Category Archives: Real Estate Analysis

Open House Review: 40 Christamon West

Today I am reviewing a two level home in Northwood’s Park Paseo Community. 40 Christamon West is found on a larger internal corner lot and situated on a cul-de-sac street across from Santiago Hills Elementary School and community amenities. The nicely landscaped large yard and location on a single loaded street left a feeling of privacy and openness.

Asking Price: $888,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.25

Square Footage: 2,191

Lot Size: 6,098

$/Sq Ft: $405

Days on Market: 10

Property Type: Single Family Residence

Year Built: 1985

Community: Northwood – Park Paseo

HOA dues are $89 per month and there are no Mello Roos taxes.

Prices in Northwood have been on the rise, however in the past 3 months it appears two level homes in this neighborhood have primarily sold for less than $400 per square foot. This house is in very clean condition and is well maintained, but has original textured ceilings, carpet that looked worn in areas, original doors with hardware and a couple of original features in the bathrooms. The rest of the home has been upgraded with wood flooring, a remodeled kitchen, updated windows and a relaxing backyard.

The front door is located up a few brick steps. Once inside, the entrance has outdated tile flooring which is a step up from the rest of the main level of the home. There is an abundance of natural light coming in from the extra-large windows throughout the living and dining rooms. Although the ceilings have the original texture, the cathedral ceilings provide an open feeling to the rooms. To the left is a wide carpeted staircase leading straight up to the second floor. There is also a hallway with one of the entrances to the kitchen and a 3-step down family room. To the right is the step down living room and dining room. The kitchen is located behind the wall, next to the dining room.

The living and dining room are carpeted while the hallway, kitchen and family room have hardwood floors. The living room windows face out toward the school’s large green fields. The dining room window faces out to the backyard. One of the two kitchen entrances is found off of the dining room.

The kitchen has updated fluorescent lighting with a ceiling fan. There is a large window with a casual eating area sitting in front of it. An older dishwasher and updated sink with a garden window are located along the same wall. The corian countertop wraps around to the electric stovetop. There are plenty of cabinets and counter space. The cabinets are a cherry finish. On the other side of the entrance door are additional cabinets, built-in microwave, oven and refrigerator. The kitchen has railing that overlooks the family room which is three steps down. A pantry sits between the 3 steps and the casual eating area.

After walking down the three steps, a small nook and short hallway with a coat closet, garage entrance and bathroom are located to the left. The nook previously had a small wetbar, but currently has a desk. The family room has a brick fireplace in the middle of the wall. There are two large windows in the corner and a large sliding glass door.

The backyard is nicely landscaped. Out the sliding glass door you walk onto a small lattice covered patio. To the right is a path to a newer jacuzzi and towards the back of the yard is another small paved area that has space for entertaining. The remainder of the yard is grass and in the back is a low retaining wall with lush greens. The mature trees and a light post add a nice touch to the space.

The half bathroom sits next to the garage entrance. It has a long frosted window across the top of the wall. The bathroom is wallpapered and has granite countertops and cherry cabinetry. All bathrooms throughout the home have been remodeled with the same granite countertops and cherry cabinetry.

At the top of the staircase is one of the two sets of linen cabinets located in the hallway. All bedrooms are carpeted. It is clean but some sections look slightly worm. To the right are double doors leading into the master bedroom. The room is a good size with a two door mirrored closet next to the entrance. A step-up bathroom is found to the right, directly across from the bed. The double sinks are visible from the sleeping area and with a lack of a privacy door, the light and noise may affect a person that is still sleeping in the mornings and evenings. The carpet runs up to the vanity. The old fluorescent lighting still sits above the double sinks but the countertops and cabinetry are remodeled. To the left is the separate toilet and showe
r. Unfortunately the carpet continues into that space as well. The walk-in shower has been remodeled with a bench. On the opposite end of the double sinks is a walk-in closet.

The two secondary bedrooms on the right side of the hallway are similar in size and both have double mirrored sliding closet doors. The second bedroom appears slightly smaller than the first one. At the end of the hallway is the third secondary bedroom. It has double doors leading in to the room and is currently used an office. Two large corner windows look out to the front of the home. It has a single door closet.

An updated mirror, cherry cabinets and granite countertop are found in the shared bathroom. The floor is vinyl. The bath/shower combo is original with original 4 x4 tiles.

40 Christamon West is nicely remodeled and if you do not mind living across from an elementary school, it is a great location. At the end of the cul-de-sac is a walking path so with the greenbelt, school fields, community pool and tennis courts just steps away, it is ideal for any family. The price is just slightly higher per square foot than some comparable two level homes, but this home also has a larger than others in the neighborhood.

