University Park Remodeled Single Family Home in Village 1

19 Queens Wreath Way $838,000

Turning off of Culver and onto Seton takes you to this four bedroom property on Queens Wreath Way. Last week I saw another University Park four bedroom home in Parkside. That home on Persimmon was an investment remodeled to sell. This one looks more like an extensively upgraded and remodeled home that the occupants may be reluctant to leave. When I was there on Sunday, the open house was attracting visitors in spite of the rain.

Significant Numbers: Built in 1965 this four bedroom, 3.5 bath home has 2,200 square feet at $381 a sq. ft. Lot size is 3,485 sq. ft. HOA is $185. The home has been on the market about 40 days.

CloseUp: Tucked into a cul de sac, the home has tile flooring downstairs with an upgraded kitchen, new windows and doors. The home has also had all hot water plumbing converted to overhead piping instead of underground.

As you enter. on the left a luxe livingroom with fireplace leads to the dining area that overlooks a good sized patio and a surprisingly big, grassy backyard accented with designer rose bushes.

From there a small family room also overlooks and accesses the patio, pairing with an upgraded kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar and stainless appliances.

Carpeted steps lead to the four bedrooms upstairs. A huge master suite with fireplace also has a remodeled bath and shower with tumbled travertine. Two of the three additional bedrooms are also a surprise in space.

Front balconies have been enclosed adding extra space to each one. The bedrooms share another full bath.

More Specifics:

Single family

Bedrooms 4

Baths 3.5

2+attached walls

Double garage

2 parking spaces

Laundry

Forced air, central air

Irvine Unified School system

Association pool and spa

What should be considered? This property, like the one in Parkside, offers a good sized home in University Park’s established community with superb schools, a regional park, and proximity to the University of Irvine. The home on Persimmon was completely detached, and this home has two attached walls. But this one may compete well with its extensive list of upgrades, luxe finish and and lower price, all backed up with an inviting amount of beautifully landscaped outdoor space.

Who will move in? A young, active family, much like the one currently living there, might fill the bedrooms. Other buyers, who want a key Irvine location, with room for entertaining, guests, and hobbies, may choose this one.

Recent listings: 3872 Hendrix, $858,000; 4942 Persimmon, $935,888.

Recent sales: 22 Cypress Tree Lane, $955,500; 35 Cypress Tree Lane, $930,000

This week I am reviewing Stonegate’s Santa Clara floor plan at 72 Overbrook which is a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condominium. The living space is located up a set of stairs upon entering the home from the 2 car garage or front entrance on ground level. Last month I reviewed the smallest floorplan at 168 Overbrook.

Asking Price: $559,000

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,322

Price per Square Foot: $423

Property Type: Residential, Condominium

Style: Two Level, Contemporary

Year Built 2013

Community: Stonegate, Santa Clara

HOA Fees: $308

Mello Roos: Yes

Days on Market: 11

72 Overbrook sits one building over from the street, so a set of parallel buildings sits on each side of the residence. Three visitor parking spaces sit in front of the building and there is additional street parking. Upon entry, you enter into a gray tiled entryway with the garage entrance and cream carpeted staircase on the right. All of the rooms upstairs, apart from the tiled kitchen and bathrooms have the cream carpet. The carpet and paint are clean and the windows have plantation shutters and blinds.

Once upstairs, the open kitchen is to the right and a rectangular room consisting of a dining and living room is towards the left. With high ceilings and plenty of windows, plus a single glass door leading to the balcony, there is an abundance of natural light. There may not be a lot of privacy on the balcony with windows from other housing directly across the alley. The kitchen is to the right with white cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The peninsula with a double sink and the dishwasher has space for bar seating. On the perpendicular wall is a gas range. The refrigerator and built-in microwave sit along the back wall. The counter wraps around to a half wall that overlooks the staircase, which consists of lower cabinets and a couple of drawers. There are plenty of cabinets; however the kitchen lacks a pantry.

The dining area accommodates a nice sized dining table. The living room has a white built-in entertainment center with space for a television, drawers and cabinets for storage, and a small space to sit and work on a computer. The door to the balcony sits in between the living and dining areas. It runs the length of the rooms and has space for a bar-b-que and a few chairs. It is narrow so it can’t sit a large table, but it is definitely nice to have a larger space to relax outside.

