3 homes 4 sale posted just 4 fun...

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">#1 The late Jim Nabors' home in Hawaii @ $4,500,000</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">#2 The late Aretha Franklin's estate in Detroit @ $600,000</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">#3 A home in Rancho Rinconada, Cupertino CA which sold in September @ $1,620,000. (we bought our first home there in the late 1980's for $103,000)</span>

 

[rp2813]

Joe, if Rancho Rinconada had been built on the east side, it would have become another Tropicana Village slum in a hurry. 

 

I'm pretty sure the entire RR community is still unincorporated, but it's been a while since I've been over that way.  People will pay a premium for one of these homes because they're in the desirable Cupertino school district.  Also, assuming this area is still under the county's jurisdiction, it's easier to get permits for additions.  As evidenced in the background in the picture above, entire second floors are being added to these homes on a fairly routine basis.

 

[circlew]

That Cupertino house would likely sell for under $100,000. if located in my area.

 

[twintubdexter]

Ralph,

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Surprise...Cupertino annexed the entire RR area a few years back. It was an "unincorporated" area before that. People would bulldoze the original 900 sq foot homes and build a mini 2-story mansion within 2 feet of the property line. No more. There is a very strict building code that limits the size of the house to the size of the property. No more big homes. As our real estate lady said ( we sold our house and the home next door that was willed to us prior to the annexation) Cupertino killed the goose that laid the golden egg. RR was semi-slummy when we lived there but oddly enough we had wonderful times in that little pre-fab place compared to the huge-pool home we bought on pricey Dry Creek Road in Willow Glen. Dale, my partner of 24 years, died in that house. I couldn't wait to sell it, pool and all. You don't need "big", "luxurious" or a swimming pool to have a great, happy home.</span>

[this post was last edited: 11/14/2019-20:47]

 

[supersuds]

Aretha’s house is dignified and lovely.

 

[rp2813]

That Dry Creek Rd. home must be worth a fortune now.  Realistically, what home in this area isn't?

 

[twintubdexter]

Ralph,

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Tropicana Village...I had pretty much forgotten all about that place. As a little kid, I went to "Rustic Lands" day camp in Alum Rock Park (sort of a later version of an Adolph Hitler Youth Camp). The school bus that transported us there went right by this exciting new place called Tropicana Village. I remember there were manikins wearing one-piece bathing suits and bathing caps poised on diving boards. Interesting to see the price of a remodeled home there today. I'd rather save money and buy Aretha's house and live in just one room. At least when I came home from the grocery store I'd feel like I owned something. Is the East Side still seedy?</span>

 

[rp2813]

Yes Joe, the east side is still very much the ghetto part of town, riddled with zombie third world drivers on the streets and even the freeways that pass through it.  I don't see that changing any time soon.  It's the one part of town where the average home price -- in the flat lands anyway -- has a long way to go before catching up to the $1M average in pretty much in any other area in the city -- if it ever even does.

 

Your picture #3 shows how the homes in Rancho Rinconada look like palaces compared to Tropicana Village.  It was doomed to become a ghetto from the start.

 

[vacerator]

1980 ish.

was about the final year for easterners to afford to buy a home in California with their equity or a fairly large down payment. Do do it today, we'd have to live in a double wide, if we could afford the lot rents.
I recall a hig profile leader asking us "all" if we were better off in 1984 than in 1980. Nope.
Although the standard federal tax deduction increased slightly since 1980, non itemized, or itemized deductions for credit card insterst was taken away by 1981, an then in 1987, automobile loan ineterest deductions were. The wealthest recieved more tax deductions as a result.
Sound familiar as of late? Our tax refund declined significantly for 2018.
Although many average income people were still getting income increaes in the 80's, and medical co-pays, and deductables had not yet began, the decline of the middle class had begun. Congress always gets raises though, and not small ones. They don't care about us.
When I filed my 1989 taxes at a well known preparers Sears location, I asked why I had to file for inetrest earned on a $400 net. passbook savings account. The lady told me I did nothing to get that money. Excuse me, I saked? It's my money the bank is using to loan out to others and collects debt interst on at a profit.
Guess what never arrived in the mail that year? My tax refund, and I had to go back and have it resubmitted to the IRS.
Divide and conquer. My dad used to say that. Today would be his birthday. Hardly seems like 2 years since I last saw him.
He served our nation, supported a family of 7, and was liked by all who knew him. They don't make them very often like that anymore.

 

[twintubdexter]

Mike/vacerator

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">The areas I talk about range from expensive to crazy-expensive. Santa Clara County (San Jose), anything from San Francisco to Monterey County, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties are very expensive. Anything near (not on $$$) the coast is pricey, but California is a big state. There are many places where homes are priced similar to where you live, some much less. I looked up real estate in your area, although similarly priced homes here may not be in an area as nice as the way Macomb Michigan looks. There are many homes here in Palm Springs priced in the $300K's and less. Movie stars, celebrities and the wealthy are a minority,  and they are only here in the winter. Poor people like me have to stay all year and get french-fried in the summer. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Your father sounds like he was a terrific guy. Unfortunately in today's world it often takes at least two incomes and often multiple jobs to support a family of 3 or 4 even in the poorest of neighborhoods, and that includes both home owners and renters alike.</span>

 

[rp2813]

Check-rate for Mike

And Joe, the sad thing about the renovations that have been done in RR is that almost all aren't architecturally compatible with the original homes that surround them.  I see precious few of these types of homes in Cupertino and Santa Clara that have undergone renovations that retain the original style.

 

Back in 1990 when Dave and I scraped together a down payment on a drab, funky 1957 home on the Los Gatos border that needed serious TLC, we thought $245K was a lot to take on but we also knew a piece of Bay Area real estate was the best investment we'd ever make -- and now it's helping to finance Dave's assisted living accommodations almost 30 years later.  That same home would go for $1M today even if it needed some work because of its desirable school district.

 

 

 

[vacerator]

True Joe,

we are actually in Sterling Heights, of Macomb county. Built in 1968, 1,430 sq. ft. Low $200's. New, it cost $25,000.
No cathedral cieling's, olny a 9 foot high one in the step down family room.
Full brick, and full basement. Hardwood flooring original. Last of old forest growth lumber. My aunt and uncles 1952 bult stucco ranch in Whittier Ca., 90603 is valued at about $550,000. 1,800 sq. ft. Partial basement added with seizmic retrofit in the 70's.
Yes, and I think it's sad that it takes two incomes today to live modestly.
My grandmother was still living on her own in the early 80's just on social security and a small black lung benefit. Medicare still paid 100%, except for prescriptions, but she got a tax credit for that. I have the blue cross bill from my birth. Total is $157,oo from the hospital for it all.
Social Security did have a surplus in the 60's. Congress robbed it, both parties voted to do it. I have 34 years paid into both.
We do so many things wrong, and are way behind other nations. Wall street may be croked as well. The one percenters get richer, the rest of us poorer.
Watch, now I'll be on the watch list.