Lusitano is starting to take shape in Gilbert. Here’s what I think about it so far.

If you've driven by Greenfield and Pecos lately, you've probably noticed Lusitano starting to look a lot less hypothetical.

Tri Pointe still hasn't opened it for sales.

There's no public pricing yet, no lot release and no official model opening date that I've seen.

But we finally know enough about the homes that I have a much better idea of what this neighborhood is going to be.

And it's bigger than I originally expected.

There are only going to be 76 homes

This is probably the first thing I'd know if I were considering Lusitano.

Tri Pointe is putting 76 homes on roughly 40 acres, with homesites ranging from about 10,000 to 24,000 square feet.

So this isn't going to feel like a giant new-build community with 600 houses and construction going on around you forever.

It's also gated.

And at this point in Gilbert, finding 40 acres where somebody can still build 76 larger homes like this is becoming pretty unusual.

That's one reason I've been watching it.

The homes have gotten more interesting

When Gilbert first reviewed the home designs earlier this year, we were looking at three base plans around 3,500 to 3,700 square feet.

Now Tri Pointe is showing four plans, and there's a pretty big difference between them.

The Brenton is 3,496 square feet.

Camarillo is 3,512.

Friesian is 3,649.

And then there's the Calida at 4,846 square feet with a five-car garage.

That's the one that caught my attention.

Nearly 4,900 square feet, single story, five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and five garage bays before we even start talking about how somebody actually finishes the house.

That's a substantial new-build for Gilbert.

Some of these homes can get REALLY big

This is something I don't think people realize yet.

Gilbert's planning commission was already discussing configurations that could go over 5,000 square feet and include a basement when these homes were being reviewed.

And looking at Tri Pointe's newer plan options, you can see how quickly some of these houses could grow.

The Brenton can go up to six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms.

The Friesian can go as high as seven bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms and can be configured as one or two stories.

There are also some really good indoor/outdoor configurations. Courtyards, covered outdoor areas, big sliders and private outdoor space off the primary suites depending on the plan.

This isn't really what I'd consider normal production new construction.

They're clearly trying to give people enough structural choices to build some pretty serious houses here.

The garages might sell Lusitano as much as the houses

This is Arizona. Garage space matters. 

The Brenton and Camarillo can be configured with as many as five garage bays, and the Calida starts out showing five.

For the buyer looking at a million-dollar-plus home who has a truck, a couple cars, toys, golf cart, workshop or just doesn't want their garage packed wall to wall, that's a real advantage.

Especially because the alternative in Gilbert is often buying an established luxury home and realizing afterward that you love the house but have nowhere to put anything.

I already have opinions about the lots

This is the part I'd pay attention to before everybody gets distracted by the models.

Not all 76 homesites are going to be equal.

There are homes along Greenfield, interior lots, different open-space conditions, retention areas and some lots that are considerably larger than others.

And a 24,000-square-foot lot sounds amazing until you find out what the premium is, where the usable backyard actually sits and what's around it.

I'd rather have a slightly smaller interior lot in the right position than pay a giant premium simply because the lot schedule says one homesite is bigger.

That's why I really want to see Tri Pointe's premiums when they finally release everything.

There will probably be a few lots here I'd want immediately.

There will probably be a few where I'd ask a lot more questions.

The location is probably one of Lusitano's biggest advantages

If you're moving here from somewhere else, Greenfield and Pecos probably means absolutely nothing to you.

It matters.

You're in South Gilbert, but you're not way out on the edge waiting for everything around you to get built.

The 202 isn't far away. SanTan Village and the Williams Field shopping area are close. You're surrounded by established Gilbert neighborhoods and everyday shopping, and Discovery District Park is basically across the street.

That park is around 48 acres with sports fields, courts, a lake, trails and other recreation.

I actually think that's more useful than having some enormous amenity complex inside Lusitano that 76 homeowners would have to pay to maintain.

Tri Pointe is showing Lusitano itself with things like a playground, half basketball court, trails and a mountain-bike track.

But having a large Gilbert park right outside the neighborhood gives you quite a bit more without needing to build all of it behind the gate.

Granview is going to make this even more interesting

Lusitano isn't the only larger new neighborhood coming to this part of Gilbert.

David Weekley is preparing Granview at Somerset nearby with another 75 homes.

And Granview is going after a similar buyer in a completely different way.

Their homes are expected to range from roughly 3,700 to 5,500 square feet, with 90-, 95- and 105-foot-wide homesites, RV-garage options and basement plans.

So around this same Greenfield/Pecos pocket, we're about to get roughly 151 larger new homes from two different builders.

That's a lot for Gilbert right now.

If you're a buyer who has been waiting for a bigger brand-new home in Gilbert, I wouldn't automatically decide which community you prefer yet.

I'd wait until we have prices.

Because I think Lusitano versus Granview could become a really interesting decision.

Pricing is going to decide a LOT for me

This is the one thing I don't want to pretend I know.

Tri Pointe still says “Pricing coming soon.”

I've seen people trying to estimate what these will start at. I'm not doing that yet.

Because the base price is only one number anyway.

I'm more interested in:

Base price + lot premium + structural options + design center.

Take a nearly 4,900-square-foot Calida, put it on one of the better lots, add five garages and start upgrading the house...

That's the number I care about.

Because at some point you're not just comparing Lusitano with another new build.

You're comparing it with some really nice established Gilbert neighborhoods where the landscaping is already mature, the pool is already built, the backyard is finished and you know exactly what you're buying.

That's where Lusitano will either make a ton of sense or become harder for me to justify.

So would I wait for Lusitano?

For the right buyer, yes.

If you specifically want new, want to stay in Gilbert, need a larger single-story home, care about garage space, want some multigenerational flexibility or love the idea of doing a basement, I'd absolutely keep Lusitano on the list.

There just aren't many new opportunities like this left here.

But I wouldn't stop looking at resale while you wait.

We still don't know what Tri Pointe is going to charge for the best lots. We don't know what the popular structural options will cost. And we don't know where a nicely finished Lusitano home ultimately lands after everything is added.

Those numbers matter.

The models will eventually make everybody fall in love with the pretty stuff.

I'm waiting for the price sheet and lot premiums.

That's when I'll tell you which Lusitano lots I'd actually buy.

 

Jessica Vukobratovich

REAL Broker

480-678-9397

jessiev.realestate@gmail.com