I recently saw a home at 25 Alondra in Northwood’s Woodside neighborhood. The house is located on a quiet cul-de-sac just a block away from the community pool, tennis courts, and tot lot.

The Basics:
Asking Price: $1,050,000
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,399
Price per Sq. Ft: $438
Lot Size: 4,800
Property Type: Single family home
Year Built: 1977
Community: Northwood – Woodside
HOA: $120 per month / Mello Roos: No
Days on Market: 15
Schools: Santiago Hills Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High School (Irvine Unified)

This home has a three-car garage but a very short driveway, as it the case with most three-car garages in the Woodside neighborhood. It is very close to Sierra Vista Middle School and about a ten-minute walk from Santiago Hills Elementary. It is also very close to the Hicks Canyon Trail. The home has many upgrades, including newer windows, a tile roof, and newer air conditioner, furnace, and water heater. Two trees in the front yard were blooming with purple flowers.

Inside, the front entry has wood floors and vaulted ceilings. The staircase is on the left and there is a storage space below them, with a short closet door located just inside the entry.

The living room is on the right and also has vaulted ceilings. This room is carpeted. Three windows face the street and another faces the side. There are white plantation shutters throughout the home.

The dining room is directly behind the living room. It also has vaulted ceilings and there is a large window facing the backyard. Two walls offer space for a hutch and the room can fit a large table.

The kitchen is next to the dining room and has tile flooring. It has two big windows facing the backyard so it gets a lot of light in the afternoon. The fluorescent panel lighting was removed and recessed lights were put in its place, so the center of the ceiling is raised several inches. One wall houses the refrigerator, the built-in oven, and the microwave. It also has several cabinets and drawers and one pantry-height cupboard with pull-outs. The rest of the kitchen is u-shaped, with the sink facing the backyard and the 5-burner stove on the right. The granite counters and tile backsplash are newer and the appliances are stainless steel. The cabinets are original but have been painted white and they added knobs and drawer pulls. The kitchen also has a breakfast bar and plenty of space for a table. A sliding door in the nook leads to the backyard.

   

The breakfast nook leads into the family room, which is also accessible from the front hall. It has wood floors that match the entry and a sliding door leading to the backyard. One corner of the room has a converted wet-bar, with a granite countertop and white cabinets. There are glass shelves and a mirrored wall above it. A fireplace with a brick hearth is next to the bar. There is an alcove next to the fireplace with a couple of shelves.

The powder room, laundry room, and garage access are all at the far end of the family room. There is also a small coat closet with a single shelf and pole. The powder room has a vanity with a newer granite countertop and faucet but original cabinets. There is a framed mirror as well. The laundry room has space for side-by-side machines and cabinets above them. A small window faces the front walk.

The backyard is mostly hardscaped but with a lot of plants and trees. A portico covers a good portion of the yard. One end has a brick fire pit and is lower than the rest of the patio. The other end of the yard has a small fountain. The portion of the patio closest to the kitchen and family room doors is raised a step above the rest of the yard.

 

There are four bedrooms upstairs, all with carpeted floors. The master is on the right, at the back of the house. It has a big window overlooking the backyard. The room is large, with space for a sitting area near the window. A 4-door, mirrored closet takes up one full wall.

The master bathroom has been fully remodeled. The vanity includes two sinks separated by a highboy unit. The counters are granite and the cabinets are a dark wood. There is a bathtub with a new tile surround and a shelf that separates it from the shower, though there isn’t a wall between them. The shower is pretty big and is accessed through the water closet. It has a glass enclosure and a nook for bottles.

 

One of the secondary bedrooms is next to the master suite. It has a double-door entry and a window facing the side of the home. The closet doors were removed a built-in unit with cabinets, shelves, and drawers fills the space. This room also has access to the attic and includes a pull-down staircase.

The secondary bathroom is across the hall from bedroom 2. Like the powder room, it has a new granite counter, faucet, and framed mirror but original cabinets. The vanity only has one sink. The shower/tub combo still has the original tile and doors.  There are linen cupboards in the hall.

The other two bedrooms face the front of the house and are basically mirror images of each other. Each room has a single window facing the street and a mirrored closet on the opposite wall. The first room has one recessed light and a track with three additional lights. There is a built-in window seat with four cabinets and a bench. The other room has a nook under the window but no built-in. It has a ceiling fan with one light. Both bedrooms are an average size.

Overall, I think the house has a good layout and a great location. It’s a bonus to have the 3-car garage, but again, it has a short driveway. I like the granite throughout the home and the remodeled master bath, but wish the kitchen had newer cabinets as well. The home is in good condition and doesn’t need many updates.