Las Ventanas by Taylor Morrison at Portola Springs

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akim997 said:
If you know me, I'm a big fan of full frontal (xxxxx)...  haha...
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You should go to BK's backyard then.

If these are really going to go for mid $600s... it's going to be hard for them to sell those Los Colinas at $1mil. Even harder for the detached/attached condos competing at the same price range.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
akim997 said:
If you know me, I'm a big fan of full frontal (xxxxx)...  haha...
Click to expand...
You should go to BK's backyard then.

If these are really going to go for mid $600s... it's going to be hard for them to sell those Los Colinas at $1mil. Even harder for the detached/attached condos competing at the same price range.
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Yes you may get a front driveway but it will be off of a probably very tight motor court. Your backyard will probably be minuscule as well. So yes, this is what you get for your hard earned $600K LOL. Kick in another $400K for an okay size backyard, larger sq footage, and traditional curb appeal (i.e. Los Colinas).
 
it was dark at night, but it seems as if it will be a motorcourt...  as previously stated, it would be $800k otherwise.
 
So I went during the day and also compared it to the current PS map and these do look like they are going to be standard streets.

The neighborhood layout is basically a large loop with a few homes right below previous condos. If you look at the Villages of Irvine PS map, you can see how the lots will be configured and although they don't look to be very big, just being a traditional style off a street is a big plus.

If these really stick to their advertised mid-$600k start (which I'm beginning to doubt), these will be killers for the detached condos and even other SFRs.

The main con, the 'hood is kind of a bowl and is next to the toll road, but other than that... if the floor plans are good, these should be nice homes.
 
At that price I really doubt they would be standard streets.  It would be great though.

I actually really love Las Colinas but am not crazy about the PS location.
 
This image might help:

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It's the area to the south of Ironwood and right above Portola.

As you can see... it looks like regular streets with smaller lots than Los Colinas but still traditional SFRs with driveways.
 
I spent some time out there because I have a long and sordid history with street noise... and it's not that bad because:

1. It's a toll road, not a freeway.
2. It's elevated above where the homes are at.

On #2... I'm not sure if that's a pro or con but I find that most street noise travels up but I guess if there are heavy enough ground vibrations... the surrounding lower areas may feel/hear it.

But it is a minus that the home sites seem lower than Portola Parkway so the chance of any views is minimal.
 
I heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from someone in the know that these will be true streets with driveway homes.

There should be something coming soon regarding elevations and floorplans... but I have no idea when exactly.

If these are truly mid $600k... they'll be the least expensive new SFRs in Irvine.
 
The I-R-V said:
Some info is up at Taylor Morrison's website.  They posted the site plan and my guess is that they start building from the lots closest to the toll road first.  Unfortunately, unlike Sevilla, the toll road isn't elevated as much and is much more intrusive.  I'm betting an April release to the public. 

Thoughts?
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Here are the plans (preliminary, PDF format) that I just received from the friendly consultant, Shari Fobel. 

As someone who is so totally picky about floorplan design, I have to say I am very impressed.  If Plan 1 had a bed4/bath option (doesn't say it does) instead of the den, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  Instead, I might say Plan 2 is my favorite...but I just love how Plan 1 keeps so much space between the Master and secondary bedrooms!  using the laundry room and bathroom as buffers is a stroke of genius IMO.

These most certainly look like they will have driveways, though maybe Honda Civic length :P  Mid-600k for 1900 sqft w/ normal street and driveway?  I'll believe the price when I see it!

fuc39d.jpg


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Can't see where they could put a bath downstairs for Plan 1 but it's good they have an additional downstairs space.

I prefer Plan 3 because of the loft space, but the downstairs is a bit awkward.

I would have restructured it so that the island is a bit smaller to have a true nook and then make the adjacent space a family room. The space off the foyer/stairs would be a flex room that could either be a living room or second dining room.
 
So per BK's guide--seems like these homes are efficient. I like plan 3, has all the things I am looking for and supposedly these homes will have a more traditional SFR layout with a yard (though probably very small). Curious to see how they price it.

**84% -- Plan 1
3 BD + Den, 2.5 Bath, Great Rm with Laundry rm inside

(**BK's rule book didn't match up perfectly with this model so I averaged the % for an ideal 4bd/3bath/GrtRm/Interior Laundry--91% and the 3bd/2.5bath/Garage Laundry--77%).

82% -- Plan 2
4 BD, 3 Bath, Great Rm with Laundry rm inside

93% -- Plan 3
5 BD, 3 Bath, Great Rm with Laundry rm inside

Here is rule of thumb.

Garage laundry
1,060 sf = 2 master BRs / 2.5 ba
1,250 sf = 2BR+ loft /2.5 ba
1,450 sf = 3BR /2.5ba

All inside laundry
1,700 sf = 4BR / 3ba + Great Room
2,150 sf = 4BR/ 3ba + 5th BR down + Great Room
2,250 sf = separate formal dining + 4BR +Great Room

Formal Livings
2,300 sf = Separate family room + 4 BR
2,650 sf = Separate living, dining and family +4 BR + bonus

If any footage higher than posted and offers less rooms then you are buying an inefficient floor plan. High sellable footage but low livable space.

This is the BagOCheesePuff theory (fill up the bag fast but still there is nothing there to eat).

Take the Juliette Balcony plan with 5 BR posted at 3400 sf and create an efficiency ratio.

2,150sf/3,400 sf=63%

90%=A
80%=B
70%=C
60%=D
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From the preliminary floorplans:

Likes:

1. Upstairs laundry w/ sink standard
2. Enclosed shower in Plan 3
3. Large islands
4. Downstairs den/bedroom in all plans
5. Loft in Plan 3
6. Upstairs secondary bathroom double door (sinks separated from toilet/tub)
7. Balcony/decks on all plans

Dislikes:

1. No closet type pantry in kitchen
2. Needs one more family/dining area
3. No 3-car garage (obv) or at least additional storage space in garage (I still think builders should use a 2.25 or 2.5 execution and make 2-car garages a little bit wider)
4. No his/hers master closets
5. No vanity area in the master bath

Nitpicks:

1. I like that fireplaces are optional but I know some people (like my SigOth who absolutely need one even though it's only lit twice a year)
2. The master shower and the toilet should switch positions in Plan 2 and 3. I think the toilet should always be closest to the master bedroom and the shower should be closest to the master closet since you tend to use the bathroom more coming from the master and you tend to go to the closet after you take a shower.
3. The downstairs execution of the Great Room/Dining/Kitchen in Plan 3 is really awkward. Since the entry foyer is to the wall you might use for the TV, it creates a position problem for furniture. And to me, in any Great Room concept, the purpose is for the kitchen/dining/family room to share space so that you can watch TV, entertain etc while in the kitchen or dining room... in Plan 3, the areas are more disjointed than the other two.

But again... I'm not an architecture expert so my opinion has no educated basis other than my own preferences.
 
Holy moley they are fast.

I was there 2 or 3 weeks ago and it was only cement pads but when I passed by today on the way to look at Sevilla, they already have all 3 models fully framed. These will probably be open by March.

I'll post a pic when I get time but the models have a decent sized lot (the setbacks make it look like a long driveway and a backyard bigger than we've seen at the NHC).
 
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