I remember looking at a fixer in Palo Alto in 2015 right behind the caltrain tracks. Well, there was a creek between the tracks and the backyard fence but that still didn’t help with the train noise. It was listed at about 1.4 I think and sat on the market for a long time. We wondered if we should buy it but some investigation revealed that Caltrain would operate more frequent trains and it was mandated that every train sound its horn at the nearby railroad crossing. The worst part was that neighbors had complained on city-data about a freight train which sounded its horn multiple times at 3 am every night. All their pleas to have the freight train tone it down has gotten nowhere. That made us drop the house fast.
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Train tracks could be worse than a busy road…
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If you need to know, for primary home, what to avoid, here are the list.
- Avoid HWY noise hearing home
- Avoid creek backing home
- Avoid flood zone (“AO” - I think ) home
- Avoid homes next to electric poles (high voltage)
- Avoid speed roads (more than 25 MPH) and often traffic road homes
(Stand on the road, watch traffic, if cars are going every min, I would stay away). - Avoid homes next to rail road
- Avoid protected tree homes (like OAK or redwood as you can not cut them, hassle for you)
- Unless you like swimming pool, avoid homes with pool as this maintenance headache
- Avoid homes in crime areas (esp primary homes).
- Avoid homes (bay area) where one car alone can drive - very small lane.
…
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That’s pretty much what we came to figure out.
Except 8. Filling a swimming pool is not a lot of money.
If you like, it is advantage.
If not, it is a hassle to maintain those, esp water PH level. Yes, removing Swimming pool is from 10 to 15k depends on size of pool.
Making a swimming pool is very expensive, but removing is cheaper.
Sorry, when i said filling, i meant removing (filling with soil/concrete/etc).
What’s the cost to make?
It’s not hard to guess the cost of removing & making. Similar to demo & new construction.
A new pool can be $100k. Depending on access and how much deck work, waterfalls, spa, lights landscaping
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That’s probably the high end side. A normal backyard swimming pool should cost no more than $20k.
Spa/hot tub is a nice addition. I am planning to get the cheaper portable-ish ones at some point.
$20k no way. Call a pool company. Start with a basic $60k pool then add a spa decking then fencing and all the other crap. Landscape alone
around the pool is $20k.
$20k won’t even get you one of those miniature endless pools with a motor to create current for swimming. No point in putting in a cheap pool. Go big or go home.
My buddy in Woodside spent $1m on his pool.
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You forgot that I started my flipping business in Antioch. I don’t believe in “go big or go home”. You just need to be smart with your money. $1M for a swimming pool? Who are you trying to intimidate? Why don’t you ask your buddy to spend a couple billion to build a space shuttle launchpad in his backyard? I bet it’s pocket change for him, right?
The point is a $20k pool might make sense in Antioch but in the real BA you would just waste your money. Like putting a turd in the punch bowl… I know pools …$20k no way. Just the paving around the pool can cost that. Fences are now required around pools. Spas are $10k. Pool for $20k??
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Snobbish to the point that it stinks. If Antioch is “fake” BA then maybe Tahoe is “fake” America.
The RBA was a term to describe the fortress cities on the Peninsula where Tomato is shopping. Not snobby just realistic. Don’t go cheap in a $3m dollar neighborhood. Nobody builds pools in Tahoe unless they are indoor. In Aspen an indoor pool is mandatory … total waste of money. Looking at houses in ElDorado Hills. Many have pools. I don’t want one . Costly to maintain and are never used.
Btw my Woodside buddy was quoted 10 years ago $50k. By the time the pool guy drove down his driveway it was $500k. Then with the waterfall and a 12’ deep 30k gallon pool it was up to $1m. Pools are a status symbol. Stupid to go cheap on a status symbol
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If you want to be realistic and practical, then don’t even try to build a swimming pool. Waste of time and money. LV bags are also status symbols. But you know those bags don’t help you out financially. Same with fancy pools.
I have built-in Spa/hot tub at home, but used only once as test drive in last 6 years. Unless you use this often and enjoy, there is no point in getting one as they are over-head. Mostly, you need to have (spend) time to enjoy.
I have built pools and inground spas…Owned a few other spas…Dont want the hassle…A hot tub costs about $1500/ year in depreciation, maintenance, water use and electricty…A pool is more than double that…especially since more buyers are tearing out pools than want one…Figure a spa has a 5 year life and a pool about 20 years until major repairs are needed…An old pool is a liability not an asset…Replaster and new tile $10k, new equipment $5k…Automatic cover lasts 5-10 years costs $5/k. Solar heating costs about $5k last maybe 10 years.
I have a hot tub at home. Doesn’t need a lot of maintanence. Just add some additives once a week and change water once a while. Got solar so energy wise don’t care. It’s not a bad thing to have
Biggest cost of a hot tub is depreciation…$5-$10k cost last 5-10 years…covers, motors,pumps and heaters last 5 years max…If they spring a leak they are worthless…there are tons of hot tubs free on Craiglist…cant give them away if more than 5 years old…Best to cut them up and haul away…As far as solar a $20k system lasts 20 years…cost $1000/year for “free” electricity
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a portable one or a built in one?