Buy a new house in Rosena Ranch up in San Bernardino? (Fontana: real estate, insurance)

[cchanged]

We live in Rancho Cucamonga right now and want to buy a house in these few months. With our budget, we can only afford older houses or houses(still old but not as old) in the Southern or Southwest part of Rancho, which is not as good compare to other parts. Now we are debating whether to buy a brand new house up in the Glen Helen Parkway area (next to I-15 and Sierra Avenue) in the newly built community called Rosena Ranch or to buy an older house in Rancho.

Is anyone here familiar with Rosena Ranch? It's almost in the middle of nowhere and the only ways out to go to the big cities below are through Sierra Ave or I-15. It's in the city of San Bernardino but is actually not connected to San Bernardino itself (it's quite far actually), so high crime rate should not be a concern, at least not now. I am only afraid that it will become a bad area years later... Btw, is Lennar a reputable builder?

[Count David]

It should be just like living in a new home community in Fontana or Rialto.

I do wonder if Lytle Creek ever gets high enough to threaten that development, however. It kind of looks like they're putting new developments anywhere they will fit.

[cchanged]

How does it feel like to live in a new home community in Rialto or Fontana?

Is Lytle Creek getting higher every year?

[Fontucky]

I would NOT want to live there during periods of mass deluge like we had back in the 2004-2005 season. Lytle Creek might decide to take that area back. Anyone who lives in that development and who digs a hole below the fill they laid down for the development (3' or so) will reach the Lytle Creek alluvium layer, which is a very thick layer of rounded rocks, gravel and sand deposited by regular flooding of the creek over the past 15,000 years or so.

And we all know what makes granite rocks rounded.

[cchanged]

Are houses built above alluvium layer unstable (my logic tells me yes, but I want to confirm)? This seems like it will be a major concern, and thanks for all of your info as we are quite new to the Inland Empire area actually (we've only lived in Rancho for almost a year). Also, I heard that in areas prone to flooding, you need to pay extra insurance or taxes or whatever, is this true?

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by cchanged

How does it feel like to live in a new home community in Rialto or Fontana?

Is Lytle Creek getting higher every year?

Contact the San Bernardino County government department to determine if:

a) the subdivision, i.e. Rosena Ranch, is within a flood plain. The department that is responsible for keeping the flood maps on file should be able to give you a copy.

b) what are the future plans for the creek. The San Bernardino County Flood Control District may have plans to channelize the creek in the future.

[if I were you and I had this concern I'd go to the County's planning department and review the land development file for that subdivision]

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by cchanged

Are houses built above alluvium layer unstable (my logic tells me yes, but I want to confirm)? This seems like it will be a major concern, and thanks for all of your info as we are quite new to the Inland Empire area actually (we've only lived in Rancho for almost a year). Also, I heard that in areas prone to flooding, you need to pay extra insurance or taxes or whatever, is this true?

Practically all of the urbanization at the base of the San Gabriel/San Bernardino Mountains are on alluvium. Note that all new construction on this scale requires significant grading and compacting so the subdivision is not actually built on 'raw' alluvium. The soil is stable.

If you are in an area that is prone to flooding, your insurance costs will be affected.

[i remember when they started building this subdivision - they removed a side of the hill to do it and used the soil as fill]

[DavidFriedman]

I'm a real estate agent that is extremely familiar with the Rosena Ranch Community. I just sold a house down there to a lovely couple about two months ago. It's a short distance to many desirable locations even though it does seem out of the way. You have great access to the upper desert area of Victorville, Phelan (Snowboarding), Hesperia. You also have great access to places such as Victoria Gardens and CSUSB (California Statue Univ. San Bernardino). Although it is technically considered San Bernardino it is its own separated community. It should be its own city it is so huge! If you've ever been to CSUSB you would say the same thing. Although they are both in the city of San Bernardino, the negative stigma does not apply to these communities. Lennar is the biggest home builder in America and they build quality houses. Moderator cut: see note

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by DavidFriedman

I'm a real estate agent that is extremely familiar with the Rosena Ranch Community. I just sold a house down there to a lovely couple about two months ago. It's a short distance to many desirable locations even though it does seem out of the way. You have great access to the upper desert area of Victorville, Phelan (Snowboarding), Hesperia. You also have great access to places such as Victoria Gardens and CSUSB (California Statue Univ. San Bernardino). Although it is technically considered San Bernardino it is its own separated community. It should be its own city it is so huge! If you've ever been to CSUSB you would say the same thing. Although they are both in the city of San Bernardino, the negative stigma does not apply to these communities. Lennar is the biggest home builder in America and they build quality houses. Moderator cut: see note

Doesn't answer the question about Lytle Creek. Typical Boosterism.

[Fontucky]

Typical salesmanship.