Montecito / Sonoma / Carmel Pricing

[OCMommy]

The Plan 3 Villa Rosa that our friends bought is just under 3200 square feet.  It was the largest plan offerred.  Actually, we never thought the layout of that plan was super nice, but seeing Carmel made us change our minds.

I think Carmell II Plan 1 is the same square footage, but the layout is completely different.

 

[Irvine2Irvine]

The Plan 3 Villa Rosa that our friends bought is just under 3200 square feet.  It was the largest plan offerred.  Actually, we never thought the layout of that plan was super nice, but seeing Carmel made us change our minds.

I think Carmell II Plan 1 is the same square footage, but the layout is completely different.

Carmel II is from 3170 to 3680 sq ft.
I agree that the layout is completely different, and personally I like the Carmel I layout better.  But, that's just me.

 

[OCMommy]

Ooops I meant the same as Carmel 1.  For Carmel II, I like that they added the extra rooms, but they seem like they were an afterthought to plans that I am already not crazy about.

 

[sonoma]

Ooops I meant the same as Carmel 1.  For Carmel II, I like that they added the extra rooms, but they seem like they were an afterthought to plans that I am already not crazy about.

I agree.  The added rooms don't functionally make sense. 

 

[usctrojancpa]

Ooops I meant the same as Carmel 1.  For Carmel II, I like that they added the extra rooms, but they seem like they were an afterthought to plans that I am already not crazy about.

They just threw in rooms as additional SF to justify the higher price tag.  The layout of all 3 plans seems weird to me, kinda like they glued on extra rooms.
I agree.  The added rooms don't functionally make sense. 

 

[irvinehomeowner]

They had no place to put my 3rd car garage so they stuck in on the back.

I'll take that has a pseudo concession to IHO.

 

[nytransplant]

Looks like Sonoma is sold out now.

As I drove by I saw the Carmel II open house.  Looks like the psuedo-models are along Mapleton with the backyard facing keystone.  There are lots all the way to rolling green - opposite sonoma.  Looks like they got some good lots.

 

[OCMommy]

Yep, went by Sonoma today and everything is sold out.  I stopped by Carmel II and they have about 4 homes left from Phases 1 -3.  I just had to go and see how I would envision the the flex room.

 

[sonoma]

I went there too.  It's hard to envision w/out any walls.  I don't even know where the windows will be.  It's funny because the house does look smaller without any walls up. 

 

[nytransplant]

How many homes in each phase?  How many phases?

 

[sonoma]

The Plan 3 Villa Rosa that our friends bought is just under 3200 square feet.  It was the largest plan offerred.  Actually, we never thought the layout of that plan was super nice, but seeing Carmel made us change our minds.

I think Carmell II Plan 1 is the same square footage, but the layout is completely different.

Carmel II is from 3170 to 3680 sq ft.
I agree that the layout is completely different, and personally I like the Carmel I layout better.  But, that's just me.

You can opt to have the Carmel I layout in Carmel II, they will credit you some money.  I personally like the location of Carmel II over Carmel I.  With the new layout of Plan 2, there doesn't seem to be a wall where you can put a couch up against in the Great Room like in the model .  It's no wonder they don't plan to build any model homes for Carmel II, it's a designer challenge. 

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Not sure if this has been confirmed but Carmel II isn't taking all of the lots next to Sonoma right?

Any of you insiders have any news on what type of product is going over there by who I assume to be Irvine Pacific?

 

[nytransplant]

It looks like the Carmel II project is taking up a lot of lots.  From what i say today it takes up almost all of the lots (except the ones adjacent to trabuco) right across from Sonoma.  Then it appears to go three rows deep + they have a stretch of lots along regal. 

Does anyone who's been to carmel recently know how many lots and where they all will be?

 

[oakcreekrenter]

My wife and I visited Carmel and Sonoma last week.  This was our second visit - for some reason, the plans seemed a lot nicer the second time around. 

Sonoma had a cancellation available, a Plan 3 on Rolling Green, that had minimal upgrades, priced at $887,628.  The buyer could still choose flooring options.  We liked the plan a lot, but we didn't like the location on Rolling Green, plus the tiny lot size at 3375 sq ft. You could almost touch the back lot wall from your California room!

