

[WannaBNorCal]

Originally Posted by sydney-sider

Hello guys, we are deciding to relocate to SF Bay Area. We are just astonished about housing prices mainly near Bay Area. Most of the houses are way too old for our budget. We've seen a few land we are interested in to purchase. Our question is how much to build a home. Or can you refer a website that does home buiding only. How much roughly does it cost to build a home? we have found decent lands in Half Moon Bay, Mill Valley etc, but really unsure what else to look for... ?water ?electricity ?sewage and what sort of cost are we looking for, say if the price of land is ex. $350,000 - any replies will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY WEBSITES THAT JUST CATER FOR HOMEBUILDING ONLY, IF WE HAVE THE LAND.

Realty Times - Real Estate News and Advice


Realty Times - Real Estate News and Advice

This looks great:
Expands into San Francisco Bay Area

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The Limitations Of Infill Development In The Bay Area | Planetizen

[sydney-sider]

Originally Posted by andybuildz

Actually, I'm getting a headache from it already...lol

Tell me all about it thanks for the info guys...

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by andybuildz

I personally need an area where I can find some real junk in a great area and do a rehab or even build new or even knock down to new.

Westlake district of Daly City, Emerald Hills part of Redwood City (or the area between Selby and Stockbridge which borders Atherton).. even Woodside to a certain extent. In all of these areas you'll see worthless homes on multi-million dollar lots.

[ImRandy]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Westlake district of Daly City, Emerald Hills part of Redwood City (or the area between Selby and Stockbridge which borders Atherton).. even Woodside to a certain extent. In all of these areas you'll see worthless homes on multi-million dollar lots.

I live in the Westlake District of Daly City... where are the worthless homes?

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

I live in the Westlake District of Daly City... where are the worthless homes?

There are some dumpy "the value is in the land" properties around there. I've attached an example..

[ImRandy]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

There are some dumpy "the value is in the land" properties around there. I've attached an example..

Ah, ok, I was picturing broken down shacks not just ugly.