An Open Invitation to The Irvine Company

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
The Irvine Comapny is like any Mega Corporation and has a political system within.

Decisions regarding Advertising and any discussion about IHB would be done at a

Manager/VP level and then directed downward. Finding those key individuals and establishing

some contact would take a very sophiticated professional a good deal of work and time.

Posting the little happy face on the Blog is not what I had in mind either.



Zovall

I have been on Flyer Talk for years. Its a great board with an International Audience.

Another board in fact Owned by Internet Brands. Personally I think the Internet Brands

Business Model is the key for Sites like your own to move to the next level.

A company the size of Internet Brands would have the ability to go to TIC and get

them to sit down and have a fruitfull interchange. You could cut Google out as a middle man

in a heartbeat.



Check out Internet Brands. I even bought some of the stock last year. So far so good.

Seems like a well run Company.

<a href="http://www.internetbrands.com/ib">http://www.internetbrands.com/ib</a>
 
[quote author="bltserv" date=1248225296]The Irvine Comapny is like any Mega Corporation and has a political system within.

Decisions regarding Advertising and any discussion about IHB would be done at a

Manager/VP level and then directed downward. Finding those key individuals and establishing

some contact would take a very sophiticated professional a good deal of work and time.

Posting the little happy face on the Blog is not what I had in mind either.



Zovall

I have been on Flyer Talk for years. Its a great board with an International Audience.

Another board in fact Owned by Internet Brands. Personally I think the Internet Brands

Business Model is the key for Sites like your own to move to the next level.

A company the size of Internet Brands would have the ability to go to TIC and get

them to sit down and have a fruitfull interchange. You could cut Google out as a middle man

in a heartbeat.



Check out Internet Brands. I even bought some of the stock last year. So far so good.

Seems like a well run Company.

<a href="http://www.internetbrands.com/ib">http://www.internetbrands.com/ib</a></blockquote>


Knowledgeable advice from someone who a few days ago said:







"<em>Irvine Renter.



Its a nice idea. But your never going to get a response and you know it.

Like asking the CIA if it even exists. The silence is all you can expect.



Your a little fly buzzing around their face. And god forbid if they wanted to swat you.

Some guy would walk up to you with a small offer you cant refuse. And POOF. This website and its content is vapor in a minute.

Your going to sign a non disclosure and adios. They could bury you in legal paper work at the drop of a hat if you refuse.



I think your better off leaving a sleeping dog alone. He has very big teeth.</em>"





and







"<em>Panda



There is SOOOOO much more to running, and owning a succesful business over the long haul than a simple website that gets hits.

Thats the problem with many business models. Some people make the mistake that a website is the end all, be all. They look at the hit meter

and think that should relate to Dollars in the Bank. Well that lesson was learned by many of us over a decade ago. It does not work that way.



I dont begrudge IR for trying to turn what is a great site, that I enjoy, into a living. But the reality is. It takes more than the site

itself. Going up and trying to get a relationship with the Irvine company in the manner he is attempting only makes his chances that much less.



Look at a company like Internet Brands. They own scores of these type of websites. Thats the business they are in. Mostly dealing with the Auto

Industry. I personally would think along the lines of taking all of these ?Real Estate? discussion websites/Blogs and getting them all under one umbrella.

There is a business idea that could have some merit.



Then maybe you would have a type of marketing tool that could command an income thats worth discussion. Sure IHB gets you to the top Google when you

look at ?Irvine Real Estate?. Now the magic is to turn that into cash. Otherwise its just Internet Vaporware.



Seriously. If IR wants to make some money. He needs to be involved within the Sales Transaction itself. Writing about it is not going to pay the bills

in this day and age.



I am not trying to be mean. Just playing devils advocate. Cracking a relationship with TIC would be a big coup for IR. This was not the way to go about it.</em>"
 
[quote author="zovall" date=1248220628]Does anyone here visit/participate on the <a href="http://www.flyertalk.com/">FlyerTalk</a> forums? It is a huge community of frequent flyers and there are dedicated boards for most airline and hotel loyalty programs.



