Unique new community question.

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
Working with $4m per acre, it's still possible to build at a $2m or so price point. The original listed home says "3,300 SF", but my guess is that because the 500 sf basement is permitted, the actual footprint of the home is about 2,800 SF. The garage is 1,110 SF, but could be shrunk from 4 cars to 3. Let's say that puts the garage footprint at 900 SF. Total land use for buildings is then 3,700 SF. Move the lot sizes from 10,000 to 9,000 and things improve while still having what is considered an "oversized" lot in Irvine. A $4m per acre price should include infrastructure. Not sure what acreage within OH or 5 Points Great Park might run, but if purchased today, you've got most of the built ins already.

Given construction material differences between a 1900 era home (wood, plaster) and a 2017 build with different materials, the cost to build won't be as great. There is a terrific amount of "gingerbread" on the original property - shingles, trim pieces, which while costly if 100% wood, can be softened up a bit while still maintaining the historical look of these kinds of designs. Since options are often a significant revenue center, depending on the level of customization a buyer wants the "gingerbreading" of a home like this could be very profitable. That is a great incentive then to build something like this. Many buyers pay outside contractors to improve the interior of the home. The builder could almost exclusively improve the detailed exterior of these homes at point of sale.

Let's say cost to build a 3,700 SF dwelling is $250 PSF - generous because a basement to dig out isn't much, and a detached garage is very, very cheap to build. $925k to build, $1m for land (4 units per acre at 9,000 SF lots) and you're in the $2-2.25m price range.

Assuming functional floorplans, I'd rather live in a $2.25m unique home than a $3m Faux Tuscan-ish box. How about you?

My .02c
 
I really like the style of these old time houses. But the main draw from SGIP's original example  is the huge side yard setback providing the kind of privacy from your neighbor that even the 10,000 sq ft new construction lots in Irvine can't provide because the side yard is still 5 ft wide, even at Alta/Bella Vista and Hidden Canyon.

However, if you had a builder come in and build this style of house in a development, it too would be a tract house, except a craftsman style tract rather than a Mediterranean style tract, so it would lose some of the charm that comes from being unique. 

Also, I would not buy this style of house if it came with the same 5 ft side yard set back that seems to be standard with all new construction.

I don't know if modern builders would ever build the same type of neighborhood layout with the same generosity of land that you see in old neighborhoods like Floral Park, Santa Ana.

I think your only option to really get that kind of privacy  is to buy a generous lot and build truly custom (my dream), but how many people can afford that in Southern California?



 
This is something I would like to see in Irvine.

This is a new community in Los Gatos call Laurel Mews.  Its brand new construction home but make it look like home from the early 1900's.  The land over there is even more scarce and expensive then Irvine, so these home utilize very small lot just like the typical TIC's development.  Actually this whole community is only 2 acres, used to be a car dealership.

So you got this very traditional looking home but with all the modern efficient floor plan and clever use of very small lot, I can definitely see this design work for Irvine. 
https://patch.com/california/losgat...-subdivision-laurel-mews-is-now-on-the-market

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INC, no one could be this talented to have designed a new home this beautiful. It is a lost art. Only an old house have this type of flair. Have you personally seen this to verify?
 
I am so grateful there are posters here with good taste. I thought everyone loves the awful foam trimed cheap opulence Persian McMansions Toll Brothers built. No wonder I am so out of sync with its programs. It's sad to see that many buyers love this craps.
 
From the house (first post in thread), drive East on Lincoln and turn North on Kingsley St before the Santa Ana River.  Check homes along Kingsley St and eastward (Trevor St) toward the river.  There are some old custom homes there for less $$ and it's buried deep enough in the suburbs to dodge ruffians.

Examples:https://www.redfin.com/CA/Anaheim/131-S-Trevor-St-92806/home/4047641https://www.redfin.com/CA/Anaheim/159-S-Kingsley-St-92806/home/4047566

The lot sizes are not very large but backyard is big enough for pool and patio/yard space.  Rio Vista Elementary is within short walking distance, and this part of Anaheim is in Placentia school district so your kids will be bused to Kramer Jr High / Valencia High.  Across the river to East is city of Orange.  I'm not as familiar with the area south of Lincon from here but you might want to have a look as well.

57, 91, and 55 FWY are nearby, Anaheim Canyon train station and new Kaiser hospital fairly close.  Shopping plazas nearby are kinda lame, I'd drive E on Lincoln to Tustin St and go S for better shopping/dining options.
 
irvinehomeshopper said:
I am so grateful there are posters here with good taste. I thought everyone loves the awful foam trimed cheap opulence Persian McMansions Toll Brothers built. No wonder I am so out of sync with its programs. It's sad to see that many buyers love this craps.
Click to expand...

I don't know if there are really that many Irvine buyers that actually think the houses here are good looking. I think a lot of people put up with crappy housing design because to them the central Irvine location, amenities/convenience and schools trump the design considerations of the house. People aren't just buying the house, they're buying the neighborhood and the location.

 
irvinehomeshopper said:
INC, no one could be this talented to have designed a new home this beautiful. It is a lost art. Only an old house have this type of flair. Have you personally seen this to verify?
Click to expand...

Yeah man, that architect is a genius.

I didn't have a chance to check out Laurel Mews but I did have chances to visit  some of this genius's design here in Irvine.  :)
 
You are perceptive and what gave away that I designed Laurel Mews?

The home you posted won the "Home of the Year" for the entire western USA and all countries bordering the Pacific Rim

Here are the pictures I took earlier today walking in my neighborhood.
I now spent a lot more time in Northern CA because the crash will occur sooner in Southern CA and NorCal is much more recession proof due to Silicon Valley and the proximity to Stanford University guarantees the local RE much more stable than those close to CSUF.

This is almost the same density as Trellis Court. These tiny homes are 3,000 sf : 900 sf in the basement, 1,700sf in the single story plus attic and another 400 above the garage. McMansion footage like the Toll Brothers but tiny and quaint from the outside. This is the level of sophistication the buyers here are expecting. Toll Brothers are for the masses with new money with taste level like the reality superstars.

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You know what that front porch reminds me of - the Seinfeld episode where Kramer decides his mission  is to live in "Maintown USA" and installs a screen door complete w potted plants , small flag in his hand fireworks.  No McMansion for him !

You are giving these Northern Californian  buyers too much credit.  Having lived there for a decade, I can tell you they could care less.  New construction housing is such a rare commodity there if you built them Toll or Lennar McMansions , they would be happy as well.

Now that would be a true test .  Have this Kramer design community sit side by side with an ugly mcmansion tract and see which one sells faster.


 
@IHS,

Actually I came across Laurel Mews while I was looking for another community BKshopr posted while back on the IHB.

That community was also in the Silicon Valley area and was very similar to LM with this classic exterior and very clever use of small plot of land.  I thought that was the coolest community I've ever encountered and I want to see it again but I can't remember the name nor the location and been searching for it every since. 

When I found LM I though that was it but them I realized the build year was different.  However,  it is just as brilliant as that other community I was looking for.  When this thread pop up about unique new community, the first thing I'm thinking of is something like Laurel Mews.



 
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