North Tustin/Santa Ana

I really like this one, though I would redo/customize it a little bit:



<a href="http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/9821-Brentwood-Dr-92705/home/4766720">http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/9821-Brentwood-Dr-92705/home/4766720</a>



Edit:



Any here's one that's been redone, is on almost 3/4 acre, for $223/sf. Interesting stuff:



<a href="http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/1710-La-Loma-Dr-92705/home/4762491">http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/1710-La-Loma-Dr-92705/home/4762491</a>
 
What are the differences between Cowan Heights and Lemon Heights? A street divider- is one area "better" than the other? Tesoro HS is supposed to be good- but about the elementary and middle schools? Can anyone tell me from personal experience?



And looking at that thread with all the people trying to determine the ethnicity of the homes- no way it's Persian- too many crosses in all the bedrooms and a Persian would want to showcase their rugs in such a big home. I see lots of tile as well. Persians would go for travertine. (btw I'm Persian).
 
Tesoro? Do you mean Foothill?



And I consider Cowan Heights the area thats lower and off of Cowan Heights Dr. I'd say you arent in Lemon Heights until you drive up Skyline awhile (from Cowan Heights Dr.) and the area around Lemon Heights Dr. and those areas on Skyline past Lemon Heights drive.



So you turn off Newport onto Cowan Heights drive. Theres a fire station there and if you make that right on Skyline and go up you are heading more towards Lemon Heights, while if you stayed on Cowan Heights drive you are heading into Cowan Heights. Not sure about actual borders though.
 
Arroyo Elementary is a great school. I went to Loma Vista, which serves the remainder of the Unincorporated Santa Ana/92705 area. Hewes Middle School was great when I went there. I would consider these schools (along with Foothill) to be very safe and strong academically. Also less "anally competitive" than Irvine schools generally, in my opinion. Of course, that is just my opinion. :)
 
I have relatives who live in North Tustin Hills/Santa Ana/Unincorporated Orange County or whatever you want to call that area.



Sorry guys... it sucks. No HOAs make that place look like a mish-mash of bad architecture. In fact, my relative is guilty of such a crime. He put 5 different types of stonework into the facade and his gate pillars... U-G-L-Y. What's funny is his neighbor asked them to take down some of their pillars because they were too high and he asked me my opinion. I didn't tell him... but I agreed with his neighbors... in fact... if I were his neighbors I would tell him to take down his house and try again.



The area has no sidewalks... barely any streetlights and if you're not careful backing out, some neighbor with a monster truck will run you over. No wonder that guy was able to lead police on a wild goose chase through there a while back.



/graphrant
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1240985444]I have relatives who live in North Tustin Hills/Santa Ana/Unincorporated Orange County or whatever you want to call that area.



Sorry guys... it sucks. No HOAs make that place look like a mish-mash of bad architecture. In fact, my relative is guilty of such a crime. He put 5 different types of stonework into the facade and his gate pillars... U-G-L-Y. What's funny is his neighbor asked them to take down some of their pillars because they were too high and he asked me my opinion. I didn't tell him... but I agreed with his neighbors... in fact... if I were his neighbors I would tell him to take down his house and try again.



The area has no sidewalks... barely any streetlights and if you're not careful backing out, some neighbor with a monster truck will run you over. No wonder that guy was able to lead police on a wild goose chase through there a while back.



/graphrant</blockquote>


If you think your relative's house is ugly then it must be beyond atrocious.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240987266]If you think your relative's house is ugly then it must be beyond atrocious.</blockquote>
Well... that's the rub isn't it? I think most of the houses in the foothill areas are ugly... yet you guys love them. So maybe my relative's house is your "dream home"?



I think that's one thing people tend to miss here... we all have different tastes and there really is no right or wrong (well... within reason). For all the threads you guys gank me with about garages... I'm pretty confident that a good portion of IHB readers love 'em just as much as I do.



Don't hate... garage-ulate!
 