One of the boards is for <a href="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-preferred-guest-429/">Starwood</a>. Starwood is the company that owns the St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton, The W, etc brands. The Starwood forum on Flyertalk is THE place for Starwood fanatics. They have had a dedicated employee who has been posting there for years and it's been a great resource.



Some of the other boards (<a href="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards-501/">Southwest</a>, <a href="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage-445/">American Airlines</a>) also regularly have employees posting there (although it seems like that is a personal choice, not necessarily a corporate initiative like it seems to be with Starwood).</blockquote>
I've been on the Flyertalk American Airlines forum for many years. The employees on that forum -- mostly flight attendants and a couple of pilots -- all do so anonymously. Sometimes they have posted internal memos about service changes or other things. A couple appear to have even gotten their wrists slapped (or worse) when AA has figured out who they are. There is no corporate-sanctioned presence at all, although it is common knowledge that AA follows the discussions quite closely.



Like AA, I see very little upside for TIC to get into longwinded discussions with anonymous people on a forum.
 
[quote author="IrvineRealtor" date=1248224861]

The <strong>Observer Effect </strong>refers to the the impact that act of observation will make on the phenomenon being observed. TIC can't openly participate without changing the environment. In this blog and forums set, there exists a near-ideal population to sample and observe, which retains its "randomness and uncertainty" as it stands. Why risk changing that? How would it be in their interest?

</blockquote>


It depends on what they think is more important.. to observe this community and it's interactions from afar or to actively participate in it. And that decision may have a lot to do with the brand image they intend to preserve or project. Do they want to be seen "as a mythical organization", a benevolent dictatorship, or what?



Another aspect is customer service and I think this applies more to the IAC arm of TIC. I do think it would be in their best interests to have an 'IACLurker' participate on IHB (similar to the 'Starwood Lurker' on FT).

<a href="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-preferred-guest/167261-announcing.html">http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-preferred-guest/167261-announcing.html</a>



I'd nominate Cuatro for this. ;)



I also see value in having the sales people in the builder model homes participate here. They could provide updated pricing and availability to us and we could interact and ask them questions without having to drive over to the sales office or call.



[quote author="bltserv" date=1248225296]Check out Internet Brands. I even bought some of the stock last year. So far so good.

Seems like a well run Company.

<a href="http://www.internetbrands.com/ib">http://www.internetbrands.com/ib</a></blockquote>


Very cool! I didn't realize all of these sites were owned by a single company. I'm sure some of them were independent when I first stumbled onto them back in the day.



[quote author="jumpcut" date=1248227602]

I've been on the Flyertalk American Airlines forum for many years. The employees on that forum -- mostly flight attendants and a couple of pilots -- all do so anonymously. Sometimes they have posted internal memos about service changes or other things. A couple appear to have even gotten their wrists slapped (or worse) when AA has figured out who they are. There is no corporate-sanctioned presence at all, although it is common knowledge that AA follows the discussions quite closely.



Like AA, I see very little upside for TIC to get into longwinded discussions with anonymous people on a forum.</blockquote>


I guess it depends on how TIC wants to approach it. Do they want to be like AA? Or do they want to be like Southwest or Starwood?
 
I just finished a phone call with a representative of the Irvine Company. We will be scheduling an open conference call next Monday evening with a Q&A. Details to follow....
 
[quote author="IrvineRenter" date=1248240892]I just finished a phone call with a representative of the Irvine Company. We will be scheduling an open conference call next Monday evening with a Q&A. Details to follow....</blockquote>


Way to go Irvine Renter! TIC should be coming to you, not the other way around.
 
I don't think it really matters to me if TIC posts here or not.



However, I can see some value in the New Homes Salespeople posting information here. They don't have to engage in conversation per se, just let us know what's available... if I worked there... it would be something I would do... grassroots marketing.



IR... on your conference call... ask them to build more 3CWGs!
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1248243196]IR... on your conference call... ask them to build more 3CWGs!</blockquote>


This will be an open call; you can ask.... Everyone has about 6 days to dream up questions for TIC.
 