Open House Review: 16 Phillipsburg

I recently toured 16 Phillipsburg, a four bedroom house in Northwood’s Courtside tract. This home has many upgrades and a downstairs office that could convert to a bedroom, though it doesn’t have a closet.

The basics:

Asking Price: $846,000
Bedrooms: 3 + office (but listed as a 4 bedroom home)
Bathrooms: 3
Square Footage: 2,132
Lot Size: 4,790
$/Sq Ft: $397
Days on Market: 14
Property Type: Single Family Home
Year Built: 1985
Community: Northwood – Courtside
Schools: Brywood Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High

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

The house looks nice from the street and has a small front porch with enough space for a table and two chairs.

The living room sits just inside the entry on the left. It has high ceilings and windows on the front and side walls. Like the adjoining dining room, it has bamboo floors.

The dining room is pretty standard, with space for a large table and a single window on the side of the house. It has a doorway to the kitchen and is open to the front hallway.

The kitchen has been fully remodeled. Large, ceramic tiles make up the floor. There are also granite counters and espresso colored cabinets. While the dishwasher is white, the other appliances are stainless steel, including a five burner range, hood, and sink. It has plenty of counter space and a fair number of cabinets and drawers. There is a breakfast nook in front of a bay window overlooking the backyard.

The family room is a few steps lower than the kitchen. It has bamboo floors and French doors leading to the backyard. One wall has a full set of built-ins surrounding the fireplace. The white cabinets and shelves include a space for a flat-screen TV. The fireplace has ceramic tile at the edges. A small wet bar sits in a hallway just off the family room. Its cabinets and counters match the kitchen.

The hallway leads to the den, a full bathroom, laundry room and the garage. The den has a double-door entry and bamboo floors. A single window looks out to the sideyard. The room is a good size and could work as a bedroom if you added a closet.

The full bath is not attached to the room. It has a single sink, with cabinets and counters to match the kitchen. The shower/tub combo is newer, with brushed nickel hardware and nicer tiled walls. The laundry room has several sets of upper and lower cabinets with counter space for folding.

The master bedroom and two additional bedrooms are upstairs. The master sits near the top of the stairs, overlooking the backyard. Like the family room below, it has bay window that make a nice sitting area. Three mirrored doors span the full length of one wall. Overall, the room isn’t very large, but the high ceilings and mirrored closets make it feel a little bigger than it actually is.

The master bath has also been completely redone, similarly to the kitchen. There are two sinks with brushed nickel hardware and individual mirrors hanging above each one. The stall shower sits next to the tub. I thought the shower was too small, but the bathroom is nice otherwise.

The secondary bathroom upstairs hasn’t been remodeled at all. The original cabinets are white, with a plain, solid-surface counter and original hardware. The shower/tub combo also has its original white tile and hardware. There is a set of upper and lower linen cabinets in the hall outside the bathroom.

Both secondary bedrooms face the front of the house. The one on the left is a lot bigger and has a three-door, sliding closet. There is a ceiling fan and it has windows facing both the front and side.

The smaller bedroom also has a ceiling fan, but only one window. It has a large, walk-in closet. All upstairs bedrooms have the same flooring as downstairs.

The backyard is mostly hardscaped, with a raised garden around the edges.

Overall, the house is nicely redone and is move-in ready. The upstairs bathroom is the only original room in t
he house. I don’t really like how the family room and den are four steps lower than the kitchen and wish that the downstairs was all one level. I also thought the last bedroom upstairs was too small. On the plus side, the home is a short walk from the community pool, tot lot, and tennis courts. It backs to a greenbelt and is a short walk to Brywood Elementary School without crossing any streets. The price per square foot is about $20-50 higher than most similar homes on the market, though there are a few that are $25 or more per square foot higher than this one.

Open House Review: 6022 Sierra Siena

Turtle Rock Single Family Sierra Bonita Home on Oversized Lot

6022 Sierra Siena Rd. $1,229,000

Turning off Turtle Rock Drive into the Sierra Bonita community takes you to this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath single family detached home with 3 car garage and a 10,000 sq. ft lot., richly planted with 20 some trees and countless plants. Brand new to the market, about 4 days, this home drew a stream of neighbors and interested families to the first open house last Saturday.

Significant Numbers: Built in 1971, this all on one level 2,037 sq. ft. lot has low HOA dues of $75. The price per sq. ft. is $603 and the lot size is 10,019 sq. ft. There are no Mello Roos. According to the broker, this home has one of the largest lots in the community and the surrounding neighborhood has many original owners. Public records show this property sold for $920,000 in 2008.

Close up: Nicely situated on the last street in the back of the community with an amazing private rear yard and garden, the home has a double doored, gated courtyard in front.

Inside, the entry is defined with a brick fireplace that leads to the living room, patio deck and tropical gardens beyond.

