2010 Irvine New Home Collection

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]First of all, I am what you guys hate Chinese buyer. I bought one in Sonoma, I know lots of my friends also bought other models in 2010 collections. All of us are highly educated professionals, making well above Irvine median, every single penny of our income shows in our W-2s, nothing hided from IRS. I am well aware that there is a good chance that housing price in Irvine will drop another 10% in next 2-3 years, but I don't have the luxury to wait that long, buying a house is not all about investment, there are always something else more important than money in our life. I just want to buy it now even it seems like a dumb financial decision. If you feel you can not afford the new houses, why not go back to school, get a better degree or find a second job to boost your income, rather than whining here like a kid. I can tell you most of the Chinese buyers are from local like us, if you go to broadcom or western digital, you will see us working there as senior professionals making this county stay in the lead in technology in this competitive world.
I am not native English speaker, if you want to make fun of my English, go ahead, if that's the only way you can kill your time.

[/quote]

We are not here to whine because we can't afford the homes. You are the reason why developer is taking advantage you. Rather than being defiant you would rather take a second job or go back to school for another degree to earn more money so you can feed the greedy.

You have all the classic subservient attitude that allowed your country ruled by a dictator who robbed your country, your culture, and your dignity.
 
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]First of all, I am what you guys hate Chinese buyer. I bought one in Sonoma, I know lots of my friends also bought other models in 2010 collections. All of us are highly educated professionals, making well above Irvine median, every single penny of our income shows in our W-2s, nothing hided from IRS. I am well aware that there is a good chance that housing price in Irvine will drop another 10% in next 2-3 years, but I don't have the luxury to wait that long, buying a house is not all about investment, there are always something else more important than money in our life. I just want to buy it now even it seems like a dumb financial decision. If you feel you can not afford the new houses, why not go back to school, get a better degree or find a second job to boost your income, rather than whining here like a kid. I can tell you most of the Chinese buyers are from local like us, if you go to broadcom or western digital, you will see us working there as senior professionals making this county stay in the lead in technology in this competitive world.
I am not native English speaker, if you want to make fun of my English, go ahead, if that's the only way you can kill your time.

[/quote]
EDIT:
You know, I had many things to say when I first read your post last night. But I'll just delete it this morning, because it is clear you do not understand at all why some on this board might be calling into question the price points on the 2010 New Home Collection, and probably never will. And anything I have to say will not make a difference.

Perhaps spending some time reading the history of not only this thread and forum, but also dating back to the Irvine Housing Blog days may give you some perspective on both the "why" and "who" discussing this housing collection. Not everyone here (besides yourself) is a low educated, non-professional whiner wishing for an opportunity buy in Woodbury. Many unique personalities and personal motivations here.

But I doubt you will do that, because you seem very confident in yourself and your decision, so I'll just say best of luck with your new home.
 
Thanks CK and jumpcut for your congratulations. I know it is a big risky commitment buying a new house, especially in this uncertainty time, but it could also be a good opportunity, I've never thought I could afford a brand new 2700 sf house in Irvine, even it is sitting on a tiny lot. Sorry IHO, I don't want to reveal more specific information about my buying process, what I can tell you is I was on top of the pre-reg list without contingent, I was lucky that I could choose my favorite lot.
Thank you scubasteve for your kind comments, our houses price difference reflects the age difference between us, I am sure you will be able to move up to sonoma or even carmel when you reach my age.
I've been following IHB and now TI for more than 3 years, I'd say I like most of you guys, I've learned a lot from you. Sorry, I didn't contribute much as I preferred to be a silent reader. Thanks again for all the information and analysis you guys put in, I really appreciate.
 
