Avellino Estates impresses buyers

Brad and Beth Creel watched Richmond American Homes' Avellino Estates neighborhood develop. From their home across the street, they watched the construction of the model homes and street layouts, and liked what they saw.

"We literally had a front-row seat to see what Richmond was doing, and we really liked the way the models and the community looked as it developed," Beth Creel said.

With two children to consider -- Zachary, 12, and Gabriel, 9 -- Creel said it was important for them to stay close to where they were already living.

"Brad has lived in this part of town for over 12 years, and we both love the area ... Plus, making it possible for our kids to stay close to their friends was a big consideration for us, too," she said.

The northwestern valley neighborhood, which is approaching sellout, offers three two-story designs.

"We were definitely looking for a larger home for our family, and when we moved into our Avellino Estates home at the end of April, we went from 1,700 to almost 2,800 square feet.

"Brad loved the floor plan and we both love the spacious design and features of our home. In fact, when we went to the design center, we literally spent nothing on upgrades. And the people we worked with there were very helpful, too," she said.

"Richmond also made moving into our new home easy and pleasant. The house was ready on schedule with very minor touch-up to be done from our walk-through. We had a family friend with us who is an engineer, and after he looked over the home, he said everything looked great," Creel said.

The two-story Merida design is the largest plan available and offers several room configurations. It features formal living and dining areas, a family room and kitchen with adjacent nook. The second floor may feature as many as six bedrooms. Options include a loft, volume ceiling in the dining room, and tandem third-car garage or seventh bedroom. The home can measure from 2,781 to 3,072 square feet. It is priced from the low $200,000s.

Also available is the 2,314-square-foot Tuscany design, which offers a fifth bedroom or loft, and formal living and dining areas. It is priced from the low $200,000s.

The Avila plan measures 2,526 square feet and is priced from the low $200,000s. It offers a downstairs bedroom and an optional den.

To visit, take U.S. Highway 95 to Ann Road, head east to Torrey Pines Drive, go south and follow the signs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Monday and Friday, when the office opens at noon.

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