Better Location for Resale in Irvine

[Irvinecommuter]

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

If 2 identical models were next to each other but one had small low maintenance patio and the other had a huge yard and both were priced identical, which would you choose?

I can't deal in fiction because that will never happen.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

If 2 identical models were next to each other but one had small low maintenance patio and the other had a huge yard and both were priced identical, which would you choose?

I probably would choose the bigger yard, but everyone is different. Just because it seems like the bigger yard is a better choice for the majority of the people, it doesn't mean it is an absolutely correct choice. In real life, the bigger yard house will most likely list with more $$$.

A bigger yard means a better long term investment, all else being equal.

Why would all other things be equal? 

 

[rkp]

I probably would choose the bigger yard, but everyone is different. Just because it seems like the bigger yard is a better choice for the majority of the people, it doesn't mean it is an absolutely correct choice. In real life, the bigger yard house will most likely list with more $$$.

I agree that there is no perfect.  I am trying to understand if people saying they prefer no yard are rationalizing what they have by saying that or if it is a genuine feeling.  We have friends who sold a house with a big yard and moved into a high rise and love how it feels like a 5* hotel all the time. 

If there is a large percentage of people who genuinely would choose the identical model with a small patio over a large yard, that is really interesting and different than previous years.  It means that TIC isn't so much building smaller lots for more money but because demand for these products is higher. 

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I probably would choose the bigger yard, but everyone is different. Just because it seems like the bigger yard is a better choice for the majority of the people, it doesn't mean it is an absolutely correct choice. In real life, the bigger yard house will most likely list with more $$$.

I agree that there is no perfect.  I am trying to understand if people saying they prefer no yard are rationalizing what they have by saying that or if it is a genuine feeling.  We have friends who sold a house with a big yard and moved into a high rise and love how it feels like a 5* hotel all the time. 

If there is a large percentage of people who genuinely would choose the identical model with a small patio over a large yard, that is really interesting and different than previous years.  It means that TIC isn't so much building smaller lots for more money but because demand for these products is higher.

Most of us have a price range that we can afford...it's not a price range where we can get everything.  We then prioritize the things that are more important to us.  Location, school district, layout of the house, community, yard etc.  You add to any of those things and the price goes up.  I mean how long has Panda been pushing Georgia and ultimately it's still Georgia, no matter how big the house or how affordable it is as compared to Irvine.

For me, I like Stonegate...it's in a great location, excellent school, good community/parks/amenities, and not as dense as some other communities.  I don't have a driveway but I got a corner lot and I don't have a yard, which I don't really want. 

PP was good when it opened and it was most definitely popular but there is no onsite school and the parks/pools are far apart.  I remember walking the model homes and thinking...the houses are pretty far apart.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I can?t believe people WANT and ACTIVELY seek out dense housing in a suburban environment like Irvine.

I don?t even know what to say about NEVER using a large backyard. Maybe it wasn?t designed properly to entice people to utilize?

I don't understand why this is the conclusion.    I have never used my yard and even if it were 10X bigger...I would never use it. 

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

You?re not not paying for the extra space. You?re getting less space for the same $$.  When certain PP tracts rolled out and offered MORE space for the same money, people came out in droves.

Stonegate offered things that PP did not, I prefer those things over having a yard.    If there are people who like yards, great...they can pay for that premium.  I don't want to.

 

[Burn That Belly]

x

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I love my backyard. But I don't use it as often. It's like a 4th bedroom that sits empty. I go there twice a month to just trim the bushes.

But other than that, would I still want it?  of course! It adds visual appeal when you first walk in the house. Plus, it's excellent for resale and appreciation.

So do I "need" it?  I need it for the resale and appreciation more than I need it for personal use.

Those are totally legitimate points and I would agree with them but if you had to pay extra like an extra $50K for it...would you still want it?

 

[Mety]

I love my backyard. But I don't use it as often. It's like a 4th bedroom that sits empty. I go there twice a month to just trim the bushes.