<a href="http://www.cayci.com/pictures/IHBShare/BlueRoofHouse/album/index.html">More pics of blue roof house which I happen to like but might be falling down the hill</a>
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1240987717][quote author="bkshopr" date=1240987266]If you think your relative's house is ugly then it must be beyond atrocious.</blockquote>
Well... that's the rub isn't it? I think most of the houses in the foothill areas are ugly... yet you guys love them. So maybe my relative's house is your "dream home"?



I think that's one thing people tend to miss here... we all have different tastes and there really is no right or wrong (well... within reason). For all the threads you guys gank me with about garages... I'm pretty confident that a good portion of IHB readers love 'em just as much as I do.



Don't hate... garage-ulate!</blockquote>


I think you have missed my point even after reading all my posts. I do not hate garages but I do hate the placement of garages across the front of the home. I love my garage.



We all have heard of many classic and well sought after communities in socal. Can you name a few that have garages all across the front of homes?



Can you name a bunch of ghettos with garages across the front of homes?



There must be some explanations?
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240988771]I think you have missed my point even after reading all my posts. I do not hate garages but I do hate the placement of garages across the front of the home. I love my garage.

</blockquote>
No I haven't... but I'll restate mine although you already know it. Many times, from either the builder or the homeowner perspective, forward faced garages are more practical... function over form.



I've already math-wrestled with you on you how your alley-loaded design does little in increasing square footage/home density. In fact, it poses problems because of the requirement for a half-alley for homes on the edges of such a layout, or you would have homes that front busy streets, hills etc etc.



There are tons of examples of objects that look great... but when it comes to doing what it should do.. the aesthetic sometimes falls short... so you have to compromise. Sure... Irvine is cookie-cutter/boring/stuccobox/whatever... but it works... and it's kept it value better than surrounding communities. Argue all you want about the pastels colors and HOAs... but prices hold much better than similarly designed communities.

<blockquote>

We all have heard of many classic and well sought after communities in socal. Can you name a few that have garages all across the front of homes?

</blockquote>
I'm sure they exist... but it's all relative to what your definition of "classic" is. And I just gave you an example of a sought-after community with frontal garages... Irvine.

<blockquote>

Can you name a bunch of ghettos with garages across the front of homes?</blockquote>
Sure... I can name some that have back garages too... in fact... there are tons in Santa Ana, Orange and Costa Mesa.



If you're going to correlate garage location with quality of neighborhood... you're gonna need to give me more than Floral Park.



This doesn't mean you don't know what you're talking about... but I'm not gonna sheep it up either.



I'm just saying it's all "eye of the beholder" when it comes to housing... one man's frontal garage nightmare could be another man's dream mansion. If you want more people to participate in IHB discussions... we have to be more accomodating of different likes and dislikes. Otherwise, let's just call this forum the IHBk.



(man... I really have to give Graph back his crankypants)
 
Here is my list of well sought after communities not dominated by garages. They represent the upper housing price strata in California.



San Marino

Hancock Park

Bel Air

Palisade

90210

Cheviot Hills

Belmont Heights

Bixby knoll

Floral Park

Balboa Island

Rolling Hills

Palos Verdes

La Fayette Park

Carthay Circle

Los Feliz

La Canada Flintridge

Oak Knoll

Arcadia

Orange Grove

Arroyo Seco

Rancho Santa Fe

Kensington Park

Coronado

Claremont

Montecito

Hope Ranch

Piedmont

Palo Altos

Atherton

Hillsborough

Los Gatos

Saint Francis Wood

Rose Garden, San Jose

Moraga

Carmel

Monterey



The last time I checked shoppers are attracted to Irvine for the schools and safety and not frontal garages. Irvine?s zoning and business hour ordinances which forbid adult oriented businesses and blue collar businesses eliminate the potential of crimes.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240991758]Here is my list of well sought after communities not dominated by garages. </blockquote>


BK - I think you would love <a href="http://www.mackinacisland.org/accommodations.html">Mackinac Island, MI</a>. It is a step back in time, sort of like your community. The homes are beautiful. Plus they do not allow any cars on the island other than emergency vehicles. Everyone travels by bicycle, foot, or carriage ride. The movie "Somewhere In Time" with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve was filmed at the famous Grand Hotel. It is my goal to one day visit this island. Have you been??
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240995484][quote author="bkshopr" date=1240991758]Here is my list of well sought after communities not dominated by garages. </blockquote>


