| Anonymous 8/12/2007 2:17:36 PM | Reply |
The price was just reduced Thursday to less than HALF of what it sold for in 2005. At 300k (plus tax benefits for historic designation) this 1,000sf 2/2 bank-owned foreclosure is getting interesting. |
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| daveB 8/13/2007 7:06:23 PM | Reply |
I saw that, too. But isn't the HOA having legal troubles (equals high expenses) with re-developer (or something like this)? I've lso seen posts about this not being a grat place to live. Old woindows that cannot be double-paned, lots of noise. But I don't know what is really true. If anyone who lives there sees this, please post on what's going on at El Cortez.
this won't be the last unit to drop in price . . . |
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| Smith 8/13/2007 8:16:14 PM | Reply |
The description indicates that the unit overlooks the patio, I'm pretty sure this is going to be removed for a tower so this unit is probably a casualty of the proposed tower for the adjoining parcel in term of view and the pain of having an active construction project outside your window for three years.
A 1,000 square foot dual master should rent for about $2K per month or so which makes the unit still a negative cash flow rental but not by much at all. |
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| daveB 8/13/2007 8:41:25 PM | Reply |
Ahhh, that may explain both the foreclosure and the price drop. I would think that further condo construction projects in downtown SD would be insane these days, but I suppose will probably eventually will happen. Construction next door would not help the rent, either.
Do you know anything about the status of that project and/or any other HOA issues at El Cortez?
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| Smith 8/13/2007 9:12:19 PM | Reply |
There are various meetings taking place over the new tower. My sense is that the tower will get built because arguing about views lost doesn't work and CCDC wants new projects. From a financial point of view the developer already owns the dirt at prices that go back to when the place was a rental project so there is a lot of economic reason for them to develop the property. In fact their cost basis on the dirt is probably zero from their point of view as they kept the property when the building went condo. I actually think the new project will be good for the El Cortez owners and neighbors assuming it's done right.
I also think new projects will keep going up for the above reason or we'll see more hotels, offices, etc. The new apartment tower going into on county land is another example of a project that will get done. The county owns the dirt and it's a parking lot, the economic value of developing into rentals is far too high to let it just sit there even with a slower market. Wall Street will simply write off a lot of losses and and money will still flow into new projects with sales prices at the new, adjusted lower, level. Keep in mind most of the newer buildings downtown were sold at initial prices that we can assume were profitable for the developer. As the price for the land and labor go down so will the asking prices. |
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| Anonymous 8/13/2007 10:16:46 PM | Reply |
I agree with Smith. One of beauties of Capitalism is if the current owners of a property can't make it work financially, it gets transferred to new owners/managers with lower cost basis who can. Bankruptcy of one because a deal for another.
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| Anonymous 8/13/2007 10:20:20 PM | Reply |
Also, the city should not get in the business of protecting developers. I should lower building restrictions to generate a lot of new buildings. New buildings and inhabitants invigorate and diversify Downtown for a stronger future. Now is the time to authorize lower priced, basic buildings to create the affordable housing we need in he city.
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| daveB 8/14/2007 12:51:33 AM | Reply |
In view of this future for this 2nd floor unit, sounds like $300K remains too high. Maybe $200K (still $200/sf for a very old building) is right price . . . .
Are the HOA fees at El Cortez are high (or doomed to be high because of fighting over the new tower?
Thanks for the info |
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| Anonymous 8/14/2007 7:46:19 AM | Reply |
HOA are doomed to be high because it's an old building that wastes a lot of energy and requires a lot of maintenance. My friend lives in an old building in Chicago and it's the same. The price needs to drop in order to compensate for the sky-high HOA.
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| Anonymous 8/14/2007 7:47:51 AM | Reply |
Does anyone know if there is air-conditioning at El Cortez. I would buy there are the right price but I want A/C. |
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| Tom Tom 8/14/2007 4:06:48 PM | Reply |
Yes El Cortez has Air |
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| watching 8/14/2007 4:22:59 PM | Reply |
before the developer changed the website, I saved the floorplan.
