College Park in Chino

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phanpd

phanpd

New member
Anyone ever lived in Chino and have opinions on it?  We are thinking of buying in College Park.  I know... it's near the jail.  But I figure it's better to live near the locked up bad guys than in an area where the bad guys aren't locked up.  We also drove by it last night, and Ayala Park which is literally across the street from the prison was filled with people working out, skateboarding, and playing sports which was nice to see.

We were looking in Brea at first but prices got out of control, since we are just looking for a nice starter home this may be a good option for 5-10 years.  Even though we can technically afford the homes in Brea, it's just a better idea to be fiscally responsible in order to continue living comfortably.  This particular area seems really attractive on the surface.  Perhaps you know someone who has bought in College Park recently?

Your thoughts?
 
:-\ I did 5 years in Chino from 2003 - 2008. I lived a few blocks from this development - watched these and The Preserve go up.

 
I remember driving by when looking at the Preserve... wasn't there a men and women prison facility there?  State prison right?
 
Men's - yes. A separate prison for women nearby, just south of The Preserve... technically, it's a Corona address there. There was also a juvenile facility on Euclid. That has now been transformed into an extension of the men's prison due to the big prison riot that occurred a few years ago.
 
Argh @ thank yous on this post! (I forgot how to unthank..)
Anyway, phanpd :  the Chino stink. I think that will be a bigger problem than any inmates. Also, think about the commute..
 
Thanks for the feedback so far.

Ah, "the smell".  This particular area doesn't seem to get it very bad (probably depends on the day/winds I assume), the 5+ times I've visited in fact, I haven't noticed it at all.  We have a friend who lives close to College Park who also doesn't experience this smell, she thinks it's a good area but I want to seek more opinions.  There are developing areas in Eastvale and Corona that I went to... ooph, I'd never buy in those areas where it smells the way those do, no matter the cost.  Let's just say we arrived at a new development, opened the car door, and just closed it and moved along our merry way.

Speaking of money, that's probably my main concern - resale value.  I assume it's a wash, if I am paying a slightly discounted rate because it's close to a prison, then when I decide to sell that same discount would apply.  My wife is worried about housing prices increasing so fast, so part of the urgency to buy is to "get in" before the market peaks.  The idea is to stick around there for 5-10 years, then leverage the equity and move to OC like I always wanted (I work in Tustin, and used to go to school at UCI).

As far as commute, yes it'll continue to suck, but not any more than what I currently deal with (stuck on 57 southbound from the 60).  Wife will be working in Chino shortly as well so at least one of us will be spared, I'll just suck it up for now.
 
:) These posts sound exactly like something I would have written myself 10 years ago.  :)

When we shopped for homes there, I didn't notice a smell. When we visited our friend in Chino, I noticed the insane amount of flies when we did a backyard BBQ and a slight odor but again, nothing overwhelming. The day we put our offer in... no stink. 30 days later we moved in. It was a very hot July day over 100 degrees in Chino. We got out of the car with our boxes. It was only then that I was hit with the stench. Wanted to get back in and drive away... but it was too late.  ??? You'll see, the higher the temp, the stronger the stink. Be prepared for some very hot days. Say goodbye to leaving your door or window open for even a second. The flies are so bad. I will say, it's gotten better since some of the farmland has been converted into housing. But still not enough. Pull up an aerial view map of the area. You will see miles and miles of farmland.

The parks are nice. They are huge, beautiful, and kid-friendly. It was the only thing I liked about the area.

Same as you, I bought there thinking of it as a stepping stone with the plan to be returning to OC in the future. I was naive then. Knowing what I know how, I would have bought any sized condo in OC before I bought a house in Chino. I did come back but only due to patience, not thanks to the negligible returns you get on a house out there.

Do you guys have kids or are planning on it? If the answer is yes, that's all the more reason to be cautious, imo. I had two kids there.

Have you listened to the prison warning siren tests? This one was recorded from Ayala Park:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXeTriZL8wQ&list=PL68106368A228078D&index=9[/youtube]
 
Chino Hills pre-school is $650/month for a montessori type school.  It runs from 6AM to 6:30PM for that money.
Irvine pre-school is around $1250/month for a montessori type school, and you have to pickup your kid at 4pm.

The Chino Hills pre-school is only 1 year old.  I don't know if the teachers in Irvine are doubly talented for the money, but I doubt it.
 
ps9 said:
@Socal

So are you for or against Chino :)
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I recommended being "cautious" when considering a purchase there... didn't say don't do it...

Oh, who am I kidding.

If I can save just 1 person from moving there, my purpose in life will have been fulfilled. Friends don't let friends buy in Chino.

@PhanPD - sorry, I don't mean to be a downer. Just want you to be sure you know what you're getting into. It's hard to get an idea until you've lived there a full year, I'd say. Maybe rent first and see how you like it. Try before you buy.

Chino Hills is pretty good. How about there?
 
SoCal said:
ps9 said:
@Socal

So are you for or against Chino :)
Click to expand...

I recommended being "cautious" when considering a purchase there... didn't say don't do it...

Oh, who am I kidding.

If I can save just 1 person from moving there, my purpose in life will have been fulfilled. Friends don't let friends buy in Chino.

