"Life Is Better Now," Say The Barcegas, New Buyers at LivingSmart Homes Fair Oaks Ranch in Santa Clarita, California

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 05, 2014 (Press-News.org) Home shoppers can have many reasons to buy. Financial benefits. Outgrowing the old space. A desire for updated layouts and features. Quality schools.

Yet whether it's the new home's location, size, design or features, the real bottom line of a decision this big is determined by a simple question: Will this move improve our lives?

For Joseph and Maria Barcega, the answer is a resounding yes, thanks to their new home pick at Pardee Homes' LivingSmart Homes at Fair Oaks Ranch in Santa Clarita. They closed escrow November 27, just in time to kick off the 2013 holidays.

"We celebrated Thanksgiving at the house on November 28, and had all of our brothers and sisters over," said Joseph. "We slept in the master bedroom on our inflatable queen size bed, and little by little we moved things in!"

The Barcegas are busy professionals. Joseph is a senior a data base programmer for an aerospace company in Sylmar, while Maria is a clinical lab scientist in a prominent HMO in North Hollywood. They are also the proud parents of a toddler daughter and expecting a new baby, a son, this June.

Ready to exit their condominium in Newhall, they made a thorough search of their best choices in new, detached homes, scouting Valencia, Canyon Country and other locales in Santa Clarita. The decision to go with a new home at Fair Oaks Ranch was based on many reasons they could post in the "life improvement" column.

"We wanted to live in a community where we could walk around without worry, a place where the parks and other recreational choices are easy to get to and easy to enjoy," said Joseph. "Fair Oaks Ranch does that for our family, and that's important."

An eye on the future also meant finding quality schools, and having a well-ranked K-6 right in the community was a big plus. "Our daughter will be there before we know it, and we're confident she will get the benefits of a really good school," said Maria.

And then, there was the home itself. Plan One, a stylish two-story with approximately 1,846 square feet of living space.

"When walking through the front door, we immediately felt like this is home!" said Joseph. "The living room's high ceiling and roominess is definitely a highlight, not to mention the fireplace that turns on with a switch! The flow of walking from one area to another was just perfect, and our backyard is very nice in size."

Joseph and Maria also discovered a host of little things that added up to a big improvement over life in the old condo. "The upgrades make day to day living easier, such as our built-in reverse osmosis system for drinking water," noted Joseph. "Before, we used to bring many jugs to the water store, fill them up and carry back home. Well, not anymore! Our refrigerator's water and ice dispensers are even connected to the system."

Also very pleasing are the many included features. "A lot of features that are extras somewhere else came standard at Living Smart, such as the granite countertops, a stove, microwave and dishwasher all with a stainless steel finish, and tile flooring in the dining area, kitchen and master bath," said Maria. "These things are both convenient and luxurious, and we love them."

Saving money on utilities is another luxury the Barcegas are enjoying. "The most significant feature of our home is its solar panels," said Joseph. "Our electric bill averages $12 per month and when we generate more power than we use, the electric company will even give us credit."

With home and location features pointing to Yes, the Barcegas did their homework on Pardee Homes. "Pardee's reputation played a huge role in our decision," said Joseph. "Some of my very close friends in this area have houses developed some years ago by Pardee; they are still living in these homes, and still very happy about that."

Working with Pardee Homes only increased the Barcegas' confidence in their decision, and they are delighted to name names.

"Ben Romzek, Lexi Perez, Jennie Rickert, Mike Carrillo, Rick Johnson, Junior Tinoco and Omar Vallejo (Wells Fargo) are such awesome people to have worked with during the course of our home buying and building--absolutely outstanding!" said Joseph. "They were with us every step of the way and made the entire process a pleasurable adventure. And of course, it was really fun going over the options and putting the house together the way we would like it to be!"

Now comfortably settled, the Barcegas are clearly satisfied with their decision to purchase at LivingSmart Homes. "The best part is knowing that we are in a great community with wonderful neighbors in a new and very functional house, where when you come home from work, you can take a breath, smile and say, 'I'm home,'" said Joseph.

"We have a sign in our entry that says 'Home is where our story begins,' a gift from our brother-in-law's parents," he added. "Pardee Homes made our dream come true, and this indeed is where our story begins!"

To reach Fair Oaks Ranch, exit the 14 Freeway North at Via Princessa and turn right. Turn left at Lost Canyon Road and follow signs to LivingSmart Homes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, 1 to 6 p.m. Call 661-299-5409. Pardee Homes offers broker co-op; call for details. See www.pardeehomes.com.