Villages of Columbus - Columbus Square - Camden Place

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
flmgrip,



You're right! People are signing up for those fees. That's my point - the crazed market made us accept that crap as normal.



I am NOT a financial whiz, so this comparison may be wrong, but - according to the mortgage calculator at bankrate.com:



$1000/mo. is the equivalent of the monthly payment on a $162,500.00 mortgage, 30-yr. fixed, 6.25%.



That $450k CONDO in Tustin is really more like $612k, but you don't get any tax advantages/credits for the non-mortgage costs. When you factor in those monthly non-mortgage costs, you are now getting into the decent SFR range in MANY OC neighborhoods.
 
you pay HOA and mello roos almost anywhere in the OC... yes lower than at new communities, but not buy much depending on where you look... and i'd personaly rather life in a townhome than a SFR... i just don't want to deal with gardening and other house exterior work...
 
I think we all agree that it costs a lot of money to live in a new home in Irvine.





Additionally, we can agree that if we moved to an old house in Costa Mesa it would cost less.





Yes, there are many nice homes in other parts of OC that are a lot cheaper than Irvine.





Your point has been made.





Can we stop the discussion now???
 
Okay, so here's my thought, can't fight HOA increases but I think we can pressure the developer to subsidize more. As it has been explained to me by Merit, the jump in HOA's is due to the association annexing the pool area. However, that pool area is a huge marketing tool for the developer and management is allowing prospective tenants to walk through.



I suggest telling Merit to deny access to all future tenants on the basis that the developers are not contributing to the cost of maintenance, upkeep and insurance liability. If the developer wants to continue to allow tenants to walk through, they need to pay more than their fair share. Merit will fight all the way on this due to them wanting to maintain a relationship with lennar.



Any thoughts?
 
Also, anybody have a problem with their taxes? Mortgage co was estimating yearly taxes at $50K because they were relying on information from OC Tax which has not assessed the individual units yet, i was being taxed for the land value of at least the phase in the subdivision.



Also, someone needs to take a closer look at the disclosure docs, specifically if there was a maintenance of subsidy agreement in place, i don't remember. This would detail the arrangement that the developer had told the DRE they would setup with the payment of HOA's for unsold homes or maintenance of areas during the sell out phase. Come to think of it, i don't remember recieving a disclosure on the hoa assessments, if they didn't provide, we have legitimate grievance. I was given one when i requested last week, which stated 110 - 230, but i'm sure i would have questioned it given that i had been told 98 by the sales office.
 
mraoki1- like flmgrip said..... it is fully disclosed...... what the sales person says and what they have you sign is not always the same.





flmgrip- do you work for lennar or uamc?
 
jbatz, I understand that what's stated isn't binding, but do you remember signing off on the sheet that stated the range of master association amounts? I leafed through my long form disclosure last week and didn't find any specifics about the hoa payments. the individual sheet i was emailed by Merit had no sig or intial line. Even still, isn't it suspect that HOA payments went up by so much in january even though the pool area had been complete for some time and the invoices we received, with the developer subsidy, ranged from 110 - 135? I think a fair question is, why hadn't the pool been annexed when it had been completed?



Jeez, no comments about my briliant plan to force lennar to contribute to the upkeep of the pool area? It sounds legitimate and i sure think it's way better than "hey, lets all not pay". I emailed the community manager on this and they completely have avoided the question twice.



Oh and another complaint, any one see the annual budget for community events coord, $31K, one of the highest line items, but I think it's obvious they haven't earned their keep. Again, having community events on saturday is a marketing tool for the developers. Prospective tenants drive by and see activity, ergo, the developer should contribute a fair share which would include a marketing premium.
 
I don't understand why VOC can't keep the trees upright. At least a third of the trees are at 45 degree angles after every windstorm. And they leave 'em that way for more than a week.
 
I like your ideas mraoki1 and I think you're right. There's a reason all of the models for every development face the clubhouse/pool. Do we know if the developers are contributing anything to its upkeep?
 
Cause you have to staff it and insurance and reserved for unknown.... etc etc etc....



mraoki- i hear ya. i was just poking at flmgrip. i don't like lennar or uamc. i hope you are able to force them to carry their weight since they are using it as a marketing tool.
 
jb... no



asian... it's not just the pool, it's all community areas, electricity, water etc and a huge useless clubhouse...



all this is clearly stated... at any community you shop, it's not a secrect, if you don't like it don't buy there.... and it always says at buy-out... you guys gotta do you research before you buy... and i hope you understand that your 3 year ARM will reset in 3 years... or are you going to complain about that then too ?
 
flmgrip, did you read all your disclosures, cc&r's, and review the arch drawing on file in the sales office before you purchased? Did you understand themthe language and how the legal docs interact with each other? I don't get why you are rolling over and aren't willing to question anything, there's a reason builders have massive legal reserve funds. It''s because these master plans are very complicated and tend to have holes, furthermore, best management practices look good on paper but are very hard to implement correctly. Believe me, in Cal, a justifiable lawsuit is almost given in any community. If you're an owner here flmgrip ya need to be a little more viligant in questioning every change that's happening, especially in this market. Lennar has laid off about half it's work force in aliso, i'm sure merit's cutting costs too, something is going to get missed and the homeowners are going to be the one paying for it, we need to be on top of things.



So get on our freaking team here. Thanks for acknowledging my idea, glad that it makes sense to someone else.
 
in cali or in the entire us you can start a lawsuit because your underwear discolored after washing it 50 times in hot-hot wash-cycle. and yes you will probably even win in a settlement, you will get 0.5 cents per underwear refunded the lawyer get $1.50 and the manufucture has to pay $2.-... most of it to the lawyer, some to a charity and half a cent to you... great job you just tied up the legal system with an other useless lawsuit for 2 years and you spend about 65 hrs to get 8 cents back on your 16 pairs of discolored underwear...



no... i am not willing to roll over and accept everything the way it comes, my purchase is not completed at this time and when the time comes i will look into things that might concern me. i accepted the fact that HOA will be $320.- at build out and i am fully aware that it might be more before that and at this point i would think build out can be as far away as 5 years.



yes the HOA's are high, but lower than in most other communities. what i am not willing to do is waste my time and giving money to a lawyer over +- $30.-, my time is just more precious than that. i just don't like people complaining about every little thing, i appreciate everyones input and comments and i value them, but at this point i don't see how any action could change any of that...



how about just enjoying were you live ? that's my plan... but i'm not going to search for loopholes in my free time



cheers, enjoy your new home



btw... i start liking asianinvasion he made some funny posts here... i don't know what his purpose or goal is, but i am entertained ;)
 
mraoki1-



flmgrip- works for lennar.

asianinvasion- works for lyon



that is my 2cent.



i didn't even buy in voc and i feel for all the people because the hoa jump.
 
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