Left of the entry, a large family room also accesses the garden and connects with the kitchen and casual dining area. The formal dining area sits between the kitchen and the living room.

A wraparound wood deck is the viewpoint for the King Palms, Pineapple Guava, cactus, lavender, fern and jade plants that fill the garden and run to the hilly wall in the back of the property. For me, this immense private green retreat would be the perfect way to begin and end every day. For gardeners, it would be the perfect ongoing project.

The kitchen and casual dining area overlook and access the garden. The tiled kitchen has stainless appliances and ample cabinetry.

Wood and tile floors, cathedral ceilings, skylights and double slider doors are used throughout the home.

To the right of the entry, the master suite also accesses the garden and has a double vanity, tiled floor, tub and shower. The three other bedrooms have garden views too, accessing the second full bath. There is also a powder room and an oversized 3 car garage with built-in workshop with storage, cabinetry and laundry.

More specifics:
Single family home
Bedrooms, 4
Baths, 2.5
Detached, no common walls
Central furnace, central air
Three car garage with workshop
Three parking spaces
Laundry in garage
Association pool, spa
Irvine Unified School District

What should be considered? This good sized single level, detached single family home on an oversized Turtle Rock lot gives the buyer lots of options for future development in a prime area. Updating and upgrading the baths would probably be one of the future projects. The private location in the back of the Sierra Bonita community is choice, along with Turtle Rock’s top schools, parks and hiking trails. The community park and pool and Chaparral Park are close by.

Who will move in? New owners who want the perfect private spot for entertaining, relaxing and gardening, that’s just minutes from everything, will be pleased. The all on one level home with four bedrooms works for families with mature members, or busy couples who entertain a lot, host out of town guests and need a home office. Active families with kids that need community parks, pools and top schools may also choose this home. Parents with teens and tons of sports equipment or hobbies will be drawn to the 3 car garage, workshop and cabinetry.

Recent nearby listings: 6042 Sierra Sienna Rd., $1,450,000: 23 Sunlight, $1, 238,888.

Recent nearby sales: 6162 Sierra Palos Rd., $1,190,000; 5502 Sierra Roja Rd., $1,200,000.

Open House Review: 10 Varesa

I am reviewing a home in Northwood’s Vista Filare Community. Two weeks ago I reviewed 4 Varesa, which is just a few doors down from 10 Varesa. Both are 3 bedrooms, but the size, layouts and amount of updating differ. This home is selling for $389 per square foot versus 4 Varesa’s $432 per square foot. The price has recently been reduced from the original $698,800 to $678,800. Just down the street from Sierra Vista Middle School, this home is walking distance to the middle school, walking trails and Northwood Park Shopping Center. It is a zero-lot-line property so there are no windows along one side of the home.

Asking Price: $678,800
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.25
Square Footage: 1,745
Lot Size: 2,614
$/Sq Ft: $389
Days on Market: 200
Property Type: Single Family Residence
Year Built: 1985
Community: Northwood – Vista Filare
HOA Fees: $106/month

There are no Mello Roos taxes.

Walking through a side gate, the front door is on the left. Straight ahead is the home’s outside patio. Currently the patio is a raised wood deck that separates the front entrance from the home’s patio. The other property at 4 Varesa had a wall to create a more private patio feeling.

Upon entering the home, the staircase, coat closet and half bathroom are in front of you. To the left is the living room and to the right is the dining room and doorway leading to the kitchen and family room. The flooring throughout the entire first level is laminate wood flooring. The living room has high ceilings and a brick fireplace in the corner butting up to the staircase. One large window faces out to the front of the home. The windows throughout the home are original.

The dining area has two windows. It is a decent sized area.

The half bathroom sits across from the dining room, next to the staircase. It has been remodeled with a corner sink with white cabinets and a black granite countertop. All of the bathrooms have the same white cabinets and black granite countertop.

Past the dining room, through the doorway are the kitchen and family room. The kitchen is immediately to the left. It has been remodeled with new white cabinets and black granite countertops. Along the side and back wall are cabinets and a stainless steel hood vent and range. There is ample counter space and storage in the cabinets but it lacks a pantry. The sink and black dishwasher sit on the peninsula across from the oven range. There is space for bar seating at the peninsula. It is a nice open layout that looks out to the family room.

The family room is on the smaller side, but the layout creates for a nice flow into the patio area. The garage entrance is on one wall and on the perpendicular wall, across from the kitchen peninsula, is a sliding glass door leading out to the patio. The patio deck looks like it would need to be replaced. In comparison to 4 Versa, this home’s patio lacks a sense of privacy since there is not a separation from the front door area. In addition, with the raised deck, you are more visible from the alley where the garage is located.

