Mid-year break down... irvine, tustin ranch, north tustin

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akim997

New member
i've been through listing after listing, house after house...  so i thought i'd share some of my information. 

i was previously looking in irvine, but (literally and figuratively) decided to think outside of the irvine box.  my search reached as far as brea including cities along the way such as yorba linda and villa park.  the main criteria for my home search, in no particular order, are:

1) decent schools for children (doesn't have to be the best, just "pretty good")
2) pricing (including mellos roos vs. none)
3) features (such as lots, garages, layouts, etc)

we've started to cut a few off the list.  Yorba linda, albeit nice, is just too far from where we want to be.  Villa park isn't bad, but we drove around the area, the plazas, etc. and just didn't get the right "feel".  In one way or another, the same went for places such as Serrano Heights and Marbury Ranch.  So we ended up with places close to "home" (being irvine). 

I'm going to go through this by neighborhoods and cover pluses and minuses and interject my thoughts here and there.  I know others looking in the areas as well and also realized that every family has their own preferences and individual set of circumstances.  As such, there are no absolute truths.  Each family must decide what's best for their situation. 

 
North Tustin

I'm no expert in the real estate of North Tustin and I don't know it's specific geographic boundaries.  It's a bit ambiguous as some people list their properties as N. Tustin although its really Santa Ana.  What we've been told is to pay attention to the school boundaries as the desired locations send your children to Arroyo/Hewes/ Foothill or Red Hill/Hewes/Foothill.  I don't think Tustin High School is that bad, but I'm told Foothill is preferable.  N. Tustin, in my definition also encompasses the areas of Cowan and Lemon Heights.  If you travel far up enough Newport you will come up to developments such as Rocking Horse Ridge.  Pretty nice, but you should be aware this puts you in the Orange School District.  Many of the residents of the area are older, original home owners, so you see a lot of "crusty old people" giving you dirty looks as you scope out their neighborhoods.  Commensurate with the aging of our population, you are seeing the area start to "turn over" with younger people with young families move in as the old people go off to old people land... 

The area is identified by many single story ranch style homes on .25 lots.  Lots can grow up to 1 acre.  However, some of the view properties have large unusable slopes as part of the acreage.  Unlike Irvine, many communities have the above ground power lines.  From experience, I've noticed being east of Newport is somewhat more desirable than being west towards Fairhaven.  Our main focus has been in this areas around streets like Hyde Park, La Limonar, Ravenscrest, St John, etc.  I like flatter lands and don't care to tend to huge slopes of brush.  However, there are some nice houses if you go up Cowan Heights, like off Equestrian, Huntsman, etc. 

The area is a nice place for a family looking to "rebuild" and "remodel".    Many houses are really dated, but offer a blank slate for personalization.  As such, you can sometimes find a good deal on a real beater of a house.  Problem is you don't know what's going to be involved (plumbing, electrical, etc.).      Many houses have some improvements, but not a lot.  For example, I have 70's cabinets with stainless steel appliances.  We've yet to find the right mix.  I almost would prefer an empty house with nothing...  I really like some of these single story homes that have a lot of charm and character (as opposed to, for instance old Northwood which I think is just ugly).    Also, you get some really nice back yards as many houses have room for a pool and more.    You give up the pocket parks of Irvine, but in return you get your own private playground.  No Mellos Roos and no HOAs are great (some areas do have HOAs) .  Yeah, you get the beater house, but if you drive around nicer areas, there is a good amount of upkeep and remodeling. 

Price per sq ft is cheaper in Irvine, which is someone mitigated by the age and required work to be done on some of the homes.  In summary:

Pros:
Good school district
Still close to most major amenities (i.e. District, South Coast Plaza, SNA, etc.)
No Mellos, no HOAs so lower ongoing expense burden
Large lots
Unlimited remodeling potential
Newer families moving in the area
Close communities
Character, charm and aesthetically appealing home potential (vs. the Irvine box)

Cons:
Area seems less policed (realtor told me one house was broken into twice while vacant)
No pocket parks
No sidewalks so not a great place to walk your dog/ family
Some winding roads in some locations
Power lines
Some unkept houses
Potential unknown home problems in older homes
Not the greatest floorplan designs - small bathrooms, no closets, unfinished garages, etc.
Fact that you may have to spend $200K on top of what you buy the house for...

 
to include some examples of NorthTustin:

I'll start with my dream home.  Obviously, this one won't get asking price (since it's priced a Newport Beach pricing)...  I went to the open house today and was impressed with the house.  Realtor comment was "they purchased at the height of the market for $2MM, so the want close to that"... uhhhhh good luck... 

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/Undisclosed-address-92705/home/4765104  if it doesn't show up property is at 10932 Hunting Horn (a wonderful street).  This is an example of a house that was torn down to the studs by a spec builder and redone.  Think of the potential.

