Estate

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

A Review of the Santa Maria Tract at Stonegate

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

Santa Maria is the second largest tract in the Village of Stonegate. These residences are considered townhomes. I’m going to come right out and say it: I didn’t really like these floor plans. If I had to choose between Santa Maria and Santa Clara, I’d choose Santa Clara. The Santa Maria properties are larger, but I thought that they lacked charm and were overpriced.

Estimated Property Taxes and Special Assessments:
Base Property Tax: 1.05% of sales price
AD Tax: $1,607 per year
CFD Tax: $1,700 per year
Other Taxes: $156 per year
Overall Effective Tax Rate: Approximately 1.8%

Floorplans

Pricing

Options

Residence 1
Number of bedrooms: 2 bedrooms + den
Number of bathrooms:   2
Square footage:   1,386 sq. ft.
Garage:    2 cars
Base price:   $432,000

The Residence 1 model had a most unwelcoming entrance. The model displayed a feature where you had to be buzzed in through a door. Once inside door 1, you see the front door. I felt like I was trapped in between the two doors and the walls extend up so high that it made the entrance dark. I was expecting a portcullis to drop down and be taken prisoner in the castle. This is not how I want to welcome guests into my home.

When you enter Residence 1 you’re greeted by three doors. I felt like Alice in Wonderland wondering which door to choose: laundry, garage or coat closet. Walking up the stairs was a big disappointment, because I was immediately confronted by the deal breaker—you must choose between a butcher block island or a dining room table. Granted, the island is large enough to function as a table and that’s how the model presents it. You’re almost forced to choose the island. If you opt for a table instead of the island, you’re losing counter space and your table is smack dab in the center of the kitchen. I give this floor plan the big NO.

The kitchen has tall cabinets. I was satisfied with the storage capacity. You have an optional built in desk that you can select in lieu of more cabinetry. I envision this desk becoming a junk collector and I’m not sure it belongs in the kitchen. Needless to say, my review of the kitchen is two thumbs down. I can’t get past the island—butcher blocks require maintenance and I just don’t like the concept of having my food prep area the same as where I eat. Unacceptable.

The den is petite. You would definitely have to turn it into an office. The guest bathroom is sufficient. It reminds me a little of a hotel. The vanity isn’t full sized, and it only has two drawers. It’s a tub/shower combo. It serves its purpose with no bells and whistles.

I found the second bedroom small, but it wasn’t surprising after seeing Santa Clara’s floor plans. The closet isn’t big, but perhaps you can fit a child’s wardrobe in it. The closet has hanging wooden doors that slide on a track. I had this closet setup in my last apartment and I hated it. Maybe I had a bad experience that turned me off of sliding doors forever.

The master bedroom is a decent size. I actually really liked the master bedroom. The walk-in closet is ok. I don’t think there’s enough bar space, but you can always configure your hardware to suit your needs. I thought the master bathroom was small. The dual vanity is acceptable space-wise, and the toilet is in a separate area. There’s a nice walk-in shower, but no tub.

Final Thoughts:
Overall I think that the floor plan was poorly designed. I wouldn’t live here.

Residence 2
Number of bedrooms: 2 bedrooms
Number of bathrooms:   2.5
Square footage:   1,483 sq. ft.
Garage:    2 cars
Base price:   $458,000

When you walk into Residence 2, you have an open view of the kitchen and great room. The great room is spacious and you can easily define the living room from your dining space. The model showcases an optional hutch in the dining room area, and I think I’d choose this upgrade for the house. It helps extend the kitchen.

I wasn’t impressed with the kitchen. It felt a little small and short on counter space. It had plenty of cabinet storage. The microwave, however, was built into a corner between the cabinets and countertop. It seemed like such a waste of space and it was a very awkward placement. It’s the first thing I saw when I walked through the door…an oddly configured microwave.

There is an enclosed outdoor atrium. Perhaps they were trying to mimic the Roman villas with the atrium in the center of the household. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this space. On the one hand, it is kind of cool. On the other hand, you’re walled in. When you look up at the extended walls it gives off the vibe that you’re in the bottom of an endless pit—but at least you can see a patch of blue sky. Private or claustrophobic? You decide.

The downstairs powder room contains a toilet, vanity and miniature door leading to a storage area. I think that having an under the stairs storage space is a bonus to the house, it just looks odd in the bathroom and once again I felt like I was wandering through an Alice in Wonderland house.

Down the hallway past the powder room are the stairs. The model showcases an optional basket storage/home management desk in the landing. I actually liked the basket storage and home management setup. I’d consider adding this feature. I think it’s a great place for it. There’s a lot of linen cabinet space down the hallway, which is very nice.

I wasn’t disappointed in the second bedroom. I think it could easily accommodate a Full bed, although a Queen might be a stretch. Every square foot counts! There is a very tiny ensuite in this bedroom. It has a shower/tub combo and a small vanity. I couldn’t live in this space, but a child could.

The master bedroom was suitable. It had a nice walk-in closet and showcased the optional organizer. The master bathroom had a tub separate from the stand alone shower. The toilet is in a separate room, which is a huge plus in my book. The dual vanity is standard and would accommodate my arsenal of beauty products. The master bedroom with ensuite passed my inspection.

Final Thoughts:
After my initial walk through of Residence 2 I decided that it wasn’t for me. The storage, atrium and tub in the master bathroom are unique features, but not enough to win me over.

Residence 3
Number of bedrooms: 3 bedrooms (or optional den at bedroom 3)
Number of bathrooms:   3
Square footage:   1,614 sq. ft.
Garage:    2 cars
Base price:   $505,000

When you walk into Residence 3, you have an open concept view of the great room and kitchen. The first thing I noticed in the model was the awkward placement of the dining room table. It’s sandwiched between the kitchen and the living room. I feel like it blocks the flow of traffic. On the flip side, instead of eating your meals at the coffee table so you can watch television, you can now actually sit at your kitchen table and enjoy your quality programming.

The kitchen was suitable, and I don’t have any complaints. The island has a lot of surface area, there’s plenty of counter space and lots of cupboard storage. If I had one piece of advice to tell the builders, I would recommend that they offer a double oven in the kitchens. Maybe they could make it optional, but around the holidays a double oven is always appreciated.

The courtyard, or patio, is accessed off the kitchen. The homebuyer can make it into a decent space. It’s large enough to have some patio furniture, including a 6 seater table, and a grill. Remember, the courtyard will come pre-packaged as a mound of dirt, and you’re probably looking between $3000-$5000 to make the courtyard into the pretty paradise showcased in the model.

Residence 3 offers a bedroom on the first floor. You have the option of turning it into a loft, which I would recommend. I won’t lie: I don’t like having a bedroom on the first floor, just off the entry. I don’t feel like it’s private and I have an issue with security. However, in this floor plan I will admit that it is nice to have a full bathroom across from the downstairs bedroom. The bathroom is tiny, but it has everything you need—with the exception of a tub!

At the top of the stairs is an optional desk with low linen storage unit. I don’t think there’s really much else you can do with this space, so you may want to think about opting for the upgrade.

The second bedroom can accommodate a twin or daybed. The closet is acceptable. It would be a challenge to fit my wardrobe in there, but for a child it could work. I liked that the second bedroom had an ensuite. It’s a shower tub combo with a medium-sized vanity. It looks like your typical apartment bathroom. It passes the test.

I was pleasantly surprised with the master bedroom. It’s a decent size, and the model showcased an optional recessed crown moulding in the ceiling. It adds depth to the room and makes it unique, so you may want to consider upgrading. There are glass double doors that lead to the deck. It’s not a huge deck, but it might be nice to walk out there on early Summer mornings. The walk-in closet is enough to house my clothes, so I’m satisfied with the space. The ensuite has a double sink vanity and a stand-alone shower adjacent to a spacious tub. The toilet is in a separate room and you can choose to have extra storage cabinet built in. I like the large linen cabinet in the master bathroom. I’d rather see a linen closet in a common area, but if you opt to have the low linen cupboard built in the landing at the top of the stairs, that would solve the problem of having others come in your bathroom to snatch a towel or set of sheets.

Final Thoughts:
I strongly feel that this model felt like apartment living. It’s very chic, but I just couldn’t get attached to it. I didn’t like the cramped dining area, and I’d be forced to turn the 3rd bedroom into a den because I prefer not to have a bedroom on the first floor. I can’t justify paying $500,000+ for a townhome I wouldn’t be happy in.

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

The Real Estate Bloggers

2012-02-14T04:09:00.001-08:00

The Real Estate Bloggers

Want To Buy The Empire State Building?

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:47 PM PST

This is not something that will only be asked by native New Yorkers to the rubes visiting from out of town.

Instead, Empire State Realty Trust, owners of the Empire State Building have announced it will take the company public. Yes, you too can own the most iconic building in Manhattan.

Empire State Realty Trust, owners of the iconic Empire State Building, filed to sell up to $1 billion of its Class A common stock, giving ordinary investors a chance to own a piece of the building that has been fought over by billionaires.

The tower, once the tallest in the world, has seen several owners over the decades and had been at the centre of a legal battle among the Malkin family, property tycoon Donald Trump and real estate heiress Leona Helmsley.

The Malkin family bought the property in 2002 and, after much wrangling, gained total control of the 102-story building in 2010.

In November, Malkin Holdings had said it would likely file to become a publicly traded real estate investment trust within three months.

Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.

Want To Buy The Empire State Building?

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2012-02-13T13:08:00.001-08:00

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Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-13T07:27:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Culver Divides

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

Culver Drive, Irvine.

Did you know Culver Drive is named after the farmer Frederick Culver and his wife Agnes who built a house at the intersection of Highway 5, Culver Drive and Trabuco Road? The street was so busy and dangerous at that time, Agnes used to treat the crash victims at their house at the intersection. A century has passed and Culver is still one of the busiest streets in Irvine, serves as the main street for many Villages of Irvine as well as entries and exits to Highway 5 and Highway 405.

Today we will look at two communities, Northwood and Northpark on either side of Culver. Both have the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms, same square feet area, almost same listing price and great schools with a perfect ten API. Both are gated communities.

Which one would you buy?

Zipcode Sales Analysis in the past year:

In the past year, homes in Northwood have listed for a median price of $394/SF, and the homes in the 92620 zip code have listed for a median price of $367/SF.

In the past year, homes in Northpark have listed for a median price of $350/SF, and the homes in the 92602 zip code have listed for a median price of $348/SF.

Home 1: 46 NORTH MIDDLEBURY LN Irvine, CA 92620
List Price: $789,000
3 Bedrooms/ 2.5 Bathrooms
2308 SF, $342/ SF
Year Built: 1998
Community: Northwood

Estimated payments, assuming a Down-payment of 20%, and a 30 YR fixed mortgage at 3.75%:
Northwood Point monthly payment: $3498.00
Mortgage : $2923 + Property Tax: $5289 for 2011 + HOA 1 : $94 + HOA 2: $40

Home 2: 106 SPRING VLY, Irvine, CA 92602
List Price: $798,800
3 Bedrooms/ 2.5 Bathrooms
2300 SF, $347/ SF
Year Built: 2001
Community: Northpark

Estimated payments, assuming a Down-payment of 20%, and a 30 YR fixed mortgage at 3.75%:
Northpark monthly payment: $3878
Mortgage: $2959 + Property Tax: $9177 for 2011 + HOA 1: $155
The Northwood home will work out $380 cheaper per month than the Northpark home.