A hallway leads to the bedrooms, bathrooms and closet for laundry. Immediately to the right is a narrow linen closet which sits outside of the secondary bedroom. The bedroom is a nice size with mirrored double closet doors. Next to the room is the master bedroom with a large window along the back wall and two windows on the perpendicular wall. It is an average size master bedroom with an open entry into the bathroom. It appears a door could potentially be installed at the bathroom entrance.

Immediately to the right is a walk-in shower with standard 4×4 white tiles. Along the same wall is the separate toilet with a large window which brings in natural light. The walk-in closet sits against the back wall in between the toilet and double sinks. The bathroom, like all of the rooms is in excellent condition.

Immediately outside of the master bedroom is a single closet door that fits a stackable washer and dryer. On the other side of the hallway from the bedrooms is the shared bathroom. It has a single sink and large tub/shower combo.

72 Overbrook is in excellent condition but the square footage price seems a bit high in comparison to some of the comps. The paint and carpet, as well as the bathrooms and kitchen are clean. The only downfalls I noticed were the lack of pantry in the kitchen and the lack of separation between the master and secondary bedroom. The home is light and airy and sits close to the parks and pool. The larger balcony is also a big advantage.

For the third (and final) week in a row, I’m going to review a model on Conservancy in Portola Springs. This one is #26, across the street from 31 and 33 that I profiled earlier this month. Unlike the others, which are detached condos, 26 Conservancy is a true condo with shared walls on one side.

The basics:

Asking Price: $799,888

Bedrooms: 3 + loft

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,262

Lot Size: N/A

$/Sq Ft: $354

Days on Market: 37

Property Type: Condominium

Year Built: 2009

Community: Portola Springs, Paloma

HOA dues are $329 ($195 + $134) per month and there are Mello Roos.

Quickly comparing this to the other homes across the street, the biggest differences are the shared walls vs. detached condos and the number of bedrooms (three in this home, four in the others). It’s about 300-400 square feet smaller and $7-23 more per square foot. It hasn’t been on the market nearly as long, though at 37 days it certainly isn’t getting snapped up as quickly as many other Irvine homes.

The front gate leads into a courtyard with a fountain and a fire pit with bench seating on one side. The attractive stonework, along with the fountain and fire pit, gives a nice backyard feel to the home, when condos generally don’t have any outdoor space.

The front door opens up directly into the living room. Large, neutral tiles cover the floor throughout the downstairs. Two cutout areas, one much larger than the other, line one wall and could easily accommodate built-in units. Two windows face the street and another looks into the courtyard. The room is simple but adequate.

The living room flows directly into the dining room. It has another cut out on the same wall that makes a good spot for a china hutch or a built-in. Another window faces the courtyard. Because the dining room is so open when you first walk in, it doesn’t feel as formal as a more private room, but a large chandelier and fireplace do help provide a more elegant atmosphere.

A large arched doorway leads into the kitchen. It is bigger than the kitchens in many other condos I have seen. A center island has seating and can probably accommodate three chairs. The granite counters coordinate nicely with the neutral floors and the dark cabinets offer a nice contrast. On the right side, a long counter houses the sink and dishwasher in the middle and the microwave and oven on one end. A small built-in desk sits at the other end, beneath a window that faces the courtyard. The wall at the back has a six-burner stove and a few cabinets. The refrigerator sits on the left wall. The full-tile backsplash has a brick-like look. All the appliances are stainless steel. A door leads outside to a small backyard area, which connects to the side courtyard. The yard has space for a barbecue but isn’t big enough for anything else.

Just off the kitchen, a small alcove houses a couple of pantry height cupboards, a coat closet and access to the attached, two-car garage. There is also a half bath with a pedestal sink.

The staircase is in the back corner of the dining room. The top opens up to a loft that, like the rest of the rooms upstairs, has walnut hardwood floors. The loft has windows facing the side of the house and a French door leading to a small balcony that looks to the street. A big cut out area in one corner could easily have built-ins, but also makes a good spot for a desk or toy storage.

