Last week I reviewed 193 Pineview in The Lakes tract of Northwood, which sits 4 units down from today’s 197 Pineview. They are the same layout, but today’s review looks at an end unit, so the home only shares one wall. The end unit has the advantage of having additional windows and light flooding the house, as well as a more private patio. The middle unit at #193 is asking $399,900 while this end unit is asking $394,900. Although #193 has more upgrades, it is interesting to compare the upgrades of one unit versus the location of the other.

Overview

Asking Price: $394,900

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1.5

Square Footage: 1,202

Lot Size: 871 sq ft

Price per Square Foot: $329

Property Type: Condominium

Style: Two Level

Year Built: 1977

Community: Northwood, The Pines

HOA Fees: $310

Mello Roos: No

Days on Market: 17

The home is the end unit so there are additional large windows in the dining area and secondary bedroom. It is a bit of a walk from its designated carport and parking space, but sits nicely across from the tennis courts. The kitchen, dining area and living room are downstairs and the two bedrooms are upstairs. Unlike last week’s move-in ready home, this home needs some work to be in the same condition. It does has scraped ceilings, Spanish tile throughout the home, clean paint and a remodeled kitchen, but the bathrooms are original and in need of some deep cleaning or updates. All windows are original.

Upon entering, you have the view to the over-sized sliding glass door at the back end of the condominium. Unlike Unit #193, the wall at the end of the kitchen peninsula is gone, so this opens the room up. In addition, an extra large window in the dining area brings in a lot of natural light and creates an open feel.

Immediately to the right, behind the open front door is the half bathroom. The location is awkward if you like to keep the front door open, since you will have to close the front door in order to access the bathroom door. The vanity was original and it would desirable to do something with that area since it is very worn. A coat closet is next to the bathroom.

Immediately to the left is a small functional kitchen with updated cabinets and plain counters. I like how the pantry is located in the kitchen instead of on the outside wall of the kitchen peninsula. To the left of the kitchen entrance are a set of cabinets with some counter space and a pantry. A large window looks out to the front of the home. On the other side of the window, along the perpendicular wall are the refrigerator and electric range with a white microwave hood vent. The peninsula contains the double sink and white dishwasher. The kitchen offers an open view to the rest of the first floor with space for some bar seating. Under the peninsula countertop, on the bar seating side are cabinets that can be used for additional storage.

The dining room is on the other side of the bar seating. It can fit a good size dining table. The extra window in the dining room makes a big difference with the feel of the room. The window looks out to a small bridge and walkway. The living room is a couple steps down from the rest of the first floor, which clearly defines the areas. The step is a small size, only running a small portion on the right hand side. A white wood border helps accentuate the areas, but the wood was messily placed and looks unfinished. The living room is a nice size with a fireplace and built in bookshelves.

The living room opens up to the patio, which has an outdoor closet area for laundry. At the end of the patio slab are plants which borders along the man-made stream running down between the buildings. The patio is defined by a square concrete slab, but it does not hinder you from walking across the plants to your neighbors’ patios. However, this unit being the end unit the patio sits at an angle in front of the other patios down along the building, which creates more of a private area with a nicer view.

Coming up the tiled staircase, I noticed that the balusters were removed from the original staircase railing. If someone wants to prevent children from falling through the gap, new balusters need to be installed.

One of the home’s two large skylights sits in the ceiling above the staircase, which brings in a lot of light. The high vaulted ceilings provide an open spacious feel. The tiled floors continue throughout the second level.

The first bedroom is a regular size, but the vaulted ceilings and a good sized closet create a spacious feel. The window faces out towards the front of the home. This particular end-unit model has additional windows that reach up to the cathedral ceiling on the perpendicular wall which brings in an abundance of light.

The hall bathroom separates the two bedrooms. Since it is the only area to bathe or use the toilet upstairs, it also has an entrance into the master bathroom vanity area. Like downstairs, the cabinets are original and the fiberglass tub/shower combo needs to a good cleaning or needs to be resurfaced. Since the fiberglass tub material does not reach the ceiling, wood boards were placed above the top of the fiberglass. Perhaps it was due to water splashing or some other reason unknown to me.