Carmel I also had a cancellation available, a Plan 3, not sure about the location, priced at $1,108,000.  All the options had been chosen, hardwood floors upstairs and downstairs.  It was a corner lot, 4085 sq ft.

Carmel II had quite a few homes available.  It appears they are taking the three middle lots directly across from Sonoma.  There were four homes available on Rolling Green (again, location not as ideal as an inner street or cul-de-sac), three on Skyward, and they were going to release the last phase of the homes facing the new park last week.  The lot sizes are a lot bigger, between 5775 sq ft to 6550.  But the floorplans just don't make any sense to me.  I much prefer the Carmel I Plan 2 with the conservatory option instead of the flex room.  Interestingly, you can choose to have Carmel I version of the floorplan, but they will only credit you $15,000 in the case of the Plan 2, and you also lose the upstairs bonus room.  And you'd have to pay $30,000 for the conservatory option of Carmel I Plan 2.  So for a net $15,000 increase over base Carmel II pricing, you could have the Carmel I Plan 2 floorplan with conservatory, just like the model, on a larger lot, but you'd be losing sq footage, which seems like a terrible value.  Especially since Carmel II Plan 2 pricing starts at $1,107,400. 

Finally, the Carmel sales agent showed us an overview of the SE corner of Woodbury.  The lots against Regal are supposed to be 3,000+ sq ft homes by Irvine Pacific.  The lots between Keystone and the park, and the lots against Trabuco, look like they will be developed much later.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Thanks for the update oakcreekrenter.

I'm surprised the Irvine Pacific Homes are going to be bigger rather than Sonoma-sized. Considering that Carmel II already fills that niche and Montecito II is basically the sub-2500sft range, I would have thought they would do a Sonoma-like project that ranges from 2500-3000sft.

 

[Irvine2Irvine]

Thanks for the update oakcreekrenter.

I'm surprised the Irvine Pacific Homes are going to be bigger rather than Sonoma-sized. Considering that Carmel II already fills that niche and Montecito II is basically the sub-2500sft range, I would have thought they would do a Sonoma-like project that ranges from 2500-3000sft.

The problem is that the lots are much larger.  Unless TIC rezones and divides up the lots to smaller size, I don't see TIC giving away (wasted from their point of view) the big backyard space.  TIC cannot charge much premium for larger lot, they need to build square footage on it.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Thanks for the update oakcreekrenter.

I'm surprised the Irvine Pacific Homes are going to be bigger rather than Sonoma-sized. Considering that Carmel II already fills that niche and Montecito II is basically the sub-2500sft range, I would have thought they would do a Sonoma-like project that ranges from 2500-3000sft.

The problem is that the lots are much larger.  Unless TIC rezones and divides up the lots to smaller size, I don't see TIC giving away (wasted from their point of view) the big backyard space.  TIC cannot charge much premium for larger lot, they need to build square footage on it.

I see.

I think they should make the garages tandem and that eats up some square footage and creates a bigger footprint for upstairs space. Just make the tandems optional for those who want more interior space than storage space.

So does that mean we are going to see either a Villa Rosa or Mille Fleurs type product?

 

[nytransplant]

Sonoma update:

2 Plan 3's back on the market.  One of thes has a 5th bedroom in pladce of the loft.

 

[Irvine2Irvine]

Sonoma update:

2 Plan 3's back on the market.  One of thes has a 5th bedroom in pladce of the loft.

Wonder if the original purchasers lost their 3% earnest money deposit if they backed out becasue they changed their mind.  From what I understand, only excusible reason is the loss of income that will disqualify them from getting a loan.

 

[sonoma]

Sonoma update:

2 Plan 3's back on the market.  One of thes has a 5th bedroom in pladce of the loft.

Wonder if the original purchasers lost their 3% earnest money deposit if they backed out becasue they changed their mind.  From what I understand, only excusible reason is the loss of income that will disqualify them from getting a loan.

Maybe Carmel II proved to be too irresistible.    Or maybe all this rain is potentially rotting all the wood for their phase?  I'm just kidding of course.