Community information:

Both of the communities have around 80% White Collar workforce residents, and around 85% of the residents have college education. On the income range, the median for 92620 is $108,483, while the median for 92602 is $90,555. Median age of the residents doesn’t differ much, 92620 is at 33, and 92602 is at 35. Housing inventory shows that there is 4.9% vacant homes in 92620, and 6.1% in 92602.

While both the zipcodes have low crime, keeping in line with the City of Irvine statistics, 92602 scored 1.54 on robbery and 92602 scores a 6.6. Both are gated communities, but 92602 is a “guard” gated community. Does that make a difference? Statistics seem to agree on that fact.

Schools:

Elementary School:
For Northwood: Canyon View Elementary School
For Northpark: Hicks Canyon Elementary School

The schools have a perfect 10 API, Great Schools website rates them a perfect ten and the parent rating are five stars. API growth score for Canyon View is 966 while Hicks lags behind at 942. Canyon View kids did better than Hicks Canyon kids in CST testing for language arts, but Hicks Canyon has a slight upper hand in math scores. Sorting by ethnicity, both have Asian population at the top followed by White. Teachers in both the schools have full credentials. The list of Hicks Canyon’s extracurricular activities is almost thrice the size of Canyon View’s.

Middle School:
For Northwood: Sierra Vista Middle School
For Northpark: Orchard Hills Middle School

Both schools have the perfect 10 API, perfect 10 Great Schools rating. Orchard Hills has a perfect five stars from the parents, but Sierra Vista has four stars. (Orchard Hills has only one review). Sierra Vista parents are not very pleased with the teachers, administrative staff and overcrowding. Orchard hills has a new building to house the 1200 kids. Orchard Hills also leads the API growth numbers at 952 vs. Sierra Vista’s 948. Other information like test scores, and teacher credential, student ethnicity could not be compared as the data is still unavailable for Orchard Hills.

High School:
For Northwood: Northwood High School
For Northpark: Arnold Beckman High School

High School is almost the same story. A perfect 10 API score, and perfect 10 Great School rating, and a four star from parent reviews. Beckman High scored 866 on API growth, and Northwood High scored 908. The test scores for Northwood High (99% for Grade 10 CAHSEE) are significantly higher than the test scores for Beckman (92% for Grade 10 CAHSEE). Ethnicity of the students is slightly different too, Beckman has -White 34%, Asian 29% and Hispanic 28% where as Northwood High has Asian 45%, White 43% and Hispanic 5%. Classroom size works in Northwood High’s favor with 26 students per class against the 31 at Beckman High.

Beckman High SAT Scores for 2011:
Critical Reading 548
Math 588
Writing 571

Northwood High SAT Scores for 2011:
Critical Reading: 579
Math 640
Writing 603

Personal Observations:

Personally, I would prefer 106 Spring Valley in Northpark (Mendocino North, MND2, according to the MLS). The house has interesting exterior features like the gated driveway to the courtyard. Laundry is upstairs, and there is a small study that could be converted into a nice home office. The small balcony off the master bedroom adds a romantic touch too. The linen closet and the corridor to the other side of the master bedroom turn me off, and the house has a linear feel to it.

I didn’t like the garage for 46 North Middlebury Lane (Carlyle at Lanes End Model Code 5, according to the MLS). What’s with the garage! For anything above 400k, I would want a nice and wide two car garage, and not tandem parking. Agreed, there are two exits, but there is something very unappealing about a long and narrow garage. The rest of the floor plan is functional and the home office with a deck is a nice touch. I don’t usually comment on the wall/ floor finishes, or anything that could be customized later, but I will make an exception and say that the homeowner worked really hard on the wall finishes. But the house lost me at the garage.

Without choosing a particular home, if I were to settle down in one of those two villages, I would choose Northwood. Northwood sales data is also in better than the Northpark. Northwood High is definitely more attractive than Beckman High based on the stats.

Which side of Culver would you choose? Would you buy in North Park or Northwood? Why?
Which house appeals more to you? Is garage a decisive factor to you?
When all schools have 10 API and a very good API growth score, does the slightly better option influence your decision? Why?

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-10T07:43:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Closed Sales from 2/02/2012 to 2/08/2012

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

Date Sold	Address	Zip	Tract	Sold Price	Beds	SqFt
Northwood
2/2/2012	79 Lakepines	92620	The Lakes	$169,000	1	934
2/3/2012	42 Van Buren	92620	Horizon	$292,000	2	1052
2/8/2012	18 Longstreet	92620	Shadow Run	$620,000	4	2077

Oak Creek
2/2/2012	6 Redberry	92618	Cypress	$570,000	3	1750
2/7/2012	66 Ivywood	92618	Kelsey Lane	$749,000	4	2386

Orange Tree
2/7/2012	349 Orange Blossom	92618	Lake Condos	$160,000	1	639

Turtle Ridge
2/3/2012	35 Clouds Pt	92603	Amberhill	$1,980,000	3	3100

University Town Center
2/2/2012	57 Wellesley	92612	Cambridge Court	$384,500	2	1455

West Irvine
2/4/2012	15 Emory	92602	Andover	$415,000	3	1498
2/8/2012	17 Bradford	92602	Sheridan Place	$450,000	3	1569

Westpark
2/3/2012	18 Del Azul	92614	Borgatta	$455,000	2	1139
2/6/2012	17 Del Roma	92614	Borgatta	$580,000	3	1762
2/7/2012	1502 Solvay Aisle	92606	Brio	$350,000	2	1028

Woodbridge
2/3/2012	3 Winterhaven	92614	Seasons	$399,000	3	1117

Woodbury
2/3/2012	2 Iceberg Rose	92620	Bowen Court	$282,000	1	1100

Happy Birthday Zovall!

Open your Holiday gift

2012-02-10T06:27:00.001-08:00

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architecture 4 us

2012-02-10T03:18:00.001-08:00

architecture 4 us

Bamboo Orchard Subdivision Provides Sustainable Housing in Phillipines

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:41 PM PST

Bamboo Orchard Subdivision provides sustainable housing for low economic family in in Cabuyao, Phillipines. This project was designed by Buensalido+Architects. The design is very modern, and colorful, very different from the the typical "pigeon-hole" or "cookie-cutter" building types in the country. The houses were built by modular and prefabrication techniques.

The sustainable architecture buildings in this project were built by using custom-manufactured modular wall system made with 100% recycled HIMI (High Impact Moulded Inserts) bonded between two layers of fiber cement boards. The concrete was used also to form the monolithic structure . This system may provide a fast, hygienic, economical load-bearing construction system. To encourage natural day lighting, floor-to-ceiling windows are used. To control the solar heat over exposure, canopies and deep eaves are used.

The architect designed this sustainable project in modern, contemporary design. They want to instill a sense of pride in the owners through architectural design and construction quality. The owners can choose their own favorite color. All of the sustainable houses have same basic design with variety features, shifted windows and arrangements. All of these will reflect a festive character that is Filipino in nature.

ref

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-09T07:46:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Irvine Racks Up Another First:  Great Park Chosen as the Next Site for DOE’s Solar Home Competition

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

“We are, in fact, at the Great Park creating a living laboratory for innovation.”—Beth Krom, Irvine’s Mayor Pro Tem

Photo courtesy energy.gov

As I’ve said and written many times before, Irvine is always on the cutting edge of development. This spirit of innovation is in Irvine’s DNA. It goes back to the ranch days and continues today. Some love the results; others hate it. But whatever side of this divide you fall on, it’s the cutting edge. It’s innovation.

Today Irvine is adding another first: The Great Park in Irvine will be the first site outside of Washington D.C. to host the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. The DOE Solar Decathlon consists of students from schools of higher education, both U.S. and international, competing to build homes that are not only energy efficient but also marketable. In other words, potential buyers like the look of them and are comfortable with the price. This biennial competition was launched in 2002 and has attracted more than 100,000 visitors.

Here is how the DOE describes the event:
“The 20 teams from colleges and universities across the United States and from around the world will now begin a two-year process to build solar-powered, highly energy-efficient homes that combine affordability, consumer appeal and design excellence. Throughout the two-year process, the teams will design, construct and test their homes before reassembling them at the Solar Decathlon 2013 competition site. As part of the Solar Decathlon, teams compete in ten different categories – ranging from best architecture and engineering to energy production for heating and cooling – while gaining invaluable real-world experience in a growing global industry.”—Energy.gov

And here are some of the benefits that local officials expect to reap by hosting the DOE Solar Decathlon:

“We’re looking at this being a really huge thing not just for Irvine, not just for Orange County, not even for the region. We can really showcase California as a hotbed of innovation for renewable energy.”—Tim Shaw, manager of external affairs at the Great Park

“Staging the 2013 Solar Decathlon at the Great Park will focus worldwide attention on the entire solar renewable energy industry in Orange County and throughout California. The event will also greatly stimulate the local economy by bringing in tourism dollars from those attending.”—Mike Elzey, Great Park CEO

One more comment on the benefits of “going green”: Not only does the City of Irvine and the U.S. Department of Energy see benefit in adopting innovations in energy efficiency, so does the U.S. military. As these links show, the U.S. military see it as a way to save money and as a national security issue:

“Military goes green in attempt to save environment, lives, and money,” Patt Morrison
“Military going green to save lives, money,” Phyllis Cuttino, CNN
“Military Goes Green,” SoCal Connected

Sources:

“Great Park to host Solar Decathlon,” Samantha Schaefer, The Orange County Register
“Great Park Selected as Site of U.S. Department of Energy 2013 Solar Decathlon,” City of Irvine
“Energy Department Announces Student Teams, New Location for Solar Decathlon 2013,” Energy.gov

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-08T07:07:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

The Village of Rancho San Joaquin

Posted: 08 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

zovall: The post below is written by Michelle Jones

The village of Rancho San Joaquin is a quiet community that provides a nice escape from the nearby commercial area. It is surrounded by Culver Drive, Michelson Drive, University Drive, and Harvard Avenue. It is right around the corner from the Culver/405 interchange.

Rancho San Joaquin offers a generous amount of trees that line the streets which is nice since it gives this neighborhood a rural feeling. Even though I personally don’t play golf, the golf course also adds to the visual appeal of the neighborhood. Condos and apartments are prevalent in the Rancho San Joaquin neighborhood, including the Rancho San Joaquin apartment homes. The overall curb appeal of the majority of the homes is mediocre. They definitely reflect the time frame which they were built; the 70’s and 80’s.