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]First of all, I am what you guys hate Chinese buyer. I bought one in Sonoma, I know lots of my friends also bought other models in 2010 collections. All of us are highly educated professionals, making well above Irvine median, every single penny of our income shows in our W-2s, nothing hided from IRS. I am well aware that there is a good chance that housing price in Irvine will drop another 10% in next 2-3 years, but I don't have the luxury to wait that long, buying a house is not all about investment, there are always something else more important than money in our life. I just want to buy it now even it seems like a dumb financial decision. If you feel you can not afford the new houses, why not go back to school, get a better degree or find a second job to boost your income, rather than whining here like a kid. I can tell you most of the Chinese buyers are from local like us, if you go to broadcom or western digital, you will see us working there as senior professionals making this county stay in the lead in technology in this competitive world.
I am not native English speaker, if you want to make fun of my English, go ahead, if that's the only way you can kill your time.



[/quote]

ABNF... thank you for sharing and being open here... welcome... we welcome your frankness... you are the prime example of who I like to ask a few questions, feel free to answer any you feel comfortable with...

1) On average how many hours a week do you work?
2) How is your relationship with your wife & kids?
3) How much time do you spend on average with your wife & kids?
4) How many close friends, peers do you have? How much time do you spend with them?
5) Did your parents help you with the down payment, child care or monthly expenses?

When I compare those answers to a lot of my neighbors, the more I don't fit in Irvine...


To be fair, I guess I should answer my own questions...

1) At most for the past year I worked no more than 25 hours a week.
2) My relationship with my wife is always a work in progress, but we have an open deep relationship where where we love each other more today than our wedding day.
3) I spend more than 20+ hours personally one-on-one with my son per week.
4) I currently have 6 guys that I am walking life with, we text, talk and meet every other week. I can call them 3am and they will get out bed and have coffee with me at Denny's if I ask.
5) My parents have not contributed a single penny towards our down payment and I don't rely on them for child care.
 
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]Sorry IHO, I don't want to reveal more specific information about my buying process, what I can tell you is I was on top of the pre-reg list without contingent, I was lucky that I could choose my favorite lot.[/quote]
No worries... I didn't mean the specific buying process of this house... but more like what made you decide the neighborhood you chose over the others and then Woodbury over other resales in Irvine.

Not having seen Montecito or Carmel models in person yet, I have an affinity for Sonoma overall (although not for their prices). I also like Plan 2 in Montecito (again not the price) and regardless of the motorcourt, I think it's the best plan for that builder.

I think my question here is what drew you more to this particular house? Was it because it's brand new?

While posters like CK may find it strange why people may pay more for smaller houses/lots that are new over resales that are bigger and maybe better located.... I do understand the allure of the brand new home smell. It's also tempting to me but I just can't justify the price. Who knows.... maybe in 6 months if (when?) things slow down and TIC makes price adjustments or offers incentives... we may become your neighbor... heh.

Good luck with your purchase and welcome to TI... if anything the 2010 Home Collection turned you from a lurking reader to a semil poster.

P.S. Don't mind BK... his bark is worse than his bite.
 
[quote author="roundcorners"]
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]First of all, I am what you guys hate Chinese buyer. I bought one in Sonoma, I know lots of my friends also bought other models in 2010 collections. All of us are highly educated professionals, making well above Irvine median, every single penny of our income shows in our W-2s, nothing hided from IRS. I am well aware that there is a good chance that housing price in Irvine will drop another 10% in next 2-3 years, but I don't have the luxury to wait that long, buying a house is not all about investment, there are always something else more important than money in our life. I just want to buy it now even it seems like a dumb financial decision. If you feel you can not afford the new houses, why not go back to school, get a better degree or find a second job to boost your income, rather than whining here like a kid. I can tell you most of the Chinese buyers are from local like us, if you go to broadcom or western digital, you will see us working there as senior professionals making this county stay in the lead in technology in this competitive world.
I am not native English speaker, if you want to make fun of my English, go ahead, if that's the only way you can kill your time.



[/quote]

ABNF... thank you for sharing and being open here... welcome... we welcome your frankness... you are the prime example of who I like to ask a few questions, feel free to answer any you feel comfortable with...

