Portola Springs Neighborhood 4B: Brisa, Celeste and Talise

[eyephone]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a new member, but have been following Talk Irvine and this thread for some time now. I thought that I would contribute as we purchased from Celeste and couldn't be happier. The two neighborhoods we considered were Orchard Hills and Portola Springs because of the hill side locations. We looked at Varenna in Orchard Hills and was set to purchase a home, but we decided that it was more than we should probably spend. Also, the location of the neighborhood was quite flat and we wanted a property with some visual interest. Ultimately, we purchased at Celeste because we were able to get the floor plan we wanted and were surprised that we could get a 180 degree hill side and city view for under a million. This is our first home purchase together since we got married and we are so grateful that we found this place.

Prior to purchasing, we had similar concerns as others did about the landfill and the soil quality. The representatives at Celeste/Cal Pacific were very helpful with getting us the information we needed in order to make an informed decision. I also pulled up reports from the City of Irvine site regarding the soil testing done in the area. We found that the soil at Celeste was fine and that the homesites are located further away from the contaminated areas in question. As for the landfill, we've been back and forth to the property several times and have not noticed any weird or foul odors. If you don't realize it's there, you really don't think about it.

I have to mention that Martin Mania (USCTrojanCPA) is a long time friend of mine and has essentially taught me everything I know about real estate. While he did not represent us in this purchase, he was key in helping us with the mortgage for our house. I hope that this information has been helpful for anyone who is considering Celeste!

Thanks for the helpful information and congrats on your new home.
I personally like the plan 4 of Celeste myself. It has high ceilings with bright and wide feel.
So where are the contaminated areas in questions? Did the sales people or anyone provide this information or did you research yourself?
Telling us the contaminated areas would be really helpful for us to know.

I like that. Congrats for your new home but please tell us about the contaminated area.

 

[kbinteriordesign]

Congrats on the purchase of Celeste and I'm happy that I have been able to help.  Feel free to reach out anytime if there is anything else that you may need help with.

Hey Martin! Your name came up in conversation with one of the Celeste reps, Pam Sofia, and she says she distinctly remembers you, so I mentioned that we've known each other for some time. Thank you for the referral over to John at Bank of America. They were a pleasure to work with. You are definitely invited to our house warming!

 

[kbinteriordesign]

Thanks for the helpful information and congrats on your new home.
I personally like the plan 4 of Celeste myself. It has high ceilings with bright and wide feel.
So where are the contaminated areas in questions? Did the sales people or anyone provide this information or did you research yourself?
Telling us the contaminated areas would be really helpful for us to know.

You're welcome! We like the Plan 4 as well. That would have been our second option, but we were sold on a Plan 3 from Phase 1 that had come back on the market. Plan 3's line the perimeter of the neighborhood and have actual yards as well as a view. The only difference that might affect some buyers' choices is that the Plan 3 is attached via one wall in the garage, but no living walls. I believe that all Plan 4's face outwards towards the street, which is also nice. Celeste is essentially selling all the best view, or premium, lots in the early phases. The later Plan 3's that will be sold will face the hillside/241. Talise, however, is doing the opposite, and selling all their lots with a view in their last phases.

My husband and I read through the disclosures pretty thoroughly and it included information about the soil contamination in the Great Park area. Celeste is located in Enclave 4 and the disclosures specifically referred to soil and groundwater contamination in Enclave 3. The area was remediated and there is about a page and a half of information about it on the Celeste disclosure. We also managed to find reports on the City of Irvine's website dating back to 2011 regarding the remediation that was done. It was hidden deep in the annals of the city site, but I found them! There was also a lot of controversy over this area because this is where the new Portola High School is located, so if you're interested in learning more about it, you can search under that subject.

I attached a map of the enclaves. I believe Cressa is located in Enclave 3. Someone else here might be able to confirm which neighborhoods are located there. Hope this helps!

 

[kbinteriordesign]

Sounds like an advertisement. 