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| Link 8/14/2007 5:14:24 PM | Reply |
Floorplans
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| daveB 8/17/2007 5:35:40 PM | Reply |
Thanks for the floor plans. Much easier to put in perspective |
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| Anonymous 8/23/2007 9:27:17 AM | Reply |
List Price: $309,900
MLS#: 076041731
I wonder how much more this will drop. |
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| Anonymous 9/12/2007 1:51:06 PM | Reply |
Apparently it's dropping more. The price was reduced AGAIN last weekend to $294,500. |
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| Anonymous 9/12/2007 3:01:55 PM | Reply |
List Price: $294,500
MLS#: 076041731
Wow, lower and lower it goes.
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| daveB 9/12/2007 10:58:16 PM | Reply |
I said $200K, but probably will go for a bit more ($225K). Someone will have to pay cash, or very large down payment, since banks won't want to touch this bad boy with the lawsuits flying. |
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| Anonymous 9/14/2007 12:11:54 AM | Reply |
does anyone know the result of the september 5 meeting regarding the new 12-13 story proposal?
http://elcortez.info/events.html |
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| Smith 9/14/2007 6:53:40 AM | Reply |
I saw a rendering that was shorter than the original El Cortez. It was still pretty tall. I thought it looked pretty good. |
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| Asher 9/14/2007 10:34:58 AM | Reply |
I saw a rendering showing it about 1 or 2 stories shorter than the El Cortez. It looked fine. I remember someone at CCDC commenting about how it looked odd being the exact height of the El Cortez, and being right next to it, so the change may have been to address that.
Personally I think it's cool how they're doing a contemporary interpretation of the original design, and thus it make sense that they'd be the same height. |
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| anon 9/14/2007 9:05:43 PM | Reply |
Why destroy an iconic building. The entire block has been designated a National Registry Historic site. The back of the property was split off without public notification. The Planning Commission wasn't give the facts. Look at www.elcortez.info for more information. |
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| Anonymous 9/14/2007 9:21:25 PM | Reply |
Let's not get crazy here and claim the El Cortez is being "destroyed". To destroy something is to level it, make it useless and to start over. It's just another building where once there was a building in a part of San Diego that is populated with tall buildings. If you stop and think about it the building is totally appropriate for the setting. I also think it complements the old building well.
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| Anonymous 9/15/2007 4:42:16 AM | Reply |
Wow - you're a bit of a shill aren't you?
The El Cortez developer told folks when he was selling them condos that nothing more could be built on the site for many years.
The existing El Cortez will be a nightmare during multi-year construction and will experience obstructed views and plummeting values. There will be many more foreclosures in this building.
Doesn't that describe destoyed pretty well? |
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| Anonymous 9/15/2007 7:47:41 AM | Reply |
If you burn the El Cortez down I'll agree it's been destroyed. Otherwise you're guilty of exaggerating the situation.
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| Asher 9/15/2007 9:20:37 PM | Reply |
"The existing El Cortez will experience obstructed views and plummeting values."
Ehm. Doesn't it already? |
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| Anonymous 9/16/2007 6:13:03 AM | Reply |
Plummeting values: They have started to plummet but the pain isn't half over.
Put yourself in the shoes of a possible buyer (who set the prices as we all know) of an apartment there:
-HOA fees keep going up. They're at $650-850 now. It seems that they will likely go up again - someone has to pay the legal fees. That erodes add'l 000s of dollars per year in value and in purchase price.
-If you don't live there, what's the rent on a place where your tenant has to put with years of construction noise right next door? Not much, particularly after construction starts.
Obstructed views: Views are still good. They are slated to dissapear for a large part of the building after the new construction goes up. Nothing like having a wall of concrete in front of your window! |
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| anon 9/16/2007 9:39:04 AM | Reply |
One reason the HOA fees are so high is that the homeowners have to pay 80% of the taxes on parcel 2 in order to park their cars in the garage that extends under parcel 2. This cost was never in the budget that was approved by the Dept. of Real Estate. Also the cost for water for all the commercial units retained by the developer is paid by the HOA. (Restaurants use a lot of water). The HOA also pays for the electricity for the "Don Room" and the developers offices. (air conditioning costs a lot). |
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| Anon77 9/16/2007 9:44:52 AM | Reply |
I really love the insight on the problems at El Cortez. I'm not saying that I like what's happened to be people there but it's really interesting to read about what the problems are there.