The master bedroom is a decent size with built in cabinets and walk-in closet. The large set of windows and the skylight from the master bathroom’s vanity area bring in a lot of natural light. The large windows overlook the patio and creek. The vaulted ceilings and space at the top of the wall separating the bathroom brings in light from the bathroom skylight. The master bathroom, unlike the home I wrote in a previous review at 3 Lakepines, does not have a private toilet or shower. The area has another mirrored closet and dual sinks. The tracks on the mirrored closet doors are dirty and did not easily roll. I definitely prefer the layout at 3 Lakepines, with a single sink, shower and toilet.

The condominium has a great open layout and I definitely prefer this end-unit home for its location and extra windows. Having laundry on the property is another big convenience. After seeing how 3 Lakepines converted their master bathroom into a full private bathroom, it was hard for me not to be disappointed with the original layout found in this home. But if someone takes this property and renovates the original bathrooms, then it might be a great opportunity to add in a private shower and toilet in the master bathroom. The home is walking distance to Santiago Hills Elementary School and close to the walking paths. Would you prefer a move-in ready home or one that needs improvements but has a better location?

Today I visited a two level condominium in The Lakes tract of Northwood. It is the same layout as September 2013’s review of 3 Lakepines. 3 Lakepines was originally asking for $427,000 but dropped their price to $375,000 while 193 Pineview is asking $399,900. The biggest differences between the two residences are the patio and master bathroom. Pineview’s patio is not enclosed/fenced in like Lakepine’s property. Instead, the patio overlooks the stream and ultimately has access to neighboring yards. Pineview’s master bathroom does not have a private bathroom, but shares part of the functionality with the shared bathroom. I will also be comparing this home to next week’s review just 4 doors down at 197 Pineview, which is also the same model and listed at $394,900, but is the end-unit.

Overview

Asking Price: $399,900

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1.75

Square Footage: 1,202

Lot Size: 871 sq ft

Price per Square Foot: $333

Property Type: Condominium

Style: Two Level

Year Built:1977

Community: Northwood, The Pines

HOA Fees: $310

Mello Roos: No

Days on Market: 17

The home is a middle unit, sharing walls with neighbors on each side, so windows are only on the front or back of the home. It is a bit of a walk from its designated carport and parking space, but sits nicely across from the tennis courts. The kitchen, dining area and living room are downstairs and the two bedrooms are upstairs. It is move-in ready with scraped ceilings, dark laminate floors, clean carpeted stairs, updated lighting, remodeled bathrooms and laundry hookup located in the patio closet. All windows are original.

Upon entering, you have the view to the over-sized sliding glass door at the back end of the condominium. The entry area, kitchen and bathroom are nicely tiled, while the dining and living rooms have laminate floors.

Immediately to the right, behind the open front door is the updated half bathroom. The location is awkward if you like to keep the front door open, since you will have to close the front door in order to access the bathroom door. The original cabinets are painted white while the countertop is granite and the mirror has been updated. A coat closet is next to the bathroom.

Immediately to the left is a small functional kitchen with updated stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. The older cabinets are painted white and everything looks clean. The pantry sits on the outside wall of the kitchen, at the end of the kitchen peninsula, facing the coat closet. To the left of the kitchen entrance are a set of cabinets with ample counter space. A large window looks out to the front of the home. On the other side of the window, along the perpendicular wall are the refrigerator and electric range with a microwave hood vent. It appears that a small cabinet that sat between the refrigerator and range was taken out, but the cabinet above the countertop remains. The peninsula contains the double sink and dishwasher. The kitchen offers an open view to the rest of the first floor with space for some bar seating.

The dining room is on the other side of the bar seating. It can fit a good size dining table. The living room is a couple steps down from the rest of the first floor, which clearly defines the areas. The step is a small size, only running a small portion on the right hand side, therefore something may need to somehow accentuate the drop between levels. The living room is a nice size with an updated fireplace and built in bookshelves.

The living room opens up to the patio, which has an outdoor closet area for laundry. At the end of the patio slab are plants which borders along the man-made stream running down between the buildings. The patio is defined by a square concrete slab, but it does not hinder you from walking across the plants to your neighbors’ patios.

Coming up the carpeted staircase, I notice one of the home’s two large skylights above, which brings in a lot of light. The high vaulted ceilings provide an open spacious feel. The bedrooms have the same laminate flooring as downstairs, while the bathrooms have the same tile as the tile downstairs.

