Baker Ranch in Lake Forest / Foothill Ranch
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zubs
Well-known member
Wow you read 42 pages of our inane postings..I applaud you sir.
I think Shea and Toll Brothers are great builders...Better than TIC, Lennar, KB, etc.
I also prefer to buy an old home and put a ton of work/money into it. Old home tend to have the better location...like !jail.
but new is ok.
I think Shea and Toll Brothers are great builders...Better than TIC, Lennar, KB, etc.
I also prefer to buy an old home and put a ton of work/money into it. Old home tend to have the better location...like !jail.
but new is ok.
football76
New member
bones said:The salespeople will have the best info on where you are on the priority list - the loan guys don't usually keep track. Your best bet is just to be chummy with them and ask them outright. You can usually tell by tone if you have a good chance at getting a home at the next phase release. The other thing you can do is sneak a peek at their list - it's usually lying around on a clipboard
From what I observed with Shea is that it will keep on increasing prices as long as the homes are selling - not sure what the pace will be though. They'll either increase the base price of the house or attach a lot premium to certain lots. The other annoying thing they do is - split phase releases so they can get more $$ for the second half of the phase. So if there's 8 homes planned for Phase 3, they may release 4 in a Phase 3A at price X and then release the remaining 4 homes in a Phase 3B at price X+Y. I've asked why they do this and it seems like most of the salespeople hate it but corporate makes them do it this way.
FWIW: In one of Shea's extremely popular tracts in Irvine, they've raised prices about $100k from its Phase 1 to Phase 5 (4 month span). Granted these are $1M homes to begin with but gives you an idea of what they do if the tract is popular.
Thanks bones, I appreciate the input. I'll try to stop by on my way home from work one of these days to speak with some of the sales folks. I noticed they split the Brookland townhouses phase 1 into two releases (1A/1B) with a marginal price increase between the two.
I'm a big fan of Redfin so maybe it's time to start monitoring the resale market. Any recommended listings are always welcome!
football76
New member
zubs said:
Yeah, I "read" most of it - some of it was admittedly skimmed though. The Knolls has been so popular I've been trying to gather as much market into/expertise as I can. I'm from Minnesota where $500k buys you a mansion with acreage (been in S. OC for 15 months).
usctrojancpa
Well-known member
But we don't have those freezing winters. I'm sure you enjoyed our warm winter this year, right? Beats digging out of snow like a lot of other places. hahafootball76 said:
football76
New member
USCTrojanCPA said:
Of course I've enjoyed the "winter" here! The cold was one of the biggest reasons I left MN. I grew up there so I felt like I'd done my time. Glad to be in warm CA. I was more eluding to my unfamiliarity with the local real estate market/areas in OC. We're in RSM now but looking to be closer to work (both in Irvine).
homer_simpson
Well-known member
football76 said:
I was in Eden Prairie two weeks ago.... don't know how you guys do it!
socal78
Well-known member
football76 said:
RSM is beautiful. I think there are some things you're going to miss if you leave RSM for Irvine. Sometimes I wish I had chosen to buy there instead (and yeah, my dh works in Irvine @ Jamboree & the 5. We live in Foothill Ranch. FR borders Irvine. It is to the north of you.) My only regret is not going far south enough.
football76
New member
I'm from Stillwater which is right on the border w/ WI (due east of the Twin Cities). My family and friends have been complaining about the winter there, I guess it's been really bad this year.
I found TI through a google search - I was looking for any and all info I could find about BR.
We really enjoy the RSM lake and have become familiar with the area. However, every time we want to go out with friends we travel away from home. It feels like the only people in RSM are those that live there. Plus, paying for 241/133 (x2) everyday gets old. We'd like to be close to/in Irvine but affordability is a factor. Our budget has been $500s to mid $600s, a little less w/ higher HOA/Mello Roos. Looking for 1400-1700 ft^2 (more is always better I suppose). Ideally we'd want to be in a SFR (or detached condo) but if price dictates we would be ok in a town home as a first place.
Speaking of going south, we looked at The Ranch at Sendero - it was just too much of a commute. We did like a few of the models down there though.
Is there anything comparable in Irvine? I heard someone at work mention Portola Springs...
I found TI through a google search - I was looking for any and all info I could find about BR.
We really enjoy the RSM lake and have become familiar with the area. However, every time we want to go out with friends we travel away from home. It feels like the only people in RSM are those that live there. Plus, paying for 241/133 (x2) everyday gets old. We'd like to be close to/in Irvine but affordability is a factor. Our budget has been $500s to mid $600s, a little less w/ higher HOA/Mello Roos. Looking for 1400-1700 ft^2 (more is always better I suppose). Ideally we'd want to be in a SFR (or detached condo) but if price dictates we would be ok in a town home as a first place.
Speaking of going south, we looked at The Ranch at Sendero - it was just too much of a commute. We did like a few of the models down there though.
Is there anything comparable in Irvine? I heard someone at work mention Portola Springs...
football76 said:
My entire family is from Minnesota and they are having a hell of a winter! I moved out here with my family when I was young and been here for about 20 years. All the rest of my family still lives back there and we love sending them pictures of us on the beach in late February!
We are in the same boat as you are with price points. I lived in RSM for quite some time and now live in Laguna Niguel. We're contemplating moving back into the RSM, Mission Viejo, or Lake Forest area if Baker Ranch price points get out of control for the Knolls. Both my wife and my jobs are moving to Irvine in June so it made Baker Ranch the perfect choice for us. But at the rate the prices are going up we are thinking we want a little bigger home and back yard for the money.
Still weighing our options... We are number 4 or 5 on the priority list and deferred this past Saturday. I forgot who mentioned it but you'll be able to get a glance at the clipboard if you are nosey and go up to the front and look around. A lot of names fell off the list this past weekend as there were a lot of no show non-contingent buyers.
football76
New member
kthoresen said:
Hey good to meet a fellow Minnesotan! sorta...
I've been calling the sales office to see where we are on the priority list but no one has been willing to spill the beans. I was there on Saturday too w/ the wife. I was surprised how many people deferred or were no-shows. (why did you deffer if you don't mind me asking?) I'm hoping our name gets called w/in the next two phases otherwise we'll be looking elsewhere.
football76 said:
We deferred because there were only Plan 1 units left. We want a plan 2. We've been looking around for some other houses too and may deffer this next go around as well. Still kind of weighing out our options and not willing to lose a $20k deposit should something pop up outside of Baker Ranch that we want instead.
irvinehomeowner
Well-known member
Minnesota? PatStar where are youuuuuuuu?
We gave our winters to the East Coast, that's why it's colder there than before.
We gave our winters to the East Coast, that's why it's colder there than before.