BK - The movie "Somewhere In Time" with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve was filmed at the famous Grand Hotel. It is my goal to one day visit this island. Have you been??</blockquote>


I would love to visit. I love that movie. Clairemont Hotel in Berkeley is also gorgeous like the Grand Hotel. Thank you for this link. Litchfield Connecticut is another town where modernization is tastefully integrated into the towns aesthetic. Porch lanterns are gas lit and streets have no indication of vehicular markers and lane delineation. Garages are parked in converted horse stables with barn doors.







<img src="http://img2.timeinc.net/toh/i/g/1106_garden/landscaping-02.jpg" alt="" />

Garden in Litchfield



<img src="http://img2.photographersdirect.com/img/21621/wm/pd1348369.jpg" alt="" />

Shops in Litchfield





<img src="http://www.wwowens.com/images/19_century_NE/CT_RI_VT/J_FirstCongregationalChurchLitchfieldConnecticut_Full.jpg" alt="" />

Town Square in Litchfield



<img src="http://img2.photographersdirect.com/img/21621/wm/pd1349778.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240991758]Here is my list of well sought after communities not dominated by garages. They represent the upper housing price strata in California.

</blockquote>
None of those places are in Irvine.

<blockquote>

The last time I checked shoppers are attracted to Irvine for the schools and safety and not frontal garages.

</blockquote>
Last time I checked, I never said frontal garages attracted people to Irvine. You asked for sought after places that had garages... and I complied.

<blockquote>

Irvine?s zoning and business hour ordinances which forbid adult oriented businesses and blue collar businesses eliminate the potential of crimes.</blockquote>
Oh... so you mean it's not the frontal garages that keep the city safe?



Man... I get it... you don't like the way they look. But you admit they provide a function. And for every bk... there's probably a dozen other Chinese/Korean/Zimbabwenetians who love that frontal 3-car garage. If they were so appalled as you... they would all be living in Floral Park or any of the thousands of other areas you listed. Unless you somehow make more land so that it's affordable for every person to own a lot that they can put a garage in the back out of sight... that's the reality you need to deal with in Irvine... isn't that why you DON'T live here?



P.S. Somewhere In Time was one of the best movies ever.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1241001160] Litchfield Connecticut is another town where modernization is tastefully integrated into the towns aesthetic. Porch lanterns are gas lit and streets have no indication of vehicular markers and lane delineation. Garages are parked in converted horse stables with barn doors. </blockquote>


That is beautiful. Thanks for the pics. My in-laws live in Litchfield County so I've been able to see the wonderful architecture in that area. What I find amazing there is the history... seeing structures that were built some time in the 1700's (and even earlier in other parts) is amazing.
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1241014785][quote author="bkshopr" date=1240991758]Here is my list of well sought after communities not dominated by garages. They represent the upper housing price strata in California.

</blockquote>
None of those places are in Irvine.

<blockquote>

The last time I checked shoppers are attracted to Irvine for the schools and safety and not frontal garages.

</blockquote>
Last time I checked, I never said frontal garages attracted people to Irvine. You asked for sought after places that had garages... and I complied.

<blockquote>

Irvine?s zoning and business hour ordinances which forbid adult oriented businesses and blue collar businesses eliminate the potential of crimes.</blockquote>
Oh... so you mean it's not the frontal garages that keep the city safe?



Man... I get it... you don't like the way they look. But you admit they provide a function. And for every bk... there's probably a dozen other Chinese/Korean/Zimbabwenetians who love that frontal 3-car garage. If they were so appalled as you... they would all be living in Floral Park or any of the thousands of other areas you listed. Unless you somehow make more land so that it's affordable for every person to own a lot that they can put a garage in the back out of sight... that's the reality you need to deal with in Irvine... isn't that why you DON'T live here?



