I’ve been considering Bel Etage & Ivy Gate, too (since my wife prefers newer 1-story houses that are 3,000+ sq ft). I’ll try to answer some of your questions & share with you what I know.
– Why is it hard to find larger single-store houses that are close to amenities ?
With high real estate prices, most middle class & upper middle class families want as much living spaces at the lowest prices as possible. Single-story houses have a larger foot print & cost more because land is expensive. Also, the modern busy lifestyles leave little time for gardening. This is why most of the houses built after 1990 that are 2000+ sq ft are 2-stories & have relatively small back yards.
Most middle class folks are happy to forgo gardening/privacy in exchange for more internal living spaces & close proximity to amenities.
3000+ sq ft single-level houses have become a luxury.
– Bel Etage vs. Ivy Gate
I first view homes in Bel Etage in 2006 & I liked them a lot. But the new developments that were built in that areas since 2006 concern me. Del Norte HS, Del Sur, new shoppping center … will increase the traffic & noise level. Bel Etage used to be a peaceful gated community. I doubt that I will stay that way for long.
When I viewed Ivy Gate in 2006, it was full of buyers who bought at the peak. Many of the owners were realtors whose incomes plummeted along with the real estate market. Some of the houses lack landscaping b/c the owners stretched to buy. Some other languished on the markets for a long time. Some were listed as rentals b/c the owners couldn’t sell them.
But Ivy Gate is not close to empty & buildable land like Bel Etage. Except for Oak Valley middle school that’s nearby, it’s still pretty quiet & peaceful,
In the long term, the “financially shaky owners” in Ivy Gate will make way for other owners who buy at lower prices through foreclosures/short sales.
