[IHB] Open House Review: 52 Secret Garden

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This by far my favorite floorplan in Camelia, although it is the priciest.  I love the master retreat and the balcony access to the "man cave" above the garage.  For the man cave, it's not really all that fair to account for it fully in price/sq ft, which is why its cheaper.  I think there are even plans that dont come with the cave (I might be wrong).  If I could afford it, I'd buy one of these as it seems like a great place to raise a family.  The courtyard is nice, but it makes the back yard REALLY small for a 3100 sq ft house.  Cheapest I've seen these go for is $905K (one house on Cornflower), but it seems to sell well in the $950K range (a house on Torrey Pine sold for 957 that was real nice).  Another one of these sold for $979K on Secret Garden earlier this year.  We went to both open houses. 

For 52, I didn't like the hardwood downstairs (narrow plank hardwood).  It also interesting has a cat/dog door on the wall in the middle of the family room.  Also that 65" tv is a throw in...  who has DLP tv's nowadays? 
 
I don't like the Porte Cochere... and some drivers will probably not be able to navigate it all too well... and I think the garage is detached too right?

Another thing that stuck out to me about this plan is the entrance reminds me of an apartment building because of the stairway and the foyer is like a box:

R1201753_4_3.jpg


A friend of ours has one of these and they have the metal railing which really lends to the apartment landing feel... I expected to see a row of mailboxes and a directory on the wall.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I don't like the Porte Cochere... and some drivers will probably not be able to navigate it all too well... and I think the garage is detached too right?
Click to expand...

Unless your lot is large (which I'd say is 10-12,000+ sq feet, and which don't exist in most parts of Irvine), a Porte Cochere takes up too much of your lot space for a driveway. I'd rather have usable yard/patio space.
 
irvinehomeshopper said:
http://www.northwood2irvine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Residence-4-WM.pdf

view floor plan here
Click to expand...

Interesting floor plan. I like the studio above the garage, although having a completely detached garage is not something I'd like. I appreciate the lack of a formal dining room and formal living room (both of which I find useless), but both from the floor plan and from the pictures I'd like the kitchen to be open to the great room, which it appears it's not.
 
Am I the only one who does homework or builds lego with his kids in the formal dining room?

I don't think we can live in a home without 2 eating spaces.
 
I think Landfill Ranch has better floor plans.


Arman said:
irvinehomeshopper said:
http://www.northwood2irvine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Residence-4-WM.pdf

view floor plan here
Click to expand...

Interesting floor plan. I like the studio above the garage, although having a completely detached garage is not something I'd like. I appreciate the lack of a formal dining room and formal living room (both of which I find useless), but both from the floor plan and from the pictures I'd like the kitchen to be open to the great room, which it appears it's not.
Click to expand...
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Am I the only one who does homework or builds lego with his kids in the formal dining room?

I don't think we can live in a home without 2 eating spaces.
Click to expand...

Lego & just getting into Lego Technics. On the coffee table or card table in the living room, also blanket on the floor in his room is where we play with them.

He is pretty controlling and likes to do it himself. Very good at following diagrams. My role is primarily: "Lego Puller-Aparter" with the only one in the house who has long enough nails to separate the toughest of stuck together pieces.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Lego Brick Separator Tool
Click to expand...

:o Oh my gosh!!! I never knew this existed!! Woah. This is life-changing news in the life of a boy-mom. I wonder how long this thing has been around. I've been separating Legos by hand forever.

I'll have to see if I can maybe order that piece on Amazon or something. Or surprise him with a set that includes it.  :)
 
I was wondering why the houses around here are selling relatively cheaply (300/sq ft) to other similar dated Northwood houses. Aside from being quite far away from schools and counting the area above garage into total area, is it also because it's right next to bunch of condos, which most home owner prob prefer not to have? Just curious.
 
There seems to be something "odd" about this neighborhood (Camelia). Over the past...maybe 8-9 months, I've seen houses for sale, then delisted. Houses that go on sale, then delist, then go back, then delist. It's gotten to the point where, when I see a new house for sale, I pretty much know nothing's going to come of it. And I'm speaking as an interested buyer.

It's hard to put a finger on it. I've talked to a couple of realtors and they also think that there seem to be something "weird" going on.

Is it just me, or does it seem like it's difficult to impossible to buy a house here, even when it's for sale.
 
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