Who pays for the electricity of the "El Cortez" sign? That's gotta add up. I do think having the HOA sue is going to be painful as the only true winners are the attorneys on both sides.
I do think that budgets are more like estimates and as such they change and I have no idea how much of a contract they represent. You could also argue that the Don Room ads a mystique to the building and therefore is part of the valuation of the condos. It's hard to tell but since there aren't any smoking guns that I can read again the lawyers are happy to run the meter while all this drama plays out. I wonder if the group of owners should try to find some sort of resolution that quickly ends the battle. |
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| Anonymous 9/16/2007 6:35:50 PM | Reply |
Wow - that's pretty incredible that the developer stuck the HOA with all of those costs and gets all the benefit from the rents charged to the retail tenants and Don room parties.
Do you think the HOA will be able to beat the developers on that one legally or are they just stuck with the costs? |
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| anonie 9/16/2007 6:39:29 PM | Reply |
Hey anon,
Good insight. It definitely sounds like the HOA and residents should be suing the developer on his sneaky-appearing tricks until they get satisfaction, otherwise the units will never be worth much and the problem will just get passed from owner to bank to owner. |
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| me 9/27/2007 9:59:33 PM | Reply |
This doesn't appear to be listed in the MLS anymore?
Anyone know what happened and for how much? |
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| Anonymous 9/28/2007 7:07:07 AM | Reply |
don't know about this one, but i would be that someone could put in an offer for #304 for under 300k and have it accepted. i also bet that the hoa was listed at 520 and that it was WAY off (really 678). i would be that the agent than changed the hoa to be 768--which is still wrong. |
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| DaveB 9/28/2007 2:35:17 PM | Reply |
If it sold, we will see the recordation sooner or later. I predicted $225K. How close was I.
If it didn't sell, it should magically reappear on the MLS in the near future. |
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| Anonymous 9/28/2007 5:33:41 PM | Reply |
A lot of Realtors think that 2008 will be a better year.
I bet you most of the sellers are waiting until next year to relist. |
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| Just Wondering 10/6/2007 6:29:19 PM | Reply |
What's the scoop with El Cortez? I've not been inside the units. Is it a dump? Does the quality of unit (view, etc) vary greatly with floor plan (or floor number)?
Is the HOA competent? Is the building construction is mess? Once the lawsuits with the developer end (meaning the cash flow faucet to the lawyers is turned off), will the El Cortez be a poor/decent/good/great place to live? |
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| Frenchy 11/11/2007 10:07:23 AM | Reply |
List Price: $279,800
Another major price drop for this unit. |
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| Brian 12/25/2007 10:12:10 AM | Reply |
List Price: $269,900
MLS#: 076090878
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| Brian 2/11/2008 7:38:28 PM | Reply |
List Price: $256,500
MLS#: 086010874
New listing, new lower price, new DOM.
DaveB, you predicted right, it has magically reappeared on MLS. ;)
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| Cortez 2/12/2008 12:09:41 PM | Reply |
I think the new building would be a horrible addition to Cortez Hill. I am personally sick of the development going on. They need to stick to fixing the problems they have now. Im sure it sounds great to "diversify" and add revenue to this area, but with places like aria, discovery and vantage point, and two new hotel projects, I dont think it is lacking for diversification or added revenue. All it is doing is obstructing views, taking parking and taking away the historic nature of the building. I think it is a horrible idea and I hope the residents fight it. |
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| Downtown fan 2/20/2008 2:03:45 PM | Reply |
List Price: $243,900
MLS#: 081013402
Once again, new MLS#, new lower price, new DOM.
What will the bottom be at the El Cortez? Less than $200/sq ft? |
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| waterboy 2/20/2008 5:54:55 PM | Reply |
The price is going to keep dropping. I think a bank would take $150k cash for one of the many 2br REO units in the building...especially this one as it is a pretty basic 2br condo with no views, litigation, plumbing/electrical/noise issues, high hoas, etc...
Why even purchase for $125k cash with so many negatives & unknowns?
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| EP 2/25/2008 10:13:22 PM | Reply |
Well, it's finally sold...let's see if it makes it through escrow. |
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| Asher 3/31/2008 6:03:07 PM | Reply |
Well it closed escrow for less than ONE THIRD its 2005 price. |
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