However, most of the landscapes are neat and well-kept, which at least heightens the overall appeal of the neighborhood. The prestigious University of California, Irvine is only a few miles away; as are many high ranked grammar and middle schools.

The Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course adds some nice scenery, as well as serving as a barrier from the nearby city.

And if you’re interested in history, the Irvine Historical Museum is directly to the left of the entrance of the golf course. What makes this museum interesting is that it was originally the first wooden house built between Anaheim and San Diego. Even if you don’t like history…at least the house adds a little character to the neighborhood.

There is a senior center, where they have educational classes throughout the week. Or, if you’re in need of a ballroom or multipurpose room for any particular reason, they’re available for rent. Not particularly useful on a regular basis, but at least its there if you need it. But, given the outdated architecture, I’m willing to bet the interior isn’t much better.

Right behind the senior center, is the Racquet Club of Irvine. They have tennis courts, tennis lessons, tournaments, a swimming pool, a restaurant, etc. If you enjoy tennis, and can spare the extra cash, it’s actually pretty nice.

Just on the other side of University Drive, is William R. Mason Regional Park, which has an endless amount of shade trees, a 9-acre lake, bike paths, and even model boat sailing. While it would be nice to have this so close to your house, the only downfall is that you actually have to pay in order to get in. And even though this is a very beautiful park, there are many free parks nearby.

All in all, this neighborhood isn’t too bad. It’s close to the freeway, there are nearby shops, and the prices of the houses are relatively decent, considering how expensive Orange County is. I think I would sacrifice the visual appeal of the architecture for a home in this neighborhood.

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2012-02-08T04:05:00.001-08:00

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architecture 4 us

2012-02-08T03:30:00.001-08:00

architecture 4 us

Shou Sugi Ban, a Prefab Extension from Sustainable Building Materials

Posted: 07 Feb 2012 05:59 PM PST

Shou Sugi Ban addition is a prefab extension designed by BYTR Architects for a client who owns a 1950′s brick house in Netherlands. It was built from several sustainable building materials. Natural day lighting is considered, also the view.

The client needed an extension that can covers new kitchen, cellar and dining area. It gives accents for this traditional architectural house. The architect provided an eco construction in the form of prefab structure. It was built from eco friendly materials, such as wooden wall panels, recycled paper scrabs as insulation. Position of windows were considered in order to encourage the natural day lighting, supported by a skylight.

The unique feature on this sustainable architecture building is the exterior cladding which is formed by charred timber, providing a completely maintenance-free facade without any sealers, coatings or finishes

The prefab techniques were done to minimize wastes and other sources. After the cellar and foundations were cast in concrete, the eco friendly construction was then placed there in a working day. The total time needed was 8 weeks.

ref 1 2

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-07T07:58:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

A Review of the San Marcos Tract at Stonegate

Posted: 07 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

zovall: We still have a couple Stonegate tract reviews left to post.

I made the mistake of visiting San Marcos, the last tract in Stonegate, AFTER I reviewed Las Ventanas at Portola Springs. I think in comparison, the builder (Taylor Morrison) at Portola Springs got it right and Stonegate got it wrong. I’ve seen all of the other tracts at Stonegate, so San Marcos had relatively little to offer me. I wasn’t expecting any pleasant surprises, and indeed, San Marcos contained the recycled features from the rest of the Stonegate tracts. I think that San Marcos deserves a fair shake, so I don’t want to knock it off your radar completely. Residence 2 was unavailable for viewing, so I’ll only give you Residences 1 and 3. Something tells me that Residence 2 wouldn’t wow me, so I won’t lament not being able to see it.

Estimated Property Taxes and Special Assessments
Base Property Tax: 1.05% of sales price
AD Tax:    $1,889 per year
CFD Tax:   $1,700 per year
Other Taxes:   $156 per year
Overall Effective Tax Rate: 1.6%

Residence 1
Price: From $626,500
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5
Garage: 2 cars
Square Footage: 1,824 sq/ft

Despite my negative bias against Stonegate, I enjoyed the living space in Residence 1. The huge window overlooking the “California room” and backyard really made the space work for me. I like the open feeling, which is why the great room concept throughout the Stonegate tracts appeals to me. To clarify, the “California Room” is basically a section of the backyard with exposed rafters and a ceiling fan overhanging a cement patio. It’s a charming space and I think it adds a nice element of flair to the backyard.

I think after reviewing Las Ventanas at Portola Springs, I’ve finally pinpointed what I don’t like about the Stonegate kitchens: too much cabinetry. In San Marcos Residence 1, I felt like the cabinets swallowed up the entire kitchen. This was indeed the theme throughout all Stonegate tracts. However, there were a few unique features in the Residence 1 kitchen that I liked: the walk-in pantry and the optional wine refrigerator. The walk-in pantry is very nice. I think it appeals to me because I lack pantry space in my apartment, so anything is better than what I have. You could stock your pantry and bunker down for the Winter—it’s quite spacious. The wine refrigerator is a must for wine lovers. I don’t drink, but if I did I’d upgrade. I think it adds a touch of class and breaks up the white cabinetry.

There’s a “Tech Space” at the top of the stairs with an optional built-in wrap around desk. You might as well spend the money to upgrade to the built-in desk because I’m not quite sure what else you’d do with the space. It is truly built to be a “Tech Space.” I think it could work as an office, but if you work from home and have kids, you’d better schedule your conference calls when the kids are at school. There is no door to shut for privacy.

The master bedroom is a fairly decent size, but I didn’t like that it’s located just off the top of the stairs. However, I did like that bedrooms 2 and 3 are located opposite of the master suite. You win some, you lose some. I actually liked the master bathroom. It didn’t feel like a hallway, it was a nice size, the walk-in shower wasn’t facing the vanity mirrors and the toilet was in a separate room. The walk in closet located in the bathroom is huge. It’s a very nice space and I could have a lot of fun finding clothes to fill the closet with!

Bedrooms 2 and 3 weren’t too bad size-wise. For the price, a small part of me would expect larger bedrooms. On the positive side, the third bedroom had a nice walk in closet. Bedroom two had a closet that seemed slightly bigger than those offered in the bedrooms in other Stonegate tracts. I’m still complaining about the closets, I know. But let’s get real Stonegate!

The second bathroom isn’t too small, but it’s also not big either. It’s a shower/tub combo with the toilet next to the tub. It’s exactly what I would’ve expected from Stonegate: dual sink vanity and mirror.

Overall, my impressions of Residence 1 basically made me yawn. I’d seen it all before, so there was nothing left for me to get excited about. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that San Marcos is overpriced, but it also seems to be the most popular. I think I would invest my money elsewhere.

Residence 3
Price: From $696,500
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Garage: 2 cars
Square Footage: 2,077 sq/ft

I think I liked Residence 3 more than Residence 1, even though they are practically the same. I like having an optional loft (at the sacrifice of bedroom 3). Since the bedrooms tend to be small in the Stonegate tracts, I’d utilize a loft more than a tiny bedroom. Because of this option, I could imagine myself in Residence 3 as opposed to Residence 1.

When you enter Residence 3, the staircase is just off the right and you have a nice view of the living room. Being able to see your living room when you enter your house is comforting—at least for me. The kitchen and living room feed off of each other, and the dining “space” is set up right in front of the sliding glass door leading to the backyard. I felt like the table blocked the kitchen cabinets, and I wasn’t too keen on having to move a chair every time I needed to access the lower cupboards. The whole downstairs is nearly an exact replica of Residence 1 with an exception of a 4th bedroom downstairs. It’s unfortunate though, that the 4th bedroom shares a wall with the garage.

I’m neutral on the master bedroom. It didn’t wow me, but it was certainly big enough. However, I liked the master bath. The tub split the two “his and hers” vanities and there was a deep walk-in shower. The walk-in closet was wonderful.

Bedroom 3 is the optional loft. It’s big enough for a bed, but it would be a squeeze. Also, it shares a wall with the master. Our regular readers know just how much I hate that. It’s becoming a deal breaker for me. Bedroom 2 is typical of the rest of Stonegate. It’s not huge, but it’s workable with a nice walk-in closet.
The second bathroom is basically a rectangle. When you have a rectangle, you have a hallway. It’s no different than any of the other bathrooms in the Stonegate tracts. In retrospect, I’m not sure why I’m expecting the upstairs bathrooms to be more than functional. I guess they serve their purpose. The two elements that I’d like to see in the second bathrooms are a linen closet and to have the toilet separate from the shower/tub combo. I guess that’s the difference between a “want” and a “need.”

I would’ve liked to have seen a fireplace in Residence 3. I want more bang for my buck. That was disappointing.

If I had to choose between the neighborhoods of Portola Springs and Stonegate, I would probably go with Stonegate. I think it has a better proximity to the freeways and amenities. It’s not flush up against the 133. There are parks, a soccer field, and it’s a nice area to cycle or take walks. Despite the positives of the Stonegate neighborhood, it’s not the place for me. It’s very chic, but I can’t justify the purchase price. Goodbye Stonegate.

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

Jose is waiting for you to rate his photo

2012-02-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Ana,

Jose is waiting for you to rate his photo

Regards,
The WAYN Team

If you don't want to receive 'content recommendations' emails anymore, unsubscribe

Very Vintage Vegas

2012-02-07T05:22:00.001-08:00

Very Vintage Vegas

Have We Reached The Bottom In The Las Vegas Real Estate Market?

Posted: 06 Feb 2012 12:01 PM PST

I talked to 287 people in 2011 who didn’t buy any real estate last year. Almost all of them wanted to buy a mid century modern home, or wanted into an historic neighborhood in the center of Las Vegas. After all – that’s what I do. That alone speaks volumes about the ever growing popularity of Vintage Vegas.

Universally, the main topic of the conversation was “when to buy?”. My answer was “when the time is right for you”. Those that did buy usually had a compelling reason. Most often – believe it or not – the reason was the rental home they were in was being foreclosed on and they couldn’t stand the uncertainty of when or if they’d be thrown out. Some just realized that with ridiculously low interest rates and prices, they’d be so much better off owning than renting.

Those that didn’t buy were almost all afraid to buy into a falling market. “I’ll buy when we hit the bottom” was usually the end of the conversation.

I sent all of them an email this morning. Here’s what it said.

During the last year or so I spoke to many people – including you – about real estate in Las Vegas. For many, it boiled down to “waiting till we get to the bottom”.

We believe that we’ve bottomed out now. Sure there’s some who disagree. There always will be. They usually get the headlines. The big, month after month declines have stopped. The sales volume for December and ALL of 2011 set a new record. EVERYTHING that’s for sale is bargain priced. Investment money is flooding in from all over the world, the phone is ringing off the hook, and the emails come in fast and furious. All are signs that we’re finally there. Yes, there will be some up and down monthly blips, but for all practical purposes we’re at the bottom. FINALLY!

We haven’t talked in quite some time, and it’s time we talked again. Whether you’ve considered a home to live in, or positive cash flow investment property, this year is when we should be putting a plan together for you.

