Country Club Villas pros and cons
We think Solana Beach neighborhoods are like people, each with a unique character, personality, and attitude. Whether you’re moving, traveling, renting nearby or just daydreaming, we know you want to find a Solana Beach neighborhood that not only meets your practical needs, but also matches who you are. That is why the three of us at Solana Beach Brokers have brainstormed and reached out to our clients in Country Club Villas to really understand what they like and dislike about living here.
PROS
The Pros of living in Country Club Villas seem to easily outweigh the cons that are present.
- Location. Everyone loves talking about the beach but for many Country Club Villas owners, it's not about the beach, it's about being far enough away from the beach (1.5 miles to be exact) so that they can wake up on a late spring or early summer day to warmth and sunshine and not fog as is so often present along the coast in May, June and July.
- Walkability. Few neighborhoods in Solana Beach offer as many options for walking both in terms of recreation and with access to nearby amenities and services. The Lomas Santa Fe Plaza is literally next door, which means that you can walk to the Solana Beach Vons supermarket in addition to a myriad of retail shops, restaurants and businesses. One of only three heated lap swimming pool in all of coastal North County San Diego is at the top of the hill. The only 'affordable' golf course along the San Diego North County coast, the Lomas Santa Fe Executive Course is across the street. Don't forget when entertaining friends or grandkids, that the largest playground and park in all of coastal North County San Diego is right up the hill at the San Dieguito Park with 150 acres of trails, ponds, playgrounds and picnic areas.
- Ambiance. Understated elegance abounds throughout the Country Club Villas, where ladies and gentlemen can still be found enjoying each day to the fullest and appreciating neighborly hospitality. Wood-burning fireplaces, sun-kissed patios and decks and spacious single-level floor plans all cater to what feels like a more peaceful, private and spacious environment than many other condo or town home complexes provide.
- Value. Many Country Club Villas owners must go through the mental math of whether it makes sense to downsize from a larger home and/or lot to a Country Club Villa and what are the true costs or cost savings involved. The Country Club Villas home owners association is very efficiently managed and due to the age of the neighborhood, the lack of expensive-to-maintain-or-replace assets (like pools, spas, and tennis courts), the HOA fee of $440 per month provides a tremendous value when a buyer realizes how much space the home owners association owns and maintains in Solana Beach. Click here to understand exactly what is and is not covered by the home owners association.
- Single-level living. Let's face it, trying to find anything new or newer is regards to homes is pretty much impossible these days. Land is more expensive so it makes much sense for a builder to capture and create more size that is almost always 'upstairs.' Country Club Villas offers the greatest concentration of single-level floor plans in the area.
Cons
The Cons of living in Country Club Villas may seem mundane but can become critical when zeroing in on a listing in a specific location.
Errant golf balls make fairway home owners nervous, this isn't exactly good for your health and safety. Although the majority of homes in Country Club Villas don't suffer from errant golf balls, there are 11 homes that do and understanding exactly where these homes are and the frequency of inbound balls is very important in understanding how usable your patio or deck really might be. We identify these 11 homes in our proprietary Country Club Villas Buyers Guide and explain in photos the preventative measures that are available when and if you still want to consider one of these homes. Road noise. Lomas Santa Fe Drive is an important east-west arterial road in San Diego County's circulation plan and almost always busy. Typical road noise involves more 'tire noise' than 'motor noise' but due to the significant incline/decline in the road, Country Club Villas homes within a line of site to the road will be exposed to an incessant trickle of road noise. Being armed with our proprietary Country Club Villas Buyers Guide we red flag the 24 homes that receive he most road noise so you can keep on truckin' if even a little sensitive to road noise. Construction/foundation issues. For the past 11 years, when a developer wants to cut and fill or 'terrace' a lot prior to building a home, they must ensure the dirt is up a 95% of the original compaction ratio, this is some hard dirt! When the Country Club Villas were built in the early 1970's this was not the case and although the majority of homes here have weathered the last 40-50 years well, there are two areas in particular that suffer from slab cracks. These slab cracks can lead to a rash of other problems if not identified and mitigated. These areas are red flagged in our Country Club Villas Buyers Guide and each one of us have dealt with cracked slabs and understand detection and repair methods. Older homes=Older systems. Systems is just a fancy name for 'parts' of a home. There is the roof system, the plumbing system, the electrical system, and the HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) for starters. Since these homes were built in 1972, many of the systems may be on their last leg but many owners have replaced things as needed over time, telling the difference between these types of homes becomes very important. Real estate property and termite inspectors are important players in helping buyers understand the health of the home and it's systems but frankly relying on them exclusively to discover something unique and hidden (like a cracked slab or an infested structural beam) is not prudent or advised. Experience counts and using an experienced agent who has seen common issues in these older homes that surface time and time again knows what to look for and who to contact for a further investigation if need be. Understanding these problems also provides valuable knowledge and knowledge can become your most strategic ally in a the negotiation process.
