Blackstone In Brea Is One Of Orange County’s Of Fastest-selling Communities

June 1, 2012 - PRLog -- BREA, CA –  Attracted by value-added homes, value-added lifestyle and value-added education, more than 100 families have made Blackstone in the hills above Brea one of Orange County’s fastest-selling communities.

The exceptional value begins with three neighborhoods from two of America’s most respected builders: Sorano by Standard Pacific Homes and Amber and Jade by Shea Homes. A fourth neighborhood, Standard Pacific’s Castillian, has already sold out.

The homes abound with value-enhancing features, including open and inviting floor plan designs, upgraded stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, tankless water heaters, nine-foot ceilings on first and second floors and elegant master baths with separate soaking tubs and walk-in showers.

With prices starting in the mid $500,000s, Standard Pacific’s Sorano has been extremely popular with young couples and families that are just starting to grow. A trio of two-story residences extends from approximately 1,739 to 2,001 square feet, including three to four bedrooms and as many as three baths. Impressive great rooms and convenience-oriented kitchens enhance the appeal of these homes.

Also priced from the mid $500,000s, Shea Homes' Amber presents distinctive two-story homes that feature large great rooms, versatile lofts and spacious secondary bedrooms. Plus, the beautiful ridgeline setting offers the ideal location for exceptional views. Living areas range from approximately 2,015 to 2,199 square feet, including four bedrooms and two and one-half baths.

Shea Homes' luxury-home neighborhood of Jade provides the flexibility of many floor plan options to match and enhance individual buyers' lifestyles. Desirable downstairs bedrooms and home offices are just a few of the great features, and commercial-style kitchen appliances, grand master suites and up to three-car garages leave no doubt that the homes are of the highest caliber. Measuring approximately 2,806 to 3,360 square feet, the homes encompass four to five bedrooms and three and one-half to four and one-half baths, and they are priced from the high $700,000s

Blackstone’s value-added lifestyle starts at the community’s recreation center, which offers residents the opportunity to swim in a junior Olympic pool, relax in an invigorating spa, picnic and barbecue in a park-like setting and spend comfortable summer nights by an outdoor fireplace. And for youngsters, a wading pool and water activity center are “splash” hits.

Leisure-time opportunities also extend to Blackstone’s six intimate pocket parks, including one with a tot lot, and a planned 14-acre Brea city park, where family fun will range from picnicking under a tree to playing at the tot lot. With a charming gazebo as its centerpiece, the park will also offer a variety of athletic pursuits, including baseball, basketball, tee ball and soccer.  It will join 15 other community parks, including a popular sports park and a 12-acre historical park showcasing Brea's rich heritage.

The value of an A+ education for children living at Blackstone is provided by the top-rated schools of the Brea Olinda Unified School District*. Based on their exceptionally high Academic Performance Index (API) scores, all of the schools that Blackstone youngsters will attend, from kindergarten through high school, will provide them with a superior learning experience.

Kindergarteners through sixth graders will attend Olinda Elementary, a California Distinguished School and National Blue Ribbon School which holds the highest API score in the district – 937 in 2010. Students also benefit from state-of-the-art facilities at the school’s brand-new campus, which opened in January.

Youngsters will also attend Brea Junior High, and then attend Brea Olinda High where 95% are college bound graduates. Both are California Distinguished Schools. In addition, the high school has produced over 40 National Merit Scholars in the last six years, and students may take over 20 Advanced Placement courses along with a variety of elective choices. Adding spirit to academic excellence, the high school fields 22 varsity sports teams, many of which regularly win league and state championships.

With its rustic setting near Carbon Canyon Regional Park and Olinda Historical Trails and its proximity to the 57, 91 and 60 freeways, Blackstone offers the perfect balance of rural charm and urban convenience. Residents find it easy to reach employment centers and other destinations throughout Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside Counties.

Also nearby are exciting regional shopping, dining and entertainment venues, including Brea Mall and the shops of historic downtown Brea. Brea Mall has five major anchor stores: Nordstrom, Macy’s, Macy's mens children & home, Sears and JC Penney, with over 175 specialty stores and restaurants, including the newly remodeled Foodworks Food Court. Brea Downtown, popularly known as Birch Street, features over 50 acres of shopping and entertainment in a village-style, pedestrian-oriented promenade.

To discover the all-encompassing value of Blackstone, take the 57 freeway and exit at Lambert Road. Proceed east on Lambert Road and turn left at Kraemer Boulevard into the Blackstone community.  
Further details are also available by visiting www.blackstonelife.com or calling each community:  Sorano 714-223-0700, Amber 714-961-6011 and Jade 714-223-6908.

Blackstone is a development of Shea Tonner Hills, LLC and Standard Pacific of Tonner Hills, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Shea Homes Southern California is a division of Shea Homes Limited Partnership, one of America’s largest privately held homebuilders. As a member of the Shea family of companies, which is celebrating its 131st anniversary in 2012, Shea Homes has won numerous prestigious awards for quality, integrity, innovation and customer satisfaction. Shea Homes’ pursuit of excellence is typified by Shea Superiology, the art and science of designing and constructing homes that offer homeowners superior value by maximizing their quality of life, minimizing their costs and making a positive contribution to the environment. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.sheahomes.com.

Standard Pacific, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, has built homes for more than 112,000 families during its 40-year history. The Company constructs homes within a wide range of price and size targeting a broad range of homebuyers. Standard Pacific operates in many of the largest housing markets in the country with operations in major metropolitan areas in California, Florida, Arizona, the Carolinas, Texas, Colorado and Nevada. The Company provides mortgage financing to its homebuyers through Standard Pacific Mortgage, Inc. For more information about the Company and its new home developments, please visit our website at: http://www.StandardPacificHomes.com.

*Schools serving residents of Blackstone are subject to change. For more information on school assignments, please call the Brea Olinda Unified School District at (714) 990-7800.