And if you’re upside down on a mortgage, have fallen behind in your payments or have some other hardship – We should definitely be talking about short selling your current home and how long it will take till you could buy again.

If you’re still considering – it’s time to take some action. I invite you to call or email. Let’s talk!

Sincerely, Jack

The following graphs were attached. They show the number of sales over an 11 year period and the medium price of homes during the same period. 2003 was the last year when we had prices that reflected “REAL VALUE” of homes. We base that on the expectations of buyers at different income levels.

For example – in 2003 a single person making $15.00 an hour (or $30,000/year) would expect to be able to buy 90,000 condo in a nice complex in a good part of town. They should also have been able to buy a cute retro 2 bedroom 1 bath in one of our terrific historic neighborhoods for the same 90 - $100,000. They could even have bought (in 2003) a much larger home in a crappy neighborhood for the same money.

Today – you can buy a 1500 -1800 square foot 3 bedroom 2 bath in a good neighborhood for the same money and with the same income. See what I mean? Five years ago that house was 200 to $250,000. Interest rates at the time were around 8%, and the only way to buy was with one of the funny money loans that got us into all the trouble in the first place.

So maybe (probably) you’re not one of the 287 people who received an email from me today. Maybe it’s time for you to have the conversation with me. Feel free to call me at 378–7055 or to email me at jack@unclejack.com

And just as I’m finally getting around to doing what I should be doing (writing a blog post) it’s time for you to consider what’s happening in the Las Vegas Real Estate Market – and do something about it! Let’s talk.

The Real Estate Bloggers

2012-02-07T04:09:00.001-08:00

The Real Estate Bloggers

Sh*t Real Estate Agent Say

Posted: 06 Feb 2012 08:30 PM PST

The meme has hit the real estate world, courtesy of Brian Copeland and Maura Neill the folks at RETSO.

See home many real estate memes you can find…

Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.

Sh*t Real Estate Agent Say

This Photographer's Life

2012-02-07T03:17:00.001-08:00

This Photographer's Life

That Dog is Such a Ham. Aren’t We All?

Posted: 06 Feb 2012 01:53 PM PST

Hey kids. Did you all have a nice weekend? I sure did. I went down to spend time with my cousins in Warner Robbins. I always feel better after a little family time. Yesterday my good friend Katie...

This Photographers Life (Architecture + Interior Design)

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-06T07:36:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Irvine Council Members Differ on Inclusion of Set-Aside in Housing Element

Posted: 06 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

My name is Sylvia Walker, and I am the writer and publisher of the Sweet Orange Housing blog. I grew up in Orange County; however, at the age of twenty I decided to venture out and see what the rest of the world looked like. Eventually, I ended up in the Silicon Valley area and spent many years there. While in the Silicon Valley, I worked as a freelance writer for high-tech companies such as Applied Materials, National Semiconductor, Applied Biosystems, and Oracle Corporation.

I enjoyed my time in the San Francisco Bay Area and working in the high-tech industry; however, fate intervened, and I returned to Orange County. Currently, I am pursuing freelancing, but I am shifting my focus to public policy, sustainability, cleantech and land use issues.

There is this thing out there called the California housing element. This document plays a decisive role in determining what gets built in California cities and counties. Since this document is so influential in shaping local housing policies, understanding how the housing element works is worthwhile. Therefore, I will give a more in-depth description in an upcoming post. At this time, knowing it is out there is enough. Now on to Irvine’s latest encounter with the housing element.

Photo of Montecito Vista Apartments, an affordable housing development in Irvine, courtesy HUD.gov

As required by state law, the Irvine Planning Commission reviewed the housing element document prepared by Irvine city staff. The planning commission approved the document as written with one change. That change requires the city council to consider, sometime in the coming year, adding an additional low-income housing set-aside for new rental developments. (Some set-asides already exist.) Note that this does not mean that the city council would have to adopt this new housing set-aside, just discuss it sometime in the coming year. If the city council eventually adopts the set-aside, builders of new rental developments in Irvine would be required to reserve 3% of the housing units for very low-income households. Very low-income is defined as below 30% of the median income of an area.

At the January 24th council meeting, the city council’s responsibility was to accept or reject the housing element as approved by the planning commission. Rejection would delay the housing element document being sent to the state. This could have serious consequences. (Look for the upcoming housing element post for more on this.)

Here is how it played out at the January 24th city council meeting:
Councilmember Lalloway stated, “The process is a little troubling to me.” He stated that, due to possible serious consequences of not approving the document in the as-is form, this forces the city council to approve the document and, therefore, discuss the 3% very-low income housing set-aside in the coming year. He also said that it was not the planning commission’s place to put such language in the housing element document. Councilmember Agran countered that, in the coming year, any one of the council members could ask that this be put on the agenda and the same result would occur. Councilmember Agran and Mayor Pro Tem Krom also stated that this would not require the adoption of the 3% very low-income set-aside, just that the City Council consider it in the coming year.

Lalloway also stated the grounds on which he disagreed with this type of requirement. His reasoning is that developers will increase the price on the market-rate units to cover the cost of the low-income units, and this would defeat the overall affordability goal. Agran countered that remembering that human beings are behind the numbers is important and gave this example: An elderly widow with a Social Security income of $10,000 would be able to rent in Irvine for approximately $250 per month. Having this widow live in Irvine as well as a mix of people with different incomes, including those with low incomes that work in Irvine, would be desirable, said Agran. “This is an important item to discuss.”

Here is my take:
Developers don’t increase the cost on the market-rate units to make up the difference on the low-income housing units. Instead, they charge what the market will bear. If this means they can make 100% profit, they will charge the amount that will give them a 100% profit. If the market-rate price will only allow them a small profit, or even a loss, then the developer will charge that amount. In other words, developers don’t add up their costs then add on some amount for profit to determine what they will charge. Instead, they charge what the market will bear.

Of course, if the developer reviews the numbers and determines that some requirements would make the profit too small to justify the project, they will drop their plan to build. However, if they decide to go ahead with the project, I am sure they have done a careful review and have determined that even with the low-income requirements the possible profits make the deal worth pursuing.

However, this is not the only question on housing set-asides that is open to debate. Whether any housing set-asides, for any reason, are worthwhile is a different philosophical discussion and for another time.

What now?
If the council did not adopt the housing element as approved by the planning commission, the city council would have had to send the document back to the planning commission before it could be sent for final state approval. Therefore, due to possible serious consequences if the housing element was delayed, all five council members voted yes on adoption of the housing element as submitted by the planning commission.

The state has 60 days to review the housing element and send it back to the city. At that point, it’s back in the city’s jurisdiction. This means the city will discuss the 3% very-low income inclusionary rule sometime in the coming year. If this is an important issue to you, watch for this item being placed on an upcoming agenda and be prepared to make your comments.

“Irvine has one of the highest median rents in the nation. The average monthly rent is approximately $1,800. Its housing market is far beyond what is affordable for low- and middle-income families.” —Low-Income Families Make Irvine Their Home, HUD.GOV

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-03T07:49:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Closed Sales from 1/26/2012 to 2/01/2012

Posted: 03 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

Date Sold	Address	Zip	Tract	Sold Price	Beds	SqFt
Airport Area
1/31/2012	8059 Scholarship	92612	The Plaza	$850,000	2	1790

Columbus Grove
1/26/2012	22 Sweet Shade	92606	Lantana	$801,000	4	2719

El Camino Real
1/31/2012	6 Butterfly	92604	Irvine Groves	$407,400	3	1950

Northpark
1/26/2012	16 New Season	92602	Tamarisk	$326,000	2	1187
1/30/2012	9 Cabazon	92602	Monticello	$412,500	3	1826

Northwood
1/26/2012	4 Woodlawn	92620	Greenfield	$700,000	4	2411
1/27/2012	6 Ultimo Dr	92620	Sundance	$370,000	2	1432
1/31/2012	42 Clear Creek	92620	Cristal	$1,260,000	5	3700

Oak Creek
1/26/2012	2 Foxchase St	92618	Ashford Place	$830,000	4	2750

Orangetree
1/27/2012	289 Tangelo	92618	Lake Condos	$134,000	1	639
1/31/2012	200 Tangelo	92618	Lake Condos	$257,500	2	1000

Portola Springs
1/27/2012	47 Wild Trails	92618	Ironwood	$485,031	3	1953

Quail Hill
1/27/2012	29 Stepping Stone	92603	Casalon	$515,000	3	1723

Turtle Ridge
1/27/2012	65 Grandview	92603	La Cima	$2,595,000	6	5600

Turtle Rock
1/26/2012	5342 Blinn Ln	92603	Broadmoor	$905,000	4	2405
1/31/2012	10 Evening Shadow	92603	Ridge Townhomes	$410,500	2	1525
1/31/2012	51 Canyon Rdg	92603	Glen Garden Homes	$570,000	3	2100

University Park
1/26/2012	26 Iron Bark Way	92612	Village I	$420,000	3	1493
1/30/2012	7 Iron Bark Way	92612	OTHER	$516,000	4	1900

West Irvine
1/26/2012	55 Freeland	92602	Barrington	$650,000	4	2188

Westpark
1/27/2012	111 Alberti Aisle	92614	Tiempo	$240,000	2	840
1/28/2012	10 Posada	92614	Promenade	$545,000	3	1361
1/30/2012	116 Costero Aisle	92614	Tiempo	$305,000	2	850
1/31/2012	21 Del Carlo	92606	Positano	$693,000	3	1920

Woodbridge
1/27/2012	28 Havenwood	92614	Parkview	$402,000	3	1520
1/27/2012	79 Rockwood	92614	Park Vista	$171,000	1	750
1/28/2012	4 Pinewood	92604	Crossing	$390,000	2	1600
1/31/2012	415 E Yale Loop	92614	Garden Estates	$486,635	3	2150
1/31/2012	23 Cedarspring	92604	Gables	$1,157,000	5	3000
2/1/2012	25 Whistling Isle	92614	Summerfield	$660,000	4	1838

Woodbury
1/27/2012	192 Guinevere	92620	Garland Park	$450,000	3	1950

Very Vintage Vegas

2012-02-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

Very Vintage Vegas

Have We Reached The Bottom In The Las Vegas Real Estate Market

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 11:10 AM PST

Those that didn’t buy were almost all afraid to buy into a falling market. “I’ll buy when we hit the bottom” was usually the end of the conversation.

I sent all of them an email this morning. Here’s what it said.

During the last year or so I spoke to many people - including you – about real estate in Las Vegas. For many, it boiled down to “waiting till we get to the bottom”.

We believe that we’ve bottomed out now. Sure there’s some who disagree. There always will be. They usually get the headlines. The big, month after month declines have stopped. The sales volume for December and ALL of 2011 set a new record. EVERYTHING that’s for sale is bargain priced. Investment money is flooding in from all over the world, the phone is ringing off the hook, and the emails come in fast and furious. All are signs that we’re finally there. Yes, there will be some up and down monthly blips, but for all practical purposes we’re at the bottom. FINALLY!

