Belvedere, La Fayette or Palo Alto

I

irvinenoobie

New member
Hi everyone, I am new to OC and have found this a great resource of information for the clueless like me.  I have toured many homes and have narrowed down my choices to the above three.  Was wondering if you all could give me some thoughts on which unit to purchase.  About me - single, no kids, early forties.  My favorite parts of a house - the great room/kitchen and the master bathroom, and tall ceilings.

Some of you will say why buy a home with 4 bedrooms.  The reason is because I like the upscale look of the Irvine homes, everywhere else seems to be outdated.  As far as coastal properties, well we all know that 1.3 million won't get you much. 

Things I liked about Belvedere 3x Model:  I liked the t-shape entrance and and design of the master bath.  The great room was a bit small but I liked the huge wall for a big tv screen. 

Things I liked about La Fayette (Plan 3):  A bit more on the cheaper side.  I liked the smaller yards (I don't want to deal with maintaining it).  I also liked how the entire back wall opened up into the backyard which made it nice "oasis" type feel.  How much do you all think it would cost to make the backyard look like the model home??  Note that I did not like the glass enclosed shower. The second floor was also a big weird with it seeming a bit "maze-like" with no open bonus room.  Couldn't figure out if I liked it or not.

Things I liked about Palo Alto (plan 1):  Of course, plan 3 was the best, but out of my budget.  Plan 1 was open, and I like the tall ceilings, but the home didn't make me go oohh or ahh...just seemed a bit boring?

Anyway thanks for the comments.  If there are other neighborhoods you think match the above, please let me know!  FYI - i do not want to live in GP or PS or OH, those all seem a bit too far for me.

 
Probably falls under too far. 

Baker Ranch.  No MR.  Should have a lot of attributes you like.  No kids, one less reason to NEED to live in Irvine. 

Tustin Legacy.  No MR, apx $50-125 less per foot. 
 
LongIrvine said:
Probably falls under too far. 

Baker Ranch.  No MR.  Should have a lot of attributes you like.  No kids, one less reason to NEED to live in Irvine. 

Tustin Legacy.  No MR, apx $50-125 less per foot.
Click to expand...

Tustin Legacy has MR.  I am assuming you mean Greenwood, yes?
 
Calistoga in Eastwood and Auburn in Stonegate is coming up within that size range
 
Belvedere is probably the best for you, but it's a bit overpriced for what you get.  I like the location though as it's walkable distance to various trails, shopping, elementary schoo, etc.

I don't like the location of 2nd release of La Fayette as it's closer to Portola area.  The first part of La Fayette release had some really good elevated locations with nice size yard with no homes behind.  But, first part of La Fayette sold out in few months.  It was a hot seller.

Palo Alto plan 1 is a good deal, but like you said it's little boring..with tiny yards facing a wall.  Feels little claustrophobic. Also, KB home brand is not sought after.  But, it's probably most bang for the buck out of the 3 as you get close to 3,000 sqft for starting price of $1.2 million. 

btw, if you are single in the early 40's, why are you looking for homes in Stonegate and Eastwood?  Don't you want to be closer to bars, shopping, and where hot girls hangout more instead of mommies with babies=)  I hate to see a single person paying all those MR.

For the small yard, I say the costs of backyard landscape only (if IP) will be $25 to $30k for backyard only and $35k to $40k for front and back to make it descent.

 
Goriot said:
btw, if you are single in the early 40's, why are you looking for homes in Stonegate and Eastwood?  Don't you want to be closer to bars, shopping, and where hot girls hangout more instead of mommies with babies=)  I hate to see a single person paying all those MR.
Click to expand...
OP is a lady
 
DJW1705 said:
LongIrvine said:
Probably falls under too far. 

Baker Ranch.  No MR.  Should have a lot of attributes you like.  No kids, one less reason to NEED to live in Irvine. 

Tustin Legacy.  No MR, apx $50-125 less per foot.
Click to expand...