@PhanPD - sorry, I don't mean to be a downer. Just want you to be sure you know what you're getting into. It's hard to get an idea until you've lived there a full year, I'd say. Maybe rent first and see how you like it. Try before you buy.

Chino Hills is pretty good. How about there?
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You pay a premium for the word "hills"
 
@SoCal, Haha, thanks!  I appreciate the honest opinion!  It's definitely something we think about.

And to be honest, I do sit here and convince myself these smells somehow won't apply (as much) to us, since we are looking at the west side of College Park (the development is right next to Chaffey College), and the farmland is in the east.  And I also say, well, we're closer to Chino Hills...  I've studied the little crime maps and junk and College Park just seems like a good area.

Reason we aren't looking in Chino Hills is, we like shiny new toys, and they don't have anything shiny and new.  These new homes are shiny and new.  We can't help it, please don't laugh at our gullibility.  :(

Just to give you a little more background, we were shopping in Portola Springs (~$600k), didn't like the square footage for the price, so we then moved along to Blackstone in Brea (~$570k), got scared away by increasing prices, this is even before we talk about the Mello Roos and HOA for those places.  Then we visited Arizona and were like "wow, look what I can get here with much less money" (~$300), but it's hard to leave CA (we both grew up here) due to the conveniences and wonderful food and weather!

The Arizona visit if anything taught us "you're in a good and comfortable financial position right now, don't throw it away spending $600k+ when you are barely starting a family" (we are newlyweds and have no kids yet but plan to soon).  At some point she would like to work part-time (she's a pharmacist) to be with the kids more, so that's something to consider financially.

So Chino is like a compromise.  Renting was an idea we have thrown around, but wasn't sure we wanted to hand out $25k+ on rent for a year with no return, when we have a friend who has lived there for years and said the quality of life is just fine.
 
phanpd said:
we have a friend who has lived there for years and said the quality of life is just fine.
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Has your friend ever lived in Orange County? Just curious because same as you, my friend whose BBQ we went to in Chino before we moved there -- she lived on the same block as where we ended up moving and she loves it there. I was baffled why. Then I realized it's all she has known. She has never lived here in OC. Her reasons for loving it are mostly sentimental -- it's her old stomping grounds where she grew up plus her family is there. I think that explains why some people are content there. It's the same as why people who live in places with a totally different way of life, even if it's undesirable to us, couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
 
phanpd said:
Reason we aren't looking in Chino Hills is, we like shiny new toys, and they don't have anything shiny and new.  These new homes are shiny and new.  We can't help it, please don't laugh at our gullibility.  :(
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Don't worry, I'm not laughing. New homes are fun to look at.
 
SoCal said:
Has your friend ever lived in Orange County? Just curious because same as you, my friend whose BBQ we went to in Chino before we moved there -- she lived on the same block as where we ended up moving and she loves it there. I was baffled why. Then I realized it's all she has known. She has never lived here in OC. Her reasons for loving it are mostly sentimental -- it's her old stomping grounds where she grew up plus her family is there. I think that explains why some people are content there. It's the same as why people who live in places with a totally different way of life, even if it's undesirable to us, couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
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Actually they also owned a condo in Orange/Garden Grove (right by The Artist Formerly Known As "The Block") that they sold recently, and the husband grew up in Fullerton, so they definitely have experiences in OC.

I understand what you are saying though, for some people if you were to ask them, their response would be "what smell?"
 
SoCal said:
Cubic Zirconia said:
Argh @ thank yous on this post! (I forgot how to unthank..)
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Log-in. Click the tiny red asterisk next to your name in the thanks bar.
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I am logged in.. It says permission denied..
Phan- it stinks bad. Summers will be worst. But once you live there, you get used to it I think. Flies, spiders and other dung related species show up at home, in the yard. When you have kids, they will end up bicycling in the living room :) I hear you on the shiny part.. I made a decision to go detached vs single family just to get a newer house.

Methane. Hope you did your study on that part.
 
I've never lived in Chino, but we own 2 investment homes near Home Depo on Euclid.  The houses were built in mid 2000's, and has $2,000/year mello roose.  For the house purchased at $280k, the annual property tax bill is ~$5,000.  HOA is ~$150/month.  Yes, it smells of moo-moo and during Summers, there are many flies.  However, I think many cows have already been relocated.  I used to go fishing at Prado Regional Park often, and the cow pens down the street are now empty.

In terms of neighborhood safety, we had one of the mail boxes ripped off.  It's one of those large ones shared by multiple units, bolted into concrete.  Someone came and ripped the whole thing off.  I've heard of people stealing manhole covers and copper wires for resale, but this was...  unusual.  Other than that, there has been no incidents of break-in's and thefts that I'm aware of (or reported by tenants).

If you're in the market to buy, it's very difficult right now due to low inventory.  Expect a LOT of competition and all cash offers.
 
momopi said:
If you're in the market to buy, it's very difficult right now due to low inventory.  Expect a LOT of competition and all cash offers.
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Do these all cash offers generally apply to new development homes as well?  We are on the priority list, though I feel it's more of a crapshoot, since the order they "rank" us so to speak are based on more factors than just the day and time you signed up...  We intend to make at least 20% down, but we're definitely not an all cash buyer.
 
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