1) On average how many hours a week do you work?
2) How is your relationship with your wife & kids?
3) How much time do you spend on average with your wife & kids?
4) How many close friends, peers do you have? How much time do you spend with them?
5) Did your parents help you with the down payment, child care or monthly expenses?

When I compare those answers to a lot of my neighbors, the more I don't fit in Irvine...


To be fair, I guess I should answer my own questions...

1) At most for the past year I worked no more than 25 hours a week.
2) My relationship with my wife is always a work in progress, but we have an open deep relationship where where we love each other more today than our wedding day.
3) I spend more than 20+ hours personally one-on-one with my son per week.
4) I currently have 6 guys that I am walking life with, we text, talk and meet every other week. I can call them 3am and they will get out bed and have coffee with me at Denny's if I ask.
5) My parents have not contributed a single penny towards our down payment and I don't rely on them for child care.[/quote]

I'm not sure where you are trying to get with these questions, but I'll answer as well!

1) I work about 40-50 hours a week.

2) Have no kid, but things are great with the wifey. We've been married just over a year now and have been dating for 8 years prior to our marriage.

3) It's been tough hanging out with my wife during the week since I'm working full time and going to school part time at night, but she is very understanding and we do our best to make time for each other on the weekends.

4) I have 6 close friends as well. Again, it's hard to hang out because of school, but i speak to them daily through Gchat or keep in touch through Facebook. These are guys that I used to do happy once a week prior to starting school. We definitely try to hang out once a month these days, but most of my buddies are going through life changing transitions at the moment- whether it's school, marriage, or baby, they are keeping themselves busy like I am. Other than those 6 close friends, there are the usual guys at work that I play ball with twice a week and my other school friends that I've been spending most of my time with- mostly due to us having weekly group projects/homework.

5) Nope. My parents still have 2 kids in college (1 in med school, the other undergrad). My dad was laid off his full time job and re-hired as a contractor (aka pay cut). They are broke and I'm helping my little brother out with his tuition.
 
[quote author="scubasteve"]
[quote author="roundcorners"]

ABNF... thank you for sharing and being open here... welcome... we welcome your frankness... you are the prime example of who I like to ask a few questions, feel free to answer any you feel comfortable with...

1) On average how many hours a week do you work?
2) How is your relationship with your wife & kids?
3) How much time do you spend on average with your wife & kids?
4) How many close friends, peers do you have? How much time do you spend with them?
5) Did your parents help you with the down payment, child care or monthly expenses?

When I compare those answers to a lot of my neighbors, the more I don't fit in Irvine...


To be fair, I guess I should answer my own questions...

1) At most for the past year I worked no more than 25 hours a week.
2) My relationship with my wife is always a work in progress, but we have an open deep relationship where where we love each other more today than our wedding day.
3) I spend more than 20+ hours personally one-on-one with my son per week.
4) I currently have 6 guys that I am walking life with, we text, talk and meet every other week. I can call them 3am and they will get out bed and have coffee with me at Denny's if I ask.
5) My parents have not contributed a single penny towards our down payment and I don't rely on them for child care.[/quote]

I'm not sure where you are trying to get with these questions, but I'll answer as well!

1) I work about 40-50 hours a week.

2) Have no kid, but things are great with the wifey. We've been married just over a year now and have been dating for 8 years prior to our marriage.

3) It's been tough hanging out with my wife during since I'm working full time and going to school part time at night, but she is very understanding and we do our best to make time for each other on the weekends.

4) I have 6 close friends as well. Again, it's hard to hang out because of school, but i speak to them daily through Gchat or keep in touch thru facebook. These are guys that I used to do happy once a week prior to starting school. Definitely try to hang out once a month these days, but most of my buddies are going through life changing transitions at the moment- whether it's school, marriage, or baby and are keeping themselves busy like i am. Other than those 6 close friends, there are the usual guys at work that I play ball with twice a week and my other school friends that I've been spending most of my time with- mostly due to us having weekly group projects/homework.