Going up to the second floor, a linen closet is located on the landing. The stairs and bedrooms have clean, tan, berber carpet. Once upstairs, the first bedroom is to the right. It has high ceilings and is regular in size. There is a small two-door sliding closet.

Next to the first bedroom is the other secondary bedroom. It is slightly smaller in size with a window overlooking the side patio and a closet of the same size.

Across from the bedroom is the shared bathroom. It is the same layout as 4 Varesa but with more upgrades. Natural light comes in through a skylight above the tub/shower combo. Like downstairs, the bathroom is upgraded with white cabinets and black granite. The flooring is a new linoleum floor that looks like tile. The tub/shower combo has new tile surround and glass doors.

The master bedroom is a large room, divided in two sections by a half wall. The first half can be used as a separate lounge area or office. It has a window overlooking the patio area. The half wall allows you to see the other side of the bedroom. The other side of the partial wall is the sleeping quarters. There are advantages of having the division, such as having a designated area to read or watch television prior to going to bed. Of if you would like an office, it provides an area that is not directly in your sleeping quarters. The separation provides more of peaceful area to sleep.

The master bathroom is found through an open doorway. Without a privacy door, light and noise from the sink area might disturb a person who is still in bed in the evening or morning. The carpet runs all the way up to the double sinks. The bathroom style matches the hall bathroom with white cabinets, black granite counter tops and the same shower surround and new glass doors. To the right of the vanity is a walk-in closet, and on the opposite side is the toilet and shower. There is no tub in the master bathroom.

There are more upgrades in this home versus 4 Varesa, however 10 Varesa needs a new patio deck, has smaller closets in the secondary bedrooms, and the laundry is in the garage instead of the shared bathroom. The master bedroom layout is unique, with the division in the room. The cheaper square footage price is something to consider in addition to the different layout of the models. The location of the two properties is essentially the same, so it is worth looking at the different models to determine which you prefer.

Open House Review: 2 Jefferson

There aren’t a lot of two-bedroom, single family homes in the Northwood area, but this week I found one at 2 Jefferson in the Northwood Glen community.

The basics:
Asking Price: $499,500
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Square Footage: 948
Lot Size: 3,485
$/Sq Ft: $527
Days on Market: 8
Property Type: Single Family Home
Year Built: 1985
Community: Northwood – Northwood Glen
Schools: Brywood Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High

HOA dues are $93 per month and there are no Mello Roos.

The house is located on a corner lot, next to one of the bigger, non-residential streets that passes through the neighborhood. It’s a short walk to the community pool, spa and tot lot. The house doesn’t have a lot of curb appeal – the front isn’t very attractive and the yard, while large, isn’t in great shape. Just inside the front gate is a large yard area with a rose garden and a small front porch.

Inside the home, the living room is to the right and the dining room and kitchen are to the left. There is new ceramic tile in all of the common areas. The living room has high ceilings and a brick fireplace on one wall. Sliding doors lead out to the backyard and are the only windows in the room.

The dining room can comfortably hold a table for six. Anything larger would jut into the hallway, but could fit for special occasions. A single window looks out to the rose garden.

The u-shaped kitchen has new white appliances and solid beige counters. The wooden cabinets and drawers are simple, with no handles, but were just refinished so they are in good shape. One window overlooks the rose garden and there is a small pass through area to the dining room. The kitchen is mostly closed off from the dining and living rooms. The kitchen isn’t fancy, but it is in good condition.

The master bedroom sits directly behind the living room. Both bedrooms have brand new plush, brown carpet. Like the living room, the master bedroom has high ceilings and sliding doors to the backyard. A short hallway leading to the master bath has closets on both sides. Each has two sliding doors and simple hanging rods.

The master bath is more like a typical bathroom than one usually found in a master suite. It has a single sink and a standard shower/tub combo. The counter has a rust-colored stain on one side and the cabinets are plain white, but not remodeled.

The second bedroom is at the far end of the hall, past the kitchen. It’s fairly small and has just one window facing the side of the house. The closet has two sliding doors, but is smaller than average.

Just outside the bedroom, the hallway has a set of linen cabinets and a washer and dryer tucked behind folding doors. The access to the garage is there as well. The second bathroom is back here. Like the master, it has a single sink (though the counter is much smaller) and plain white cabinets. The shower/tub combo matches the master as well. The sink has newer hardware but the tub does not.

The backyard is fully hardscaped with a patio cover extending over most of it. A raised garden area lines the back wall and the rose garden continues on the side.

Overall, there is nothing spectacular about this house. However, the new paint, flooring and carpet, plus the updates in the kitchen definitely gave it a face lift. It would make a good starter home or a nice place for someone looking to downsize. The price per square foot is higher than most similar homes on the market and higher than many recent sales. I’d like to see the price drop below $500 per square foot on this home.