I love having the garage in back, but only if the lot is large enough. Put the garage in the back of a small lot and you lose the back yard, which seems to be what was done in the lots mentinoed by the original poster.

Put that on a large lot (some nice examples in lower Bay Park) and you end up with a better-looking house and all the back-yard you like. I have this configuration and love it. I like to work in the shop, too, so I can keep the door open and be in touch with kids and dogs playing in the back yard while tinkering.

But, I have space on the lot – if I cared to pack ’em in, I have off-street parking for 12 vehicles 🙂 14 you put a couple on the grass.