Las Ventanas Plans 2+3 vs. Maricopa Plans 1+2

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ps99472

ps99472

New member
Starting a new thread to help myself and others sort out the potentially big purchase this year.  I plan to follow both developments closely and will try to put up as much info related to the two developments as possible.  These four tracts will be the most sought after new homes in Irvine this year (4 bd, 3 bath, 1 driveway).  My price range is between $750,000-$875,0000, so I'm limiting to these four tracts.  Too start, I'll put in my 2 cents on the pro's and con's of each development:

Las Ventanas 2+3

lasventanasplan23.jpg


+ price (IF TIC keeps the pricing)
+/- upstairs laundry
-  smaller rooms (especially the Great Room)
-  133 freeway
-  fire
-  MelloRoos/Tax rate 1.7%
-  Desert landscaping (I know, its probably due to fire danger)

lasventanasplan2.jpg


lasventanasplan3.jpg



Maricopa 1+2
maricopaplan12.jpg



+ Stonegate elementary
+ Should be well insulated from traffic noise
+ Accessible from both Jeffrey and Sand Canyon
+ Optional fireplace in Great Room (I don't need fireplaces and w/o it can now view the TV while cooking in the kitchen)
+/- Unknown MelloRoos/Tax rate and Dual Association
-  Furnishing will be challenging due to wide open design
-  no upstairs tech/loft space

maricopaplan1.jpg


maricopaplan2.jpg


 
Fireplaces are also optional on LV (click on Add Room Options).

I think you can really only compare the LV Plan 3 to Maricopa Plan 1/2. The Plan 1 is almost the same sq footage and the Plan 2 is 200sft larger.

Taking that into consideration, LV is more space efficient... being able to fit a 5br or 4br+loft and tech space into the same square footage that TIC is using for 4brs (or even a 3br if you look at Sonoma Plan 1). The rooms will be smaller but not sure by how much (maybe that would be a good exercise, use the tape measure tool to compare the different room sizes).

The big knock is location... while Portola is technically elevated and hillside, proximity to the toll road is a minus. Also... the way the neighborhood is laid out could be a consideration as the area planned for LV seems a bit like a bowl and is basically just a loop of a street. If Maricopa had cul-de-sacs, that would be a major plus but based on the map, it looks like it's basically 4 loops in a square pattern (at least there is a park central to these loops). And of Maricopa is across the street from the elementary, which is much better than being across from the toll road.

I wish they built Las Ventanas in Laguna Altura.
 
freedomcm said:
what was the BK take on the toilet over the stove/kitchen?
Click to expand...
I don't really remember... but I think one of them was:

"If you see a leak in the ceiling from the kitchen you will lose your appetite."

Heh.

 
I have not seen these models (and I haven't seen any of Woodbury, Portola Springs), so just looking at the floor plan I was wondering if the Plan 2 Ventanas had a tunnel like feel to it?  It seems like you enter the door only to go down a hallway to get to the main part of the house.  I don't care for that.
 
abcd1234 said:
I have not seen these models (and I haven't seen any of Woodbury, Portola Springs), so just looking at the floor plan I was wondering if the Plan 2 Ventanas had a tunnel like feel to it?  It seems like you enter the door only to go down a hallway to get to the main part of the house.  I don't care for that.
Click to expand...
I would agree... although the stairwell should provide some light... there is one huge wall on the side of that walkway.

We'll see once the models are open.
 
I like Maricopa plan 2, plan 3 seems a little constricted between kitchen and great room but that's just me.

Does anyone know if Maricopa is going to be the motorcourt/alley way design like Montecito?

 
ucla bruin said:
Does anyone know if Maricopa is going to be the motorcourt/alley way design like Montecito?
Click to expand...
Based on the map... these will be standard street and sidewalk homes. I have a feeling we won't be seeing the Montecito style SFR anymore as they will just use detached condos in that segment.
 
Sounds good, thanks! Now hopefully taxes and association won't be too outrageous.

Got an email reply from one of the sales person about Maricopa. Sales gallery is to open 3/19 and model homes 4/9 for those interested.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Fireplaces are also optional on LV (click on Add Room Options).

I think you can really only compare the LV Plan 3 to Maricopa Plan 1/2. The Plan 1 is almost the same sq footage and the Plan 2 is 200sft larger.

