Shady Canyon

[quote author="Geotpf" date=1256073430]I think building a one-off home only makes sense if you are building your dream home; IE, you are willing to pay extra to have it just the way you want it. Building lone houses on spec seems like an obvious losing proposition to me in this market. A tract builder has economies of scale at work; a guy building a single house most certainly does not.



Due to this, I think lone empty lots have almost no value in this market.</blockquote>


that does make sense, but then again these aren't normal, run of the mill houses built for the masses...
 
Got a flyer on my doorstep today for 29 Salt Bush with the description "... at a BERGIN Price... $3,999,900" I can't imagine trying to sell a $4MM house, and having the realtard misspell bargain.
 
Scfan - I'll know more when we're done with the house, but the most important thing I've found during the building process is shop around because it pays off. There are a lot of subcontractors out of work right now that appreciate work at any price. Others seem to think it's still 2005 and they can ask whatever they want because we're in "Shady Canyon" (...uh-huh...good luck with that...). We could easily have spent hundreds of thousands more than what we'll end up paying for the same materials and same quality. It's nice to have a custom home, but a lot nicer to have the same custom home for less than what you would pay for a tract home in Turtle Ridge. Come to think of it, it was the overpriced tract homes in the area that made us decide to build in Shady in the first place.



The best thing anyone can do, in my opinion, is visit LOTS of open houses and look for things you like that you can duplicate. Take a lot of pictures, and share them with your contractor.



By the way, those are pretty high comps on the Echo Glen properties. Maybe I'm not as upside down in my property as I thought ;-).
 
zulu, how did you and your architect fare during the design process? did the drc allow you to do all that you wanted to do?
 
[quote author="sc fan" date=1256685429]zulu, how did you and your architect fare during the design process? did the drc allow you to do all that you wanted to do?</blockquote>
heh heh, does the DRC EVER let anyone do all that they want? I heard they are just a tad less strict than before...
 
Fortunately, we did not have to go through the DRC during the design process. That was done by the previous owners. I have heard they are reasonable IF you follow the guidelines. If you try to do something different...well...good luck because you'll need it.



They've actually left us alone so far during building. The property management company, however, is petty and quick to cite you if you are one toe out of line.
 
[quote author="Zulu" date=1257645086]Fortunately, we did not have to go through the DRC during the design process. That was done by the previous owners. I have heard they are reasonable IF you follow the guidelines. If you try to do something different...well...good luck because you'll need it.



They've actually left us alone so far during building. The property management company, however, is petty and quick to cite you if you are one toe out of line.</blockquote>


if you got a good plan with your lot / liked the plan your lot came with you lucked out big time! the lots for sale that i have looked at which have plans don't really have plans that meet my current needs/wants so its design from scratch for me. as far as the DRC goes, i'll just accept that its a challenging and expensive process that takes a lot of time. as far as the outside architecture goes, i really like the look they created for the neighborhood.
 
[quote author="sc fan" date=1257671049][quote author="Zulu" date=1257645086]Fortunately, we did not have to go through the DRC during the design process. That was done by the previous owners. I have heard they are reasonable IF you follow the guidelines. If you try to do something different...well...good luck because you'll need it.



They've actually left us alone so far during building. The property management company, however, is petty and quick to cite you if you are one toe out of line.</blockquote>


if you got a good plan with your lot / liked the plan your lot came with you lucked out big time! the lots for sale that i have looked at which have plans don't really have plans that meet my current needs/wants so its design from scratch for me. as far as the DRC goes, i'll just accept that its a challenging and expensive process that takes a lot of time. as far as the outside architecture goes, i really like the look they created for the neighborhood.</blockquote>


From the Architects and builders that I have spoken to, it seems that it would be a good idea to get an Architect who has experience in Shady, who could tell you right away what could probably be done (or not) and manage expectations from the beginning...just a suggestion :)
 
I haven't seen <a href="http://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/29-Blue-Heron-92603/home/5856136">29 BLUE HERON </a> in person, but from the listing pictures, I like this house better than most of the other ones I've seen in Shady Canyon. The only thing that I can't understand is that if you have a house on nearly a 1/2 acre lot, why do you have to worry about your neighbors looking in on you when you take a bath?



<img src="http://media.cdn-redfin.com/photo/46/bigphoto/365/U9002365_13_2.jpg" alt="" />
 
No one knows Shady Canyon more than me because I wrote those restrictive guideline and started the nightmare for the custom home owners. I am to blame. On the other hand, for those who does not have a clue please PM me regarding what could be accomplished. For every poison there is an antidote.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1258162800]No one knows Shady Canyon more than me because I wrote those restrictive guideline and started the nightmare for the custom home owners. I am to blame. On the other hand, for those who does not have a clue please PM me regarding what could be accomplished. For every poison there is an antidote.</blockquote>


bk, i think having to design within your very strict guidelines has become quite the barrier to entry. in addition to separating the men from the boys it's actually helping reduce inventory. there are a lot of sales happening because its easier and/or less expensive to just buy a custom-spec rather that go thru the design / building process. in addition to your stringent exterior architectural guidelines the sqft limitations (especially on smaller lots with very limited 2nd floor allowances) really challenge even the most experienced design teams and mercilessly punish inexperienced design teams / owners with inadequate floorplan/bedroom functionality and odd feeling layouts.



since you are involved at the earliest of design stages with the icdc i wanted to ask if you could tell me if there will be any more custom lot developments on the irvine ranch - looking around i can't see where one would go. i don't see the irvine company trying to pull off a covenant hills scheme where they pass off tract lots as a custom neighborhood/opportunity.
 
