Luxury builder buys into Lake Forest project

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
qwerty said:
Socal (or anyone else) - is there a big difference between foothill ranch and Portola Hills? 
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Yes, there are differences.
- The Portola Hills homes are generally older, except for the homes on the east side of El Toro Road. '80s vs. '90s.
- Foothill Ranch is closer to the shopping centers, library, etc.
- Different elementary schools. Portola Hills Elementary vs. Foothill Ranch Elementary
- Amenities. Not all Portola Hills homes have access while all Foothill Ranch do.
- Parks. Portola Hills has two (Concourse Park & whatever the name is at Ridgeline & Saddleback Ranch Rd.) while Foothill Ranch has three (Borrego, Borrego Canyon Overlook, and Foothill Ranch Community Park.)
- Housing stock. Portola Hills has a mix of: paired homes (quite a few), condos or townhomes, apartments(?) and SFR. Foothill ranch has no paired homes... has predominantly SFR then condo, and apartment.
- Silly reason but one reason I love FR: Bell Tower. Our school has a functioning bell tower. When it chimes you can hear it throughout the entire community. I love it! I'm a sicko with a weird passion for noisy clocks. I put up my Schoolhouse Regulator the second we moved in... then quickly realized I didn't truly need it. I can hear the bell tower with my doors and windows closed. It's beautiful!  :-* It plays music then rings out the time. I think Portola Hills elementary actually does have a bell tower, too. Not sure how that works.
- Foothill Ranch is "nicer" <---- Not my words. Some friends live in Portola Hills. Their opinion is FR is a nicer community. I do like both, however I obviously do prefer FR since that's where I chose to buy.  :)

 
The city of Irvine won't be too happy about this. From Alton one could really see the jail. The city will not be posting this celebration on it's website.
 
shadax said:
aquabliss said:
qwerty said:
last thing i read on the opening was June 20th
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Great, one week from today - hope it really happens.  Will reduce traffic down Bake Pkwy for my ride home.
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I'll be one of them, I take Bake to FR right now.  Been eagerly awaiting Alton's opening.  It'll be a good few years of freeflowing traffic before Shea Baker Ranch ruins that!
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Tomorrow's the big day, hope it opens! :)

I saw that this started in September 2010, sheesh!
http://www.ocpublicworks.com/PR_090910.aspx
 
for what its worth, i noticed yesterday redfin and google maps show alton now going up all the way to foothill ranch

good luck.
 
The Motor Court Company said:
Trabuco Hills High School API: 843
University High School API: 911
Northwood High School API: 883

Foothill Ranch? No thanks.
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do you really think 40 points from the vaunted northwood high is that big of a deal? 
 
Motor Court - what high school did you go to? do you consider yourself successful? Would most people consider yourself successful?
 
TMCC - do you think you would not have achieved the success if you went to a lesser school? just curious. seems like there are plenty of successful folks on this board who went to "normal" schools and are quite successful. i went to a high school with a an API in the low 700s and turned out just fine. my wife went to a high school with an API of high 700s and also is doing just fine. 
 
SoCal78 said:
qwerty said:
Socal (or anyone else) - is there a big difference between foothill ranch and Portola Hills? 
Click to expand...
Yes, there are differences.
- The Portola Hills homes are generally older, except for the homes on the east side of El Toro Road. '80s vs. '90s.
- Foothill Ranch is closer to the shopping centers, library, etc.
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We visited Portola Hills once when looking to buy since we were familiar with Foothill Ranch and Mission Viejo.  Once you drive out there and realize how much further it really it is, then your mindset changes fast.  I could see that drive getting old quick.  I don't know if its twice as far from Foothill Ranch as Portola Springs is from Woodbury, but with the hills it definitely feels twice as far.

Also, would second the things Socal said.  It seems like the second child to Foothill Ranch and RSM without its own major town center.
 
An API is like a guarantee and you know what? That doesn't tell me a thing. I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it. What are the alums are doing now?



~Just wanted an excuse to quote a movie today.
 
Hey guys I drove by Alton today (via Irvine Blvd) and the barricades are down, looks like it may open this afternoon after all.

No through traffic yet but about 30 guys in orange vests and 8 trucks.
 
Just took a few minute break from work to check it out, was totally empty only saw 3 other cars on the whole stretch of Alton, but that won't last for long once the word gets out.

Also another really cool thing is that Commercenter connects to Alton as well, which leads straight into my workplace.... now all I have to do is go Irvine Blvd, to Alton, to Commercenter and I'm at work... cuts about 5 minutes off my commute to Woodbury.

 
Forgot to mention, the "Farm" is clearly visible when driving down Alton, double barbed wire and all.

Toll Brothers better put a tall brick wall around that... I didn't see it mentioned in any of the news stories yet but most people won't want to purchase their new luxury home 1000 yards away from a minimum security prison:

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Sheriff-Coroner%20-%20Sandra%20Hutchens/Commands%20and%20Divisions/Custody%20&%20Court%20Operations%20Command/James%20A.%20Musick%20Facility
 
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