Taking that into consideration, LV is more space efficient... being able to fit a 5br or 4br+loft and tech space into the same square footage that TIC is using for 4brs (or even a 3br if you look at Sonoma Plan 1). The rooms will be smaller but not sure by how much (maybe that would be a good exercise, use the tape measure tool to compare the different room sizes).

The big knock is location... while Portola is technically elevated and hillside, proximity to the toll road is a minus. Also... the way the neighborhood is laid out could be a consideration as the area planned for LV seems a bit like a bowl and is basically just a loop of a street. If Maricopa had cul-de-sacs, that would be a major plus but based on the map, it looks like it's basically 4 loops in a square pattern (at least there is a park central to these loops). And of Maricopa is across the street from the elementary, which is much better than being across from the toll road.

I wish they built Las Ventanas in Laguna Altura.
Click to expand...

The TV wall is my biggest concern.  I want to be able to see the TV from the kitchen.  LV plan 2's TV wall is flush along the stairs so the angle is cut off from behind the kitchen island.  If you put the TV between the two windows instead of the media niche, it might work, but would be awkward (remember these Great Rooms are not that big).  LV plan 3's TV wall is also against the stairs and again cut off from the kitchen.  The space between the windows might work, but again, awkward since it leads in from the hallway.  I'm glad they made the fire place optional in the Maricopa plans.  I hated how in Sonoma you are forced to put the TV over the fireplace.  It was a really bad angle for viewing.  Maricopa plan 1 has a decent view despite being at an diagonal to the TV wall.  The winner here is probably Maricopa plan 2, you can see the entire Great Room from the kitchen and easier to keep eyes on the little ones.   
 
Here are a few more nitpicks on the Maricopa floorplans:

Plan 2

-  Access to storage is thru the downstairs bathroom
-  Window in the middle of the shower in the downstairs bathroom
+ Decent size downstairs bedroom

Great room is 16' x 24'
Bedroom 4 is 15' x 15'
M. Bedroom is 16' x 16'
Bedroom 2 is 14' x 12'
Bedroom 3 is 13' x 12'

Plan 1

+ Kitchen sink looks out a window (fresh air!)
-  Lack of counter space?
-  No walk-in pantry
+ Laundry downstairs (personal preference)
-  No storage area? (under stairs?)
-  What's with the windows in the shower?  (hopefully small and up high)
+ Home Management/Mud room/Shoe room

Great room is 16' x 19'
Bedroom 4 is 12' x 13'
M. Bedroom is 16' x 16'
Bedroom 2 is 12' x 13'
Bedroom 3 is 12' x 13'
 
and LV nitpicks

Plan 2

+ Media niche in M. bedroom
+ Garage entry into kitchen
+ Walk-in closet Bedroom 2
-  Both bedrooms are over the garage
+ Counter space in Laundry room

Great room is 20' x 19'
Bedroom 4 is 13' x 13'
M. Bedroom is 20' x 17'
Bedroom 2 is 15' x 13'
Bedroom 3 is 14' x 13'

Plan 3

+ Garage entry in Kitchen
-  No coat closet/storage downstairs?
+ M. shower is enclosed
+ Walk-in closet Bedroom 3
+ Usable deck

Great room is 20' x 18'
Bedroom 5 is 12' x 13'
M. Bedroom is 15' x 18'
Bedroom 2 is 15' x 14'
Bedroom 3 is 15' x 13'
Loft is 16' x 12'

 
@ps994723.14159265:

Thanks for the square footage breakdown.

Interesting... in less total square footage, the bedrooms for Las Ventanas seem bigger than Maricopa. While the online measuring tape may not be precise, we'll see once the models open if they "feel" bigger.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
@ps994723.14159265:

Thanks for the square footage breakdown.

Interesting... in less total square footage, the bedrooms for Las Ventanas seem bigger than Maricopa. While the online measuring tape may not be precise, we'll see once the models open if they "feel" bigger.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was surprised too.. again like Sonoma, where did all the sq ft go?  My eyes were getting tired from measuring with the ruler..  +/- a foot for error.
 
Keep getting calls for San Mateo, even though i never registered for this community.  TIC sure is pushy with the phone calls..  but polite. 
 
We stopped by today at Maricopa for our guided tour of the unfinished models.  Kinda hectic with about 5-6 families in at the same time.  Snapped a few pics, will see if I can post it in a little bit.  HOA is $110 and property tax is 1.5%.  Phase 1 has 8 homes each with about $15-25k in upgrades, move in is around June/July. 
 
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