Which house in Irvine would you buy?

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bkshopr_IHB

bkshopr_IHB

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Same size houses with same selling price. Same size rear yards and both has direct access to house. One house has mostly concrete at the front the other has full width green lawn. The garage toward the rear has a Porte Cochere.
 
One of these uses significantly more land and has a correspondingly higher price. It's that or it's a different form factor such as 2500sf in a two story instead of a one story.
 
I am always torn between wanting a house that looks good from the street and one that has a useful private yard. Alley-loaded or rear garages entering from the street usually present better from the street, but they have almost no usable private yard. I will probably opt for a property with a larger private use space (back yard) and sacrifice they appearance from the street.
 
Im with IR. As long as it has a decent driveway and I would be fine (with street parking and NO parking permits required). Plus with the garage up front (even compared to port cochere), the house probably has a larger backyard. Unfortunately, in Irvine, you often get neither the decent driveway or the large backyard. But a guy can dream can't he?
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1241082466]Same size houses with same selling price. Same size rear yards and both has direct access to house. One house has mostly concrete at the front the other has full width green lawn. The garage toward the rear has a Porte Cochere.</blockquote>
Hehe... way to load the poll.



As you can see by the above posts... there are some shenanigans going on here with either the lot size or the configuration of the house.



Again... I would actually love the huge driveway through a Porte Cochere but with a similar lot... you will lose yard space or house space somewhere.



For someone who designs homes for a living... why don't you get that you're comparing apples and oranges... I already proved it with the math during your last challenge... and I don't even work in the housing industry (and this one is even more off because your 2nd option takes up more room than the alley loaded option).
 
Welcome... IHBers to the 3rd annual IHB verbal UFC match. This year's main event features the two time champ BK "The racist triad floral park loving garage hater" Shopr and Irvine "The LA gangsta now the Irvine garage/HOA/Mello roos loving daddy" home_[strike]owner[/strike]renter. The main event surrounds around the challenge of which garage is best, where it should be, and how much stucco will it come down to. BK has coming out swinging for years on his aesthetic plaster like approach, but IHO has come in swinging hard with his stucco and tot lot points of functionality over form. Both are formidable opponents, and both bring up good points, but with the odds at 50/50, this battle is too close to call.



Stay tuned IHBers, to see who wins the IHB verbal UFC match. Don't be surprised if it goes on for too long and both of the old geezers just pass out from fatigue. But, in the mean time, what garage would you prefer?
 
There is one house in Portola Springs I like. Exactly one. In fact, it's the only home in Irvine I have any desire to own.



You got a picture of that house, BK?
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1241103492]Welcome... IHBers to the 3rd annual IHB verbal UFC match. This year's main event features the two time champ BK "The racist triad floral park loving garage hater" Shopr and Irvine "The LA gangsta now the Irvine garage/HOA/Mello roos loving daddy" home_[strike]owner[/strike]renter. The main event surrounds around the challenge of which garage is best, where it should be, and how much stucco will it come down to. BK has coming out swinging for years on his aesthetic plaster like approach, but IHO has come in swinging hard with his stucco and tot lot points of functionality over form. Both are formidable opponents, and both bring up good points, but with the odds at 50/50, this battle is too close to call.



Stay tuned IHBers, to see who wins the IHB verbal UFC match. Don't be surprised if it goes on for too long and both of the old geezers just pass out from fatigue. But, in the mean time, what garage would you prefer?</blockquote>
Hehe... 3rd annual? Isn't this like a daily thing now?



Let's clear up some things:



1. I hate Mello Roos. I hate taxes period.

2. I actually agree that bk's garage is best... but given the contraints of lot size and house space... it's not that feasible in today's Irvine neighborhoods. If I could afford a lot in Shady Canyon... I doubt my 12-car garage would be of the full frontal variety.

3. Don't be calling me old yet... I'll show you old on the basketball court.

4. I was never in a gang... that was bk... I'm a lover not a fighter.



The funniest thing I find in all of this is that bk bags on the aesthetics of the frontal garages in Irvine... yet brags that he designed the houses in Irvine... contradiction says what?
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1241105475]There is one house in Portola Springs I like. Exactly one. In fact, it's the only home in Irvine I have any desire to own.



You got a picture of that house, BK?</blockquote>


As a PSer, I'd be honored to have you as a neighbor. You'd love it here. We have a fantastic view of the hangars at VOC that I know you'd appreciate.
 
Obviously, the concealed garage accessed by a narrow driveway is more attractive but using it requires a degree of driving skill that most Chinese do not possess.
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1241135419]Obviously, the concealed garage accessed by a narrow driveway is more attractive but using it requires a degree of driving skill that most Chinese do not possess.</blockquote>
That's why... built into back driveway is a huge turntable (like the one in the Batcave in the old Batman TV show).



Hey bk... what's the typical lot size again for a 2500-3000sft home in Irvine? I'm trying to fit your design into a floorplan that won't give up too much backyard space. I think the best way is to reduce the front yard area which should be okay since there's no need for that much space in front of the home. I think I can come up with something that you may find acceptable and still give me a 3-car garage with some driveway space where I can lay down some cardboard for my breakdancing parties.
 