The first bedroom is a regular size, but the vaulted ceilings and a good sized closet create a spacious feel. The window faces out towards the front of the home.

The hall bathroom separates the two bedrooms. Since it is the only area to bathe or use the toilet upstairs, it also has an entrance into the master bathroom vanity area. Like downstairs, the cabinets are painted white and the countertop is granite. Since the fiberglass tub material does not reach the ceiling, the shower head is coming out of the drywall.

The master bedroom is a decent size with built in cabinets and walk-in closet. The large set of windows and the skylight from the master bathroom’s vanity area bring in a lot of natural light. The large windows overlook the patio and creek. The vaulted ceilings and space at the top of the wall separating the bathroom brings in light from the bathroom skylight. The master bathroom, unlike the home on Lakepines, does not have a private toilet or shower. The area has another mirrored closet and dual sinks. The sinks match the shared bathroom’s granite counter tops and white cabinets. I definitely prefer the layout at 3 Lakepines, with a single sink, shower and toilet.

The updated condominium has a great open layout. Having laundry on the property is another big convenience. The grounds are maintained nicely and the unit comes with one carport and one open parking space. However, someone may want to consider the fact that although it is nice to have the patio open up to the stream, it may be nice to have some sort of private patio instead. I noticed some piles of furniture and other discarded belongings in other patios within view and neighbors across the stream can also see into your patio area. After seeing how 3 Lakepines converted their master bathroom into a full private bathroom, it was hard for me not to be disappointed with the original layout found in this home. The home is walking distance to Santiago Hills Elementary School and close to the walking paths. Let’s see what your opinion is after comparing 3 Lakepines review to this week’s 193 Pineview. I will be comparing both against 197 Pineview next week.

Today I looked at a Woodbury townhome in the Treo tract. It is a three bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home with the master suite downstairs. It would appeal to buyers looking for a master bedroom on the ground floor, plus direct access to the garage.

Asking Price: $749,900

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,000

Lot Size: –

Price per Square Foot: $375

Property Type: Residential, Townhome

Style: Two Level

Year Built: 2006

Community: Woodbury, Treo tract

HOA Fees: $209

Mello Roos: Yes

Days on Market: 14

Entering the large wood front door you come into a small tiled hallway which leads into a large, brown carpeted living room. The carpet is found throughout the home apart from the tiled kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room. Along the left hand wall are 3 large windows and glass French doors that bring in a lot of natural light. The back wall has the fireplace and a small nook to the left of the fireplace, as well as a larger nook along the right hand wall, next to the staircase. Beyond the staircase is a short hallway leading to a half bathroom, coat closet and laundry room with the garage entrance. Immediately to the right is a small hallway leading into the master suite.

The master bedroom appeared to be darker than I had expected with two small windows, but it is a decent size room. An arched doorway leads into the master bathroom which has dual sinks, separated by a large tub.

Along the left hand wall is a walk-in closet. Along the back wall is the shower and linen closet. The shower is in a little cove that is a step up from the rest of the bathroom. After stepping up into the square area, the shower door is to the left and is average-sized with plain tiles and a built-in seat. There is a large window which sits above the tub, between the two vanity mirrors. The tile throughout the bathroom is a standard white tile, but the cabinets are a nice dark wood.

The kitchen is an open solution with a large window over the sink which faces out to the front of the home. The kitchen is located through an arched opening to the left of the home’s entrance, on the other side of the entrance hallway wall. The kitchen is nicely upgraded with dark wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances. There are plenty of cabinets and a pantry for storage. The countertops are granite and the floor is tiled.

The kitchen opens up directly into the living room, which makes for a nice social setting. The only space for a dining table is in the living room.

The French doors lead to a small patio. It can easily fit a bar-b-q and a small table with chairs. The only downfall is the air conditioner unit sits in an awkward area next to the house, taking up space from the patio.

Also downstairs, are the half bath and laundry room. The half bath comes with a pedestal sink. It is a narrow bathroom with a pocket door, but completely functional and nice to have another bathroom in addition to the master bathroom downstairs. Across from the bathroom is a small coat closet, which sits in front of the laundry room. Access to the two-car garage is located in the laundry room. The laundry room has space for a side-by-side washer and dryer. The same wood cabinets found in the kitchen are also above the washer and dryer.

