Today I visited another home in the Windstream neighborhood of Northwood. This house is located in a gated community and is a short walk to the community swimming pool and tennis courts. While it is a corner lot, offering a larger than average front yard, it is right next to the gate where cars come in and out of the neighborhood.

The basics:

Asking Price: $799,900 – $849,900

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2452

Lot Size: 5,500

$/Sq Ft: $347

Property Type: Single Family Home

Year Built: 1979

Community: Northwood, Windstream

HOA dues are $174 per month and there are no Mello Roos.

My first question to the realtor was why there was a range rather than a set asking price. She said it was to encourage buyers with different ranges to view the house, but also said it was expected to sell in the higher end of the range. She also predicted three or four offers to come this week, as multiple buyers were seeing the house for the second time.

When you walk in, the living room is immediately on the left, with several windows, a vaulted ceiling and a burnt reddish/orange carpet that is found throughout the house. Immediately behind it, and separated by a railing, is the dining room, which also has vaulted ceilings. I didn’t care much for the carpet color, but the rooms are nice otherwise.

The family room features a small walk-in bar area and, like the living room, a brick fireplace. It has recessed lighting and speakers in the ceiling. Off the family room are a small laundry room (with a sink) and a half bath.

The kitchen has dark red tile countertops that look to be original from 1979, as well as original cabinets. The stovetop is in the peninsula and there is a double oven. Some appliances are stainless steel, but the fridge is black. The ceiling still has the old fluorescent panel-style lighting. There are new porcelain tile floors in the kitchen, matching those in the hallway, bathroom, and laundry room. The kitchen also has a large eat-in area and a sliding door out to the backyard.

The yard is all hardscaped with a nice patio cover over half of it, a small waterfall and a gas fire ring.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms. The master is right at the top of the stairs. It has vaulted ceilings and a large retreat area. The bathroom also has high ceilings with many windows. There is a sunken tub and small stall shower, both with older red tile and gold fixtures that match the two sinks and vanity. There are two large mirrored closets.

Down the hall are the two secondary bedrooms and another full bathroom. The bath has two sinks and a shower/tub combo, again with older tile (though newer looking floor tiles). The bedrooms are large, with multiple windows and mirrored closets. Even the hallway has multiple windows to keep it bright.

7 Aldea is a great floorplan and Windstream is a wonderful neighborhood. While the house is in good condition and very well maintained, it lacks major upgrades in the kitchen and all bathrooms. I also really dislike the carpet that is found in almost the whole house. Being situated next to the entry gate and backing to Hicks Canyon make the location rather undesirable.

There are other comparable homes on the market with either lower prices or more upgrades (or both). 6 Urbino, just around the corner from this one, is a much bigger model with a lot more upgrades. It sold in July for $922,000. At $282 per square foot, that is a much better deal than the $347 per square foot that 7 Aldea is asking for (based on the $849,900 asking price). Since the realtor mentioned that she expected several offers on the home this week, I don’t think it’s worth trying to get in on this one.

Discuss below or on Talk Irvine.