Tustin Legacy has MR.  I am assuming you mean Greenwood, yes?
Click to expand...

Greenwood has MR too.
 
Tustin Legacy has MR.  I am assuming you mean Greenwood, yes?
[/quote]

Greenwood has MR too.
[/quote]

And....they have swarms of mosquitos. 
Yes. I think MR at GW might be higher than Eastwood or Stonegate.  Location wise, SG and EW are so much better if you are looking for more peaceful homie feel area.
 
Goriot said:
Tustin Legacy has MR.  I am assuming you mean Greenwood, yes?
Click to expand...

Greenwood has MR too.
[/quote]

And....they have swarms of mosquitos. 
Yes. I think MR at GW might be higher than Eastwood or Stonegate.  Location wise, SG and EW are so much better if you are looking for more peaceful homie feel area.
[/quote]

I have not seen a single mosquito.  No idea where these "swarms" are you speak of, especially since you don't even live in GW.  Location wise, I also disagree.  There isn't a more central location for new construction than Tustin Legacy. 

Back to the point of the post.  If I were you and had to pick from the three you mention, I would choose Belvedere.
 
Not sure about your swarms of mosquitoes. Have you been to Greenwood frequently to know about this? I live in GW and somehow don't see them.

I used to live in Canyon Creek which is about as close as you can get to Eastwood (they are the gated community that backs to where the nursery used to be) and don't consider it any more of a "homey" location than GW.

I don't think they compare in that one is NOT Irvine and some of the lots are very close to a major road (Jamboree) but your reasons for dissing GW seem to be silly.

 
Ready2Downsize said:
Not sure about your swarms of mosquitoes. Have you been to Greenwood frequently to know about this? I live in GW and somehow don't see them.

I used to live in Canyon Creek which is about as close as you can get to Eastwood (they are the gated community that backs to where the nursery used to be) and don't consider it any more of a "homey" location than GW.

I don't think they compare in that one is NOT Irvine and some of the lots are very close to a major road (Jamboree) but your reasons for dissing GW seem to be silly.
Click to expand...

I think its the big pool of standing water behind GW that triggers the mosquito topic. You can see it driving from the Tustin Market place on Jamboree heading towards Alton. I wonder why they made such a big hole for it to fill up with water... ???
 
Yeah.  I will probably choose Belvedere.  But, if you are a single, it will be more fun to walk/bike to the "District" in Tustin from Greenwood.  So you should definitely check out Greenwood.

btw, I am just quoting from bleudyno that just moved into Greenwood.  Maybe the spraying helped.

Offline bleudyno

Re: Greenwood in Tustin Legacy
? Reply #664 on: February 22, 2016, 09:52:54 AM ?
Called Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control and they're going to send someone out to take a look within 1-2 days.  I saw the pools of water in the undeveloped areas of dirt in the nearby areas.  Doesn't look like they're going to start developing the land anytime soon so I don't know whats going to happen when it rains in the future....
Report to moderator   

bleudyno
Re: Greenwood in Tustin Legacy
? Reply #660 on: February 21, 2016, 04:02:16 PM ?
Has anyone experienced any issues with mosquitos?  When we did our final walkthrough, there were several inside the house and a bunch just on the stucco along some of the walls on the outside.  Not a good feeling knowing that there are mosquitos everywhere and we are about to move in.
 
irvinenoobie said:
Thanks.  Why the overwhelming favor of Belvedere over Palo Alto?
Click to expand...
I would never even think about Belvedere. Stonegate and Eastwood are basically the same community by and large and you can get a bigger home for essentially the same price.  Both are generally small lots and you get included solar panels at Palo Alto.  Okay...maybe if you were super super anal about what high school you wanted your kids to go to, but this person doesn't have any kids.

I guess to each there own, but I can't justify Belvedere at all given today's prices. Obviously some people have and they have sold a few, but I am not one of those people. 
 