5) Nope. My parents still have 2 kids in college (1 in med school, the other undergrad). My dad was laid off his full time job and re-hired as a contractor (aka pay cut). They are broke and I'm helping my little brother out with his tuition. [/quote]

Thank you so much Steve for answering, somehow I feel you're more the exception than the typical Asian buyer. My point is that it comes down to choices and your priorities. For a lot of us, we can't have everything; it's like a full time mom who is also a working professional; something has got to give... a lot of home debtors I know are choosing to buy or hold on to their homes with the cost of working long hours, sacrificing quality time in their marriages & kids, not having close relationships and relying on their parents for financial help... it's not hard to find a family that is at least stretching it a little in some areas of their lives to live in Irvine; you do sound very well balance...
 
[quote author="scubasteve"]
[quote author="roundcorners"]

ABNF... thank you for sharing and being open here... welcome... we welcome your frankness... you are the prime example of who I like to ask a few questions, feel free to answer any you feel comfortable with...

1) On average how many hours a week do you work?
2) How is your relationship with your wife & kids?
3) How much time do you spend on average with your wife & kids?
4) How many close friends, peers do you have? How much time do you spend with them?
5) Did your parents help you with the down payment, child care or monthly expenses?

When I compare those answers to a lot of my neighbors, the more I don't fit in Irvine...


To be fair, I guess I should answer my own questions...

1) At most for the past year I worked no more than 25 hours a week.
2) My relationship with my wife is always a work in progress, but we have an open deep relationship where where we love each other more today than our wedding day.
3) I spend more than 20+ hours personally one-on-one with my son per week.
4) I currently have 6 guys that I am walking life with, we text, talk and meet every other week. I can call them 3am and they will get out bed and have coffee with me at Denny's if I ask.
5) My parents have not contributed a single penny towards our down payment and I don't rely on them for child care.[/quote]

I'm not sure where you are trying to get with these questions, but I'll answer as well!

1) I work about 40-50 hours a week.

2) Have no kid, but things are great with the wifey. We've been married just over a year now and have been dating for 8 years prior to our marriage.

3) It's been tough hanging out with my wife during since I'm working full time and going to school part time at night, but she is very understanding and we do our best to make time for each other on the weekends.

4) I have 6 close friends as well. Again, it's hard to hang out because of school, but i speak to them daily through Gchat or keep in touch thru facebook. These are guys that I used to do happy once a week prior to starting school. Definitely try to hang out once a month these days, but most of my buddies are going through life changing transitions at the moment- whether it's school, marriage, or baby and are keeping themselves busy like i am. Other than those 6 close friends, there are the usual guys at work that I play ball with twice a week and my other school friends that I've been spending most of my time with- mostly due to us having weekly group projects/homework.

5) Nope. My parents still have 2 kids in college (1 in med school, the other undergrad). My dad was laid off his full time job and re-hired as a contractor (aka pay cut). They are broke and I'm helping my little brother out with his tuition. [/quote]

Steve,

Are you a Vietnamese home buyer?
 
[quote author="graceomalley"]
[quote author="scubasteve"]

I'm not sure where you are trying to get with these questions, but I'll answer as well!

1) I work about 40-50 hours a week.

2) Have no kid, but things are great with the wifey. We've been married just over a year now and have been dating for 8 years prior to our marriage.

3) It's been tough hanging out with my wife during since I'm working full time and going to school part time at night, but she is very understanding and we do our best to make time for each other on the weekends.

4) I have 6 close friends as well. Again, it's hard to hang out because of school, but i speak to them daily through Gchat or keep in touch thru facebook. These are guys that I used to do happy once a week prior to starting school. Definitely try to hang out once a month these days, but most of my buddies are going through life changing transitions at the moment- whether it's school, marriage, or baby and are keeping themselves busy like i am. Other than those 6 close friends, there are the usual guys at work that I play ball with twice a week and my other school friends that I've been spending most of my time with- mostly due to us having weekly group projects/homework.

