Living in Portola Springs

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
C

Costco

Member
I've heard people comment that Portola Springs will be a much more desirable community than Woodbury. Although I like some of the new homes, I don't see the draw of Portola Springs. Here are my observations.

- The weather always seems hotter than the rest of Irvine. I'm guessing it's because the surrounding hills trap all the hot air.
- Community is surrounded by two freeways which adds to noise and air pollution.
- Portola Springs marketing always boasts of "rolling hills," but none of the homes seem to have any views. It seems like the hills aren't high enough to give any noticeable advantage to having rolling hills.
- The entire community feels isolated. To get anywhere, you have to drive so far. If you don't want to pay to use the 133, you have to take a long drive on Sand Canyon to get to the freeway.

Any thoughts from people who currently live in Portola Springs?

 
Costco said:
I've heard people comment that Portola Springs will be a much more desirable community than Woodbury. Although I like some of the new homes, I don't see the draw of Portola Springs. Here are my observations.

- The weather always seems hotter than the rest of Irvine. I'm guessing it's because the surrounding hills trap all the hot air.
- Community is surrounded by two freeways which adds to noise and air pollution.
- Portola Springs marketing always boasts of "rolling hills," but none of the homes seem to have any views. It seems like the hills aren't high enough to give any noticeable advantage to having rolling hills.
- The entire community feels isolated. To get anywhere, you have to drive so far. If you don't want to pay to use the 133, you have to take a long drive on Sand Canyon to get to the freeway.

Any thoughts from people who currently live in Portola Springs?
Click to expand...

I agree...while, I, too, like some of the new homes in Portola Springs, the location is what definitely keeps me and my family from going forward.

The weather is hotter than the rest of Irvine, and with all of those rolling hills in your backyard, the fire hazard is very high.  Just a couple years ago, Portola Springs was under mandatory evacuation because of the Santiago Arson Fire.

With the community being lower than the freeways and the hills very close, the community almost feels like you are in a bowl.  And pollution is also an issue.

For those that like the isolated feel while still wanting a somewhat close proximity to Irvine attractions, Portola Springs may be nice.  But it really is isolated, and makes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.  Maybe once other communities in the area are built out, that feeling may change.

**And the MR is much higher than Woodbury
 
I know what you're saying.  It's the same thing with Quail Hill.  That's why it's so undesirable to live there.

-Surrounded by two freeways
-mountains that trap the air
-No views of the hills.
-noise pollution from Irvine Meadows or Verizon wireless plus the added crime that comes with being in close proximity.  (thanks OC Reader for posting to the link to the citations and arrests in Irvine.  I couldn't believe how many pot heads and unlicensed drivers there are in the area).
 
locolocal said:
I know what you're saying.  It's the same thing with Quail Hill.  That's why it's so undesirable to live there.

-Surrounded by two freeways
-mountains that trap the air
-No views of the hills.
-noise pollution from Irvine Meadows or Verizon wireless plus the added crime that comes with being in close proximity.  (thanks OC Reader for posting to the link to the citations and arrests in Irvine.  I couldn't believe how many pot heads and unlicensed drivers there are in the area).
Click to expand...

Haha What? Quail Hill is one of the most desireable areas in Irvine... The mountains definitely don't trap the air & you get the fog and breeze from Laguna Beach. There are views virtually everywhere in Quail Hill & there is absolutely NO noise pollution in Quail Hill.
 
Honestly, Portola does not feel that far from Woodbury/WBE to me.  I remember when I was training for the Disney half, I would run from WB to Portola... It's really only one street past Irvine Blvd....

If it wasn't for the high HOA/MR, I would've bought there....
 
Especially now that Stonegate East and Stonegate are being developed. Portola Springs is really only diagonal from them about half a mile.
 
locolocal said:
I know what you're saying.  It's the same thing with Quail Hill.  That's why it's so undesirable to live there.

-Surrounded by two freeways
-mountains that trap the air
-No views of the hills.
-noise pollution from Irvine Meadows or Verizon wireless plus the added crime that comes with being in close proximity.  (thanks OC Reader for posting to the link to the citations and arrests in Irvine.  I couldn't believe how many pot heads and unlicensed drivers there are in the area).
Click to expand...

I personally like Portola Springs, but it doesn't measure up to Quail Hill.

Portola Springs is below the tollroad.  The view of the toll road above you is different than the view of 405 below you in Quail Hill.
Portola Springs is at least 10 degrees hotter than Quail Hill in the hot summer days.
Portola Springs is more smoggy than Quail Hill.
Portola Springs is much farther to the job centers than Quail Hill.
 
locolocal said:
I know what you're saying.  It's the same thing with Quail Hill.  That's why it's so undesirable to live there.
Click to expand...
Yet you can't find many SFRs there below $1mil and many of them are still selling above their original 2004 sales price.

I used to hate on QH too... until I lived there and realized it's probably one of the best elevated places to live in Irvine other than the Turtles.
 
