Great Park & El Toro Base / Areas of Concern

[aquabliss]

Having lived in Irvine for over 25 years, in and around all of those area that you listed. I am still kickin' fine. Knock on wood, because if BTC drop 80% or more, it would kill me faster than any of those ingredients you outlined.

Listen, the only thing that kill you faster, is constant worries. If you can find a happy home and able to afford it and not stress out about money over it than you will live a long happy life, even with a pack of cigarettes a day on those soils and you still fine, bro.

Mostly this.  If you move to GP and 12 years later you get diagnosed with prostate cancer, how the heck will you ever know the source or origin?  If you lived the same 12 years in Mission Viejo, would you still have developed the cancer?  You?ll never know, just gotta live and enjoy life no matter where you call home.

 

[Mety]

If you can afford those Mello Roos, then sure go for it and enjoy your happy life at GP.

 

[mythicquest]

I think the mello roos has a higher chance of killing me than the soil 

 

[Mety]

GP has the best amenities in Irvine. Great playgrounds, legit swimming pools, nice club houses for your kid's birthday parties, and so much more! Other Irvine hood amenities are not bad either, but honestly they don't come near as good as GP ones or even Baker Ranch's. But as the OP posted, there are lots of questions about the area for health concerns.

I personally would rent there living a year or two enjoying their amenities, but I don't think I would buy there. One, for the ridiculous MR price tags, and two, for knowing it was a superfund site. I'm sure or hope though that 90% of people living there would be fine. Not all smokers get cancers so it depends what you personally prefer.

 

[ThirtySomethingWEquity]

GP has the best amenities in Irvine. Great playgrounds, legit swimming pools, nice club houses for your kid's birthday parties, and so much more! Other Irvine hood amenities are not bad either, but honestly they don't come near as good as GP ones or even Baker Ranch's. But as the OP posted, there are lots of questions about the area for health concerns.

I personally would rent there living a year or two enjoying their amenities, but I don't think I would buy there. One, for the ridiculous MR price tags, and two, for knowing it was a superfund site. I'm sure or hope though that 90% of people living there would be fine. Not all smokers get cancers so it depends what you personally prefer.

I dunno, Orchard Hills pools have ocean views, that's pretty hard to beat.

 

[Ready2Downsize]

GP has the best amenities in Irvine. Great playgrounds, legit swimming pools, nice club houses for your kid's birthday parties, and so much more! Other Irvine hood amenities are not bad either, but honestly they don't come near as good as GP ones or even Baker Ranch's. But as the OP posted, there are lots of questions about the area for health concerns.

I personally would rent there living a year or two enjoying their amenities, but I don't think I would buy there. One, for the ridiculous MR price tags, and two, for knowing it was a superfund site. I'm sure or hope though that 90% of people living there would be fine. Not all smokers get cancers so it depends what you personally prefer.

I dunno, Orchard Hills pools have ocean views, that's pretty hard to beat.

LOL! You mean the ocean 15 miles away?

 

[sleepy5136]

GP has the best amenities in Irvine. Great playgrounds, legit swimming pools, nice club houses for your kid's birthday parties, and so much more! Other Irvine hood amenities are not bad either, but honestly they don't come near as good as GP ones or even Baker Ranch's. But as the OP posted, there are lots of questions about the area for health concerns.

I personally would rent there living a year or two enjoying their amenities, but I don't think I would buy there. One, for the ridiculous MR price tags, and two, for knowing it was a superfund site. I'm sure or hope though that 90% of people living there would be fine. Not all smokers get cancers so it depends what you personally prefer.

As blunt as it sounds, isn't that expected? If I pay close to 2% MR + HOA and homes there are generally around 1M+, I expect the amenities they already have and maybe more. The fact that I have no say as a homeowner on what gets built there is another concern that hasn't been mentioned here either.

 

[akkord]

As blunt as it sounds, isn't that expected? If I pay close to 2% MR and homes there are generally around 1M+, I expect the amenities they already have and maybe more. The fact that I have no say as a homeowner on what gets built there is another concern that hasn't been mentioned here either.

I don't think you have a say in where the MR goes in any community, so we can say that about any community.  Pretty sure the builder paid MR in Baker Ranch hasn't gone to build a new school that the residents want. 

 

[sleepy5136]

As blunt as it sounds, isn't that expected? If I pay close to 2% MR and homes there are generally around 1M+, I expect the amenities they already have and maybe more. The fact that I have no say as a homeowner on what gets built there is another concern that hasn't been mentioned here either.

I don't think you have a say in where the MR goes in any community, so we can say that about any community.  Pretty sure the builder paid MR in Baker Ranch hasn't gone to build a new school that the residents want.

You pay HOA...

 

[moc]

As blunt as it sounds, isn't that expected? If I pay close to 2% MR and homes there are generally around 1M+, I expect the amenities they already have and maybe more. The fact that I have no say as a homeowner on what gets built there is another concern that hasn't been mentioned here either.

I don't think you have a say in where the MR goes in any community, so we can say that about any community.  Pretty sure the builder paid MR in Baker Ranch hasn't gone to build a new school that the residents want.

