Moving into the Quarry at Iron Mountain (San Antonio, Liberty: estate, housing)

[aggie4ever01]

Congratulations Banker....that seems to have gone by quickly...maybe that's just how it appears to those of us following along. When we built we signed our paperwork on December 15th of 2006 and closed May 1 2007. We were blessed with great weather...we moved in just in time for the summer of rain...2007. Enjoy your new home.

[banker]

We had our inspection yesterday and things look good. We hope to have things wrapped up by the middle of next week.

On a related note - there has been a lot of discussion about how the Quarry is different from the rest of KB's other product and how the new homes going into the Quarry are more like the other product built in the other KB communities around San Antonio. Well, I read a good article this morning that talks about what is happening to KB not just in San Antonio but around the country. This is reflective of what is happening in the housing market in general as well. Great read:

Downsizing the American home - Jun. 4, 2008

[playmaker7206]

The issue with the lower series homes is the curb appeal. In the article you attached it states that KB did a great job managing the curb appeal by keeping all homes the SAME WIDTH, and shorting the depth to decrease the size.

The Quarry now has Estate homes that are 70' wide with a 3 car garage next to a 40' wide home. Just look at the slab poured at 19246 Boltmore Bay. This 40' home sits between two 70' homes. And they put this 40' home all the way on the left side of the lot, and there is a 40' distance between the home on the right, when most estate homes are 12-13' apart. This is insane. These 40' homes belong on a 55' lot, not an 80-85' lot.

[texdav]

He should be in by now. Congads on your new home!

[banker]

Originally Posted by texdav

He should be in by now. Congads on your new home!

Yes I am in. It has been wonderful finally being in our new home. The KB staff has been great and really made the closing a great experience.

[banker]

Originally Posted by playmaker7206

The issue with the lower series homes is the curb appeal. In the article you attached it states that KB did a great job managing the curb appeal by keeping all homes the SAME WIDTH, and shorting the depth to decrease the size.

The Quarry now has Estate homes that are 70' wide with a 3 car garage next to a 40' wide home. Just look at the slab poured at 19246 Boltmore Bay. This 40' home sits between two 70' homes. And they put this 40' home all the way on the left side of the lot, and there is a 40' distance between the home on the right, when most estate homes are 12-13' apart. This is insane. These 40' homes belong on a 55' lot, not an 80-85' lot.

I know the home you are talking about. I too wonder why they didn't center this house to give it equal side yards. That being said...I do disagree about a 40' home being on a 55' lot. What is wrong with having a larger more luxurious yard? Even with the new smaller (narrower) homes - I don't think it will detract too bad. Smaller (narrower) homes look better when not stacked one right on top of each other like you suggest on 55' lots. Having more green space will help the neighborhood avoid the row house look of Saddle Mountain or other 55' width lot communitites.

[joe123456]

Originally Posted by banker

I know the home you are talking about. I too wonder why they didn't center this house to give it equal side yards. That being said...I do disagree about a 40' home being on a 55' lot. What is wrong with having a larger more luxurious yard? Even with the new smaller (narrower) homes - I don't think it will detract too bad. Smaller (narrower) homes look better when not stacked one right on top of each other like you suggest on 55' lots. Having more green space will help the neighborhood avoid the row house look of Saddle Mountain or other 55' width lot communitites.

I think his point was that if you purchased that 70' estate home you feel shafted. Whenever a builder significantly cheapens the community by building substaintially less expensive line it hurts the community overall...especially if you own the 400K home in now a 250-300K subdivision.

However, if you are building a cheaper home in the Quarry you are in a better situation. The 300-500K home is bringing up the value of your 250K home.

[banker]

Originally Posted by joe123456

I think his point was that if you purchased that 70' estate home you feel shafted. Whenever a builder significantly cheapens the community by building substaintially less expensive line it hurts the community overall...especially if you own the 400K home in now a 250-300K subdivision.

However, if you are building a cheaper home in the Quarry you are in a better situation. The 300-500K home is bringing up the value of your 250K home.

Agreed. However - the new line is much more expensive than your quote above. The new price range is $250K - $322K for the base price. For the Quarry (at least when we contracted back last December) they require a minimum 10% upgrades on all plans. If the same still applies today then the price range is really $275K-350K.

Granted - the new floor plans are not as architecturally pleasing as the old Liberty (what I have) and Estate lines. But they aren't bad. The fact that the majority of the homes will be Liberty and Estate homes keeps the overall feel much nicer than other communities that just have the new Empire and Trails collection homes - like The Woods of Alon.

And just because they are narrower floor plans - doesn't mean they are bad. Remember you can get an optional three car garage - which extends the foot print back to 50 feet. The optional three car garage is not offered in other communities because the other communities lots are too narrow. Again - the three car garage option adds to the premium feel offered in the Quarry.

[ocgirl_13]

The Estate Series are actually 60', not 70'. I agree with Banker. The new series look great on the oversized lots. More yard = more curb appeal.

[banker]

Originally Posted by playmaker7206

The Quarry now has Estate homes that are 70' wide with a 3 car garage next to a 40' wide home. Just look at the slab poured at 19246 Boltmore Bay. This 40' home sits between two 70' homes. And they put this 40' home all the way on the left side of the lot, and there is a 40' distance between the home on the right, when most estate homes are 12-13' apart. This is insane. These 40' homes belong on a 55' lot, not an 80-85' lot.

I did a little checking on this one...and it seems that you have jumped to a wrong conclusion. First - as was stated above, the Estate homes are 60' wide foot prints. Secondly - the home mentioned above was offset to the left to avoid cutting down a cluster of live oaks in the front yard. If KB had centered the house on the lot - the driveway would have required the cluster of oaks be cut down. Many people do not realize that KB is not like Pulte, Medallion and others that cut down every tree while developing the neighborhood. Fact is - they only cut down the trees where the slab and underground utilities go. So - while you don't like the fact that the home is on the left side fo the lot...it will help long term as it keeps native trees in the front yard of this home. Also - the lots are 75' wide. So if you have a five foot easement on the left of the home, a 40' wide home - that leaves 25' on the right of the home...not 40' as you stated above.

It will look nice. As a resident of the Quarry - I am pleased that KB went out of their way to keep as many of the original oaks as possible. Some are very large in fact and required careful planning to keep them - especially in the front yards of some of the houses on Ashbury Bay.