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A few updates: 1. Home is very efficient. Today reached about 93 degrees, and as long as the shades are drawn and we don't open the doors too much, the home keeps its internal temp quite nicely and we don't need the air conditioner. 2. One small quibble about the kitchen: Not enough...

OSUJay: 1. No, Mello-roos are not deductible. 2. The association does a very good job keeping up with appearances. They're very quick (<24 hours) in replacing dead plants, etc. The management is also very quick with improvement applications. 3. Traffic isn't bad, but my...

Quick update on the landscaping: I've been told, in no uncertain terms, that I can't do the backyard myself (the board won't approve plans by non-licensed contractors. This includes me.) So, I've drawn some rough plans, and they call for about 270 square feet of pavers, 80 square feet of...

BKshopr: Thanks for the offer. As soon as I get my thoughts in order, I'll contact you via whisper. -OCR

We like Room and Board, which has pretty well made stuff for reasonable prices. There's a showroom in Costa Mesa. http://www.roomandboard.com

BK: Yes, we own it. My home isn't the one at the end of the string...the total distance between my home and the neighbor's is 10 feet, we split it down the middle. Our windows face either Sand Canyon (front) or the 5 (side)...lots of nice warm light in from the side in the afternoon...

Thanks bk! I kinda like that idea. Welcome back. FYI, a few of the STM homes are non-zero lot line, mine included. The side yard ends at a small entry street (which is why it's a bit larger than the others), and we have a smaller 2nd side yard on the other side that I still plan on...

I read this article also, and the one thing this article stresses is the importance of mixed use planning... I would imagine Irvine is a good example of "mixed use" planning, in that we have a stable job base in the area, shopping centers in every village, and a variety of housing types...

Very easy. But my situation/attitude isn't typical: 1. I know I'm going to live there for the long-haul, or at least rent and return for the long haul, since my family (and my wife's family) are in Orange County. As such, short term fluctuations of 10%-15% don't really bother me...

All right. You've talked me off the "concrete ledge". Here's my real issue: My wife and I don't know what to do with our side yard, we've put it off for a while, and now we need to put something in before the 120 day limit (in March). But I don't want to rush it. Most of that 4 months was...

momopi: Nope. we bought in November. I guess I should change my screen to "WoodburyBuyer", but I still kinda like the name... For what it's worth, I've got some (limited) experience with container gardening, and that's probably the route we're going to go in, so while I understand...

It's time to start landscaping our backyard... The only problem(s): 1. I can't keep plants alive 2. Our side yard is small (15 X 30) <strong>I've decided to concrete the whole thing over </strong>and use pots and planters. Does anyone know how much a good/reputable...

Wow. The new prices are $45,000 less than we paid ($867,880). Markets forces in action! For what it's worth, my wife and I really like the plan 3 so far. It seems well designed. -OCR

Ultra: No difference in floor plans, just a different development. Some of the later resale STs were purchased originally for 900K+, so trying to talk them down to $820 might be tougher. I've noticed that the resellers in the area are consistently priced $100K over what Laing is offering...

We bought in Woodbury...here's why: 1. Closer to the rest of Irvine...not by much, but enough to make Portola Springs seem a bit "out there". That's not necessarily a bad thing, by the way...just not our cup of tea. 2. Woodbury is more "done" than Portola Springs...

Fair enough (CEW and OES data differ in methodology), but the question was "Why does the Bay area (San Jose up to Marin) have 2x the average weekly income, per 2006 BLS stats?". I may be splitting hairs here, but I don't see anywhere where that's true... It may also help to look at medians...

I'm confused about the income statistics... The BLS has the following income statistics regarding Orange County: Mean annual: $44,200 Median Hourly: $16.15 Mean Hourly: $21.26 http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_42044.htm The BLS has the following income statistics regarding...

There are a lot of automotive companies in Orange County (this is only a partial list...) 1. Ford Western Region 2. PAG (Jag/Land Rover/Volvo) Western Region 3. Chrysler Western Region 4. Toyota Western Region 5. Mazda North American HQ 6. Kia North American HQ 7. Hyundai North...