Perspective said:
DrTravel, you're dialed-in to the current pricing environment. Can you compare the Strada plan 3(s) available to the Belvedere plan 3s, both in the mid-$1.2Ms?
There aren't any cul-de sacs in the Belvedere map. IP put the models on larger lots than the current lots for sale. That makes more sense than IP's odd idea of placing the Strada models on the smallest lots available in the development.
Got off on a tangent there. When we first toured Strada, let me tell you what was important to the wife and I - well mainly the boss lady! Others might find these features desirable.
For Plan 1 not a big fan of: having all guests walk past the downstairs bedroom, having to share the downstairs bath with guest and that bedroom, the stairs creating havoc in the furniture layout of the great room (this is a WTF design feature), having to unload groceries from the garage by walking through the great room past where the big screen is, sink in kitchen island, no window in the kitchen, pantry is weak, optional tech desk space seems like a waste and in poor location, bed in master bedroom would be looking straight into the master bath (need the door), no good place to put a big screen in the master bedroom, master bedroom head location (pillow) is directly above the gas stove below (bad feng shui), bathtub projecting into the master bathroom, and laundry between two bedrooms. Overall felt like a detached condo level product and would not buy. Plan 2 did not have many of these "defects".
For Plan 2 not a big fan of: walking straight from the entry into the great room - not only does this mess up the furniture layout in the great room but also bad feng shui flow from front door straight to back yard, oven/microwave location (like to have something adjacent to both sides), like the window in the kitchen but the view is of the side wall 5' away, useless upstairs loft, no window in bath and laundry, laundry next to master bedroom, walking past the toilet (and proximity to) to get to my clothes, plus a few items from Plan 1. Like the kitchen pantry but still would not buy.
For Plan 3 not a big fan of: pantry and relationship to countertops, kitchen a bit cramped, conservatory flow with the great room, no window in bath 2 upstairs, shared walls between master bath and bedroom 2/bath 2 (noise pollution), and loft a bit small. Now recognizing that all homes will have issues (has anyone ever found the perfect home?) - there was a lot we liked about this layout: separate downstairs bedroom/bath, great room works for furniture layouts, kitchen sink window looks out to rear yard, all upstairs bedrooms have private baths, nice size laundry room and master closet, and the fact that their is an exterior courtyard by the front door - riff raff has to get past an exterior door before reaching our front door. So note to IP - we would buy plan 3 but plans 1 and 2 need to go back to the design department.
Really did not look that closely at Belvedere Plans 1 and 2. My take on Plan 3 (not 3X) in comparison to Strada Plan 3: for the first floor still not a fan of having visitors walk past the downstairs bedroom (this is a common with almost all IP plans with bedrooms downstairs), downstairs bedroom closet is useless, kitchen felt cramped with sink in the island and no window, kitchen cabinets don't go all the way up (looks cheap), liked the walk-in pantry and included California Room much better than Strada. Plan 3X has a better downstairs. Overall, I give Strada the edge here. For the second floor liked the fact that all bathrooms had windows, two closets for the master bedroom and the bonus room is actually usable plus you have the option for bedroom #5. Disliked the relationship between bathrooms and adjacent bedrooms (noise pollution again), the relationship between laundry room and bonus room (noise may interfere with my big screen TV), bedroom 2 has windows looking out to the side yard and neighbor's wall, and the master bedroom location is above the kitchen (pillow above stove) and adjacent to the stairs. Note that in Plan 3X they relocate the laundry room to a funky interior location, so no window and shared wall with master bedroom - neither of which I liked. This comes down to a personal choice about how important that bonus room is (particularly the option for bedroom #5). For me, I give Strada the edge here. We toured the model which was a Plan 3X and the wife did not like it. Note that the master bathroom is directly above the California room.
Belvedere Plan 1 downstairs looks like Strada Plan 2 downstairs with a new and improved upstairs. Belvedere Plan 2 is a stretched out version of Strada Plan 2 (the loft and dining room get bigger) with some kitchen modifications.
As for pricing: Strada Plan 3 has a base price of $1.195 million ($444 per SF) although they all have pre-plotted options and Belvedere Plan 3 has a base price of $1.244 million ($433 per SF) although when I went to the prequel event the base price was $1.290 million ($449 per SF) - I even told Elaine that this was a WTF pricing. So I guess if Strada was in EW it would cost $1.166 million or if Belvedere was in OH it would cost $1.276 million. Curiously Plan 3 is the most desired Strada plan while Plan 3 is the least desired Belvedere plan although that may change. My personal opinion is that Belvedere is slightly overpriced but like everything in real estate - it's location, location, location. So the choice is yours.
. The feel of the condos is definitely not premium and lowers the perception of the entire village - at least the IP side. Their only premium is the asking price and they ain't selling well. Only a method to maximize corporate profits. I'm not sure IP views OH as a premium village - just take a look at the Eastwood prices. Pretty sure IP markets every new village as premium and the best thing since sliced bread (except for PS). There are many strange things on the groves side of OH as well, i.e. looking at the 261 Tollway from the Vicenza models. I try to be objective and fact based as much as possible. Thanks for your comments. 