We haven’t talked in quite some time, and it’s time we talked again. Whether you’ve considered a home to live in, or positive cash flow investment property, this year is when we should be putting a plan together for you.

And if you’re upside down on a mortgage, have fallen behind in your payments or have some other hardship – We should definitely be talking about short selling your current home and how long it will take till you could buy again.

If you’re still considering – it’s time to take some action. I invite you to call or email. Let’s talk!

Sincerely, Jack

The Real Estate Bloggers

2012-02-03T04:07:00.001-08:00

The Real Estate Bloggers

Real Estate Investor Conference – BiggerPockets Style

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:45 AM PST

Are you ready for a real estate investment conference that is not on big sell and spam fest? Are you tired of every speaker from the stage pitching their product instead of teaching you?

Well, your conference has arrived. Josh Dorkin and the crew over at BiggerPockets is putting on a truly amazing conference on real estate investing with the focus on giving you the tools and techniques to create a firm foundation for your business.

It really is that simple…

What you will not get is the hype of 20 products that will create miracles in your business and cure cancer at the same time.

What you will get is some of the finest minds in the real estate investment community giving you solid advice, pertinent information, and the tools for you to succeed with your long term strategies.

Now, I do not want to pressure you, but I messed up. I told Josh, who is a friend and mentor, that I would put this post up weeks ago. But, as you know life gets in the way.

However, in the mean time space is filling up and I would hate for you to miss this conference. Josh told me he is keeping the conference small so that everyone who attends can get the most value out of it.

I remember the first RETechSouth conference that was like this one. I made more connections that helped my business in 1 day than I had the first 3 years I was blogging. Flagship conferences like this one from BiggerPockets will reap benefits for years if you take the initiative to attend.

The price is reasonable, the location is in Denver, Colorado (home of inexpensive flights and lots of fun), and the date is a little over a month away (March 23rd–24^th).

So click on the link below to learn more and sign up for the conference.

BiggerPockets Real Estate Investing Summit and Expo

Tom

P.S. Look for me on the floor, I am pulling strings to get out of every coaching assignment and obligation to get out there. It is so good that, even though I do not invest in real estate myself, I know I will learn a great deal and increase my knowledge of the real estate industry.

Tags: Real+Estate, Investing, Conference

Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.

Real Estate Investor Conference – BiggerPockets Style

No related posts.

This Photographer's Life

2012-02-03T03:41:00.001-08:00

This Photographer's Life

All the cool kids are going –> Drinks and Antiques + BABY TIME

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 12:56 PM PST

The 2012 Cathedral Antiques Show (Cathedral of St. Philips) is this weekend! It starts off Friday night with this kickin’ party. You may see that I’m on the host committee… duh....

This Photographers Life (Architecture + Interior Design)

architecture 4 us

2012-02-03T03:05:00.001-08:00

architecture 4 us

Green Architecture of Malbaie V Residence by Mu Architecture

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:57 PM PST

A beautiful, green architecture building was designed by Mu Architecture in the hillside of Cap-à-l'Aigle, Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada. This house, Malbaie V Residence, is very elegant with its wooden materials dominated the house’s construction. Beautiful scenery is an added value.

This eco construction was built very beautiful as a hilltop residence that faces the ocean. The house has 4 bedrooms with simple rectangular shape. The openings are set from the east side to west side, to maximize the daylighting around the day. The beautiful view can be accessed from big open windows.

This sustainable architecture building is dominated with wooden materials, especially red cedar. Wooden materials are also dominated the interior, including floor, ceiling. This provides a natural feeling and creates a beautiful blending with the environment. There is a living planted roof also, provides an insulation for the house, also maintain the rainwater catchment.

With all of these sustainable features, this sustainable house becomes a great cabin-like retreat house with visually stunning view and high energy efficiency.

ref

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-02T07:32:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

To Catch a Falling Knife

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

January 1, 2008
The race to the bottom had begun, and house prices were dropping in thousands every week, even in Irvine. On one side, there was Irvine Renter writing blogs with titles like “Speculation or Investment”, profiling the properties with an asking price totally out of tune with the market, and graphs that showed the shadow inventory as well as the current REOs with no sign of bottoming till 2012. It was doom’s day. Great Housing Bubble was bursting. On the other side, there were Realtors, convincing you that this was the bottom, and Irvine will never see these prices again. Opportunity was knocking, according to them, and you would be a fool not to pick up the keys to open that door.

Amidst all this certainty, an impending recession and growing unemployment, there were a lot of houses on the market, and there were buyers and sellers, including us. We decided to catch the falling knife, and buy a house.

All we wanted was a small three bedroom/ two bathroom house with an attached garage in an excellent school district. We saw a lot of houses, and wrote a lot of offers. Most of them were rejected. Some got better offers than what we quoted, and some just waited for the right price. Some were short sales that took forever to materialize. Today I will profile a few houses that we had put offers on, with the price that we had offered.

1. 256 Monroe #50
    Irvine CA 92602
    Listing Price: $599,000
    Our offer: $474,000
    Community: Northwood
    Area: 1411 SF

This house fit our criteria, and it was the first one that we saw. When our Realtor sensed that we had liked the house, she told us to put in an offer fast, because the house already had multiple offers. We ran a few calculations using Irvine Renter’s blogs, and decided to offer $474,000. She was miffed at us, and told us that she could not submit any offer below $500,000 since the house already had two offers above $500,000.

Public records show that the house was foreclosed at $417,600 by the Bank in July 2008, and resold at $448,000. Two days after our Realtor told us about the outstanding offers above $500,000, the listing price dropped to $480,000 proving that there weren’t any other offers.

Currently, 72 Monroe from the same neighborhood is on the market for $349,000.
446 Monroe was sold at $401,000 in September 2011.

Verdict: Falling knife.

2. 59 Bellevue
    Irvine CA 92602
    Listing Price: $564,900
    Our offer: $525,000
    Community: West Irvine
    Area: 1600 SF

Our offer was rejected and public records show that the house was taken off the market.
Currently, 17 Bradford from the same neighborhood is on the market for $479,000.
9 Bellevue was sold at $465,000 in September 2011.

In the same neighborhood, 1 Bradford was in the market at $589,900 in 2008. We offered $525,000 and we were counter offered at $585,000. Eventually the house was sold at $570,000 in May 2008. The house was listed at $540,000 in June 2011 and sold at $495,000 in August 2011.

Verdict: Falling knife wrapped in silk

3. 10 Wedgewood
     Irvine, CA 92620
     Listing Price: $525,000
     Our offer: $525,000
     Community: Northwood
     Area: 1561 SF

This was a lovely single family home with a “teaser price” of $525,000 to lure the buyers. It was everything that we looking in a house, but we were outbid as expected. It was a single family home. There was another house on Grape Arbor with a teaser price of $525,000 and people were faxing in their offers even before the house was opened for showing.

Public records show that the house was sold for $660,000 in June 2010.
Currently, the same house is listed in the market for $698,000.

Verdict: Would have, should have!

4. 11 Sagamore
     Irvine CA 92602
     Listing Price: ??
     Our offer: $525,000
     Community: West Irvine
     Area: 1500 SF

I lost the MLS listing sheet for this one, and couldn’t trace the listing price online either. But I did find an email stating that we were counter offered at $545,000. I am assuming this was on the market for $550,000. I had also written a letter to the seller, asking him to reduce the price to $525,000 quoting Irvine Renter’s speculations about Irvine market. Looking back, I am thinking that the whole house hunting process must have been so frustrating that I wanted a house to move into, rather than this house. It can happen to any buyer- after you look for a few months, and find nothing worth your attention and money, frustration sets in and you start making mistakes.

Public records show that the house was sold for $491,104 in April 2009.
Currently, the 97 Sapphire with the same floor plan in the same neighborhood listed at $385,000.

Verdict: Phew! That was close. It was probably the sharpest knife that we were going to catch.

5. 801 Yorkshire
    Irvine, CA 92620
    Listing Price: $505,000
    Our offer: $475,000
    Community: Northwood
    Area: 1481 SF

Public records show that the house was sold for $515,000 in December 2008.
Currently, the 135 Islington with the same floor plan in the same neighborhood sold at $489,000.

We had offered $475,000 for a similar condominium in the same neighborhood. Our offer wasn’t accepted then. The house was foreclosed at $495,000 in October 2009, and it was again relisted in 2011. The last sale was for $485,000 in August 2011.

Verdict: Blunt knife

6. 171 Lockford
     Irvine CA 92602
     Listing Price: (Feb 2008) $558,800
     Our offer: $525,000
     Community: Northpark
     Area: 1752 SF

This house was a perfect size, and a perfect location- we were taken by the guard gated community. Every room was well laid out, and except for the fact that the entrance was through a flight of stairs, there was nothing to really point out to. But around the same time we found out about the lies our Realtor was feeding us, and decided to stop working with her. By the time we found a new Realtor and re-entered the market, this house was sold at $540,000 in August 2008.

117 Talmadge in the same neighborhood was sold at $450,000. It was a short sale.
3 bedroom/ 2.5 bath detached condos are on the market in the same community for around $535,000 now.

Verdict: Kool-aid happens, even from those who read IHB.

7. 9 Hollyhock
    Irvine CA 92602
    Listing Price: I lost the MLS sheet, but this was listed around $600,000.
    Community: West Irvine
    Area: 1700 SF

This was a short sale, and we offered $545,000 to the bank. The offer was rejected, and the house was foreclosed at $600,555 in July 2008. It was sold again in November 2008 at $569,000.

Verdict: Knife in a box.

After spending so much time touring at least a hundred houses in Irvine, we finally bought in November 2008. It was a short sale that took four months to get the bank approval. When it materialized, we had almost forgotten about the offer and moved on. It is not the perfect house, but so far, our house is the “bottom” for our neighborhood. In the little improvement that the market saw in 2010, one of our neighbors sold their house (same plan) for $65,000 more than the sold price of our house, and another short sale in 2011 dragged the appreciation by $30,000.

So do you maintain a list of homes that you put an offer on?
Did you buy or sell a house during 2008/2009?
Did you speculate, or did you invest?

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

This Photographer's Life

2012-02-02T03:08:00.001-08:00

This Photographer's Life

Farms are cool. So is Widespread Panic.

Posted: 01 Feb 2012 02:49 PM PST

I’ve always fancied myself a little farm-ie… Here I am in college with my rabbit, Napoleon. I bought this little guy without telling my mom… not smart. Then he grew to be like 8...

This Photographers Life (Architecture + Interior Design)

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-02-01T07:23:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

$775k in Northwood or Northwood Pointe - What would you do?

Posted: 01 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

What a difference a Pointe makes...If you had $775,000 to spend on a home in Irvine and were debating between Northwood and Northwood Pointe, what would matter most to you? I did a quick search of homes sold in the Northwood and Northwood Pointe villages in Irvine and saw these two homes, similiar in size and price, but very different in age and features. Let's do a quick comparison.

