We are also looking carefully 4S Ranch and Del Sur. My wife has the same opinion of yours about the floor plan. I like the Del Sur’s community plan much better, but it comes with the cost since their Melo Roos is ridiculously high. It reminds me that I am living in California, not in New Jersey.
We also like the old 4S Ranch, south of Camino De Norte better than new area. But those two or three years old houses in old 4S Ranch are much more expensive. Personally, I thought those sellers are crazy, but they might be a smart investor.
We went back to get more info about the community plan in Del Sur lately, and I got feeling that they may make some announcement about next phase sometime soon. A lady in the ranch told us that they have been negotiating the plan with developers and may start selling the units for next community development phase (second phase out of 4) in 2008/2009. Thinking about the current real estate market, developers may start increasing the number of more affordable housing units than now. Affordable may mean smaller unit, though.
The one thing I did not like about new 4S ranch area is that there is no community pool and only one small park for toddlers. There are a few small baseball park, but nothing intriguing, even the view is not great comparing to the south or old 4S Ranch area.
I am also hoping that pienza is going to lower the price down further, but I think it may/will not happen since they are selling houses at the current price and they will sell out their lots not so far in the future.
If you can wait, you may want to check the next community development plan for both 4S Ranch and Del Sur. 4S Ranch has the last development phase left and they currently have no plan at all. We visited their community center at 4S Ranch late June, and a lady told us so. However, sine they are close to complete the current phase (except maybeck), there might be some announcement within one or two years.
If you wait, the problem might be that you may not see units like evergreen or pienza in the last phase at 4S Ranch.
