Take my breath away...

ps99472

New member
I consider myself a veteran of tract home models.  Lost track of how many I've seen over the years, and yes I am addicted.  My dream home along with many others, would be a floorplan that can properly blend outdoor and indoor living space.  To feel wide open like being outdoors, yet to be in the comfort of an AC indoor home is priceless to me.  To my surprise, I found that home today when I walked into La Vita Plan 4.  Yes a tract home in Irvine. 

We started our minor OH tour today after a pre-Father's Day celebration with the in-laws.  We hit up KB's Vicenza first, not expecting much, but hoping to be entertained.  Walked into the sales trailer, both sales people were in their offices, didn't get acknowledged at first, sales lady was talking loudly to the sales dude in the other room, kinda annoying.  She sees me finally, and screams, first time here?  I nodded and then she never bothered to get out of her chair.  The sales dude came out, and asked abruptly "Everything ok?".  Hmmm.. sure?? not the usual treatment I get when I walk into sales trailers.  Not a good start.  Plan 1 is our favorite, wide entrance foyer, lots of open space.  Not sure if I'm negatively biased, but so many imperfections in these models.  Cheap Vizio TVs, visible dry wall patches near curtains, dirty bathtubs, cheap decor, crooked fireplace tiling, etc.. the list goes on.  Worse is the twirly CFL bulb in the outdoor entrance lamp.  Hello?  It's visible!  How cheap can you be?  Another thing I noticed, the outdoor iron pieces are stamped crooked into the stucco.  Sloppy sloppy sloppy.  If these are the model homes, I'm scared of how a purchased home will turn out.  Kid threw a fit as we were about to leave, guess she hates KB as much as I do.

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When did they start doing side by side different color kitchen cabinets? (KB model plan 3)

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Dropped the kid off at home and decided to go back to check out La Vita.  Told wife that these floorplans will be unlike any other she sees.  Motorcourt piazza (hammered in by sales) entrance turned out better than I expected:

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Lots of room and I can see kids playing and neighbors chit chatting out here (that is if you get along with everyone in your piazza).  Plan 1 did not impress at all.  But sales team was night and day compared to KB's.  Friendly, approachable, at least 4 different sales staff asked if I wanted a sales sheet, and if I needed help/questions answered.  Low ceilings killed it for me here, I was not impressed, views of the OH apartments were ho hum. 

We then walked across the motorcourt piazza to plan 4.  Looked lonely in the corner with it's long driveway.  It has an inner courtyard, nothing special.  The entrance to the house is tucked away (there's a sign pointing to where it is).  We entered and then...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUis9yny_lI

OMG OMG OMG, that was the most common phrase that drooled from the mouths as people walked in. 

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(Super Hadoken!)

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From the elevated corner in the yard

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It reminded me a lot of the large floorplan from Columbus Square, kitchen, dining, great room in one huge line that leads out to the outdoors room and into the yard with a nice panoramic view (apt still there but the wide open view more than makes up for it).  Wife told me she has only been this impressed once before (our current house) and she wants one... Hmmm... $2 million for this motorcourt piazza home.  Good bye 401k. 

Everything is kinda blur after seeing the 20 ft ceiling entrance/great room and the yard.  Master bedroom is on the first floor?  Sure! No problem!  Motorcourt?  Sure, no problem!  No kinder at Orchard Hills School?  Sure, no problem! 

Headed back to the sales office, apparently $400k in upgrades in the model plan 4.  Not too many to go around as well, some guy got the large lot plan 4 in phase 1 apparently hangs out at the sales office 24/7 and gloats to everybody. 

Nicely done Brookfield, you're the closest so far to make me want to sell my house!
 
When I went to La Vita, all the models were open except Plan 4 was closed for the day.  I shall return!  Is it really $2M?  My last house was built by Brookfield, they did a really good job in terms of quality.  Lived there 6 years and no real issues.
 
aquabliss said:
When I went to La Vita, all the models were open except Plan 4 was closed for the day.  I shall return!  Is it really $2M?  My last house was built by Brookfield, they did a really good job in terms of quality.  Lived there 6 years and no real issues.

$1.89 million, upgrades and landscaping can easily push this up to $2 million and over. 
 
So are you saying that for my first Father's Day model home tour I should look at La Vita?

I don't have much time to look today so I was thinking of looking at Strada and then Messina.

Other than La Vita 1, the other models are all Master on the first floor which is okay for my knees, but not okay for my kids who think ghosts are real (#ThrowbackTopic for anyone who remembers that).

Not even sure why I want to look at Strada other than to compare it to Laurel (which I have not seen yet either) because I like to contrast similar floorplans (I guess I should look at Capella too since we did like Quinterra).
 
Do La Vita plan 4 last, it will mess up your brain for the other tract homes.  In order of disappointment to enlightenment:

Vicenza, Strada, Capella, Saviero, Messina, La Vita

 
We liked La Vita plan 4 also. But I am not sure its worth $1.8m

Messina plan 3 was close #2 but for some reason, the Messina plans felt very tight, even at 3700 sq ft.
 
Nothing compares to la vita 4, it is a mindfuck.  Where's my thank you test? 

Oh and a big fuck you to Irvine Pacific, Strada sucked balls
 
Didn't have time to get to OH models but was in the Lake Forest area (Lucille's) so got to see The Heights and Highlands... those entrances will take your breath away (I'll post pics when I'm not lazy).
 
I loved seeing the LaVita Plan 4 this weekend. Very open feeling with lots of light. Having a large lot wrap around the backyard and side is nice. I also enjoyed being able to see the city view from the kitchen. I just can't get over the pricing for this very nice motor court home. I wish the Trevi models were also built on lots with views--it would have been spectacular.
 
ps9 said:
Nothing compares to la vita 4, it is a mindfuck.  Where's my thank you test? 

Oh and a big fuck you to Irvine Pacific, Strada sucked balls

@ Ps9 - Why does Strada suck for you?
 
AA said:
@ Ps9 - Why does Strada suck for you?

The lots are too small.  It's like a fat person (house) trying to fit into pants (lot) that are two sizes too small because it's on clearance at TJ Max and it's the only size available.  Walking into Strada Plan 3 immediately felt cramped, not so much the floorplan, but how close the outside border walls are to the house.  I don't have a Strada pic but it's something like this:


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ps9 said:
AA said:
@ Ps9 - Why does Strada suck for you?

The lots are too small.  It's like a fat person (house) trying to fit into pants (lot) that are two sizes too small because it's on clearance at TJ Max and it's the only size available.  Walking into Strada Plan 3 immediately felt cramped, not so much the floorplan, but how close the outside border walls are to the house.  I don't have a Strada pic but it's something like this:


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I spoke with the sales person at Strada about the lot sizes and the model lots are on smaller lots.  There are many other lots that are much larger in the development.  Besides the small lots, what were your thoughts on the floorplan for Strada?  Especially plan #3.
 
ps9 said:
It's like a fat person (house) trying to fit into pants (lot) that are two sizes too small because it's on clearance at TJ Max and it's the only size available.

Why are my ears burning?
 
This will help get your mind off La Vita

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCwYxvn-pYs[/youtube]
 
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