Moving upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. At the top of the stairs, there are a couple of linen cabinets. To the right is an archway with some empty space. Immediately to the right is the furnace, but otherwise the area is empty. Perhaps it can be used to store some items out of plain site.

The hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom have windows along the right hand side, which brings in natural light. To the left is the first secondary bedroom. It is a standard size with a double-door closet. Next to the closet is the entrance to the shared bathroom. The bathroom has dual sinks with a set of cabinets and 3 drawers under each sink. This creates for a lot of counter space. The countertops are a basic white countertop but the cabinets match the dark brown cabinets from downstairs. Behind the dual sinks is a separate tub/shower combo. Again, there are basic white tiles in the shower area but the bathroom is clean and in excellent condition.

The other bedroom can be entered through the bathroom or hallway. The bedroom is bigger than the other one and the walk-in closet is very large and can be entered from a single door on the left hand side of the wall or a door on the right hand side. Inside is one large rectangular space with space for hanging up clothes in the middle of the closet, splitting it into two. The closet also has windows that bring in natural light. It would be nice with some sort of built-ins or organizer in the closet to take advantage of such a large space. The bedroom has a single window overlooking the front of the home as well as a glass door leading out to a mini terrace that isn’t actually big enough to comfortably stand on. It also has a small window looking out to the side of the house. The room has ample wall space, so arranging furniture should be easy.

Overall the home is nicely laid out, clean and move-in-ready. The home would be highly desirable for anyone looking for a home with a downstairs bedroom, a little patio area and close proximities to the tract’s parks and pools.

Today I am reviewing 34 Ovation, a condominium listed as a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. I noticed the “third” bedroom lacked a closet so it may serve as an office or den. The main living area is up a flight of stairs, while the garage and indoor laundry closet are found on ground level. Parking for guests is off the street in front of the home.

Asking Price: $630,000

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,400

Lot Size: 1,000 sq ft

Price per Square Foot: $450

Property Type: Residential, Condominium

Style: One Level, Contemporary

Year Built: 2013

Community: Stonegate

HOA Fees: $308

Mello Roos: Yes

Days on Market: 25

The home is nicely located directly across from one of the community’s recreation areas which has a park, basketball and tennis courts, and swimming pool. A walkway that wraps around some landscaped area leads to the home’s outer door. Through the outer door is a narrow walkway with no roof cover which leads to the home’s front door. I am not sure what purpose the enclosed walkway serves apart from the building’s curbside aesthetics.

Upon entry, you enter into a tiled entryway with the carpeted staircase to the right. There are three doors in the area; to the left is a closet for a stackable washer and dryer, in the middle is the garage entry, and to the right is a coat closet.

Once upstairs, you enter into a large rectangular room consisting of a living room and an open kitchen solution. With high ceilings and plenty of windows, plus a small sliding glass door to the balcony, there is an abundance of natural light. There may not be total privacy with windows from other housing directly across the street. The kitchen is to the right, which comes with a small rectangular island with space for bar seating, stainless steel appliances, white cabinets and granite countertops. There are plenty of cabinets, and even a small area on the far wall for a chair to sit at the countertop and work on a laptop or face outside the window while eating. Next to the counter space is the sliding glass door that opens up to a small square balcony which has space for a couple of chairs.

The living room is a nice size, but I do not see enough space for a larger dining table. The floors are nicely tiled throughout the space.

The tiled flooring continues down the hallway which leads to the bedrooms, bathrooms and den. The bedrooms and den are carpeted while the bathrooms are tiled. On the left hand side of the hallway is the secondary bedroom and a shared bathroom. The bedroom is a regular size with one smaller window and a sliding two-door closet. The shared bathroom has the same tile as the hallway. It has a single sink and a tub/shower combo.

The master bedroom is at the end of the hallway. It is a good size with a walk-in closet. I like that there is a bathroom door at the master bathroom. The bathroom has dual sinks with plenty of counter space, a roomy shower and a separate toilet. It is a bit awkward with the placement of the bathroom doors. The door to the toilet sits at the end of the dual sinks, however the main bathroom door must be closed in order to access the door to the toilet.