<img src="http://www.catalisthomes.com/PropertyImages/OC/S551434_2.jpg" alt="" />

Mahogany I designed in 1996. now selling for $1.5 million.





<img src="http://thumbs.trulia.com/pictures/thumbs_3/ps.3/9/b/8/3/picture-uh=7b297efa623dbc2adad4c649516f6e6-ps=9b838d107f16cd98e7f39965482d5c10-21-Galileo-Irvine-CA-92603.jpg" alt="" />

3 car garage in Irvine selling for $1.5 million



Both have same footage similar size yard



They are both resales. Lot sizes are similar as well. One is narrow and deep the other is wide and shallow.



Those of you are trying to apply land mathematic made the wrong assumption I was not referring to new homes.











Mahagony lot width is 60'x150'=9,000sf. The street and Right of Way in front of the home is 60'x57"=3420 sf. The total land used for home and street was 9,000+3420=12,420 sf. Mahogony lot is 1,000 sf bigger





Standard Pacific's Summit project is 80'x100'=8,000sf. The street and right of way in front of the home is 80'x57'=4560 sf.

The total land used for home and street was 8,000+ 4560=12,560 sf. Summits lot is 1,000 sf smaller because the 1,000sf was wasted for the longer street.













Value of the homes are the same because developer calculate the street into the selling price. Both properties has similar yard size. Consumer get a bigger lot at Mahogany. The extra 1,000 sf in Mahagany compensates for IR's comments so the back yard for both are the same.



Both properties are currently listed for $1.5 mil.
 
[quote author="IrvineRenter" date=1241086046]I am always torn between wanting a house that looks good from the street and one that has a useful private yard. Alley-loaded or rear garages entering from the street usually present better from the street, but they have almost no usable private yard...</blockquote>


That's a no brainer... Alley loaded. Since I use my garage as a living space, don't want to give a virtual finger to my neighbors now...



Larry, I'll let you know when the bbq house warming is... ;)
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1241141150]<img src="http://www.catalisthomes.com/PropertyImages/OC/S551434_2.jpg" alt="" />

Mahogany I designed in 1996. now selling for $1.5 million.





<img src="http://thumbs.trulia.com/pictures/thumbs_3/ps.3/9/b/8/3/picture-uh=7b297efa623dbc2adad4c649516f6e6-ps=9b838d107f16cd98e7f39965482d5c10-21-Galileo-Irvine-CA-92603.jpg" alt="" />

3 car garage in Irvine selling for $1.5 million



Both have same footage similar size yard



They are both resales. Lot sizes are similar as well. One is narrow and deep the other is wide and shallow.



Those of you are trying to apply land mathematic made the wrong assumption I was not referring to new homes.</blockquote>


Are you implying that you designed the Mahogany home? Or that its a Mahogany I (1) ??



Because this is a plan 3.... I have intimate knowledge of plan 3's...
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1241142304][quote author="bkshopr" date=1241141150]<img src="http://www.catalisthomes.com/PropertyImages/OC/S551434_2.jpg" alt="" />

Mahogany I designed in 1996. now selling for $1.5 million.





<img src="http://thumbs.trulia.com/pictures/thumbs_3/ps.3/9/b/8/3/picture-uh=7b297efa623dbc2adad4c649516f6e6-ps=9b838d107f16cd98e7f39965482d5c10-21-Galileo-Irvine-CA-92603.jpg" alt="" />

3 car garage in Irvine selling for $1.5 million



Both have same footage similar size yard



They are both resales. Lot sizes are similar as well. One is narrow and deep the other is wide and shallow.



Those of you are trying to apply land mathematic made the wrong assumption I was not referring to new homes.</blockquote>


Are you implying that you designed the Mahogany home? Or that its a Mahogany I (1) ??



Because this is a plan 3.... I have intimate knowledge of plan 3's...</blockquote>


I designed all three and Rosegate as well.
 
Kudos then. Many happy memories growing up in one of your designs. Its rough shopping around for my own first home when that was my standard.
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1241143346]Kudos then. Many happy memories growing up in one of your designs. Its rough shopping around for my own first home when that was my standard.</blockquote>


You should lower your standard to IHO's then you would have way more homes to choose from. Did your parent take the granny studio over the garage? Which elevation did your parent bought? This project won many awards that year and builders across the country were flying in to Irvine to view this project. It was the first in production homes to have the Jiffy Lube off the front of the homes. It revitalized the entire production home industry by introducing courtyards and lanched the success of Taylor Woodrow Homes and The Irvine Company out of the early 90's recession. Garages at the rear is only .005 % of all homes in Irvine.
 
They made the over-garage room into a bonus room and added the 2nd set of internal stairs between that room and the master, with doors leading to both at the top. Spanish-style elevation. Loft added over formal dining. family room expanded back (incorporating what would have been the space for the rear downstairs bedroom) for a mega family room.
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1241144724]They made the over-garage room into a bonus room and added the 2nd set of internal stairs between that room and the master, with doors leading to both at the top. Spanish-style elevation. Loft added over formal dining. family room expanded back (incorporating what would have been the space for the rear downstairs bedroom) for a mega family room.</blockquote>


This concept led to a later TWH project in Bonita Canyon: Wyndover Bay.
 
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