But other than that, would I still want it?  of course! It adds visual appeal when you first walk in the house. Plus, it's excellent for resale and appreciation.

So do I "need" it?  I need it for the resale and appreciation more than I need it for personal use.

Those are totally legitimate points and I would agree with them but if you had to pay extra like an extra $50K for it...would you still want it?

It's like a deposit you will get it back later.

 

[rkp]

Most of us have a price range that we can afford...it's not a price range where we can get everything.  We then prioritize the things that are more important to us.  Location, school district, layout of the house, community, yard etc.  You add to any of those things and the price goes up.  I mean how long has Panda been pushing Georgia and ultimately it's still Georgia, no matter how big the house or how affordable it is as compared to Irvine.

I 100% agree that there are trade-offs.  That is different than saying you don't prefer a backyard if the option was there.  Nonetheless, this is interesting discussion as yard used to be high up on people's lists and now it seems way lower priority.

 

[Burn That Belly]

x

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I can?t believe people WANT and ACTIVELY seek out dense housing in a suburban environment like Irvine.

I don?t even know what to say about NEVER using a large backyard. Maybe it wasn?t designed properly to entice people to utilize?

I don't understand why this is the conclusion.    I have never used my yard and even if it were 10X bigger...I would never use it. 

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

You?re not not paying for the extra space. You?re getting less space for the same $$.  When certain PP tracts rolled out and offered MORE space for the same money, people came out in droves.

This.

That's how this conversation started... you don't like PP because it's too "spread out" and has a "yard".

But we were basing this on the assumption that both the PP house and the SG house were the same price.

Your reasoning was that you don't like a yard and don't want to pay for the extra maintenance. People have even asked you if two same square footage homes has the same price but one had a yard, which one would you buy.

This gets to what rkp was asking... is it that you really don't have a use for a yard or are you just rationalizing why you pick SG over PP?

Let's reverse it, if PP had a house with no yard for the same price of the house you are currently living in, would you still prefer SG? Is it that you just like the SG area over PP or is it really something to do with a yard and density?

Our old home had a ~10,000sft lot. We rarely used it, but it was nice to have it. We didn't like it because of location.... not because of the gigantic yard. If we could pick that up and put where our house with a smaller lot is... we would gladly do so... and pay $50k more for it... heck $100k more.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I can?t believe people WANT and ACTIVELY seek out dense housing in a suburban environment like Irvine.

I don?t even know what to say about NEVER using a large backyard. Maybe it wasn?t designed properly to entice people to utilize?

I don't understand why this is the conclusion.    I have never used my yard and even if it were 10X bigger...I would never use it. 

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

You?re not not paying for the extra space. You?re getting less space for the same $$.  When certain PP tracts rolled out and offered MORE space for the same money, people came out in droves.

This.

That's how this conversation started... you don't like PP because it's too "spread out" and has a "yard".

But we were basing this on the assumption that both the PP house and the SG house were the same price.

Your reasoning was that you don't like a yard and don't want to pay for the extra maintenance. People have even asked you if two same square footage homes has the same price but one had a yard, which one would you buy.

This gets to what rkp was asking... is it that you really don't have a use for a yard or are you just rationalizing why you pick SG over PP?

Let's reverse it, if PP had a house with no yard for the same price of the house you are currently living in, would you still prefer SG? Is it that you just like the SG area over PP or is it really something to do with a yard and density?

Our old home had a ~10,000sft lot. We rarely used it, but it was nice to have it. We didn't like it because of location.... not because of the gigantic yard. If we could pick that up and put where our house with a smaller lot is... we would gladly do so... and pay $50k more for it... heck $100k more.

SG has pluses that PP does not.  You can't compare things in vacuum.  You can't do the "what if" thing because the yard was already factor into the pricing.  You don't think PP would be cheaper if they made the yards smaller and put in more units?

I said over and over again that I don't want to paid for a yard and I am okay with the set-off/yard I have.  Everything cost money  PP didn't put in as many parks or a school so they can give people more yard space...it is also further away from commercial property than Stonegate. 

