Author Archives: Karen

Cypress Village – Lantana Collection Review

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to a new enclave in Cypress Village, located between the 133 toll road and Ridge Valley on the south side of Trabuco/Great Park Road. The Lantana collection is a neighborhood of 136 attached townhomes ranging from 1,231 – 1,526 square feet. There are five primary residences, though the 1 and 1X are quite similar. Most buildings will have either six or eight units. Residences 1, 1X and 2 are always 3-story, middle units; residences 3 and 4 are 2-story units, located on the end in a 6-unit building, but may be end or middle units in an 8-unit building. All homes have an attached 2-car garage. The homes range from 2 – 4 bedrooms and 2.5 – 3.5 bathrooms. Aside from an optional loft in residence four, the homes do not have customizable options to the layout.

p1210296 p1210297p1210080 p1210081

Continue reading →

Open House Review: 12 Encina

This week, I saw an open house at 12 Encina. The home has been on the market for about two months but is finally listed on Redfin as “accepting backup offers.”

The Basics:
Asking price: $1,099,990
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,864
Price per Sq. Ft.: $384
Lot size: 5,491
Property type: Single family residence
Year built: 1978
Community: Northwood – Crestwood Estates
HOA: $50 per month / Mello Roos: No
Days on Market: 60
Schools: Santiago Hills Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High (Irvine Unified)

This home has a three-car garage with side-by-side spaces. Unlike many homes in this neighborhood that lack a driveway, this one has a wide driveway and is located near the end of a cul-de-sac. The street itself is quite calm, but it is located pretty close to Culver Drive so there is a little street noise when the windows are open. Throughout the home, many windows have plantation shutters, but the windows themselves are original.

p1210868

Continue reading →

Cypress Village: New Enclave Overview

Last month, Cypress Village opened a new enclave with three new collections. The enclave is bordered by the 133 toll road on the west, Ridge Valley on the east, Trabuco on the north (Trabuco’s name changes to Great Park Road on the east side of Sand Canyon), and Marine Way on the south. One collection, Tristania, is supposed to have its grand opening on September 24. Residents will be part of the Cypress Village Community Association and have access to all of Cypress Village’s parks and pools.  Each collection will also have its own set of HOA dues.

p1210527

Continue reading →

Open House Review: 19 Atlanta

This week, I saw an open house at 19 Atlanta that just came on the market a few days ago. This single story house features four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an atrium and a large backyard.

The Basics:
Asking price: $880,000
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2
Square Footage: 1,707
Price per Sq. Ft.: $516
Lot size: 5,055
Property type: Single family residence
Year built: 1978
Community: Northwood – Northwood Park
HOA: $65 per month / Mello Roos: No
Days on Market: 6
Schools: Brywood Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High (Irvine Unified)

This house does not have great curb appeal. There aren’t any windows facing the front and doesn’t have a real driveway – only a few feet separate the two-car garage from the sidewalk.  However, it does have a well-maintained front lawn and an attractive stone walkway, leading to a very small porch. The house also backs to Yale Avenue, a non-residential street though not one that typically has heavy traffic. The home has a Dutch door leading into the front hall.

p1210780 p1210781

Continue reading →

Stonegate: Auburn Collection Review

Stonegate’s newest neighborhood, Auburn, opened on August 20, 2016. The homes are quite large, ranging from 3,210 – 5,250 square feet. There are four primary residences, but the largest one (Chelsea X) is not expected to open until December. There will be 74 total homes with an average lots size of only 5,000 square feet. These homes are near the northeast corner of the village, bordered by Portola to the north and with just one neighborhood separating it from Sand Canyon to the east. Despite their size, these homes only have a two-car garage. The homes range from 4-6 bedrooms and 4.5 – 6.5 bathrooms. Most offer a bonus room and they all have a wide range of options to customize the layout.  The Chelsea X model includes a finished basement, complete with a great room, wine room, flex room, a media room, and options for an additional two bedrooms.

P1210529 P1210599P1210681 Continue reading →