A hallway off the loft leads to the master bedroom, which faces the front of the house. The room is a good size and has two windows on one wall, plus windows in the hallway. It has recessed lighting, but no other notable features. An arched doorway leads to the master bath. The first part of the room has two sinks set into a fairly small counter. A second arched doorway leads to the shower and bathtub. The shower is somewhat small and done in plain white tile. The bathtub is a simple oval with a surround that matches the vanity. The closet is smaller than in many masters but still a good size for a condo. It has a single shelf and hanging bar in each wall.

Back in the main hallway, there is a laundry room across from the loft. It has side by side machines on one wall and a small sink on the opposite wall, plus a few cabinets.

There are two additional bedrooms down the hall. The first one is a good size – it has a big bed and large dresser, but still has plenty of floor space. Two windows face the side of the house. A two-door, standard closet takes up most of another wall. A door at the back of the room leads to a Jack and Jill bathroom.

The bathroom has a single sink centered on a long counter. A doorway separates the vanity from the shower/tub combo, which is done in basic white tile. There is travertine flooring throughout the bathroom.

Another door connects the bathroom to the last bedroom. This room is also pretty big and has plenty of floor space. A single window looks to the back of the home. Like the other bedroom, it has a two-door, standard closet.

This is a nice home that doesn’t really feel like a condo. The rooms are spacious and nicely upgraded. Like the other homes on this street, I question why so many houses or for sale and staying on the market for longer than in other neighborhoods.

University Park Remodeled Parkside Single Family Home

4942 Persimmon $935,888

Turning off Culver onto Michelson and winding all the way back to Royce Drive provides a taste of the University Park neighborhood atmosphere. Early afternoon on Friday, there were clusters of school kids on the tree lined street with many headed to the library, and neighbors out walking. Turning onto Royce and then onto Persimmon puts you in the Parkside Deane community in a quiet area well insulated from urban traffic.

This specific two story single family home also provides a glimpse of one aspect of Irvine investing. The home was sold in August of 2013 for $755,000, upgraded throughout and listed for $945,000 in December, 2013. In January it was reduced to $935,888. Almost everything has been redone, except the windows. New wood flooring, carpeting, remodeling of kitchen, and baths, along with designer paints and staging are all in place. The broker also emphasized it is the only detached single family home currently for sale in the area.

Significant Numbers: This two level, single family four bedroom, 2.5 bath home has 2,289 sq. ft., at $409 a sq. ft. The lot size is 4,356 sq. ft. HOA dues are $173. There is no Mello Roos. The home was built in 1974 and it has been on the market a little over 50 days.

Close up: Curbside, professional landscaping leads to a gated entry courtyard, and double doors open into the living room with fireplace. The formal dining room overlooks the patio and good sized windows throughout the home capitalize on natural light and views of the landscaped patio with raised brick planters.

To the left of the entry the family room opens to the kitchen and also has garage access. The kitchen has new espresso cabinets, quartz counters, stainless appliances and recessed lighting.

To the right of the entry, stairs lead to the home’s four bedrooms with large master suite with enclosed balcony, raised ceilings and mirrored closet doors. Baths have quartz counters, new tiled showers and floors. There is a remodeled half bath on the main floor.

Engineered hardwood floors are used throughout the main level, with new carpeting upstairs.

More specifics:

Single family home

Bedrooms, 4

Baths, 2 and a half

Two car garage

Two parking spaces

Laundry in garage

Central furnace, central air

Tile roof

Association pool, spa

Completely detached

Irvine Unified School District

Overall Evaluation: As a single family, detached home in a prime location in Parkside in University Park, away from traffic noise and within easy reach of parks, tennis courts and schools, this home may have strong family appeal. Nearby there are new million dollar homes, and other homes overlooking University Park’s central park system, that offer competition. As a remodeled two story, four bedroom home, it will be interesting to see how options and price play out.

Who will move in? Families looking for exceptional schools like University High School, a regional park, and a well established community atmosphere near the University of California Irvine, might put this home on their list to consider. All bedrooms are upstairs which works for children, but may not work for more mature buyers.

Recent nearby listings: 19 Queens Wreath Way, $838,000; 45 Redwood Tree Lane, $759,000

Recent nearby sales: 13 Ash Tree Lane, $849,000; 21 Aspen Tree Lane, $989,000.

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?