Sue Doerfler
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 8, 2006 12:00 AM
Element Homes' second subdivision in Gilbert's Power Ranch master-planned community contains midsize homes that range from 1,340 to 3,562 square feet. The homes have a midpoint price range: $226,000 to $311,000.
The subdivision, called Homestead, has 145 lots.
• Verbena, 1,340 square feet, three bedrooms, one story.
This compact floor plan flows well; there is no wasted space. There are only two hallways, each of which is less than 5 feet long. One leads to the laundry/garage, the other to the secondary bedrooms. The hallways are great places for family photos.
• Larkspur, 2,106 square feet, three bedrooms, two stories.
If you don't need a fourth bedroom - it's an option - keep the loft. The space is a great flex room that will grow in usage as your family grows. It can be a playroom when your kids are small, a study room when they are in grade school, a game room when they're teenagers and a home office or study for you once they leave the nest.
• Jasmine, 2,361 square feet, four bedrooms, two stories.
There is too much wasted space on the first floor. The den option - in lieu of a tandem garage - only magnifies it. Creatively placing furniture will help in reducing wasted space, but you can move the sofa and chairs only a bit farther out. If you don't get the den, you have another wall to work with. Consider placing a desk/computer area there.
Subdivision highlights
• There are five floor plans ranging from 1,340 to 2,361 square feet.
• Minimum lot size is 45 by 110 feet.
• Residents have access to Power Ranch amenities, which include parks, 2-acre lake, clubhouse, soccer complex and community pool.
Design tip: Make a headboard out of foam or a wall hanging to match the theme of your bedroom. In the Larkspur plan, one of the kids bedrooms is done up French, with a plastic Eiffel Tower for a headboard.
Where: Northwest corner of Germann Road and Fenceline Parkway, Power Ranch, Gilbert.
Base price: $226,000 to $311,000.
Standard features: Tiled entries, oak kitchen cabinets, microwaves, laminate countertops, covered patios, post-tension slab construction, front-yard landscaping and automatic garage door openers. R-19 exterior wall insulation, R-30 ceiling insulation, low-E windows and gas furnaces and water heaters.
School districts: Higley.
Nearest freeway: About five miles from the Santan Freeway.
Nearest mall: About 13 miles from Chandler Fashion Center.
Model hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays and noon to 6 p.m. Fridays. Sales office: (602) 206-9386.
Reach the reporter at sue.doerfler@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8236.