Home 1:

17 Mount Vernon

Village of Northwood Pointe
Home Size: 2390 Sq Ft
Lot Size: 3741
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
Year Built: 1999
$325/sq ft
Sold for $777,000 on 9/14/11

Home 2:

21 West Ensueno

Village of Northwood
Home Size: 2392
Lot Size: 5500
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
Year Built: 1978
$324/sq ft
Sold for $775,000 on 10/20/11

Let's get the easy part out of the way first. Here's what the two homes had in common for about $775k:

Square footage (2390)
Price and price/sq ft
4 Bedrooms
2 1/2 bath
Stainless steel appliancesric
Detached, no common walls
Middle School - Sierra Vista
High School - Northwood

The Differences:

Elementary Schools
- Home 1 goes to Canyon View
- Home 2 goes to Santiago Hills Elementary
- Both belong to Irvine Unified School District
Home 2 is in on a cul-de-sac, Home 1 is not
Taxes -
- Home 2 in Northwood does not have Mello Roos but Home 1 in Northwood Pointe does
- 2010 Property taxes for Home 1 were $10,084 vs. $5626 fo Home 2
Home owners association dues
- Home 1: $90 +$45 = $135 per month
- Home 2: $83 per month
Age
- Home 1 is almost 20 years newer than Home 2 and it shows:

Luckily Home #2 has been updated to include a more modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances:

Is it just me or does it seem like there are a whole lotta cabinets in this kitchen? Home 1 also has a lot of cabinets with stainless steel appliances but I think I like the shape of the island and setup of the the kitchen in Home 2.

Lot Size
- Home 1 has a lot size of 3741 with a 2390 square foot house built upon it. Once you factor in the space used by the driveway, garage, etc., there's not a ton of yard left. But it does have some lawn in the backyard and actually a nice little outdoor barbeque/counter setup for entertaining. I could see myself gettin' all Bobby Flay out there with that.

Home 2 has a lot size of 5500 sqft and has considerably more space to play with. They have a pool, a spa and a grassy patch too...I could see myself gettin' all "coolest mom on the street" with that pool and the fun chandelier.

And really, the chandelier isn't enough to make me want the house. If the home didn't have a pool, I'd actually lean towards Home 2 over Home 1. The $4400 per year break that you receive as a result of having no Mello Roos is significant. Although the older home has "Newer (?) Interior Doors" and would require some updating, I would still pick it over Home 1...if it weren't for the pool. What would you do?

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2012-01-31T20:13:00.001-08:00

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Irvine Housing Blog

2012-01-31T07:10:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Buy or rent at Tiempo in Westpark

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

166 Alicante Aisle is a 2bd/2ba condo in the Tiempo tract in Westpark. Tiempo is bounded by the Peters Canyon Trail, Alton Parkway, Harvard Ave and San Marco Park. Click the picture below for a closer view. The streets in this tract are Alicante, Costero, Abrazio, Marbella and Giovanni.

There are a number of floorplans here and it looks like this property is a plan D. It looks like there is another Plan D listed currently at $389k: 132 Alicante. The only recent sale I found for a Plan D looks to be 164 Alicante which closed on 12/29/2011 for $300k. We'll use that price in the analysis.

166 Alicante

Purchase Price	$300,000
Closing costs	$9,000	3%
Total price	$309,000

Down payment	$69,000	20%

Loan Amount / Percentage Of Price	$240,000	80%
Interest Rate / Period (months)	4.00%	360

	Monthly	Yearly
Mortgage Payment	$1,146	$13,750
Interest Component	$800	$9,600

Property Tax	$258	$3,101	1.03%
Special Assessments	$54	$644	0.21%
Effective Tax rate			1.25%

Insurance	$50	$600
HOA 1	$185	$2,220
HOA 2	$0	$0

Cash Out	$1,693	$20,315

And here are some possible adjustments that may apply to your situation. Be sure to also consider how long you may own the property (average is around 6 years), what kind of financing you actually qualify for, how much you put down, the effect of giving up the standard deduction, potential price declines, costs to sell the property, etc. The NY Times Buy or Rent calculator is a great tool that helps with some of these.

Possible Adjustments
Interest paid		$9,600
Property tax		$3,101
Total deductible		$12,701
Tax benefit	$265	$3,175	25%

Opportunity cost of down payment	-$115	-$1,380	2%

Principal paid in mortgage payment	$346	-$4,150

As far as rentals, 36 Marbella was listed on 12/31 and is asking $1850/month. And 86 Costero leased on 5/3/2011 at $1650/month. Similar 2 bedroom apartments at San Marco Villa rent between $1,670 and $1,825. Would you rent or buy this property?

The Real Estate Bloggers

2012-01-31T04:08:00.001-08:00

The Real Estate Bloggers

New Home Sales Remain Anemic in 2011

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 06:28 PM PST

The new home sales data was released and the results are less than stellar. For 2011, there were only 302,000 new home sold nationwide. For perspective, in the South the numbers were the lowest since 1966, and that is the good news. In both the Northeast and the West, sales were the worst in recorded history.

So when you are talking with builders, be kind. They have had a very rough few years.

Purchases of single-family properties decreased 2.2 percent to a 307,000 annual pace, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists called for a rate of 321,000 home sales. Last year marked the worst year for the industry in records going back to 1963.

The threat of further price declines may be dissuading some Americans from buying a new home even with mortgage rates near all-time lows and more people finding work. Following a lull in 2011, a wave of foreclosures may hamper the recovery in real estate as more distressed properties are put on the market.

“Builders continue to contend with a number of existing homes that are deeply discounted,” said Anika Khan, an economist at Wells Fargo Securities LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. “We’re expecting a bit of a pickup in 2012, but we won’t see a meaningful increase as long as new homes are competing with those existing homes.” via Bloomberg

New Home Sales Information From the Census Bureau

Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to see more articles like this, please come visit The Real Estate Bloggers. where it was originally published.

New Home Sales Remain Anemic in 2011

This Photographer's Life

2012-01-31T03:25:00.001-08:00

This Photographer's Life

395 Beverly in Ansley Park

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 11:56 AM PST

Hi everyone! I just want to thank you all for the tremendous outpouring of support you gave me about Sister. I appreciate it so much, and it really made the grieving process easier. Thank you so...

This Photographers Life (Architecture + Interior Design)

architecture 4 us

2012-01-31T03:11:00.001-08:00

architecture 4 us

Sustainable Prefab Design of Week’nder House by Lazor Office

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 10:14 PM PST

A prefab house, Week’nder House, was designed by Lazor Office, with FlatPak brand. This sustainable house was designed to deal with extreme weather condition with a lot of flexible configurations can be arranged, depend on the owner’s need. High sustainability is an important concern here.

FlatPak offers a flexible solution for people who search a prefab house. People may choose the exterior materials, the floor plan, and even the position of the windows can be customized too. This sustainable prefab house can be set up to 4 stories. The prefabrication process will provide less waste, and may reduce environment disturbances during construction. Combined with some sustainable features, it may achieve high sustainability.

This sustainable architecture building was produced in those kind methods. It was prefabricated, adopting no-cut design, providing more efficient materials to be used. It used 2×6 framing and plywood sheets on concrete piers. To deal with environement disturbances, it was completed with some features, such as termite resistance cladding, a snow load engineered roof, etc. The house is claimed suitable to be set at seismically active area. The glass can handle wind speeds of up to 160 miles per hour.

The eco construction is also supported by some other green features, such as natural ventilation and wall insulation combined with the highest quality thermal glass. Natural lighting is also provided. In-floor heating system is provided also. The site is also using water-permeable gravel and irrigation-free native grasses to conserve water.

This sustainable house may provide a user friendly customized house with modern design for people who need houses that may deal with extreme weather.

ref 1 2

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-01-30T07:22:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

A Review of the Las Ventanas Tract at Portola Springs

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

Las Ventanas (Community Overview) is the first tract I’m reviewing in the Portola Springs Villages. Portola Springs is bordered by the Great Park and the Irvine Ranch Land Preserve in a seemingly remote pocket in Irvine. The closest schools are Stonegate Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School and Northwood High School. The villages have direct access to the 133 and 241 toll roads with the 5 freeway nearby. Residents living in the Portola Springs Villages are privy to community parks, a lighted soccer field, playgrounds, basket ball and tennis courts, as well as access to hiking trails. It’s truly a self contained private community that appears to be far removed from the busier areas in Irvine. Las Ventanas will have a total of 86 homes in the development.

I instantly saw the huge contrast between Stonegate and Portola Springs. It’s almost as if the builders (Taylor Morrison) fixed all my complaints about Stonegate and Laguna Altura. The ambiance in all three tracts was inviting and I immediately felt like I was “home,” which is important to me. Unlike Stonegate, I was highly receptive to Las Ventanas. Portola Springs is a family oriented neighborhood. In fact, most of the visitors viewing the models were young couples with small children, or very pregnant women looking to move into a larger space to accommodate a new baby. I am none of the above, so these homes were too large for me, but I’m still excited to share with you my observations about the properties.

Base Property Tax: 1.05% of the sales price
AD Tax:   $3,197 per year
CFD Tax:   $1,700 per year
Other Taxes:   $169 per year
Total Effective Tax:   1.75%

HOA: $150 per month

Residence 1

Price: From $634,900
Bedrooms: 3 + den
Bathrooms: 2.5
Garage: 2 car
Square Footage: 1,871 sq ft

Upon entering Residence 1 you’re immediately greeted on the right by the den. The windows in the den face the outside of the house, bringing in an abundance of light. The model showcased the space as an office. My only concern is that if you turn this space into an office, you’ll have to keep it clean because it’s the first thing you and your guests will see when entering the house. The feature I really enjoyed in the den was the sliding glass doors (optional French doors) leading to a small square courtyard between the kitchen and den. It was unique and cozy. I could imagine myself sipping some lemonade on a lounge chair during the Summer. I didn’t expect a sweet surprise so early in the floorplan. It made me excited to see the rest of the house.

The backyard was much larger than what you’d get at Stonegate. You’ll inherit a lump of dirt in the backyard and you’ll have to landscape it how you’d like. There’s enough room in the backyard for grass, and you can plant some bushes or flowers on the slope. I’m not keen on landscaping, so I’d choose to lay brick or some kind of flooring instead of grass and plant low maintenance shrubs/bushes for the elevated slope. I cringe at the thought of yard work, so for me simple and easy is the way to go. There are tons of options to customize the backyard and make it your own. I’d put lots of seating and a manly barbeque in the backyard. If you have animals, there’s enough space for them to roam. Just a word of caution for cat owners--you are in a nature preserve so beware of coyotes.