5) Nope. My parents still have 2 kids in college (1 in med school, the other undergrad). My dad was laid off his full time job and re-hired as a contractor (aka pay cut). They are broke and I'm helping my little brother out with his tuition. [/quote]

Steve,

Are you a Vietnamese home buyer?[/quote]

Ya.. did you find out from your inspector friend? Is customer privacy not sacred anymore? I gotta think twice about using these people now!

Anyway went to check out all the models at the grand opening today. It didn't seem like a zoo out there compared to when Ivy was open (probably due to more developments this time). I got a nice surprise when I went in to cut a check to Coronado for my options. They told me that the kitchen island and the recessed lighting in the great room are now included! This knocks off almost $4K for me. I don't know if this is some marketing ploy to make me feel better or if they are having trouble selling homes, but I'm pretty happy about it!

Also stopped by Montecito and Carmel on the way home and I can only hope one day to get a place like that. I know you guys hate the motorcourt at Montecito, but I really loved the layout inside for both developments. I can't believe every room had its own freaking bathroom in the Carmel plans.

Also strolled by the Woodbury tot lot/pool area and noticed that it was packed full of white people! Yes, Asians are not the only people that live here...
 
I still haven't left... good to hear it's not that crowded. Did you shuttle or just drive? I'm really only interested in seeing Monte and Carmel... and maybe Coronado to check out Scuba's future digs so I would rather just drive on in.

I do think the $4k thing was a marketing ploy but if it saves you money... that's good.

In Carmel, I would gladly give up a bathroom in every room if they increased more of the livable space upstairs... or even had a 2.5 or 3-car garage... heh.

On my way to the circus...
 
[quote author="graceomalley"]
We are not here to whine because we can't afford the homes.
[/quote]

Yes you are.
 
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]First of all, I am what you guys hate Chinese buyer. I bought one in Sonoma, I know lots of my friends also bought other models in 2010 collections. All of us are highly educated professionals, making well above Irvine median, every single penny of our income shows in our W-2s, nothing hided from IRS. I am well aware that there is a good chance that housing price in Irvine will drop another 10% in next 2-3 years, but I don't have the luxury to wait that long, buying a house is not all about investment, there are always something else more important than money in our life. I just want to buy it now even it seems like a dumb financial decision. If you feel you can not afford the new houses, why not go back to school, get a better degree or find a second job to boost your income, rather than whining here like a kid. I can tell you most of the Chinese buyers are from local like us, if you go to broadcom or western digital, you will see us working there as senior professionals making this county stay in the lead in technology in this competitive world.
I am not native English speaker, if you want to make fun of my English, go ahead, if that's the only way you can kill your time.

[/quote]

First off congratulations on your new home and glad to see someone new posting on this thread! I am sure you worked very hard to get where you are at this point in time.

I would like to echo the sentiments of many long time posters and say that many of us choose not to purchase at this time. Not because we can't afford it, but some find the 2010 collection lacks value and aesthetics.

You are not the only Asian/Non-FCB person posting at TI who has saved a large down payment, works hard, and pays their taxes. There are a myriad of reasons why an educated person may question purchasing from TIC or within Irvine. Take CK's advice and do a little research with the search function on IHB forums and TI.

For my family, we purposely choose to rent and will be monitoring the Irvine and OC market carefully over the next 12 months.
 
[quote author="scubasteve"]
[quote author="graceomalley"]

Steve,

Are you a Vietnamese home buyer?[/quote]

Ya.. did you find out from your inspector friend? Is customer privacy not sacred anymore? I gotta think twice about using these people now!

Anyway went to check out all the models at the grand opening today. It didn't seem like a zoo out there compared to when Ivy was open (probably due to more developments this time). I got a nice surprise when I went in to cut a check to Coronado for my options. They told me that the kitchen island and the recessed lighting in the great room are now included! This knocks off almost $4K for me. I don't know if this is some marketing ploy to make me feel better or if they are having trouble selling homes, but I'm pretty happy about it!

