A couple of weeks ago, I went to an open house at 3 Alegria. At the time, the home was in the midst of a remodel. The floors and carpets had already been replaced, the bathroom vanities were on site but weren’t all installed yet, and the interior had fresh paint. Since my visit, they put in new appliances and quartz counters in the kitchen and new windows throughout the home.

The Basics:
Asking Price: $978,800
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Square Footage: 2,178
Price per Sq. Ft: $449
Lot Size: 5,580
Property Type: Single family home
Year Built: 1977
Community: Northwood – Woodside
HOA: $120 per month / Mello Roos: No
Days on Market: 4
Schools: Santiago Hills Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High (Irvine Unified)

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This week, I saw 13 Cintilar in the Woodside community in Northwood. The home is in a great location at the end of a cul-de-sac and bordering a greenbelt. A short walk takes you to the community pool, tennis courts, and tot lot. It’s also a short walk to the Hicks Canyon trail and a nearby shopping center.

The Basics:
Asking Price: $1,080,000
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,400
Price per Sq. Ft: $450
Lot Size: 4,500
Property Type: Single family home
Year Built: 1979
Community: Northwood – Woodside
HOA: $120 per month / Mello Roos: No
Days on Market: 9
Schools: Santiago Hills Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High (Irvine Unified)

This house has a long driveway and a two-car garage. The front yard has a couple of rose bushes and a large grassy area. Inside, the house doesn’t have a foyer, but rather brings you right into the living room. The wall on the right has a small coat closet and a wide staircase.

The living room has vaulted ceilings with crown molding. There is tile flooring. A large window faces the street and is only a few inches off the ground. Another window above that one brings in a little more light.

The dining room is right behind the living room. Its windows face the backyard and the ceilings are also vaulted. It has one full wall that can easily hold a china hutch.

The kitchen is accessible both from the dining room and the hall. It has been fully remodeled, with laminate flooring, solid surface countertops, and lighter-colored cabinets. The five-burner stove and double oven are new. All of the appliances are white, including a warming drawer, but the dishwasher and trash compactor have cabinet paneling on the front. A full wall of windows above the sink overlook the backyard. There are two pantry-height cabinets in the corner of the breakfast nook. While most homes of this model have an open railing overlooking the family room, this one has a low, solid wall.

The family room is three steps below the kitchen. It is carpeted and has new, recessed LED lighting. It has a built-in desk where the wet bar used to be and a large built-in unit in the corner. One wall has a brick fireplace in the middle. There is one window next to the fireplace and a sliding door leading to the backyard.

A doorway off the family room leads to the powder room, laundry area, and garage. The powder room has a full vanity with the original cabinets but an updated faucet. The washer and dryer sit side-by-side across from the powder room and have cabinets above them. The garage also has built-in cabinets along both sides.

The backyard is mostly hardscaped, with a wide pergola for shade. There are fruit trees growing along the back edges of the yard.

All four bedrooms are on the second floor. The master is on the left at the top of the stairs. It has crown molding and a ceiling fan. There is one window facing the side and another overlooking the backyard. One wall has a built-in desk and shelving unit with recessed lights above it.

Three steps lead up to the closet and bathroom. The walk-in closet has a few shelves and poles for hanging clothes, as well as an access door to the attic. The bathtub is all original, with a white tile deck and old faucet. The shower has been updated with new tile and sliding doors with a brushed nickel frame. It has a full bench and soap dish. The L-shaped vanity has two sinks and a makeup area, with updated faucets but original cabinets and countertop.

The first secondary bedroom is next to the master. It has a double-door entry, recessed lighting, and a ceiling fan. One window faces the greenbelt that runs along the side of the house. There is a two-door, mirrored closet.

The secondary bathroom is in the middle of the hall. It has the original vanity and only one sink. The shower/tub combo has newer tile and hardware. There is a set of linen cabinets in the hall.

The other two bedrooms are at the front of the house. One room faces the greenbelt and has a bigger window than in the first bedroom. The two-door, mirrored closet is smaller than average and has gold trim. This room also has a ceiling fan.

The last bedroom faces the front of the house. It has a ceiling fan with lights and a huge window with plantation shutters. There are built-in shelves and cabinets on both sides of the window. This room has a walk-in closet with built-in drawers and shelves.