P.S. Somewhere In Time was one of the best movies ever.</blockquote>


Let me put this functional frontal garage in a different perspective. It is like a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord. Both home and car are attracting the same demographic especially Asians and Pacific Islanders. This buyer group values function over aesthetic and electronics over arts. There is nothing wrong with that.



Neither a Camry or the lap top will ever become a classic collector items. The same also applies to stucco boxes with frontal garages. They are all trend and will not age and stand the test of time. They are not eternal and only viewed as transitional. This is the primary reason why owner sell their lap top, Iphone and homes so they can own the next models. This cycle does not end. Realtards and Mortgage people benefit from every transaction.



When consumers roll over and accept sub-standard housing solutions and then that allows developers to continue to shrink lot sizes. Consumers should boycott such a product and just don't buy. Developers will have to come up with functional garages in a subordinate positioning that is aesthetic pleasing to satisfy the consumers. You and other consumers allowed the developers to take advantage of you and rob your hard earned money.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240991758] Irvine?s zoning and business hour ordinances which forbid adult oriented businesses and blue collar businesses eliminate the potential of crimes.</blockquote>


There's a lot too this. I own a small, one man business - and I wear a uniform-style attire. Think the UPS man with different colors.



When my wife worked in Irvine, we ate at some random mexican restaruant near El Camino and Jamboree because (on a fluke) I was around - and in my uniform. I can't remember ever getting mad dogged as badly as I was by the suit and tie crowd. Unless I'm drunk and standing on the bar throwing shot glasses, I don't ordinarily get stared at by men, but I sure did here. I'm Captain Ignorant to this sort of thing, but it was palapable - "What is a commoner like YOU doing in our space??!!!???"



It also explains why there is no auto repair outside of construction circle, the Irvine Auto Center, and three random gas stations around town.
 
I'm gonna go back to the topic at hand because bk and I will stalemate forever on the garage thing... although I think I have the advantage as I can bust out efight moves all day (ask AZDave about having to back off his Yoda pics after he tried to go toe to toe with me)...



About the North Tustin Foothills area (I still don't know what to call that place)... the no sidewalk thing is a big turnoff for me. Having younger kids, we enjoy taking them out on their bikes to ride around the neighborhood and that is impossible in that area. In addition, guest parking is ATROCIOUS. We have a friend who lives off of Crawford Canyon and whenever they have parties... it's such a pain since the only access to their place is a narrow road that becomes a one-way street since everyone has to park on one side of it.



Would I rather not pay HOAs and Mello Roos? Of course. But it's worth it to me to have nice pools, parks and a well manicured neighborhood. Of course, bk cheats because he can access all those amenities without paying for it, but not all of us have those type of connections.
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1241053716]I'm gonna go back to the topic at hand because bk and I will stalemate forever on the garage thing... although I think I have the advantage as I can bust out efight moves all day (ask AZDave about having to back off his Yoda pics after he tried to go toe to toe with me)...



About the North Tustin Foothills area (I still don't know what to call that place)... the no sidewalk thing is a big turnoff for me. Having younger kids, we enjoy taking them out on their bikes to ride around the neighborhood and that is impossible in that area. In addition, guest parking is ATROCIOUS. We have a friend who lives off of Crawford Canyon and whenever they have parties... it's such a pain since the only access to their place is a narrow road that becomes a one-way street since everyone has to park on one side of it.



Would I rather not pay HOAs and Mello Roos? Of course. But it's worth it to me to have nice pools, parks and a well manicured neighborhood. Of course, bk cheats because he can access all those amenities without paying for it, but not all of us have those type of connections.</blockquote>


Connection is made when you attend museums and view art exhibits. Perhaps doing that would expand your horizon in aesthetic and learning to appreciate beauty over utilitarian.



The things that you mentioned are the things that make beautiful communities. If you want to talk about function then I will give you one. No parking along the curb side is the primary tactic in discouraging burglary. The lots are large enough to provide guest parking so why need to park outside the premise.



Yes. I have access but I do not use them. My backyard is my haven and it is where I go to seek tranquility. Do not forget that I can't swim so I have no use of the Irvine amenities. I do not use them and why pay for them. I can auction my universal access keys on Ebay.
 
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