Irvine Townhomes / Condos

[Daniel Ryu]

Hey BP Community! (esp Irvine - Orange County - folks!)

Although I originally was planning on buying an out of state rental property, I find myself momentarily sidetracked looking for a starter 2bd/2ba townhome / condo in the Irvine area for me and my family. I plan on moving there for the school districts.

The BP community has been great in helping me understand the rental market.. Now I was hoping to tap into the collective wisdom to find out more about buying a home for myself:

- I'm looking at the 400K and under price range.

- I'm thinking 20% down to keep the mortgage reasonable.

Right now, i'm focused on Woodbridge as I think that community, with the good schools, lake, parks, and luxury properties in the middle, might be a very safe place to invest.

Anyways, if anyone knows a:

- A good broker/agent who can not only help me find a good deal but won't mind answering questions and helping me understand the market better (to sharpen my investor skills)

- A good area in Irvine to buy

- Any good metrics to focus on (ie. $390 sq ft is too high..)

- Info on how the markets changed recently, where it appears to be headed

- How much I can get renting out 2bd / 2ba in Irvine (just in case..)

- And how HOAs have changed over the years and what I can expect in the future (esp if I end up wanting to rent out the property)

No problem sending me a PM or Colleague request if you prefer to respond one-on-one.

As always, I appreciate all the feedback from the BP Community. Thanks for the continued support and encouragement!