Also stopped by Montecito and Carmel on the way home and I can only hope one day to get a place like that. I know you guys hate the motorcourt at Montecito, but I really loved the layout inside for both developments. I can't believe every room had its own freaking bathroom in the Carmel plans.

Also strolled by the Woodbury tot lot/pool area and noticed that it was packed full of white people! Yes, Asians are not the only people that live here...[/quote]

I do not know the home inspector at all. He was recommended by a friend/ historic home realtor Sandy DeAngelis. I passed on the name to USCTrojan. I never met him.

Your Vietnamese ethnicity is just an educated guess. Two key words were the dead give away: Contractor and Semi Conductor. Since you have not been here for very long to hear about me. Analytical thinking, data mining, observational and perceptional abilities are my strength.

You have no idea how much my informative postings are worth?

I regret teaching the corporate about the weaknesses of Asian Sheeple and their herd mentality otherwise you would not be manipulated like a pond in a chess game.

You have been very careful in your text not to reveal much of your ethnic background. The "Scuba" is an excellent way to hint a Caucasians sport activities and Steve a name not preferred by Asians families due to the difficulties of pronunciation among the elders.

Thank you for the reply and congratulation on your purchase and not spending beyond your mean.

I have designed homes for your former bosses at BRDCOM and currently working on one for an early retired founder.

May be someday I can afford to buy in Irvine then I will stop whining!
 
IAC, as I said before, it might be a wise decision to stay off the market for the next 12 months, I am not sure if the price will be going down significantly, but I am sure the price will not be shooting up again anytime soon. The main reason I am buying now is because my second son starts school this year, I really want to settle down, so he can make some long term friends at school and in my neighborhood, I have been waiting for 3 years, don't want to wait anymore.
As for 2010 collections price, I don't think they are that far off at least for now, I've been through the pre-qualify process with Wells Fargo and BOA, basically, they asked everything, fully documented income, two years of tax returns, 6 months of bank statements, clean stable employment history, spectacular FICO score, all the housing payment can not exceed 33% of your gross income. Even after this strict process, there are still more than 600 qualified buyers lining up to buy, what do you say, is this classical supply and demand in economy 101? I don't know about the affordability in Irvine historically, but I think the price spectrum of these new houses are in sync with the income spectrum of Irvine residents.
 
[quote author="graceomalley"]
[quote author="scubasteve"]

Ya.. did you find out from your inspector friend? Is customer privacy not sacred anymore? I gotta think twice about using these people now!

Anyway went to check out all the models at the grand opening today. It didn't seem like a zoo out there compared to when Ivy was open (probably due to more developments this time). I got a nice surprise when I went in to cut a check to Coronado for my options. They told me that the kitchen island and the recessed lighting in the great room are now included! This knocks off almost $4K for me. I don't know if this is some marketing ploy to make me feel better or if they are having trouble selling homes, but I'm pretty happy about it!

Also stopped by Montecito and Carmel on the way home and I can only hope one day to get a place like that. I know you guys hate the motorcourt at Montecito, but I really loved the layout inside for both developments. I can't believe every room had its own freaking bathroom in the Carmel plans.

Also strolled by the Woodbury tot lot/pool area and noticed that it was packed full of white people! Yes, Asians are not the only people that live here...[/quote]

I do not know the home inspector at all. He was recommended by a friend/ historic home realtor Sandy DeAngelis. I passed on the name to USCTrojan. I never met him.

Your Vietnamese ethnicity is just an educated guess. Two key words were the dead give away: Contractor and Semi Conductor. Since you have not been here for very long to hear about me. Analytical thinking, data mining, observational and perceptional abilities are my strength.

You have no idea how much my informative postings are worth?

I regret teaching the corporate about the weaknesses of Asian Sheeple and their herd mentality otherwise you would not be manipulated like a pond in a chess game.