Next Monday at 7:00 we will have a conference call with<a href="http://www.irvinecompany.com/about-us/daniel-young.aspx"> Daniel Young from the Irvine Company</a>.



<blockquote>Dan Young is president of Irvine Community Development Company LLC (ICDC), an affiliate of the Irvine Company responsible for all residential development on The Irvine Ranch?.



As president of ICDC, Mr. Young guides all facets of the Irvine Company?s community master-planning and development process, which began more than 45 years ago. From the villages of Woodbury, Northpark and Woodbridge in Irvine, to the coastal communities of Crystal Cove and Newport Coast, the residential communities on The Irvine Ranch have won many national awards and are admired for their unique character and livability.



Mr. Young came to the Irvine Company in November 1999, after a 20-year career as a real-estate developer and a consultant to the industry. In his previous role with the Irvine Company, he served as executive vice president of Entitlement and Public Affairs, overseeing the company?s entitlement on The Irvine Ranch.



His community involvement includes 11 years on the Santa Ana City Council, including eight years as mayor. In his official capacity as mayor, Mr. Young also served on the board of directors of several regional agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District and the Orange County Transportation Authority.



Mr. Young received his bachelor?s degree from California State University, Fullerton, and his master?s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.



The Irvine Company is a 140-year-old privately held company known throughout the world as a best-of-class master planner and long-term owner, investor and operator of a large and diversified real estate portfolio. The company also is known as a steward of some of the most beautiful, permanently preserved land in California. In addition to its master-planned communities on The Irvine Ranch? in Orange County, Calif., the company also is known for its portfolio of high-quality investment properties -- office, retail and apartment -- it owns in San Diego, Orange County, West Los Angeles and the Silicon Valley. The company traces its roots to the 1860s with the assembly of The Irvine Ranch from Mexican and Spanish land grants. The Irvine Company was incorporated in 1894.</blockquote>


This is a great opportunity to learn from the top man at Irvine Company responsible for Community Development. Start thinking about questions you want to ask. This weekend in the open thread, I will devote the thread to suggested questions and we will see what kind of response we get.
 
Make of this what you will...



This morning, I received <a href="http://www2.villagesofirvine.com/mk/get/N09WE-01?_EC=I1bQ0cTRyraG_5b-uMDNay">this email</a> from The Irvine Company (as I'm sure many of you did as well), touting the success of Ivy, Phase I, and advertising the release of Ivy, Phase II . What caught my attention is that they have added a line to the bottom which states, "<strong>Models do not reflect racial preference.</strong>"



Now, why would they think there is discussion that the homes do reflect racial preference? Bk - this one's for you! :)
 
[quote author="reason" date=1248324495]IR,



So this conference call. Afterward, you'll be posting the questions and answers on the forum?</blockquote>


I don't know. We haven't figured it all out yet. That does sound like a good idea.



I hope Zovall or some other tech wiz can figure out how to record the call and make the MP3 available on the site.
 
[quote author="IrvineRenter" date=1248324798][quote author="reason" date=1248324495]IR,



So this conference call. Afterward, you'll be posting the questions and answers on the forum?</blockquote>


I don't know. We haven't figured it all out yet. That does sound like a good idea.



I hope Zovall or some other tech wiz can figure out how to record the call and make the MP3 available on the site.</blockquote>


Yeah, we would love to read the interview. That way we can sit here all night dissecting it. Haha!
 
Any of you photoshop junkies want to give an IHB welcome to our guest? Please be tasteful...



If you guys come up with some good ones, I will feature them on the weekend open thread.
 
[quote author="IrvineRenter" date=1248324798][quote author="reason" date=1248324495]IR,



So this conference call. Afterward, you'll be posting the questions and answers on the forum?</blockquote>


I don't know. We haven't figured it all out yet. That does sound like a good idea.



I hope Zovall or some other tech wiz can figure out how to record the call and make the MP3 available on the site.</blockquote>
I thought this was going to be a live chat in the chat room. That would seem to make the most sense. then everyone could participate in real time. If your interviewee is not comfortable with typing, maybe someone at IHB could be the go-between to relay the questions and answers.



Let's take advantage of these new-fangled Interwebs.
 
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