The best thing about Quail Hill is Quail Hill Village Center.  It is only a fraction of the size of Woodbury and yet has far more dining choices than in other Irvine retail centers.  Crystal Jade is the cleanest Chinese restaurant on the planet and they serve great Cantonese food can stand up to anything in the San Gabriel Valley, and less expensive too.  A new Japanese restaurant is coming in early 2011.  Excellent fast food choices include a variety of very friendly and delicious choices like Red Brick Pizza and Sharky?s fish tacos, which are far better than the ?fish n chips? in a tortilla you get at other ?fish taco? places.  With the closing of Peppinos, the only service restaurant in Woodbury is the Counter;  that?s pretty darn sad.  With Albertsons and CVS and, several banks, fine dining, Bacchus wine cellar, and a gas station, Quail Hill Village Center is definitely the crown jewel of Irvine retail centers.
 
- The weather always seems hotter than the rest of Irvine. I'm guessing it's because the surrounding hills trap all the hot air.

We only switched on the air-conditioning once for about 20 minutes this summer.

- Community is surrounded by two freeways which adds to noise and air pollution.

We do not hear the noise at all indoors.

- Portola Springs marketing always boasts of "rolling hills," but none of the homes seem to have any views. It seems like the hills aren't high enough to give any noticeable advantage to having rolling hills.

We do have partial mountain view from our front porch and two of our rooms.

- The entire community feels isolated. To get anywhere, you have to drive so far. If you don't want to pay to use the 133, you have to take a long drive on Sand Canyon to get to the freeway.

We enjoy the "isolation" and less density feel; and this why we chose Portola Springs over some other locations. Anyting that is within a 20 minutes drive does not sound "isolated" to us.

 
It's not 10 hotter than anywhere else.  I would definately say that WB is not that much cooler if at all any cooler.  In fact, I noticed that we get a nice breeze most of the time because of the slight elevation difference.  I used to live in QH, and it is cooler there, but on the hottest days, it doesn't really matter where you are.  It's going to be hot, unless you are in Newport.

Fire danger is going to be with any community that backs into the hills.  QH, Orchard, and Laguna Crossing are all going to experience this.

No road noise indoors or outdoors.  I can walk my dogs in the morning and hear the birds singing.  I don't hear any cars.

We have partial mountain views.

I'd rather drive into my neighborhood and actually have to turn my steering wheel than face the linear/right angle streets of Woodbury. 

You have to also remember that Portola is only 2/5 built.  There are 3 more enclaves to come.  Some of those enclaves will be in the hills.  Drive East on Portola Parkway and if you have a lively imagination, you can picture what it might look like in the future.
 
We moved to Portola from Quail Hill a little over a year ago. Although Quail Hill has some positives when it comes to weather, views and central location, Portola isn't that bad compared to it. In my opinion, its definitely better than the flat terrain of Woodbury.

- PS is a bit hotter than QH, but it feels cooler than WB.
- Noise is not a huge issue. PS is surrounded by a toll road as opposed to a freeway. We experienced more noise issue in QH as the constant traffic hum from 405 gets fairly loud at night.
- Our house has a view and was one of the reasons we picked PS (we are in north enclave). The next 3 enclaves will be at higher elevation and will have better views than the current enclaves.
- Being isolated is a plus as it doesn't give you a congested feeling. PS is less than 5 minutes drive from WB Town Center.

I feel PS still offers the best value for brand new homes compared to the other 3 new villages here in Irvine. Even though the Mello-Roos is a bit higher compared to WB, WBE and SGE, the HOA is not that high compared to other place. All PS needs is some time for the community to develop. In the long run it will command a premium over WB.

One more thing to add... PS feeds into Northwood High while WB feeds into Irvine High. Better schools was one of the primary factors in choosing PS over WB.
 
irvineresident said:
We moved to Portola from Quail Hill a little over a year ago. Although Quail Hill has some positives when it comes to weather, views and central location, Portola isn't that bad compared to it. In my opinion, its definitely better than the flat terrain of Woodbury.

- PS is a bit hotter than QH, but it feels cooler than WB.
- Noise is not a huge issue. PS is surrounded by a toll road as opposed to a freeway. We experienced more noise issue in QH as the constant traffic hum from 405 gets fairly loud at night.
- Our house has a view and was one of the reasons we picked PS (we are in north enclave). The next 3 enclaves will be at higher elevation and will have better views than the current enclaves.
- Being isolated is a plus as it doesn't give you a congested feeling. PS is less than 5 minutes drive from WB Town Center.

I feel PS still offers the best value for brand new homes compared to the other 3 new villages here in Irvine. Even though the Mello-Roos is a bit higher compared to WB, WBE and SGE, the HOA is not that high compared to other place. All PS needs is some time for the community to develop. In the long run it will command a premium over WB.

One more thing to add... PS feeds into Northwood High while WB feeds into Irvine High. Better schools was one of the primary factors in choosing PS over WB.
Click to expand...