Bullsback said:
irvinenoobie said:
Thanks.  Why the overwhelming favor of Belvedere over Palo Alto?
Click to expand...
I would never even think about Belvedere. Stonegate and Eastwood are basically the same community by and large and you can get a bigger home for essentially the same price.  Both are generally small lots and you get included solar panels at Palo Alto.  Okay...maybe if you were super super anal about what high school you wanted your kids to go to, but this person doesn't have any kids.

I guess to each there own, but I can't justify Belvedere at all given today's prices. Obviously some people have and they have sold a few, but I am not one of those people. 
Click to expand...

I'm one of those that bought at Belvedere - did my research and also finding Belvedere price to be high, but IP is pricing it to push my limit... resale homes are not helping either as they have gone up in the past few months.

I have nothing against Palo Alto, but I personally prefer EW over SG community in general; less homes, not surrounded by apartments, farther away from landfill, won't get rezoned to Portola High, and not an already-established community of cash buyers :)
 
They're both really nice.  I like Belvedere's plan 3 floor plan over Palo Alto plan 1, don't know about current pricing, but probably would've chosen Palo Alto for affordability.  Palo Alto has the option to convert observatory and the location would be less dense as its in the corner of SG/JOST.  But Belvedere would've won me over if the pricing didn't start off so dang high.

Not sure about the whole cash buyer thing, looking at the grand opening, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference from SG's grand opening..,
 
AW said:
They're both really nice.  I like Belvedere's plan 3 floor plan over Palo Alto plan 1, don't know about current pricing, but probably would've chosen Palo Alto for affordability.  Palo Alto has the option to convert observatory and the location would be less dense as its in the corner of SG/JOST.  But Belvedere would've won me over if the pricing didn't start off so dang high.

Not sure about the whole cash buyer thing, looking at the grand opening, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference from SG's grand opening..,
Click to expand...
If pricing were the same or close, I'd pick Eastwood to Stonegate for the reasons the previous poster mentioned, but I don't think any of those items warrant the significant premium that Eastwood had in phase 1. But to each there own and lets be honest, all of them are pretty nice houses and anyone even considering one is in a lucky position to begin with. 

 
wbresident said:
Bullsback said:
irvinenoobie said:
Thanks.  Why the overwhelming favor of Belvedere over Palo Alto?
Click to expand...
I would never even think about Belvedere. Stonegate and Eastwood are basically the same community by and large and you can get a bigger home for essentially the same price.  Both are generally small lots and you get included solar panels at Palo Alto.  Okay...maybe if you were super super anal about what high school you wanted your kids to go to, but this person doesn't have any kids.

I guess to each there own, but I can't justify Belvedere at all given today's prices. Obviously some people have and they have sold a few, but I am not one of those people. 
Click to expand...

I'm one of those that bought at Belvedere - did my research and also finding Belvedere price to be high, but IP is pricing it to push my limit... resale homes are not helping either as they have gone up in the past few months.

I have nothing against Palo Alto, but I personally prefer EW over SG community in general; less homes, not surrounded by apartments, farther away from landfill, won't get rezoned to Portola High, and not an already-established community of cash buyers :)
Click to expand...

@wbresident Congrats on getting belvedere.  Which plan did you get up going with?  Any lot premium?

I'm like the OP, strongly considering all these 3.  Really comes down to EW vs SG for me and its so hard to tell what EW will feel like since its still a construction zone.  Having all the parks and school connected in the middle though seems great, vs separated out in SG. 

Palo Alto being by JOST seems really nice.  Belvedere will have that paseo, but the older Northwood homes across the wall in view (despite how many trees they say they will plant) doesn't make it feel as nice. I used to think being across the street from the motor homes was bad, but at least you cant see those when youre in your own neighborhood.

My biggest fear with any of these new developments, is hating the small yard (i have a 20ft set back now/older home), not enough natural light because of that, and being in a neighborhood of FCB who lease their place out or leave their homes empty.









 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top