The kitchen and dining areas feed into each other in a large rectangular formation. The dining room table in the model sits in front of the doors to the courtyard, giving you a pleasant view. There’s enough space for a six-seater table, but it is somewhat close to the cabinetry. It’s not a deal breaker, and could be resolved with a table suitable for the space. I’d choose to upgrade to the recessed lighting in this area. The kitchen includes stainless steel appliances, with the exception of the counter-depth stainless steel refrigerator. That was kind of a bummer. You are almost forced to upgrade. I think the kitchen has adequate counter space, particularly if you include the extended island. There’s plenty of cabinet storage and a full pantry. You can customize your backsplash if you upgrade, and I’d consider this option if the price is right. I like having choices.

The great room is square-ish and you’d have no trouble fitting an L-shaped sofa and perhaps a couple of chairs. You have the option to include a fireplace--which is a must for me. I actually like having a square space because it makes it easier to place furniture. I really like the feel of the great room and enjoyed the open concept. I think it adds a lighter feel to the downstairs.

There’s a powder room located at the base of the stairs. It’s tiny, but you have everything you need to get the job done: a toilet and sink. I didn’t like the location of the powder room. It’s too close to the kitchen and I don’t like the idea of having potential odors wafting from the toilet into the kitchen. That was a negative for me. Maybe an air freshener would alleviate this problem.

The size of the bedrooms are impressive compared to Laguna Altura and Stonegate. They are much more spacious and have more practical closets. The bedrooms are square and offer room for children to grow. If I was a mother I’d feel comfortable planting my roots in this house knowing that my children wouldn’t outgrow their rooms. The first bedroom has access to a small balcony. The second bedroom has it’s own walk-in closet and charming windows.

The master bedroom is spacious enough to suit my tastes and I think that it allows the homeowner the opportunity for personalization. It’s a lovely space with lots of light. I’d be happy sleeping there! For our regular readers you know how particular I am about my master bathrooms. Well, brace yourself: This passed the Wendy inspection! There’s a stand-alone shower and large tub. The toilet is sectioned off in a separate room, and the vanity has enough counter space for my morning routine of make-up, hair dryer and straightening iron. Although the master bathroom was smaller than I’d like to have, it is a workable space. My impression of the master bedroom package was very positive. What a relief and a breath of fresh air compared to Laguna Altura and Stonegate.

The second bathroom is small and narrow, creating the familiar hallway effect. It’s a squeeze, but functional with a dual sink vanity. The toilet is almost flush up (no pun intended) against the shower/tub combo. If I were to offer a critique of the bathroom, the close proximity of the tub to the toilet would be my only complaint.

The upstairs features a full size laundry room with cabinets, a marble counter and optional sink. There’s plenty of space in the laundry room to store cleaning supplies, hampers or any additional items the homeowner would like to hide from view. If I had a cat this is probably where I’d put the litter box.Yes I know, a litter box in the laundry room--just keep the clean clothes separate from the box and don’t leave laundry baskets around for the cat to jump in!

Although Residence 1 is the smallest floorplan of the 3, I think a family could comfortably live here. My impression was really positive and I felt like the house factored in practical living habits--like the need for larger closets in the bedrooms. However, with tract housing, one big concern in my mind is the noise barrier. We’re all very smooshed here in California, and I like my quiet. So it bothered me that I was able to hear the voices from the sales office through the walls within the house. The sales office is attached to the house, but being able to hear a downstairs conversation in the sales office while in an upstairs bedroom makes me very suspicious. It made me wonder if I could hear an upstairs toilet flush while lounging in the great room downstairs. I call this phenomenon the “hotel effect” because that’s something you would expect to hear in a three star hotel room. I think I’m going to have to add the “toilet test” to my review criteria.

Residence 2

Price: From $671,905
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Garage: 2 car
Square Footage: 2,075 sq ft

Residence 2 has a bedroom immediately off the entry way. The model features the space as a den. I’d hesitate turning the space into a bedroom because it’s located on the ground level, right off the front door. I don’t like the idea of having a bedroom window facing the sidewalk. There is a petite half bathroom located just off the bedroom which is a nice feature. Perhaps this could work for a roommate situation. Either that or you could stick your guests in that room--which might not be such a bad thing.

When I entered Residence 2 I felt like I was home. The structure strongly appealed to me, perhaps because the design elements reflect my personal tastes making it feel more comfortable. I was keen on the layout and compared to the other models I’ve toured this is the best one I’ve come across. However, many of the features in the model are upgrades: the flooring, built-ins, window coverings, crown moulding (in some areas), and enlarged base boards. I kept thinking of the increasing dollar signs.

The kitchen was beautifully designed and I loved the Maple espresso cabinetry. The homeowner obviously has the option to choose their design elements, but the dark wood made the space chic, clean and modern. The cabinet space was just right. I think Laguna Altura and Stonegate have too much cabinetry in their kitchens, and I felt like I was sacrificing full-length pantry space in those tracts. This kitchen was much more proportionate and didn’t haphazardly place their microwaves in the middle of the cupboards like Stonegate. The homeowner has the opportunity to upgrade the stainless steel appliances. There’s a lovely kitchen window that faces the backyard which makes the space feel open and light. There’s plenty of space to fit a 6-8 seater dining room table.

Much like Residence 1 sitting in the living room is like being in a big square. You have the option for a fireplace--part of me is miffed that the fireplace isn’t included. There’s a media niche so you can mount your flat screen television, which I thought was a nice element. It makes the room more streamlined.

I loved the backyard. It’s Wendy-sized. I’d feel comfortable having a couple of dogs--or kids. If you entertain often, you can easily create a pleasant atmosphere out there. As I said with Residence 1, landscaping would be a concern for me, so I’d opt to keep it as simple as possible or have someone come and maintain it for me. I wouldn’t lay sod--storing a mower for such as small space would seem like a waste.

The upstairs bedrooms are acceptable, and probably similar in size to the master bedroom in my apartment. Bedrooms 2 and 3 share a wall.

It’s a big plus that the master bedroom is separated from the other rooms. The master bedroom is not overly large, but sufficient for its purpose. I think I slobbered a bit when I entered the master bathroom. Part of me didn’t believe my eyes. It was absolutely lovely. The walk-in shower is huge. There’s a ton of custom design in the model. It looks very chic, but I’m suspicious of the price tag for the upgrades. The only downside to having a large shower is more to clean, particularly if you have grouting from the upgrades. If you have a lot of toiletries in the shower, you have nowhere to hide them since the shower is encased in glass. This also creates less privacy. Additionally, the vanity mirror faces the shower, so if someone is getting ready at the vanity while another person is showering you’ll have a free peep show. This may be a good or bad thing! However, the two vanities are separated by the tub, and the second vanity mirror doesn’t have a direct view of the shower. My only critique is the layout of the shower/vanity. Otherwise I was very happy with the bathroom.

The second bath was decent. There is a nice linen closet. The shower/tub and toilet are located in a separate room. The only thing that I didn’t like was the layout in regards to the hallway. The bathroom is off the hallway and if you’re getting ready at the vanity, people can walk by and see you (unless you close the door). It’s not that big of a deal, but because the bathroom is narrow, I almost felt like it was an extension of the hallway. Maybe that’s what bothered me the most.

The laundry room is similar to Residence 1, with the option to upgrade to the Maple Espresso cabinets and laundry sink. I personally am not sure that I need a sink in the laundry room. It’s not at the top of my upgrade list. I’ll admit, having a decent sized laundry room is a bonus. I’d almost feel spoiled.

Out of the three residences, Residence 2 spoke to me. I liked practically everything in the house and didn’t find too much to critique. There were no deal breakers for me and I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing anything.

Residence 3

Price: From $707,790
Bedrooms: 4 + den (optional loft in lieu of bedroom 4)
Bathrooms: 3
Garage: 2 car
Square Footage: 2,304 sq ft

Residence 3 is the largest floor plan in Las Ventanas, and it’s also the most expensive. Just like Residence 2 there’s a small bedroom with a half bath on the first floor. I loved the open concept. The floor plan was more like a wrap around layout. The living room is visible upon entering Residence 3 and if you turn the corner a bit, you’ll find yourself in the dining and kitchen area.

Like the other two models, the kitchen has a nice flow to it, and there’s a larger, more distinct space for the dining room. What I liked about the kitchen was that there was plenty of lower cabinet space.

Residence 3 offers a loft and “tech center” at the top of the stairs. The loft is perfect for an entertainment room and I wouldn’t make it into a bedroom. It shares a wall with the master bedroom and it’s a bit small. I really liked the tech center. It’s a built in desk that wraps around in an “L” shape around the wall. The reason I liked it so much is that the office space is located upstairs, hidden from view of house guests (unless they go upstairs).

What was unique about this floorplan was the split space off the staircase. On one side you have the two upstairs bedrooms sectioned off by a small common area, and on the opposite side is the master suite. I thought this was a very well done for privacy. It can work for roommates and families. There’s a deck located off of bedrooms 2 and 3, but it is only accessible from the common area between the two bedrooms.

The master bedroom is a decent size. The master bathroom is smaller than Residence 2, but I can’t complain about it. The bathroom separates the vanities, and you still have a full view of the shower like Residence 2.

When all was said and done, I was pleased with the floorplan. The tech center and loft were pluses for me. My sister has two boys who do nothing but play video games, and as I think about their growing household an entertainment room would be a selling point for her family.

After reviewing my first tract in Portola Springs I can’t wait to see the rest. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised. The pricing is hard for me to stomach, but compared to house in Turtle Rock that I reviewed last week (18711 Paseo Picasso), which was built in 1973 and offered at $675,000 I’d rather invest in the Portola Springs property. I suppose it’s all about perspective.

from favour

2012-01-29T16:42:00.001-08:00

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Latest from Clearwater Real Estate Tampa Homes

2012-01-29T07:23:00.001-08:00

Latest from Clearwater Real Estate Tampa Homes

Enjoy Fun Festive and Free Holiday Boat Parades on the Beaches

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 12:48 PM PST

Last Saturday several of the beach towns and communities had their boat parades. We enjoyed attending the Clearwater Beach Holiday boat parade under a wonderful full moon over Clearwater Harbor. Holiday Boat parades are just one of the many ways we celebrate here in our Pinellas County beach towns. If you haven’t seen one you owe it to yourself to make some time to do so – it’s fun, festive and free, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Not sure what to expect at a boat parade? Check out this video from Clearwater Beach’s Boat parade last weekend:

You still have one more chance to enjoy a Holiday Boat parade this year. If you’ll be in the area this Saturday December 17, 2011 check out the 25th Annual City of Indian Rocks Holiday Lighted Boat Parade or the 45th Annual Madeira Beach Festival of Lights Boat Parade. Here are more details about both:

25th Annual City of Indian Rocks Holiday Lighted Boat Parade

Start time: 7:00pm
Cost: Free

The boat parade will starts at the Harbourside Holiday Inn in Indian Rocks Beach at 7:00pm. Jimmy Guana’s is a great place to watch the parade and make an evening of it, however, if that’s your plan you better get there early – it’s always packed that night. Jimmy Guana’s is located at 401 2nd St Indian Rocks Beach. there are 3 categories in the parade based on boat size. 23 ft and under, 24 to 30ft vessels and over 30ft. I’m always amazed at the creativity and beauty of each one.