Overall, I think 13 Cintilar is in good condition. The bathrooms would benefit from updates and the carpet isn’t new. There is a whole-house water filter and reverse osmosis system. The owner of the house is representing himself, so buyers that aren’t working with a realtor may be able to negotiate a good deal on the commission.

This week, I toured a townhome at 6 Cetinale Aisle in Westpark’s gated Corte Bella neighborhood. The home has been on the market since December and had a recent price drop of $9,000. The price is in line with recent sales and other comparable homes currently on the market.

The Basics:
Asking Price: $610,000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 1,443
Price per Sq. Ft: $423
Lot Size: N/A
Property Type: Condominium (end unit)
Year Built: 1970
Community: College Park
HOA: $388 ($346 + $42) per month / Mello Roos: Yes (expected to end in 2 – 3 years)
Days on Market 105
Schools: Westpark or Culverdale Elementary, South Lake Middle School, University High (Irvine Unified)

Families living in this part of Westpark have the option to attend either Westpark Elementary, which operates on a year-round schedule, or Culverdale Elementary, which follows a traditional calendar. The middle and high schools both follow a traditional calendar.

This home is located in a gated community that has ample guest parking throughout the complex. It is located toward the back of the neighborhood and I passed a community pool along the way with a large pool, spa, grill, and fountain.

The condo is down a short walkway and is an end unit. There is a small patio out front and several of the neighbors had dining tables. The garage is accessed from a shared motor court and is tucked into a back corner. Several of the homes have a private entry door from the motor court, but this one doesn’t have a door in the back.

When I entered the home, I was in the living room. There are a couple of places where you could put a small table or bench, but no true foyer. The stairs are just to the left of the door. There are hardwood floors throughout the house. The living room has several windows facing the front walkway. There is a two-sided fireplace and a cutout window between the living and dining rooms. It doesn’t have an ideal layout for furnishing. The room has recessed lights and crown molding.

The dining room is a good size and has windows overlooking the motor court. The fireplace is a nice touch and the cutout window could be a nice place for display items. There is also an open, recessed area beneath the cutout.

Across from the dining room, there is an extra space that adds a little flexibility to the layout. It could easily hold a desk and make a good work area, but could also be a small sitting room or play area for small kids. The stairs leading down to the garage and powder room are off this area.

The powder room is off a landing three steps below the main floor. It is a small room with an older vanity and tile floors. The garage is at the bottom of the stairs. The washer and dryer are in the garage and there is a storage closet tucked next to them beneath the stairs. There aren’t any closets on the main floor, so this is the closest the house has to a traditional coat closet.

The kitchen is at the back of the house. It has dark granite countertops and white cupboards that look to be original. There is a stainless steel, four-burner range, built-in white microwave, and a white dishwasher. The end of one counter has several open shelves and the other side has a glass-fronted cabinet on the end. There are three pantry-height cupboards and sliding doors that lead to a Juliet balcony.

All three bedrooms are on the second floor. The master is on the right, facing the front walkway. It has two windows and vaulted ceilings with recessed lights and fan. It has a small closet with built-in shelves in one corner and a walk-in closet in another.

The master bathroom is through an open doorway. It has tile floors and a vanity that matches the counters and cabinetry in the kitchen. There are two sinks each with one set of cabinets, and three drawers in between them.  There is a shower/tub combo that needs a really good scrubbing.

There is a linen/utility cabinet in the hall outside the two secondary bedrooms.

The first secondary room has a double door entry and vaulted ceilings with recessed lights. It has one window facing the motor court. There is a narrow closet with mirrored doors and a recessed area on one wall with a shelf in the middle. The room is very small and felt more like a den than a bedroom. There isn’t much space to put furniture.

The other bedroom is a little bigger and has a better layout. This one also has a window facing the back and recessed lights, but it doesn’t have vaulted ceilings. The closet is bigger and also has mirrored doors.

The secondary bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom. It has a pedestal sink and no medicine cabinet, so there isn’t anywhere to put a toothbrush or other basic toiletries. There is a standard shower/tub combo.

This condo is in good condition, but is in need of a deep cleaning and fresh paint. Though the owners did recently drop the price, they have passed on a couple of offers that were deemed too low, so I don’t know how much room there is to negotiate. The most recent sale price was $590,000, so I imagine they owners won’t accept anything below that.