You have been very careful in your text not to reveal much of your ethnic background. The "Scuba" is an excellent way to hint a Caucasians sport activities and Steve a name not preferred by Asians families due to the difficulties of pronunciation among the elders.

Thank you for the reply and congratulation on your purchase and not spending beyond your mean.

I have designed homes for your former bosses at BRDCOM and currently working on one for an early retired founder.

May be someday I can afford to buy in Irvine then I will stop whining!

[/quote]

I definitely got to give it up to you. I don't see the correlation with Vietnamese people and semiconductor though. I guess I work with way too many Koreans and Indians at work. I'm not sure about the contractor thing either (maybe because I don't have a lot of Vietnamese friends). I tried really hard not to talk about spring rolls or pho in my posts!

All kidding aside, I don't think I've gone out of my way to be careful about hiding my ethnicity -I guess I was just born here and really just post as if I was talking to someone.

Anyway, I was a long time lurker at IHB and really only posted when I needed advice on buying the AV town house a couple years ago. I then decided to stop visiting the forums for a while because I realized it only made me want a house even more! I really respected BK's post at IHB and now that I know you're BK, well then, I guess i respect you! While I don't fully know the extent of all of BK's rules, I believe the home I purchased met some of the requirements for living efficiency ( for 1800sqft, house should have 4 beds, 2.5 baths; there is also no toilet on top of the main entry =D ).

Anyway, it's been a long journey up to this point and I will continue to update you guys on my findings and experiences as I move forward with my first home purchase.
 
[quote author="asianbuyernotfcb"]IAC, as I said before, it might be a wise decision to stay off the market for the next 12 months, I am not sure if the price will be going down significantly, but I am sure the price will not be shooting up again anytime soon. The main reason I am buying now is because my second son starts school this year, I really want to settle down, so he can make some long term friends at school and in my neighborhood, I have been waiting for 3 years, don't want to wait anymore.
As for 2010 collections price, I don't think they are that far off at least for now, I've been through the pre-qualify process with Wells Fargo and BOA, basically, they asked everything, fully documented income, two years of tax returns, 6 months of bank statements, clean stable employment history, spectacular FICO score, all the housing payment can not exceed 33% of your gross income. Even after this strict process, there are still more than 600 qualified buyers lining up to buy, what do you say, is this classical supply and demand in economy 101? I don't know about the affordability in Irvine historically, but I think the price spectrum of these new houses are in sync with the income spectrum of Irvine residents. [/quote]

asianbuyernotfcb,

Sounds like you have made your decision and feel pretty comfortable. Again best of luck with your purchase and keep us posted on the progress of your home purchase.

Btw, who told you there were "600 qualified" buyers lining up? By chance was it the builder agent? ;D
 
Only got to see Carmel and Montecito.

I was surprised by the size of those U shaped kitchens... by the floor plans you think they would be small but in fact they are quite large... NOT an apartment kitchen.

Even though Montecito was 2000+ sft... they did feel a bit small... it was either Plan 2 or 3 that felt very narrow upstairs. But I still like the execution of Plan 2 the best. I also think that the 4-cluster areas are the best to purchase as they feel more like the end of a cul-de-sac rather than an alley/motorcourt.

Carmel was very nice... but they need to go to BK's School of Space Efficiency. Plan 3 did not feel like 3000sft to me. They had the nicest kitchens... Commercial stove and stainless appliances but that doesn't convince me that they are worth $900k or higher... esp without a 3-car garage. Villa Rosa Plan 2/3 are a better "value" at $1m than $980k for Plan 3... but both are priced way too high for what you get.

And whether you like it or not... I do think the CaliRooms are a nice touch... it's one less hassle the homeowner has to deal with and they have a covered outdoor room at the getgo.

I'll probably spend more time in the models during the week so it's less crowded and I can take FCB-less pictures.

And yes... the ratio of FCB to non-FCB was very high.
 
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