Again...you may want to pay an extra $50K for it but I don't.  I would rather buy a bigger house with that extra $50K. 

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I love my backyard. But I don't use it as often. It's like a 4th bedroom that sits empty. I go there twice a month to just trim the bushes.

But other than that, would I still want it?  of course! It adds visual appeal when you first walk in the house. Plus, it's excellent for resale and appreciation.

So do I "need" it?  I need it for the resale and appreciation more than I need it for personal use.

Those are totally legitimate points and I would agree with them but if you had to pay extra like an extra $50K for it...would you still want it?

It's like a deposit you will get it back later.

Maybe...but it could also price you out of a certain house.  Conversely...the extra $50K may allow you to buy a bigger home.

 

[Liar Loan]

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

If 2 identical models were next to each other but one had small low maintenance patio and the other had a huge yard and both were priced identical, which would you choose?

I probably would choose the bigger yard, but everyone is different. Just because it seems like the bigger yard is a better choice for the majority of the people, it doesn't mean it is an absolutely correct choice. In real life, the bigger yard house will most likely list with more $$$.

A bigger yard means a better long term investment, all else being equal.

Why would all other things be equal?

It's simply a figure of speech meant to pre-emptively quell other objections like "depends on the area" or "only if it has a driveway" or whatever.  The point is the majority of the market still values a yard and that makes it a better long term investment.  Even older people without kids tend to value backyards.

Personally, this discussion is fascinating because I have both a backyard and frontyard that we actively use all the time.  Just yesterday my wife planted a garden while our toddler played out back.  Then my friends came over and we hung out in the backyard some more.  A pocket park would be no replacement for any of this (although we do have many nearby parks if the kids want to go).

Another good thing about having a front yard is you make friends with all your neighbors that also have front yards.  It builds a sense of community that is sorely lacking in Irvine.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

The question is whether I want to pay for the extra yard space.  I don't. 

If 2 identical models were next to each other but one had small low maintenance patio and the other had a huge yard and both were priced identical, which would you choose?

I probably would choose the bigger yard, but everyone is different. Just because it seems like the bigger yard is a better choice for the majority of the people, it doesn't mean it is an absolutely correct choice. In real life, the bigger yard house will most likely list with more $$$.

A bigger yard means a better long term investment, all else being equal.

Why would all other things be equal?

It's simply a figure of speech meant to pre-emptively quell other objections like "depends on the area" or "only if it has a driveway" or whatever.  The point is the majority of the market still values a yard and that makes it a better long term investment.  Even older people without kids tend to value backyards.

Personally, this discussion is fascinating because I have both a backyard and frontyard that we actively use all the time.  Just yesterday my wife planted a garden while our toddler played out back.  Then my friends came over and we hung out in the backyard some more.  A pocket park would be no replacement for any of this (although we do have many nearby parks if the kids want to go).

Another good thing about having a front yard is you make friends with all your neighbors that also have front yards.  It builds a sense of community that is sorely lacking in Irvine.

But you can't do that with real estate.  There is a reason why each individual plot of real estate is seen as "unique".  All things aren't equal.  As RKP notes, there are people who love living in high rise buildings and other who love 10 acre ranches.  There are plenty of people who want to buy both.    The point being that everyone makes a list of priorities.  Some things are higher on the list than others.  For me, having a yard is on the bottom of the list.

A community is not based upon a front yard...then people in Asia would never have friends.  You can actually make the argument that yard space keeps people further apart unlike in an urban environment where you see and interact with your neighbors whether you like it or not.  Communities are based upon people, not yards or location.    Irvine is not lacking in community...you are just not restricted to those around you.  We hang out with friends who live all over.  Our community is based primarily around our kids/school and church.    We have friends as well but we hang out inside, meet up at the local park, or eat out. 

Again...this concept that everyone must use same methods of social interaction is weird to me.

