Will OC condos last? (Orange, Mission Viejo: apartment, HOA fees, custom home)

[Podo944]

Hi there...
Looking around Laguna Niguel at condos lately, and I know there was mass building going on in the 80's and 90's.
When interested in a complex, we always take a walk around and get insight from the neighbors. There're a lot of HOAs in financial trouble, but also we've been hearing, especially from "original" owners about pipes bursting, shoddy workmanship and materials etc.
Just makes me wonder what will become of a lot of these places in another 30 to 50 years?
Do SFRs last longer because they can be worked on individually (providing the owner does so) or even bulldozed and rebuilt because the owner owns the land?
Aren't there are homes around this country around 100 years old?

My husband who's from England, has an uncle who lives in a beautiful old cottage a couple of centuries old right outside of "The New Forest"... an area where past royalty would hunt! It's soooo cool!

Can you see Orange County condos, especially the mass produced ones lasting?
Thoughts?
Of course So. California could get "The Big One" and they all fall down!

[Fontucky]

There are a lot of incidents of leaking copper pipes that were buried in concrete slabs 30+ years ago. Beware of that issue.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Most stuff built in the last few decades has been done cheaply unless it was a custom home. You'll feel this more in an apartment or condo since minimum code lets a lot of noise through from neighbors. Anything can be kept standing if you put enough work into it. I wonder when they'll have to start replacing structure due to termite damage. Hello, special assessment. The apartment I'm in is maybe 30 years old and the plywood floor decking has so many soft spots its not funny.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

There are a lot of incidents of leaking copper pipes that were buried in concrete slabs 30+ years ago. Beware of that issue.

Or worse, galvanized steel. I'd like to know who thought buying the pipes in the slab was a good idea.

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I wonder when they'll have to start replacing structure due to termite damage. Hello, special assessment.

When we first started looking around, more out of curiousity over a year ago, an agent I met at an open house took us around to some condos in Mission Viejo. Even though we told him we were just trying to get the lay of the land, he tried to hard sell us on the first thing we saw (dropped him right quick!) because we mentioned we really loved the view.
Thankfully we took seperate cars, so while he drove out the gate, we stayed to have a walk around the complex. Talked to a gentleman who said he liked living there fine but warned us a 20K assessment was coming down the pike!
Now when I've seen these condos on Redfin, seems the HOA went up about a hundred bucks as well!
Ug... we're prequalified to squeek ourselves into a small SFR with no HOAs, but that would be at the top of our price range and I hate being broke! Not to mention having met the aquaintance of Mr. Murphy a few times through the years... you know that guy who wrote that law!

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I wonder when they'll have to start replacing structure due to termite damage. Hello, special assessment.

Large condo building by me didn't save money for termite damage and spent $100k to replace the roof.. Special assessment to the unit owners was $400/mo for 5 years or so(on top of the $350/mo HOA.. where does all that money go?)

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

Large condo building by me didn't save money for termite damage and spent $100k to replace the roof.. Special assessment to the unit owners was $400/mo for 5 years or so(on top of the $350/mo HOA.. where does all that money go?)

Damn that's like a car payment. Buying into an HOA is like going into business with your neighbors. The thought of that turns my stomach.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Our board needs to be more proactive. We have too many residents around here with a libertarian mentality that do not want to invest in the future and wonder why there are special assessments.

When damage appears they need to jump on it. Neglected Termite Damage is adding 1000 to our HOA fees. There are enough active younger owners buying in, that this should not happen again.

That being said, our HOA fees are about 350 month. When I owned a home in the midwest, it would cost almsot twice that amount to simply maintain the exterior and lawn care, plus sweat equity (and I did not have a pool). My HOA fees cover gardening, routine maintenance, landscaping. Pool and Spa care, painting. We are do to get the roof replaced in two years and that should be covered by HOA fees.

[JustJulia]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

There are a lot of incidents of leaking copper pipes that were buried in concrete slabs 30+ years ago. Beware of that issue.

My parents and in-laws have the same model house, as did we when we lived in California (all in the same town). All three houses had the same issue with leaking pipes in the slab.

The HOA dues on condos scare me. Don't they go up if you don't have full occupancy?

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by JustJulia

My parents and in-laws have the same model house, as did we when we lived in California (all in the same town). All three houses had the same issue with leaking pipes in the slab.

The HOA dues on condos scare me. Don't they go up if you don't have full occupancy?

Cheap copper pipes encased in concrete is exactly the problem a home owner told us when we saw a condo we really liked. Ug... really nice unit. I suppose the home inspection would point out any pending problems, but problems seem inevitable.

A lot of condo HOAs are having problems now.
One place we saw wanted us to pay the 15K for the former occupants back HOA dues!!! No thanks... hard enough coughing up the down and the closing costs!