Haha, I suppose that with having a background in sales and marketing, I have a tendency to communicate that way. I assure you that it is not, just trying to provide people with some honest and helpful feedback.

 

[eyephone]

Sounds like an advertisement. 

Haha, I suppose that with having a background in sales and marketing, I have a tendency to communicate that way. I assure you that it is not, just trying to provide people with some honest and helpful feedback.

It?s all good. There?s nothing wrong with your posts. Your posts sounds honest and genuine. A while back on TI, (around a year plus) it seem like some members were actors/fake bloggers.

 

[Mety]

Thanks for the helpful information and congrats on your new home.
I personally like the plan 4 of Celeste myself. It has high ceilings with bright and wide feel.
So where are the contaminated areas in questions? Did the sales people or anyone provide this information or did you research yourself?
Telling us the contaminated areas would be really helpful for us to know.

You're welcome! We like the Plan 4 as well. That would have been our second option, but we were sold on a Plan 3 from Phase 1 that had come back on the market. Plan 3's line the perimeter of the neighborhood and have actual yards as well as a view. The only difference that might affect some buyers' choices is that the Plan 3 is attached via one wall in the garage, but no living walls. I believe that all Plan 4's face outwards towards the street, which is also nice. Celeste is essentially selling all the best view, or premium, lots in the early phases. The later Plan 3's that will be sold will face the hillside/241. Talise, however, is doing the opposite, and selling all their lots with a view in their last phases.

My husband and I read through the disclosures pretty thoroughly and it included information about the soil contamination in the Great Park area. Celeste is located in Enclave 4 and the disclosures specifically referred to soil and groundwater contamination in Enclave 3. The area was remediated and there is about a page and a half of information about it on the Celeste disclosure. We also managed to find reports on the City of Irvine's website dating back to 2011 regarding the remediation that was done. It was hidden deep in the annals of the city site, but I found them! There was also a lot of controversy over this area because this is where the new Portola High School is located, so if you're interested in learning more about it, you can search under that subject.

I attached a map of the enclaves. I believe Cressa is located in Enclave 3. Someone else here might be able to confirm which neighborhoods are located there. Hope this helps!

Great information provided.
I believe PS3 is in Enclave 3. There are Indigo, Vine, Silverleaf, Cressa, and Legado. Based on the map you attached, there are red spots which I guess are the former contaminated areas, but I think they might have not built homes on those spots. Not 100% sure though. I'm sure they confirmed the area is remediated, but it's good to know where.

 

[usctrojancpa]

Sounds like an advertisement. 

Haha, I suppose that with having a background in sales and marketing, I have a tendency to communicate that way. I assure you that it is not, just trying to provide people with some honest and helpful feedback.

It?s all good. There?s nothing wrong with your posts. Your posts sounds honest and genuine. A while back on TI, (around a year plus) it seem like some members were actors/fake bloggers.

I know KB personally, she is not a shill for the builder.  haha

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Great choice in choosing a good plan from a good builder! View property for less than 1m is rare for Irvine. As the GP matures you will appreciate the proximity to all the amenities and still quiet by your enclave. More city lights will be added. Luckily the toll road does not generate a lot of road noise.

 

[kbinteriordesign]

Great choice in choosing a good plan from a good builder! View property for less than 1m is rare for Irvine. As the GP matures you will appreciate the proximity to all the amenities and still quiet by your enclave. More city lights will be added. Luckily the toll road does not generate a lot of road noise.

Thank you! You are absolutely spot on with your observations! My husband and I recently attended an Orange County economic forecast hosted by the Harvard Business Review and one of the notable points that was made is that Orange County lacks a downtown. With its forecasted plans for the Spectrum area, the city of Irvine seems to be aiming towards establishing that area with amenities that resemble that of a downtown, more so than any other part of Irvine. The build out of the GP should hopefully help the overall value of the Portola Springs neighborhood.