You pay HOA...

HOA and MR are completely separate. I'm think MR go to the City and HOA goes to your homeowner association.

 

[akkord]

You pay HOA...

There's an HOA in the majority of the communities in Irvine, some more some less so I don't think that adds much to this discussion, if someone stresses over a difference of $100/month for HOA, they probably shouldn't stretch for the home.  But as moc said, HOA and MR are separate.  And yes, you do somewhat get a say in where it goes, go to the board meetings, join the HOA board.  There are the occasional HOA votes they send out to the community as well.

MR is different, but a lot of the newer Irvine and Tustin communities have it for the next 20-45yrs, so 4k vs 7k vs 10+k a year, it is what it is. Most people don't stay in a home for 20+/30+ years these days.

 

[sleepy5136]

As blunt as it sounds, isn't that expected? If I pay close to 2% MR and homes there are generally around 1M+, I expect the amenities they already have and maybe more. The fact that I have no say as a homeowner on what gets built there is another concern that hasn't been mentioned here either.

I don't think you have a say in where the MR goes in any community, so we can say that about any community.  Pretty sure the builder paid MR in Baker Ranch hasn't gone to build a new school that the residents want.

You pay HOA...

HOA and MR are completely separate. I'm think MR go to the City and HOA goes to your homeowner association.

Let?s not get all technical here. Point is, you best be getting the best facilities if you?re paying 2% in property taxes and you best be getting a say in what gets built in your community when you pay HOA.

And last time I checked, no homeowner has a say in what gets built in GP which is a shame. I don?t know what HOA you live in where you get no say in what gets built in your community unless you live in GP.

 

[sleepy5136]

You pay HOA...

There's an HOA in the majority of the communities in Irvine, some more some less so I don't think that adds much to this discussion, if someone stresses over a difference of $100/month for HOA, they probably shouldn't stretch for the home.  But as moc said, HOA and MR are separate.  And yes, you do somewhat get a say in where it goes, go to the board meetings, join the HOA board.  There are the occasional HOA votes they send out to the community as well.

MR is different, but a lot of the newer Irvine and Tustin communities have it for the next 20-45yrs, so 4k vs 7k vs 10+k a year, it is what it is. Most people don't stay in a home for 20+/30+ years these days.

My argument was never about HOA being a deal breaker for home buyers. It was the fact that homeowners at GP have no say in what gets built. Last time I checked, most HOA?s do allow us to vote and the fact that you pay such a premium to live in GP and have no say in what gets built absolutely sucks.

 

[akkord]

My argument was never about HOA being a deal breaker for home buyers. It was the fact that homeowners at GP have no say in what gets built. Last time I checked, most HOA?s do allow us to vote and the fact that you pay such a premium to live in GP and have no say in what gets built absolutely sucks.

Let me ask it another way, which Irvine and surrounding city's community do you have a say where MR goes?

 

[sleepy5136]

My argument was never about HOA being a deal breaker for home buyers. It was the fact that homeowners at GP have no say in what gets built. Last time I checked, most HOA?s do allow us to vote and the fact that you pay such a premium to live in GP and have no say in what gets built absolutely sucks.

Let me ask it another way, which Irvine and surrounding city's community do you have a say where MR goes?

If you pay HOA, you have a say in all communities that I?m aware about besides GP. Please inform me another community besides GP. Don?t know what you?re getting at here.

 

[Mety]

Just don't buy at GP. 8)

 

[Mety]

Another fact is that the most owners of GP homes are at overseas or something. So they might not really care where the HOA or MR money go. They just buy and sell when they see profits while letting the renters enjoy the hood. I'm sure the builders here knew that from the get go.

 

[CalBears96]

My argument was never about HOA being a deal breaker for home buyers. It was the fact that homeowners at GP have no say in what gets built. Last time I checked, most HOA?s do allow us to vote and the fact that you pay such a premium to live in GP and have no say in what gets built absolutely sucks.

Let me ask it another way, which Irvine and surrounding city's community do you have a say where MR goes?

If you pay HOA, you have a say in all communities that I?m aware about besides GP. Please inform me another community besides GP. Don?t know what you?re getting at here.

His point is that you're confusing HOA with MR. The 2% property tax that you kept referring to is MR, not HOA. MR goes to the City of Irvine. HOA goes to the Homeowners Association.

MR is used to build facilities in the neighborhoods, such as schools, fire departments, etc.

HOA is used for amenities in the community, such as pool, club house, etc. And you don't actually get a say in that either because all of that is decided and planned for before the community is built. After the community is built out, HOA is used for maintenance.

 

[akkord]

What CalBears96 said, you were talking about a 2% increase, that's MR.  But HOA does what an HOA does, you have some input via votes, but it's a process to get on the HOA board and try and push your own agenda.  How about I ask which HOA let's you choose what's being built.

 

[Mety]

From my personal experiences, HOAs are pain to deal with in every aspect. Your life is so much better if you don?t need to deal with them at all. Maybe it?s not the case if you?re part of the board members or something. But yeah, good luck with your voices being heard.