 

[bones]

I, too, find this discussion fascinating, because while not everyone values a yard the same, I can't believe having a yard is such a low priority.  Like you LIAR, our backyard usage is frequent.  My kids ride their scooters/bikes back there, do all sorts of dirt digging, play baseball, catch, all sorts of imaginative games and all sorts of water activities in the summer.  And since this is our backyard, I can do things around the house while they're entertaining themselves outside.  But I know this is Irvine, and outside play isn't necessarily a priority

I'm not even sure where this topic started, but if it comes down to a PP vs SG comparison, then sure, I can understand not choosing a yard for other things (like a walking distance elementary school).  And I don't think Five Points gave PP bigger yards in lieu of a school, but rather, with 700 homes, the land acreage, etc, they master planned the school in a different, more central location to the other GP homes.  If SG only had 700 homes, I'm pretty sure an elem school wouldn't exist there either. 

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I, too, find this discussion fascinating, because while not everyone values a yard the same, I can't believe having a yard is such a low priority.  Like you LIAR, our backyard usage is frequent.  My kids ride their scooters/bikes back there, do all sorts of dirt digging, play baseball, catch, all sorts of imaginative games and all sorts of water activities in the summer.  And since this is our backyard, I can do things around the house while they're entertaining themselves outside.  But I know this is Irvine, and outside play isn't necessarily a priority

I'm not even sure where this topic started, but if it comes down to a PP vs SG comparison, then sure, I can understand not choosing a yard for other things (like a walking distance elementary school).  And I don't think Five Points gave PP bigger yards in lieu of a school, but rather, with 700 homes, the land acreage, etc, they master planned the school in a different, more central location to the other GP homes.  If SG only had 700 homes, I'm pretty sure an elem school wouldn't exist there either.

And we go as a family to the local park or pool and invite our friends to meet us there.  We cook at the BBQ and hang out there.  What I don't need to do is clean up the patio furniture or the BBQ beforehand.

My wife and I work and we don't get home until 6 or 7 p.m.  Then shower/cleanup/homework then bed time.  Then there are sports.  Weekends, we are out at church or with friends. 

If SG had 700 homes...it would most definitely have an elementary school but the price point would be significantly higher. 

 

[bones]

I, too, find this discussion fascinating, because while not everyone values a yard the same, I can't believe having a yard is such a low priority.  Like you LIAR, our backyard usage is frequent.  My kids ride their scooters/bikes back there, do all sorts of dirt digging, play baseball, catch, all sorts of imaginative games and all sorts of water activities in the summer.  And since this is our backyard, I can do things around the house while they're entertaining themselves outside.  But I know this is Irvine, and outside play isn't necessarily a priority

I'm not even sure where this topic started, but if it comes down to a PP vs SG comparison, then sure, I can understand not choosing a yard for other things (like a walking distance elementary school).  And I don't think Five Points gave PP bigger yards in lieu of a school, but rather, with 700 homes, the land acreage, etc, they master planned the school in a different, more central location to the other GP homes.  If SG only had 700 homes, I'm pretty sure an elem school wouldn't exist there either.

And we go as a family to the local park or pool and invite our friends to meet us there.  We cook at the BBQ and hang out there.  What I don't need to do is clean up the patio furniture or the BBQ beforehand.

If SG had 700 homes...it would most definitely have an elementary school but the price point would be significantly higher. 

Well if SG with 700 homes gets an elementary school, then EW certainly doesn't get one and PS wouldn't get theirs.  Can't support an elementary school with 700 homes.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

A large yard create buffer space between your neighbors for privacy. In case you break-winds only you hear it. A small yard or no yard force you to keep windows shut and shutter closed. It then really feel like an enclosed space.

 

[bones]

A large yard create buffer space between your neighbors for privacy. In case you break-winds only you hear it. A small yard or no yard force you to keep windows shut and shutter closed. It then really feel like an enclosed space.

This point has been brought up.  He doesn't like/need/want the privacy.