Moving to Orange County max budget of 550k, want a house in Laguna Niguel Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente (San Diego: sale, real estate market)

[GerryF102]

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

[JLPIFCO]

House trailer.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by GerryF102

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

You may feel like you deserve a house for that much money. However the market may feel differently than you do. The choices right now are very limited. Right now your budget will get you townhouses or two bed 1-1100sq ft "houses" more like mobile homes for that range.
If you're expecting a 2500 sq ft McMansion for 550k in those areas it's not happening. The competition for houses is ridiculous.
You could buy in Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Menefee, but not South OC

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by GerryF102

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

Your budget does not get you a SFR with your requirements in the cities you listed. Consider Lake Forest, but even there, the minimum would be close to 600.

I did find the below listing, but be aware that this "fixer" will need a massive amount of work (looks a bit scary) and is less than 1000 square feet (2 bed/1 bath). The seller will only take cash due to it being a fixer. NOTE: looks like it needs a new roof and so much else. There is mold present.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...8-08773#photo5

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by GerryF102

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

Contact a local realtor they will know what is available. Many never make it on the MLS, so who can know except a realtor with a listing. They exist but are sold fast and usually need some work.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Contact a local realtor they will know what is available. Many never make it on the MLS, so who can know except a realtor with a listing. They exist but are sold fast and usually need some work.

Any examples? Why give the OP unrealistic hope?

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by GerryF102

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

Not going to happen, maybe this is a 4th of July thread joke?

What you feel you deserve and what you can afford are two different things.

For whatvever reason you want to live in CA, you either need to be more realistic(look at condos) or you're going to have to go inland.

You act like you're doing the reverse, selling a house here and wanting to move to another state into a more exclusive area, many here can do that due to owning homes for years that are now worth close to a million dollars.

You don't have that luxury.

[pacific2]

Orange County median house price sets record at $795,000, Realtors report – Orange County Register

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by pacific2

Any examples? Why give the OP unrealistic hope?

In the cities OP mentioned, the only one I have seen is the one I posted, and even that one does not meet OP's needs. Frankly, I too think it is ridiculous to say they exist "sometimes".

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by GerryF102

Hi,

We are coming from South Carolina. Our Max budget is $550k.

We want to live in Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Laguna Beach or San Clemente.

Our requirements are minimum 3br, single family house, decent size yard and two car garage. We don't want a condo etc. as we feel for this much money we deserve a normal house.

Can anyone tell us what areas of those cities we should look in? Are there any neighborhoods which are underpriced/more of a bargain? We will be putting a substantial amount of cash down (almost $140,000) from the sale of our home. We plan on putting in a lot of offers and don't mind being patient.

Thank you.

I hope you don't mind my asking, but why are you moving to Orange County, one of the most expensive housing areas in the country?

There is no "bargain" area in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Dana Point or San Clemente where single family homes in good condition with big yards are magically priced at under $550K.

If you are set on the areas you've listed, be open minded about a condo/townhome because in those areas a condo/townhome IS considered a "normal home" for people with your budget.

Either way, start by getting a reality check on a site like Zillow.com. Enter your budget and Orange County. I recommend doing a search not just for current listings, but also for homes that have sold within your budget in the last six months. That will allow you to get a better sense of where "normal homes" within your budget are located in Orange County.

If you are not tied to Orange County for job reasons, try broadening your search to nearby Riverside County (Temecula, Murietta) or perhaps inland San Diego County (Alpine, Escondido, La Mesa, El Cajon, etc.). A little farther afield but perhaps with more options in your budget would be Ventura County (Simi Valley, Oxnard), San Bernardino County (Victorville, Apple Valley), Northern LA County (Lancaster, Palmdale) and perhaps the Central Coast of California (Santa Maria). Even further afield, try the suburbs of Sacramento or Fresno. These are the areas where you are most likely to find what you are looking for in a home within your stated budget.

The most important thing you need to know about the California real estate market is that there are no "bargains" here that don't involve compromising on one or more of the following: budget, size of home, condition of home, area safety, proximity to the ocean, proximity to civilization, school quality, climate, or something else.

MOST people who live in Southern California and aren't millionaires make compromises of one sort or another to live here.

I wish you well with your search, but what you need is not patience, but a dose of realism so you know what you are facing and can make informed decisions about your move here.

Best wishes for your move.