How much does size matter?

All else being equal which house in Irvine would you choose?

  • Brand new construction/small lot. 3k SF home, 4k lot, in the area you want.

    Votes: 13 37.1%
  • Older construction/bigger lot. Same size home, same area, 6k lot, 13 year old construction, for abo

    Votes: 11 31.4%
  • Brand new construction/bigger lot. Same size home, 6k lot, same area, but $250-300K more.

    Votes: 11 31.4%
  • Less desirable location/bigger lot. Same size home, 6k lot, same price, but not the area you want.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    35

O Hills

New member
I'm actually OK with a smaller yard. 
But for resale considerations, I'm interested in what others would be willing to pay/sacrifce to get something bigger.
 
Seems like a no-brainer to me, desired location, older construction means less MRs, has a bigger lot and same price.
 
im going to have to go with new/big/expensive. although, older/big is tempting, lets say the bones are better in older/big but new/expensive has that new home smell allure.
 
I pick no. 1 because no. 2 would only exist here:

237598-bigthumbnail.jpg

 
Irvinecommuter said:
I pick no. 1 because no. 2 would only exist here:

237598-bigthumbnail.jpg
Not really true.

While it's not the same location, you can find older homes with bigger lots in desired locations for the same price as new ones.

For example, compare and contrast Turtle Rock or Quail Hill to Orchard Hill.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Irvinecommuter said:
I pick no. 1 because no. 2 would only exist here:

237598-bigthumbnail.jpg
Not really true.

While it's not the same location, you can find older homes with bigger lots in desired locations for the same price as new ones.

For example, compare and contrast Turtle Rock or Quail Hill to Orchard Hill.

I was thinking OH and NP, but was trying not to set off OSguy.  We just got him back.
 
New feels tight everywhere and you have to do all the work to meet your standard. And they are expensive!

qwerty said:
im going to have to go with new/big/expensive. although, older/big is tempting, lets say the bones are better in older/big but new/expensive has that new home smell allure.
 
irvinehomeshopper said:
New feels tight everywhere and you have to do all the work to meet your standard. And they are expensive!

qwerty said:
im going to have to go with new/big/expensive. although, older/big is tempting, lets say the bones are better in older/big but new/expensive has that new home smell allure.

The examples contemplated all-in pricing.
So, just for example, imagine you could get:
New/small for $1.3m, spend $100K on upgrades/landscaping.
Old/Big for $1.35M and spend $50K on upgrades/refreshing.
New/Big/Expensive for $1.6M with another $100K for upgrades.


 
ob1 said:
irvinehomeshopper said:
New feels tight everywhere and you have to do all the work to meet your standard. And they are expensive!

qwerty said:
im going to have to go with new/big/expensive. although, older/big is tempting, lets say the bones are better in older/big but new/expensive has that new home smell allure.

The examples contemplated all-in pricing.
So, just for example, imagine you could get:
New/small for $1.3m, spend $100K on upgrades/landscaping.
Old/Big for $1.35M and spend $50K on upgrades/refreshing.
New/Big/Expensive for $1.6M with another $100K for upgrades.

Old big usually also means more repairs.  Most of the time.. Upgrades will be same because you have to change out a lot... Unless you don't care then it would be less.
 
jmoney74 said:
ob1 said:
irvinehomeshopper said:
New feels tight everywhere and you have to do all the work to meet your standard. And they are expensive!

qwerty said:
im going to have to go with new/big/expensive. although, older/big is tempting, lets say the bones are better in older/big but new/expensive has that new home smell allure.

The examples contemplated all-in pricing.
So, just for example, imagine you could get:
New/small for $1.3m, spend $100K on upgrades/landscaping.
Old/Big for $1.35M and spend $50K on upgrades/refreshing.
New/Big/Expensive for $1.6M with another $100K for upgrades.

Old big usually also means more repairs.  Most of the time.. Upgrades will be same because you have to change out a lot... Unless you don't care then it would be less.

Yeah, I'm with you, but I'm trying not to rehash previous threads debating which would ultimately cost more.
Assume equal pricing between options one and two--  all in, after you've spent all you're going to spend on upgrades, repairs, landscaping etc.
 
i1 said:
I'd take the older home provided floorplan is acceptable all else equal.

250-300k premium is kind of steep for 2k sqf extra lot. 150-200k extra would be more reasonable.

IMO 13 year old floorplans don't hold a candle to new design.
And if you remod to make it modern, you're in the new/big/expensive price range. 
Maybe it's nostalgia, but I think some people actually prefer older design-- reminds them of Duran Duran and Rubik's cubes.  ;) 
 
ob1 said:
i1 said:
I'd take the older home provided floorplan is acceptable all else equal.

250-300k premium is kind of steep for 2k sqf extra lot. 150-200k extra would be more reasonable.

IMO 13 year old floorplans don't hold a candle to new design.
And if you remod to make it modern, you're in the new/big/expensive price range. 
Maybe it's nostalgia, but I think some people actually prefer older design-- reminds them of Duran Duran and Rubik's cubes.  ;)

Shots fired.


Have to agree with you though... Every old home my wife saw always concluded with her saying "let's gut the place."  Ugh... Lots of work.
 
jmoney74 said:
ob1 said:
i1 said:
I'd take the older home provided floorplan is acceptable all else equal.

250-300k premium is kind of steep for 2k sqf extra lot. 150-200k extra would be more reasonable.

IMO 13 year old floorplans don't hold a candle to new design.
And if you remod to make it modern, you're in the new/big/expensive price range. 
Maybe it's nostalgia, but I think some people actually prefer older design-- reminds them of Duran Duran and Rubik's cubes.  ;)

Shots fired.


Have to agree with you though... Every old home my wife saw always concluded with her saying "let's gut the place."  Ugh... Lots of work.

Right?  #blametheHGTVscourge!
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Irvinecommuter said:
I pick no. 1 because no. 2 would only exist here:

237598-bigthumbnail.jpg
Not really true.

While it's not the same location, you can find older homes with bigger lots in desired locations for the same price as new ones.

For example, compare and contrast Turtle Rock or Quail Hill to Orchard Hill.

But that's not the same location at all.  OH, Turtle Rock, and QH are vastly different places.  The closest you can get is probably Woodbury vs. SG/CV but even there, it's different.  Lot sizes are different and house designs as well. 
 
The lot premium on my 6k lot was only $40k, but I think/hope it will be worth more than that at resale. 
 
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