[quote author="sc fan" date=1258167181][quote author="bkshopr" date=1258162800]No one knows Shady Canyon more than me because I wrote those restrictive guideline and started the nightmare for the custom home owners. I am to blame. On the other hand, for those who does not have a clue please PM me regarding what could be accomplished. For every poison there is an antidote.</blockquote>


bk, i think having to design within your very strict guidelines has become quite the barrier to entry. in addition to separating the men from the boys it's actually helping reduce inventory. there are a lot of sales happening because its easier and/or less expensive to just buy a custom-spec rather that go thru the design / building process. in addition to your stringent exterior architectural guidelines the sqft limitations (especially on smaller lots with very limited 2nd floor allowances) really challenge even the most experienced design teams and mercilessly punish inexperienced design teams / owners with inadequate floorplan/bedroom functionality and odd feeling layouts.



since you are involved at the earliest of design stages with the icdc i wanted to ask if you could tell me if there will be any more custom lot developments on the irvine ranch - looking around i can't see where one would go. i don't see the irvine company trying to pull off a covenant hills scheme where they pass off tract lots as a custom neighborhood/opportunity.</blockquote>
I would be intersted too in knowing if there are any plans to open "Shady Canyon 2" by IC. I've heard rumors that it was in developing stages.
 
Crystal Cove is the other custom destination. Shady has max its entitlement and I don't think City of Irvine would allow any more additional lots. Besides there is no more land in Shady unless doing major grading to create more pads. Guideline criteria I learned while growing up in the LA ghettos.



The brick detailing for Taylor Woodrows Villas were derived from Downtown Skidrow hotels and sweatshops. They were brick buildings along Spring/ Main and Los Angeles Streets once the financial center of the Western US.
 
[quote author="sanctuary" date=1258384771]How would Crystal Cove ever be described as a "custom" location?</blockquote>


Crystal Cove has 2 sections: Lower beach town and the $10 Million+ custom lots with view of Catalina, Long Beach, Balboa Island, Palos Verdes and Malibu out of the same window.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1258385918][quote author="sanctuary" date=1258384771]How would Crystal Cove ever be described as a "custom" location?</blockquote>


Crystal Cove has 2 sections: Lower beach town and the $10 Million+ custom lots with view of Catalina, Long Beach, Balboa Island, Palos Verdes and Malibu out of the same window.</blockquote>


if only crystal cove had irvine schools and wasn't an extra 15 minute commute over the hill...
 
[quote author="sc fan" date=1258446419][quote author="bkshopr" date=1258385918][quote author="sanctuary" date=1258384771]How would Crystal Cove ever be described as a "custom" location?</blockquote>


Crystal Cove has 2 sections: Lower beach town and the $10 Million+ custom lots with view of Catalina, Long Beach, Balboa Island, Palos Verdes and Malibu out of the same window.</blockquote>


if only crystal cove had irvine schools and wasn't an extra 15 minute commute over the hill...</blockquote>


What schools does Crystal Cove go to?
 
[quote author="awgee" date=1258454674][quote author="sc fan" date=1258446419][quote author="bkshopr" date=1258385918][quote author="sanctuary" date=1258384771]How would Crystal Cove ever be described as a "custom" location?</blockquote>


Crystal Cove has 2 sections: Lower beach town and the $10 Million+ custom lots with view of Catalina, Long Beach, Balboa Island, Palos Verdes and Malibu out of the same window.</blockquote>


if only crystal cove had irvine schools and wasn't an extra 15 minute commute over the hill...</blockquote>


What schools does Crystal Cove go to.</blockquote>


--delete-- see the next post for more accurate info...
 
[quote author="awgee" date=1258454674]What schools does Crystal Cove go to.</blockquote>


"Depending on the property location within Crystal Cove, residents belong to either the Laguna Beach Unified School District or the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.



Homes in Seabourn, Seascape, The Strand, Windward, Watermark, White Sails and Nautilus 1 subdivisions all belong to the Laguna Beach Unified School District, which feeds the following schools:



El Morro Elementary School

Thurston Middle School

Laguna Beach High School



Homes in the other subdivisions (including The Tides, Sea Crest, Sea Point, Nautilus 2 and the custom homes, MAY (depending on geographic location) belong to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which feeds the following schools:



Harbor View Elementary

Corona del Mar High School (which includes Middle School)"

-- per <a href="http://www.crystalcove.com/Crystal_Cove_Schools.html">crystalcove.com</a>
 
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