The Reserve at Orchard Hills - UPDATED WITH VIDEO AND ABSURD PRICES

I know I have not posted in ages... and I still have an enormous stack of papers to deal with... but here goes for the first post since May!

Just as a side note, if you plan to buy a home for under $2 million in Playa Vista, you had better move quickly! There is only 1 flat at Mason left for grabs (>$1000/sf) and 2 flats at Cleo (one of which is like approx. $1200/sf).

I just visited Porter Ranch this weekend and although Westcliffe had some decent traffic, they need to move faster if they want to get some of their sales moving. Even though the Aliso Canyon Gas Leak is most certainly a black eye to the community's reputation, the fact that it is one of the last parcels in the San Fernando Valley with views like the ones presented is merit-worthy. Sure, Chatsworth is not the most pleasant neighborhood to drive through (no offense intended), but it is worth a check. Also, the Cascades will be opening soon. The modern architecture is well... interesting (especially the 3-car wide garages and loft-over-open-to-below style), but I would not put them in the middle of Porter Ranch. They will be a bit strange... From an appreciation perspective, yes, they will be one-of-a-kind, but a rich FCB knows that style of home all too well...

I have received questions about Toll Brothers communities in SoCal and yes, Porter Ranch and the Crossing at Baker Ranch (or alternatively, Parkside which is markedly selling well now) are the only communities offered by them without venturing north into Santa Clarita or south into San Diego County for under $1.3 million. However, don't limit yourself to Toll Brothers! Imagine how many other communities they built in the past!

Also, Sea Summit is moving along a bit slowly. The $1 million Aqua courtyard homes are a bit too high in my eyes for a home in the center of the jam-packed area of the community, but the $1.3 million Sapphire homes seem to be a good deal, especially with about 3500 square feet and close proximity to shops, trails, and the beach. Sure, it may not have a view (backing a slope), but still... Ironically, Indigo (over $3.2 million for partial views whatsoever) is selling the fastest, with the lot-home matching they allow.

Now, onto Orchard Hills...

Floorplans have been already provided for some time for all developments below. Thus, if you want to see them, before asking me, check your search engine FIRST (particularly Google Images) and my posts should pop up quite quickly.

The following video made me drool quite a bit... And those views are REAL (the last one should be from the Terra extension homesites). Irvine Pacific seems to be upping it up by a notch...

UPDATE: Irvine Pacific has just released preliminary pricing for their developments, and my god! At $1 million for a San Mateo/Petaluma/Jasmine/Siena clone in Orchard Hills, I would rather buy a non-gated Verona detached condo for a little more (see their Mercutio floorplan which is a 2-story over 2100 s.f. home) in Newport Coast. I thought $900,000 would be a bit hard to swallow for most people, but at a $1 million, there is no way that I can recommend this development any more. When the housing market begins to descend again, these will be hit hard (even with the spectacular views). In short: the Reserve is a NO GO.

P.S. If you like Irvine so much (I do not), then at least go with Varenna on the other side of Orchard Hills. It is gated, it is a nearly 2500 s.f. true single-family home, and it is under $1.2 million. Sure it is next to the 241 toll road, but it has an impressive wide front that no other home in Irvine can currently offer. Also, you are next to much bigger homes than at the Reserve (more exclusivity). Sure you are in TUSD, but as some people have already voiced, being in a "supposedly" better school district might be harmful during the college app process. Thus, it makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE to buy at the Reserve right now.

Vivo From the $1 Millions Como From the $1.3 Millions

Verdi From the $1.1 Millions Terra From the $1.5 Millions

Lago From the $1.1 Millions

Source: https://www.villagesofirvine.com/villages-neighborhoods/orchard-hills/