The last room is listed as a bedroom, but it lacks a closet. It has two large windows, but is the smallest room.

34 Ovation has a nice layout if the homeowner does not mind going up the initial flight of stairs to the main living area. It is conveniently located across the new recreation center. Compared to other homes, the price seems high at $450 per square foot, especially with it only having two true bedrooms and neighbors on both sides, but the balcony is a nice feature and the layout of the home is nice.

Today I looked at a two story home in Northwood’s Park Paseo community. It is nicely situated at the front of a quiet cul-de-sac street, but it sits on a T-intersection so oncoming cars from the perpendicular residential street, Diamante, come towards the living room. One of the two association pools is located just at the end of the cul-de sac and the home is a couple of blocks from Santiago Hills Elementary School.

The basics:

Asking Price: $775,000

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 1,915

Lot Size: 4,356

$/Sq Ft: $405

Days on Market: 9

Property Type: Single Family Residence

Year Built: 1979

Community: Northwood – Park Paseo

HOA dues are $85 per month and there no are Mello Roos taxes.

This 1979 home has been partially upgraded with new windows throughout, new 6 panel doors, scraped ceilings, remodeled kitchen and fireplace, and a nice backyard. Although part of the first floor has new tile floors, the carpet is worn and parts of the bathrooms are original. The house is on a zero-lot-line, so there are no windows on one side of the house, but the house brings in a lot of natural light through the large windows in all of the rooms.

Upon entering the double front doors, there is a small entry area with a step down living room immediately to the right. Straight ahead are the staircase up to the second floor and a hallway leading back to the family room. To the left is a small dining area that is currently used as an office. The first floor is tiled with a grey tile, apart from the living room which is carpeted. The rooms in front have cathedral ceilings and an abundance of light floods the rooms through the multiple windows.

The front living room window looks out to Diamante. It is not a high traffic street, but there will be the occasional headlights shining through the living room windows at night.


The kitchen sits behind the dining room wall. It has been fully remodeled with recessed lights, quartz countertop, stainless steel appliances and updated maple cupboards. A garden window looks out to the backyard. A nice sized pantry sits on the other side of the doorway, in back of the small eating nook.

The backyard is accessible from the French doors located beyond the eating nook, in the family room. It opens up to a patio with new pavers. There is plenty of grassy area for kids to play on or for a pet.

The family room is a good size with some built in cabinets on the far wall. The fireplace sits on the wall in the middle of the home between the eating nook and the hallway. The brick has been replaced with drywall so the wall is now used to hang the television and shelves have been built into the wall to hold the electronics associated with the television. Although the room is not directly visible from the kitchen, it is still an open flow throughout the first floor.

The half bath downstairs has a new vanity and toilet. The laundry area is in the garage, which sits behind the half bathroom.

The stair railing is original so a plastic board was placed at the top of the staircase for safety with respect to the larger gaps in between each baluster. Linen cupboards sit at the top of the staircase.

To the left, wrapping back around the railing is the master bedroom. A set of windows reach all the way up to the cathedral ceilings which overlook the backyard. A walk-in closet is found along the left wall. The master bathroom has dual sinks with original fluorescent lighting above. Apart from new hardware, the vanity is original and the sink area is carpeted, which I do not prefer. The large shower and a newer toilet are in a separate room. The flooring is newer linoleum. The shower has the original hardware and 4×4 tiles, and the shower pan looks a bit worn. With no door in front of the sink area, light and noise will probably affect anyone who is still sleeping.

The shared bathroom has a single sink and tub/shower combo. The floors have newer linoleum but the vanity is original.

The other two bedrooms are average in size and sit above the garage. The first one, next to the bathroom is slightly larger. Both have windows looking out to the front of the home. Both have a sliding two-door closet.

Overall, the house is in good condition. The upgrades to the kitchen and backyard are nice. I am not a big fan of a property sitting on a T-intersection with cars coming towards the house, however it is on a quieter part of the neighborhood and is part of a cul-de-sac street. Comparing the location to homes I reviewed in the past two week, which backed to Irvine Boulevard and Northwood, I would prefer 7 Prosa since it is a quieter part of the overall neighborhood and is so close to the pools and elementary school.