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.

Woodbridge One Story Single Family North Lake Home

11 Mandarin $1,000,000

Just steps from the North Lake Beach Club, this one story single family Woodbridge home offers a prime inside the loop location on a quiet cul de sac. New to the market, it will be interesting to see how it competes with other Irvine homes in this price range. It shows well, but there have been others on the market in this price range near South Lake with more assets. A few of those sold the first week they were listed.

Significant Numbers: Just listed 4 days ago, this single family home was built in 1976. The square footage is 1,895 and the lot size is 4,792 sq. ft. HOA dues are $82 and the price per sq. ft. is $528. The home is all on one level with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths.

Closeup: Starting with a strong curbside presence, the home has a courtyard entry with flourishing rose garden. Inside, a wood floored entry opens to a light filled central atrium, and family room and living room with dramatic stone mantel fireplace wall on the right.

On the left, a main hallway leads to the master bedroom and bath and two more bedrooms and bath. The good sized master bedroom that opens onto the patio has a sitting area and mirrored closet doors. Double doors open to a large master bath with tile floors, skylight, enclosed shower and sunken tub. Two more bedrooms and a full bath with tile floor and glass enclosed tub open off of the main hallway that also has a double skylight.

Throughout the home an indoor/outdoor effect is created with windows and doors overlooking the nicely landscaped patio that wraps around the living room, dining room and master bedroom. The brick trimmed, partially covered patio has room for dining and cooking and raised planters for an assortment of gardens.

A large dining room also opens onto the patio, and pairs with an updated kitchen. The windowed kitchen has granite counters, newer appliances and a custom backsplash.

Plantation shutters, wood, tile, carpet and fresh paint inside and out all give the home a finished look. Newer dual paned vinyl windows and sliding doors throughout work well with the double skylights and cathedral ceilings.

More specifics:

Single family home

Bedrooms, 3

Baths, 2 full

Detached, no common walls

Double garage

Two parking spaces

Central furnace, central air

Laundry in the garage

Association pool and spa

Irvine Unified School District

Overall Evaluation: A key location Inside the loop in Woodbridge, on a quiet cul de sac, just steps from the North Lake Beach Club, adds value to this home. Other homes on the block have expanded their space with a second level above the master bedroom. Fresh paint, skylights and updates in windows, kitchen, and bath boost the marketability.

Who will move in? An active family that’s drawn to Woodbridge’s top schools and the North Beach location with prime water recreation may consider this home. The convenient one level may attract more mature buyers or families with an older member. Others may consider the one level floor plan as an opportunity to expand with a second level.

Recent nearby listings: 44 Blazing Star, $945,000; 14 Whistling Isle, $858,000

Recent nearby sales: 208 Bridlewood, $1,150,000; 10 Heron, $1,050,000.

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.

Turtle Rock Treetop Condo with a View

5 Highland View #8 $615,000

A few months ago I visited another open house in this same community. That condo had an additional bedroom and had been extensively developed with special upgrades to make the most of the space. But it was also about a hundred thousand more than the 5 Highland View #8 property. This end unit condo has new carpeting and good bones. A few more upgrades might turn it into someone’s hilltop retreat.

Significant Numbers: This two bedroom, two full baths condo was built in 1978. HOA dues are $472. Square footage is 1,450 square feet, and the price per square foot is $424 a sq. ft. There is no Mello Roos. The lot size is 2,000 square feet. The home was listed at $649,000 in August and is now listed at $615,000.

Closeup: Walking up the steps and entering this condo the first impression is one of living in the treetops. The home opens to a light filled living room with a sweeping view of the surrounding hills and valleys from the bank of windows and doors that open onto the deck. The room also has a brick fireplace set up as gas or wood burning, and a dining niche to the left.

Moving on down the hall, to the kitchen, master bedroom and bath and second bedroom with full bath, the home presents a challenge. More upgrades, staging and accent colors would help define this home. The master bedroom has a bath with dual vanity and the second bedroom accesses a full bath. The laundry is inside.

The spacious kitchen has updated appliances, laminated wood flooring, a view window and room for a casual eating area.

More specifics:

Condominium

Bedrooms, 2

Baths, 2 full

Double garage

Two parking spaces

Forced air heating, central air

Attached, one common wall

Irvine Unified School District

Laundry in unit

Association pool and spa

Overall Evaluation: Located just off of Ridgeline and Turtle Rock Drive, and tucked into a secluded area, this condo is ripe for upgrades but also offers some bankable options. The private spot, size of the unit and light filled space, nicely situated in Turtle Rock, just minutes away from Orange County’s entertainment and shopping networks will all be considered. Turtle Rock’s parks, hiking trails and top notch schools like Bonita Canyon Elementary, Rancho Middle School and University High are also strong assets.

Who will move in? This could be a condo that attracts two professional roommates, or a working couple that likes to travel but still wants a comfortable working base in Irvine. All of Turtle Rock’s assets could work for the right buyer.

Recent nearby listings: 79 Highland View, $589,000; 8 Sunshine, $679,000

Recent nearby sales: 42 Highland View #25, $632,000; 91 Highland View #54, $671,000.

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.