Opinions please new 2 irvine - about to offer on new home

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nu2irvine

New member
Hello everyone,
I believe that there is good advice to be gleaned from everyone who contributes to this board. I wanted to get your thoughts about some specific Irvine locations, I just sold my home in San Diego and I am planning to move up to Irvine due to work and the schools. I see a few SFR homes in my price range in both WoodBridge and NorthWood located around the streets of Yale, Bryan and Northwood. 

Not quit understanding the nuances of the neighborhoods I was wondering what your opinions about advantages and disadvantages of those locations are. I have a family with two younger children who will be attending elementary school as well. I would like to be in a place where we can live stay for the next 10 years.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.


 
Hello,

Around 750k 3-4 bedrooms 1400+ sqft.

#1) School District
#2) Distance to work - I work in Irvine.
#3) Resale value in 10 - 12 years.
#4) Safe place for family
#5) Asian community, My family is half Japanese, and half white.

Thank you,


 
nu2irvine said:
Hello,

Around 750k 3-4 bedrooms 1400+ sqft.

#1) School District
#2) Distance to work - I work in Irvine.
#3) Resale value in 10 - 12 years.
#4) Safe place for family
#5) Asian community, My family is half Japanese, and half white.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

Nos 2, 4, and 5 are probably covered by just being in Irvine.  No. 3 is probably taken care of as well.

For $750,000,  you can get a place much bigger than 1,400 square feet.  For example,  Jasmine is low to mid $700K and go from 1600 to 1800 sq feet.  Of course, it's new build so the sticker price is not what you are going to pay at the end.
http://www.villagesofirvine.com/Villages-and-Neighborhoods/Cypress-Village/Residence/Jasmine

You're also pretty much covered for school district regardless.  If you want to be picky, Woodbridge High is probably not as good as the other high schools in Irvine.  Northwood probably zones into Tustin USD.  Beckman is quite good.

What about the house itself.  What amenties are you looking for?
 
Do you have any listings in Woodbridge and Northwood you're interested?  Post them here and we can give feedback.
 
This may not still be true, but I believe Northwood and Woodbridge have the most Japanese-American residents.

$750k can get you an SFR larger than 1400sft in both of those areas.

I'll post some Redfin links later but you should really connect with one of the realtors on this forum.

I use IrvineRealtor, Scott Gunther.
 
Thank you all for your help. I am interested in the Irvine experience of the Woodbridge clubs / community and what not. There are several options available in Woodbridge within our price range. However, Northwood provides no HOA and MR and like irvinehomeowner suggested Northwood provides larger homes which make that area attractive as well.

Coming to Irvine, My hope is to create a family experience that maximizes the community to the fullest, and provides a place for my children to grow up and make great connections of their own. I worry in older areas that there are less children and I worry that Woodbridge is more transient with rentals and investors going for a flip.

Thank you all for the feedback.
 
You will be surprised how many young families are in any given village, even the older ones.

I would check out each area for a while, visit the parks, the schools, the different tracts and see how each feels.

Maybe you rent (if you don't mind renting) to "test drive" an area.

One thing that may also help you narrow down your choices, is your work closer to North or South Irvine? Do you think you'll be hanging around in Tustin, Orange and Anaheim or more like Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Santa Ana?
 
Such good questions thank you!

Mostly I believe we will enjoy everywhere in la being new to the area from the beaches to Disneyland. We have explored irvine and except for el camino real off of Yale, I like all areas. I wouldrefer not to be too far of the 5 and like the triangle the most. One home I am considering is 28 miners trl in north wood. I work near jamboree and 405.
 
nu2irvine said:
Such good questions thank you!

Mostly I believe we will enjoy everywhere in la being new to the area from the beaches to Disneyland. We have explored irvine and except for el camino real off of Yale, I like all areas. I wouldrefer not to be too far of the 5 and like the triangle the most. One home I am considering is 28 miners trl in north wood. I work near jamboree and 405.
Click to expand...
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/28-Miners-Trl-92620/home/4780208

Right behind Zion, you can walk over for Yogurtland!  And some chili cheese fries at Del Taco in the early mornings if you got the crave. 

As for the house itself, built in '77, so still possible for asbestos, popcorn ceiling so that can be a pain.  Floorplan is ok, passes the duck duck goose test.  Lots of updates needed in kitchen and bath.  Those will be expensive and possibly catastrophic when you dig into old houses like this.  You won't know what your contractors can dig up.  Pool takes up the small yard, a negative for me since I have a young one.  Dirty shoes underneath master bed is just gross (not a factor but I just want to point out).

Additional living space upstairs will be missed, as well as separate bathrooms for each secondary bedrooms (small kids ok, but teenagers, watch out). 

I would pass, mainly on the amount of renovation you have to do.  Unless you'll ok with plain jane white kitchen.

 
Thank you for the feedback! Yes, I share some of those concerns. I'm not afraid of renovating but the shoehorned pool seems like a concern. How is that neighborhood compared to other parts of irvine?

Much regards.
 
nu2irvine said:
How is that neighborhood compared to other parts of irvine?
Click to expand...

Older homes built in the 70s, dated floorplans, not functional, but I appreciate the separate living spaces.  High volume ceilings for most homes.  Lack of HOA means you'll find some eyesores here and there (i.e. corner lot on Bryan and Culver, those overgrown trees need a bad haircut) but there are some decent finds.  A good mixture of people here, young families, empty nesters, days from nursing home folks can all be found here.  Racial makeup is like rest of Irvine, not sure, but younger tend to be more mixed/Asian while older are white.  We go to "Castle" park quite often, and weekends you'll find lots of playfriends for your kids there.  You'll be going with traffic if you commute south in the AM.  Northbound traffic at 5pm in Irvine is a PITA.  If you have elementary school age kids, I believe you have the option of going to either Brywood or Northwood elem, there was a principal change at one of these schools lately, so I'll avoid that one. 

Here's a no HOA listing
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/4132-Blackfin-Ave-92620/home/4777909

I like the lot size/yard for kids but the T-section is a no-no for some.

Here's one from NWP, smaller but you get to walk to Canyonview in the morning and not deal with crazy parking situations at all Irvine Elem.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/176-Garden-Gate-Ln-92620/home/4791054
 
You can also look into Columbus Grove. Half of the community is technically located in Tustin, but is zoned to IUSD. The accompanying high school is Woodbrige. I spent a couple years there and the community feels like something you might be looking for. I see many young families in that community.
 
nu2irvine said:
Hello,

Around 750k 3-4 bedrooms 1400+ sqft.

#1) School District
#2) Distance to work - I work in Irvine.
#3) Resale value in 10 - 12 years.
#4) Safe place for family
#5) Asian community, My family is half Japanese, and half white.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

What part of Irvine do you work in (major cross streets)? Do you prefer a new home, recent resale (built since 2000) or are older homes OK?

If you can stretch your budget, you'll find a lot more options around $850-900k right now and can look at a Jumbo 2.5-2.75% 5/1 ARM to keep your monthly costs low, especially if you buy an older home with no mello-roos and a low HOA.
 
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