The boat parade will start at the Harbourside Inn and run north under the Walsingham Bridge and up the intercoastal waterways of Indian Rocks Beach and end at the city limits near North Harbor Drive before Belleair Beach.

45th Annual Madeira Beach Festival of Lights Boat Parade

Start time: 6:30pm
Cost: Free

The Madeira Beach parade starts just north of the Tom Stuart Causeway. The Madeira Beach Boat Parade Route is quite extensive and lasts about 1.5 hours and ends around 8pm at John’s Pass. They award prizes as well and the categories are for boats under 25ft, over 25 ft and then another Old Salt award.

One final tip: If you are planning to watch the parades try to get to where ever you’re going to watch it from at least a half hour early so you don’t miss them since it can be crowded.

I’m curious have you ever seen a boat parade? Tell me below – and if not I hope you get to see one soon!

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

New Home Inventory Keeps Sinking

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:45 AM PDT

Home builders continue to sell homes and work through inventory.

According to data from the Census Bureau, the number of new homes sold in September jumped 6 percent from the month prior, beating analyst expectations. On a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, buyers in FL and nationwide closed on 313,000 newly-built homes last month.

It’s the highest reading since April and a major reason why the available number of new homes for sale is shrinking.

As compared to September 2010, there are 19% fewer homes for sale nationwide. At today’s sales pace, the complete new home inventory would be “sold out” in 6.2 months – the quickest sell-out pace since the April 2010 federal home buyer tax credit expiration.

It’s no wonder builder confidence is rising.

After averaging 15 through the first 9 months of the year, homebuilder confidence jumped 4 points for October, carried by low mortgage rates and the expectation for a strong winter/spring selling season.

For buyers in Clearwater Beach , this could be construed as a housing market-shifting signal. As builder confidence rises, it becomes more difficult to negotiate for upgrades and price reductions on a new home. “Great deals” get scarce.

Furthermore, it’s unlikely that mortgage rates will sustain their current, ultra-low levels into 2012. Rising rates lead to higher housing payments on a month-to-month basis.

If you’re in the market for a newly-built home, in other words, today’s homes may represent your best value of the year.

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Alterações na Política de Privacidade e nos Termos de Serviço do Google

2012-01-28T17:12:00.001-08:00

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Caro usuário do Google, Estamos substituindo mais de 60 políticas de privacidade diferentes do Google por uma política mais concisa e fácil de ler. A nova política abrange vários produtos e recursos, refletindo nosso objetivo de criar uma experiência extremamente simples e intuitiva em todos os produtos do Google. Isto é importante. Assim, dedique alguns minutos para ler as versões atualizadas da nossa Política de Privacidade e dos nossos Termos de Serviço em http://www.google.com/policies. Estas mudanças entrarão em vigor no dia 1º de março de 2012.
Uma política, uma experiência no Google

Fácil de trabalhar em vários produtos Nossa nova política reflete nosso desejo de criar uma experiência de produto simples, que ofereça o que você precisar, quando você quiser. Seja ao ler um e-mail que o faça lembrar de marcar um encontro familiar ou encontrar um vídeo favorito que você queira compartilhar, queremos que você possa utilizar com facilidade o Gmail, o Google Agenda, a ferramenta de pesquisa, o YouTube ou o que mais você quiser.	Sob medida para você Se você fizer login no Google, podemos sugerir consultas de pesquisa ou adequar os resultados da pesquisa de acordo com os interesses que você expressou no Google+, Gmail e YouTube. Assim, poderemos compreender melhor qual versão do Pink ou Jaguar você está pesquisando e oferecer esses resultados com mais rapidez.	Compartilhar e colaborar é fácil Ao postar ou criar um documento on-line, é provável que você queira que outras pessoas o vejam e contribuam. Ao lembrar as informações de contato das pessoas com quem você deseja compartilhar, facilitamos seu compartilhamento em qualquer produto ou serviço do Google com o mínimo de cliques e erros.

A proteção de sua privacidade não mudou. Nosso objetivo é fornecer a você o máximo de transparência e de escolha possível, por meio de produtos como Google Dashboard e Gerenciador de preferências de anúncios entre outras ferramentas. Nossos princípios de privacidade permanecem os mesmos. Ainda, nunca venderemos nem compartilharemos suas informações profissionais sem sua permissão (a não ser em raras circunstâncias, como solicitações legais legítimas).	Alguma dúvida? Temos a resposta. Visite nossas Perguntas frequentes em http://www.google.com/policies/faq para saber mais sobre estas mudanças. (Imaginamos que nossos usuários podem ter uma pergunta ou vinte e duas.)

Aviso de alteração A nova Política de Privacidade e os novos Termos de Serviço do entrarão em vigor em 1º de março de 2012. Se optar por continuar usando o Google assim que a alteração ocorrer, você fará isso de acordo com a nova Política de Privacidade e os Termos de Serviço. Não responda a este e-mail. Respostas enviadas para este endereço não serão respondidas. Nunca insira sua senha após abrir um link que aponte para um site não confiável. Em vez disso, acesse diretamente o site, como mail.google.com ou www.google.com/accounts. O Google nunca mandará um e-mail pedindo sua senha ou outra informação confidencial.

We Are Lending Up to 150K to Businesses

2012-01-27T18:41:00.001-08:00

Blake Warner Inc. can get your business up to $150,000 in working capital!

Could Your Business Use More Capital To...
Expand?

Purchase Real Estate?

Invest?

Lease Equipment?

Advertise?

Requirements

A Blake Warner Inc. consultant will prequalify you for up to $150,000 in unsecured business credit Receive up to $150,000 in business credit lines within 10 business days! 730 FICO Corporate Entity with EIN# UP TO $150,000 in business credit! Interest Rates as Low as 8.99% Unsecured Credit Lines = No Collateral Required! 0% Interest for First 6-12 Months! Stated Income Application! No Income Verification! No Credit Reporting! Lines Will Not Report to the Personal Credit Bureaus!

Contact your Representative at Blake Warner Inc. for any questions on the prequalification application. Please fill out and submit to me to see what we can qualify you far. There are no up-front costs and no personal information is to be submitted to us.

Office - 970-691-4440 Bwarner05@gmail.com Blake Warner Owner

Blake Warner Inc.

PreQual(2).pdf
Startup_Biz(2).pdf
Unsecured_Business_Credit_(1)(2).pdf

Business Lending for FICO 730 and Above

2012-01-27T09:55:00.001-08:00

Up to 150K in 10 business days. Please submit to me the attached PreQual form when ready to move forward. Please see attached requirements.

0% interest for first 6-12 months, then interest rates between 8.99 and 15.99%

Thanks,

Blake Warner

Blake Warner Inc.

Call/Text

970-691-4440

SLC, UT-MST

PreQual(1).pdf
Startup_Biz(1).pdf
Unsecured_Business_Credit_(1)(1).pdf

Irvine Housing Blog

2012-01-27T07:28:00.001-08:00

Irvine Housing Blog

Closed Sales from 1/19/2012 to 1/25/2012

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 04:00 AM PST

Date Sold	Address	Zip	Tract	Sold Price	Beds	SqFt

Airport Area
1/19/2012	8061 Scholarship	92612	The Plaza	$675,000	2	1675
1/25/2012	2210 Scholarship	92612	Avenue One	$250,000	1	868

El Camino Real
1/19/2012	14772 Doncaster Rd	92604	El Camino Glen	$505,000	3	1750
1/20/2012	5151 Doanoke Ave	92604		$360,000	3	1480

Northwood
1/20/2012	26 Midsummer	92620	Bella Rosa	$680,000	4	2386
1/20/2012	31 Castillo	92620	Orchard Glen NW	$420,500	3	1337
1/24/2012	69 Cartier Aisle	92620	Northwood Villas	$388,000	3	1593
1/25/2012	37 Grant	92620		$489,000	3	1672

Portola Springs
1/20/2012	35 Sacred Path	92618	Sevilla	$585,073	3	2044
1/20/2012	20 Land Grant	92618	Sevilla	$599,445	4	2044
1/24/2012	52 Gray Dove	92618	Las Colinas	$995,000	4	3383

Quail Hill
1/20/2012	235 Tall Oak	92603	Ivy Wreath	$650,000	3	1800

Shady Canyon
1/20/2012	8 Vernal Spg	92603	Shady Canyon Custom	$2,750,000	4	4820
1/25/2012	25 Wildhawk	92603	Villas of Shady Canyon	$2,850,000	2	4240

Stonegate
1/19/2012	34 Serenity	92618	Santa Rosa	$378,000	1	1120

Turtle Rock
1/20/2012	12 Highland Vw	92603	Highlands Townhomes	$440,000	2	1600

University Park
1/20/2012	17672 Cassia Tree Ln	92612	Parkside - Deane	$650,000	3	1749

Walnut
1/20/2012	14502 Larch Ave	92606	College Park	$603,000	4	2621

West Irvine
1/19/2012	163 Topaz	92602	Mandeville	$403,000	3	1469
1/19/2012	36 Calais	92602	Concord	$785,000	5	2900

Woodbridge
1/19/2012	10 Rockwren	92604	Gables	$945,000	4	2300
1/20/2012	34 Brookstone	92604		$510,000	3	1440
1/23/2012	28 Greenfield	92614	Alders	$318,000	3	1267
1/24/2012	31 Glenhurst #18	92604	Parkside	$360,000	3	1399

Woodbury
1/20/2012	205 Groveland #15	92620	Garland Park	$375,000	2	1355
1/23/2012	199 Wild Lilac	92620	Garland Park	$390,000	2	1357
1/24/2012	9 Herringbone	92620	La Casella	$560,000	3	1550

architecture 4 us

2012-01-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

architecture 4 us

Redcliffs Estuary, A Sustainable Building Design by Stufkens + Chambers Architects

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 01:08 AM PST

A modern, beautiful house was designed by Stufkens + Chambers Architects in Redcliffs, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is Redcliffs Estuary, a house with some sustainable design concepts adopted, built for a growing family and their numerous guests.

The owners of this sustainable architecture building need a large, open-plan house with some functions, including socialization and business space, and a place of spiritual calm and clarity. The traditional home design in the location of the house became a challenge for the designer, beside the site constraints. The result is a three story contemporary house, composed by three separated building connected by transparent links wrapped around an open courtyard.

Some sustainable features were provided in order to achieve high sustainability for this house. Passive design was adopted to achieve high energy efficiency, supported also by heat recovery system. To maximize natural ventilation and good air circulation, the living pavilions can be fully opened up. Some sustainable building materials were also used, such as low VOC carpets, paints, adhesives and sealants for indoor, There are also dedicated service areas that allow ease of council recycle bins.

The eco construction is completed with wine cellar with controlled air condition. Five bedrooms, several living areas, study room, gym, pool, spa, and garages are provided too. To protect the house from over sun exposure, automated solar blinds are used. The use of big glass windows also provide natural daylighting for the house.

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