An example of the potential is a property like this one that was sold last year (that we looked at).  Not great inside, but tons of potential.  Estimation is that all in on a remodel and factoring in the cost savings on taxes, its not that expensive.  St. John is a street that does not have exposed power lines, I believe. 

http://www.redfin.com/homes-for-sale#!lat=33.76537733920132&long=-117.791187486248&market=socal&max_price=950000&min_listing_approx_size=1750&min_price=500000&num_baths=2.0&num_beds=3&sf=1&sold_within_days=180&status=131&uipt=1&v=6&zoomLevel=15

And here's another one that sold at a (relative bargain)
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Santa-Ana/11385-Arroyo-Ave-92705/home/4762814


Yes, along with the good, there is some bad.... some unkept houses, even some areas (off Barrett) where there are structural issues, but do you homework, and you could end up with a great place.
 
Timely thread - I just visited a friend's home in Cowan Heights for the first time today, and was amazed at his house.  5300 sq ft, on 0.5 acre lot, recently renovated interior by the previous owner, pool, basketball court, views - my friend bought it at short sale in 2009 for $1,050,000.  That's $198/sq. ft.  Try finding that in Irvine!  The associated schools were Arroyo and Foothill, which are pretty decent schools in their own right. 

Certainly there were some quirks in his neighborhood:
No street lights (gets pretty dark at night)
Many residential streets lack sidewalks
Can be pretty hilly
Streets are not laid out in a nice orderly grid, so it can be confusing driving around
No pocket parks every mile or so
No community pools or facilities (looking at google maps, most homes have their own pools)

But as akim noted, the neighborhood has a very unique charm, very different from the master planned community of Irvine.  You'll have some renovated beauties alongside originals in need of repair.  No two homes look alike.  And the number of younger families moving in definitely seems to be increasing. 

When you see homes like these just a few miles away from the tiny lots and cookie cutter aesthetics of Irvine, and the pricing differential, it definitely gives you a whole new perspective on the value, or lack thereof, that Irvine offers. 
 
akim997 said:
Cons:
Area seems less policed (realtor told me one house was broken into twice while vacant)
No pocket parks
Power lines
Some unkept houses
Click to expand...

Because....

akim997 said:
Pros:
No Mellos, no HOAs so lower ongoing expense burden
Click to expand...

Can't have your cake and eat it too.
 
oakcreekrenter said:
Timely thread - I just visited a friend's home in Cowan Heights for the first time today, and was amazed at his house.  5300 sq ft, on 0.5 acre lot, recently renovated interior by the previous owner, pool, basketball court, views - my friend bought it at short sale in 2009 for $1,050,000.  That's $198/sq. ft.  Try finding that in Irvine!  The associated schools were Arroyo and Foothill, which are pretty decent schools in their own right. 
Click to expand...
You can find deals like this in South County for even less... I remember a few houses over 4000sft that sold for less than $900k in Las Flores and Mission Viejo.
 
test said:
akim997 said:
Cons:
Area seems less policed (realtor told me one house was broken into twice while vacant)
No pocket parks
Power lines
Some unkept houses
Click to expand...

Because....

akim997 said:
Pros:
No Mellos, no HOAs so lower ongoing expense burden
Click to expand...

Can't have your cake and eat it too.
Click to expand...

MR isnt the reason for this.  There are many developments that have no MR but have all the amenities listed.  MR is just frequently used by developers in OC to pass the bill to the homeowners.  You make it sound like MR is some wonderful thing when its an additional cost.  In the end, it doesnt really matter as higher MR neighborhoods have lower $/sq ft so nets out but MR isnt something great.

Our friends live in Porter Ranch which has no MR and if you were blindfolded and taken to the middle, you would think you are in a typical OC mega development with the amenities you listed.
 
Good point - HOA is definitely needed to maintain the common amenities.  But I still wouldnt consider MR to imply more amenities or less. 
 
I've left South County out because it's too far from my wife's work.  A coworker of mine lives in RSM and travels up to another office.  67 miles one way.  NO THANKS!
 
oakcreekrenter said:
Certainly there were some quirks in his neighborhood:
No street lights (gets pretty dark at night)
Many residential streets lack sidewalks
Can be pretty hilly
Streets are not laid out in a nice orderly grid, so it can be confusing driving around
No pocket parks every mile or so
No community pools or facilities (looking at google maps, most homes have their own pools)
Click to expand...

I thought those are supposed to be pluses and that's why Shady Canyon was designed the same way
 
locolocal said:
oakcreekrenter said:
Certainly there were some quirks in his neighborhood:
No street lights (gets pretty dark at night)
Many residential streets lack sidewalks
Can be pretty hilly
Streets are not laid out in a nice orderly grid, so it can be confusing driving around
No pocket parks every mile or so
No community pools or facilities (looking at google maps, most homes have their own pools)
Click to expand...

I thought those are supposed to be pluses and that's why Shady Canyon was designed the same way
Click to expand...

Depends on what you are looking for.  I think they are pluses for people without young kids but if you want to take the stroller to the park and easily walk to amenities, this kind of neighborhood wouldnt work out great.  We actually considered North Tustin for a while and saw quite a few houses.  My in-laws live up in peters canyon and love the area so we thought we would enjoy it but its curvy, not meant to be walked, parking for guests isnt easy, and its really not designed around little kids. 
 
