“It was the best decision we ever made. Nova, University Park and Palm Desert combined to make the perfect choice.” Rose & Dan Arguin, Nova homeowners
PALM DESERT, CA, December 14, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — “It was the best decision we ever made,” said Rose Arguin about purchasing a new Nova home at University Park. Determining that San Diego was cost prohibitive for retirement years, she and husband Dan decided to search for a new home in a new place.
“We owned and rented homes in San Diego, and we wanted something fresh and attainable, in a place we could enjoy,” said Rose. “Nova, University Park and Palm Desert combined to make the perfect choice.”
Nova’s 5 floorplan designs provide 1,880 to 2,304 square feet of living space, with 3 to 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. All are two-story, with great rooms, covered outdoor living space and 2-car garages. Per plan highlights include den, lounge, project room and optional loft. Pricing is from the high $500,000s.
Dan and Rose discovered University Park on Facebook and drove up from San Diego to look around in leisurely fashion, ahead of Dan’s retirement after 38 years with Caterpillar. “The drive to and from San Diego is very manageable, which made repeat visits quite doable,” said Rose. “Plus we can easily stay in touch with fami and friends in San Diego.”
The Arguins made their first visit before model homes were built, studying floor plans, architecture, homesites and neighborhood in the sales gallery. WPG designs and reputation kept University Park in first place.
“Rose and Dan clearly did their due diligence before buying with us, and we are delighted to have them at home in University Park,” said Todd Cunningham, WPG President. “They add to the mix of singles, couples, families and empty nesters who have chosen one of our homes, and that mix is exactly what we hoped to see when we started these neighborhoods.”
Assisting the Arguins was Chad Ross, WPG’s Community Sales Manager at Nova. “We learned about WPG as we worked with Chad,” said Rose. “He helped us through every step of the process, and he lives at Nova. In fact, he’s our next-door neighbor!”
The Arguins’ painstaking approach included examining WPG’s Nova, Esprit and Verve collections before picking Nova Plan Two. “The size was just right, not too big and not too small,” said Rose. “We have three bedrooms and two and a half baths, and the pricing was right. We made our pick in late 2021, and closed escrow August 2022.”
With decision made, Dan and Rose moved on to financing, working with US Bank, WPG’s preferred lender. “Even though Dan and Rose did not have to sell an existing home, securing a new home is still involved, and Jeff Weirsma and his team provide exceptional help,” said Chad.
Dan and Rose were glad to accept the help. Having retired from her career in finance, Rose was the Arguins’ point person. “Since I was no longer working, I could devote my time to deal with the financial details, and U.S. Bank was super helpful,” she said. “They explained each step, told us what to do and what not to do, and all went as smooth as silk!”
Site visits continued, with Rose and Dan driving up from San Diego about every two weeks. “We could watch the progress on our new home, get some lunch and start our plans for furniture and finish work,” said Rose. “When we could walk the finished model, that helped us determine furniture choices, and to measure. By the time we were ready to move we could see what was going where, and everything fit as planned!”
Working with WPG’s Design Center, Rose and Dan personalized their new spaces, choosing cabinetry, floor coverings, lighting fixtures and more. “We loved the choices we had, and the help we received as we considered the choices,” said Rose.
After reviewing air conditioning options, Dan suggested ceiling fans in every room, and after the move, he and Rose found they need their AC on only upstairs. “These homes are so efficient that we can keep our downstairs very comfortable, with the air on only upstairs,” said Dan. “Even in the very hottest days here, our fans do the trick!”
The Arguins also praised responsive customer service for post move-in fine tuning. “We became part of WPG’s Dwelling Live system and could send in our service request online,” said Dan. “WPG would contact the right vendor for any issue, and the vendor would call us direct to ask for an appointment. We always got answers within 24 hours.”
Settled in for more than a year, Dan and Rose are delighted with their new friends and neighbors. “We have lots of new friends and we love it,” said Rose. “People are so friendly and nice that we have felt right at home from the start.
“Dan is also our HOA’s homeowner representative,” she added. “He was the HOA board president in our condo and now, he works with the Board of Directors and the property management company to keep the neighborhood in good shape. He just launched the first monthly newsletter.”
As the master plan’s amenity center continues to take shape, the Arguins look forward to more pleasures of living at University Park. The Grove clubhouse is well underway, along with its resort pool, lap pool and kiddie pool. Also planned are a shaded playground, pickleball court, stage area, lawn areas for events and games, firepit and BBQ area. Nearby parks include one dog park and a park with a basketball court, covered play area and lawn.
“We love living here,” said Rose simply. “We love the house, the area and our neighbors, and we will never move.”
University Park’s 10 model homes are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The address is 35779 Lasuen Street in Palm Desert, 92211. Call 760-280-6883 or visit wpguniversitypark.com. For US Bank, call Jeff Weirsma at 949-515-1205 or 714-403-0329, or email [email protected].
University Park is near the 10 Freeway just off the Cook Street exit. The intersection of Gerald Ford Drive and Portola Road is the handiest for accessing WPG’s collections. For a virtual flyover, visit https://woodbridgepacific.com/neighborhoods/verve/interactive-map/open
WPG is a privately held, selective developer/homebuilder with an excellent track record and multiple awards in prestigious competitions of the homebuilding profession. See www.woodbridgepacific.com
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