Once the Great Park is built, Woodbury will continue to command a higher premium than PS.  Also, imagine how many more minutes it will take to get to the freeway once Stonegate East, Stonegate, Woodbury, Woodbury East, the Great Park and whatever they are going to build on those strawberry fields are completed. 
 
sonoma said:
irvineresident said:
We moved to Portola from Quail Hill a little over a year ago. Although Quail Hill has some positives when it comes to weather, views and central location, Portola isn't that bad compared to it. In my opinion, its definitely better than the flat terrain of Woodbury.

- PS is a bit hotter than QH, but it feels cooler than WB.
- Noise is not a huge issue. PS is surrounded by a toll road as opposed to a freeway. We experienced more noise issue in QH as the constant traffic hum from 405 gets fairly loud at night.
- Our house has a view and was one of the reasons we picked PS (we are in north enclave). The next 3 enclaves will be at higher elevation and will have better views than the current enclaves.
- Being isolated is a plus as it doesn't give you a congested feeling. PS is less than 5 minutes drive from WB Town Center.

I feel PS still offers the best value for brand new homes compared to the other 3 new villages here in Irvine. Even though the Mello-Roos is a bit higher compared to WB, WBE and SGE, the HOA is not that high compared to other place. All PS needs is some time for the community to develop. In the long run it will command a premium over WB.

One more thing to add... PS feeds into Northwood High while WB feeds into Irvine High. Better schools was one of the primary factors in choosing PS over WB.
Click to expand...

Once the Great Park is built, Woodbury will continue to command a higher premium than PS.  Also, imagine how many more minutes it will take to get to the freeway once Stonegate East, Stonegate, Woodbury, Woodbury East, the Great Park and whatever they are going to build on those strawberry fields are completed. 
Click to expand...

The Great Park once built will be as close to PS as it will be to WB. As for adding more minutes to freeway once SGE, SG, WB and WBE are built, you do have a point there. But then again, we are only talking about a couple of traffic lights on Sand Canyon for PS commuters as others will be running into the same traffic. One of the primary reasons PS will command a premium over WB is its elevation and layout. All Irvine villages that are built on elevated land such as QH, Turtle Rock, and Turtle Ridge have a higher price/sq.ft ratio compared to the likes of Woodbridge, WestPark, Northwood, NorthPark, etc. This will hold true for Laguna Crossing and Orchard Hills once they are built, as well as PS once its built out.

Having said that, I am looking at it from my personal perspective as I like hilly terrains so I may be somewhat biased towards PS  :) Some people may like flat terrains like WB better. The final housing choice we make ends up being a matter of personal preferences, with a lot of factors going into making the final decision.
 
sonoma said:
irvineresident said:
We moved to Portola from Quail Hill a little over a year ago. Although Quail Hill has some positives when it comes to weather, views and central location, Portola isn't that bad compared to it. In my opinion, its definitely better than the flat terrain of Woodbury.

- PS is a bit hotter than QH, but it feels cooler than WB.
- Noise is not a huge issue. PS is surrounded by a toll road as opposed to a freeway. We experienced more noise issue in QH as the constant traffic hum from 405 gets fairly loud at night.
- Our house has a view and was one of the reasons we picked PS (we are in north enclave). The next 3 enclaves will be at higher elevation and will have better views than the current enclaves.
- Being isolated is a plus as it doesn't give you a congested feeling. PS is less than 5 minutes drive from WB Town Center.

I feel PS still offers the best value for brand new homes compared to the other 3 new villages here in Irvine. Even though the Mello-Roos is a bit higher compared to WB, WBE and SGE, the HOA is not that high compared to other place. All PS needs is some time for the community to develop. In the long run it will command a premium over WB.

One more thing to add... PS feeds into Northwood High while WB feeds into Irvine High. Better schools was one of the primary factors in choosing PS over WB.
Click to expand...

Once the Great Park is built, Woodbury will continue to command a higher premium than PS.  Also, imagine how many more minutes it will take to get to the freeway once Stonegate East, Stonegate, Woodbury, Woodbury East, the Great Park and whatever they are going to build on those strawberry fields are completed. 
Click to expand...

I disagree. I think in the long run, PS will command a premium over WB.
Main reasons:
Elevated location
Lower density
Less apartments

I also don't think the distance to the Great Park is significantly different between PS and WB. If WBE ever builds a pedestrian bridge across the 133 to the Great Park, that may help increase property value there.
 
Is elevation that big a deal? 

I can imagine if it had an ocean front view or something but I don't really see homes in PS (at least the current 2 enclaves) having any real views.

I really like the fact that there's only 1 apartment complex right now in PS, but in the future is there a guarantee that they won't build more? 
 
blitzjs said:
Is elevation that big a deal? 

I can imagine if it had an ocean front view or something but I don't really see homes in PS (at least the current 2 enclaves) having any real views.
Click to expand...
In a fairly flat city like Irvine... yes... even if it's just of the city. It's not so much what type of view... just the fact that you have one.

It's nice to be in your backyard or your second floor and to look out to the sky instead of directly at your neighbor's house.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top