Las Ventanas by Taylor Morrison at Portola Springs

[variable229]

For those who were interested... the current sold map for LV as of  4/30/12. 

From what the sales office told us, they have sold faster than they can build and haven't been offering any incentives other than the $2,500 builders credit for using the in-house lender on unbuilt homes. 

 

[usctrojancpa]

The lack of re-sale inventory is definitely a headwind for them.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

The price point is a big impetus for LV... you can't find brand new true SFRs with a driveway (and a grass berm) for $700k in Irvine.

That's how people justify the toll road, the landfill, the MRs and the small backyard... and if Mendocino in Stonegate prices itself in the same range... those will sell well too.

 

[Portola92618]

Anyone have any experience with the TM design center?  We're trying to decide what things to upgrade using the credits and what things we should do on our own.  Looking for advice and tips from future/current homeowners who have been to the TM design center.

 

[usctrojancpa]

Anyone have any experience with the TM design center?  We're trying to decide what things to upgrade using the credits and what things we should do on our own.  Looking for advice and tips from future/current homeowners who have been to the TM design center.

Don't do window coverings, baseboard upgrades, crownmoldings, and wood flooring because their mark-ups are very high.

 

[usctrojancpa]

I recently found out that the HOA fee has declined slightly from $141/mo to $134/mo.

 

[rkp]

thats sweet- i always thought HOA fees go up and not down.  avenue one HOA has gone from like $250 to close to $500 for my unit.  sucks for my landlord

 

[usctrojancpa]

thats sweet- i always thought HOA fees go up and not down.  avenue one HOA has gone from like $250 to close to $500 for my unit.  sucks for my landlord

My guess is that the decrease was due to the addition housing units being sold and occupied in the various developments in Portola Springs.  It might drop a bit more once all of the homes are occupied.

 

[sgip]

In the PC or escrow instructions there usually is a well defined schedule of HOA due increase or decrease based on the number of units sold. The sales office will sometimes say "well, dues are X now, but by the time we're done here they'll be much less". It's just a question of asking what "much less" is exactly.

My .02c

 

[Condo TRAP]

Maybe since Garden Hill and Sage are taking place of the now defunct "Community Park/ Multipurpose Facility", lower HOA reserves are required. 

 

[Condo TRAP]

For those wondering what most of the backyards are like, they look like lightwells:

A special exhibit of a lightwells can be found in Santa Cruz, Stonegate, Sevilla, and any soon to be released TIC community.  They are acoustically designed to echo so your 5 adjacent neighbors will not be able to decipher each others mandarin. 

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Stretch a beach towel over this yard and you now have a California Room.

For those wondering what most of the backyards are like, they look like lightwells:

A special exhibit of a lightwells can be found in Santa Cruz, Stonegate, Sevilla, and any soon to be released TIC community.  They are acoustically designed to echo so your 5 adjacent neighbors will not be able to decipher each others mandarin. 

 

[The Motor Court Company]

This picture does not look much different from January. I am surprised to see San Marcos are selling better than Las Venatas. Is it due to TIC's marketing machine? Does the 1 mile difference in the distance to the landfill matter this much such that people will rather live in motor court homes over real SFRs with driveways?

some one ought to mention the landfill in this thread, per rkp.

For those who were interested... the current sold map for LV as of  4/30/12. 

From what the sales office told us, they have sold faster than they can build and haven't been offering any incentives other than the $2,500 builders credit for using the in-house lender on unbuilt homes. 

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Did someone mention landfill?

 

[The Motor Court Company]

Yes I did. Las Ventanas is a little further from the landfill but closer to Portola and the toll roads.

Did someone mention landfill?

 

[Condo TRAP]

San Marcos caters to buyers that want front landscaping included with the price/hoa.  These buyers are the same cheapasses that go to Costco to eat a bunch of free samples for lunch/dinner.

There is just as much pollution on Sand Canyon than in the neighborhoods close to the dump itself.  When I drive past gravel trucks on the fwy, my car gets laced with sand/rocks.  A truck carrying a load of ACMs or lead based paint chips on the way to the dump will litter junk during its journey.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

That is why there are 3 Costcos nearby to serve the cheappasses. I am so sorry about the lead paint chips. I did that. I dump just about anything into my trash bin. The lazy sanitation engineer never bother to check the bins.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

I thought only homeless live below the freeways or elevated roads.

Yes I did. Las Ventanas is a little further from the landfill but closer to Portola and the toll roads.

Did someone mention landfill?

 

[kayochan]

They are relocating the PS community park near Portola and the toll road (where they used have homes).  They will have the same amenities but in a different layout.  I believe it is enclave four in the map below.

Maybe since Garden Hill and Sage are taking place of the now defunct "Community Park/ Multipurpose Facility", lower HOA reserves are required. 

 

[gaogi]

This picture does not look much different from January. I am surprised to see San Marcos are selling better than Las Venatas. Is it due to TIC's marketing machine? Does the 1 mile difference in the distance to the landfill matter this much such that people will rather live in motor court homes over real SFRs with driveways?

some one ought to mention the landfill in this thread, per rkp.

I've been lurking on TI for a while, and was really trained by the group that I need a driveway.  Between Las Ventanas and San Marcos, the only thing LV has going for it is the driveway.  So I asked myself, why do I need a driveway?  I don't have any friends, so don't really need to worry about visitor parking.  I actually use my garage to park my cars, not as a storage unit to hoard junk.  So in the end, San Marcos 3X felt better to me being farther away from the toll road, having the powder room downstairs and the California room making the backyard feel a little bit bigger.  For some reason, SM 3X felt less claustrophobic than LV plan 2.  Not sure if it's just the ways the models are laid out, but LV 2's downstair bedroom and bath felt really tight.  I got a pretty standard lot, and the yard setback is 13.5' from the dining room, so it seems the yard is at least a little bit bigger than LV's.  Plus, as someone else said, being a cheapass, I don't need to worry about doing front yard landscaping.