Next up on my discussion:  TUSTIN RANCH

Tustin Ranch, first, is weird, because it's a small strip that is boundaried by Jamboree on the east and (roughly) Browning on the west.  That's not exact, but it's approximate.  The older neighborhoods are identified by Westpark colored pinks and peaches.  However, as you go up Pioneer, you will see some newer and more current palattes.  To me, TR is kind of the "in between" North Tustin and new Irvine.  Low Mellos (some places soon maturing) but relatively newer (< 20 yrs) homes.  Specifically, I've been looking at tracts off Pioneer but included the area next to the golf course (San Miguel).    Emerson and Cameo Woods are very exclusive neighboorhoods that are not even in this discussion.  El Dorado is one of the "A" neighboorhoods of the area (with the 3CWG that IHO loves).    Some floorplans are available at :
http://www.bobrealestate.com/loanOptions/Floorplans/Tustin Ranch Community Floorplans/

What's weird about TR, is that you get really good schools including Pioneer Middle and Boeckmann High, but the area sells at a discount to, for example, Northpark and Northpark Square, even though they still go to Boeckmann (I think NP and NP Sq go to Orchard Hills now).  You don't have ALL the same amenities in terms of pocket parks, but they have community pools and the like.  Plus you have Citrus Glen park, and also the new one (don't recall the name) on the corner of Portola/ TR/ Jamboree, which is actually really nice (huge playground).   

Some of the houses come with larger lots of 5-6K sq ft, which is larger than "new" Irvine.  If you check out El Dorado, you will see some really nice looking houses.  We've seen them and one of the downsides for us are dated floorplans with really small kitchens and family rooms.  Also weird designs where a media niche would fit at largest a 32" tv (I'm all for the 60-65"). 

In summary:

PROS:
Gated communities available
Newer build
Potentially larger lots
3CWGs!!!!
Lower taxes (Mellos) on average
Good quiet communities
Access to local parks and ammenities
Excellent education

CONS:
Floor plans
Coyotes that can eat your pet
Some housing designs and colors are dated
Some updating required (depending upon taste
Price can be north of $300/ft  (not that it's bad but cheaper would be nice!)

All in all, TR seems to be a very nice "Irvine alternative" and well worth consideration. 
 
akim997 said:
1) decent schools for children (doesn't have to be the best, just "pretty good")
2) pricing (including mellos roos vs. none)
3) features (such as lots, garages, layouts, etc)
Click to expand...

Same here plus additional hard-to-find qualifier on my list: detached home with amenities built after 1990. Two words:
Foothill. Ranch.
:)
 
I looked at Tustin Ranch many times. They have some very nice neighborhoods and excellent schools. Yes it is not Irvine but you get everything else but the name.

I agree that some of the plans look dated but you get more sq footage, lot size, and traditional layout for the money.

Not all the communities offer HOA pools and/or tot lots but there are several nearby Tustin parks including Cedar Grove park, Pioneer Road park, Heritage park, Tustin Sports park, and the newest one--Citrus Ranch with a beautiful hill top view (http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php?topic=353.0).
 
iacrenter said:
I looked at Tustin Ranch many times. They have some very nice neighborhoods and excellent schools. Yes it is not Irvine but you get everything else but the name.

I agree that some of the plans look dated but you get more sq footage, lot size, and traditional layout for the money.

Not all the communities offer HOA pools and/or tot lots but there are several nearby Tustin parks including Cedar Grove park, Pioneer Road park, Heritage park, Tustin Sports park, and the newest one--Citrus Ranch with a beautiful hill top view (http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php?topic=353.0).
Click to expand...

Citrus Ranch Park is really nice; I would recommend people to check it out
 
My big problem with Tustin Ranch is poor cell phone reception.

And every time a company wants to fix it by building a tower, the residents argue against it. I guess the majority of them just use land line phones.
 
akim997 said:
Next up on my discussion:  TUSTIN RANCH
....
CONS:
Floor plans - Love them, Very open, high ceiling, Lots of light and air
Coyotes that can eat your pet - Dont own a pet
Some housing designs and colors are dated - Classic designs. Colors? you can find paint in homedepot. can't you?
Some updating required (depending upon taste) - Every house needs either improvement or decor or both. So your $ are spent no matter you buy "shining" new or "dull" old
Price can be north of $300/ft  (not that it's bad but cheaper would be nice!) - Depends on the property

All in all, TR seems to be a very nice "Irvine alternative" and well worth consideration.
Click to expand...

 
irvinehomeowner said:
My big problem with Tustin Ranch is poor cell phone reception.

And every time a company wants to fix it by building a tower, the residents argue against it. I guess the majority of them just use land line phones.
Click to expand...

Just get a femtocell and call it a day.  All the carriers have them. I get full bars all the time now.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm7XNNGO2bQ[/youtube]
 
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