If you’re in the market for a fully upgraded, but older, home, check out 37 Brena. The owners just finished remodeling the entire house and it is now move-in ready.

The basics:

Asking Price: $877,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,459

Lot Size: 4,792

$/Sq Ft: $357

Days on Market: 15

Property Type: Single Family Home

Year Built: 1978

Community: Northwood

Schools: Santiago Hills, Sierra Vista, Northwood High

HOA dues are $50 per month and there are no Mello Roos.

As soon as you walk in the door, you can see that the house is in excellent condition. The wood floors are gleaming and the paint and baseboards are free of any scuff marks. The living room to the left of the entry has vaulted ceilings and is a half step down from the entryway. It leads directly back to the formal dining room, which has new recessed lighting.

The kitchen is behind the dining room and everything is brand new. The counters and backsplash are dark granite and there is a full tile backsplash over the stove. The stainless steel oven/range has a smooth-top electric stove for easy cleaning. The white, country style cabinets provide ample storage and contrast nicely with the dark counters. A large breakfast nook with several windows makes a nice place for a casual dining table.

The family room is a few steps below the kitchen and there is an attractive railing between the two rooms. While the railing looks nice, I prefer when the downstairs is all one level. Windows line the back wall of the room and a fireplace sits at one end. There is a small wet bar in one corner (drawers were not installed when I was there but were expected to be in by the end of the day).

A short hallway off the family room leads to the laundry room, half bath, and garage access.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms. All three secondary bedrooms are basically the same. They have brand new carpet and two mirrored closet doors. Two face the front of the house and one faces the back. They all looked to be about the same size.

The upstairs bathroom was just redone as well. It has two sinks set in a solid surface counter and darker wood cabinets. The combination shower/tub looks more elegant than a typical secondary bathroom. It lacks shower doors or a curtain; I’m not sure if the owners plan to install one or if it will be the buyer’s responsibility.

The master bedroom is very large, with a long and somewhat narrow shape. Windows along the side and back walls bring in a lot of light. There is a nice retreat area at one end. This room has the same wood floor as downstairs and also has a vaulted ceiling. There is a nice sized walk-in closet with a few hanging rods and a couple of shelves.

The master bath looks much more like those in the brand new construction homes than in an older house. It has a separate bathtub and shower with big windows and nice tile. The vanity matches the one from the other upstairs bathroom.

In addition to redoing the inside of the house, the owners have also taken on some landscaping projects. They put in a raised flower bed along the back wall of the backyard and are planting the flowers this week. The yard has a decent sized grassy area and a slightly raised patio with new bricks along the edges. The front yard is large and mostly grass, though they also have a new, raised flower bed here as well (flowers coming soon).

The owners have done all of the work for you, but still gave the house a very reasonable price. It is located near the end of a cul-de-sac so it doesn’t get much traffic. Buyers should note that, although some homes on Brena are in the Woodside tract, this half of Brena is part of a separate HOA. As a result, the owners will not have access to Woodside’s community swimming pool, tennis courts, or tot lot. This neighborhood, known as Crestwood Estates, does have its own tot lot and tennis courts, but no pool. I don’t think this one will be on the market for long.

Asking Price: $839,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.75

Square Footage: 2,078

Lot Size: 5,510

Price per Square Foot: $404

Property Type: Residential, Single Family

Style: Two Level

Year Built 1978

Community: Northwood

HOA Fees: None

Mello Roos: No

Days on Market: 17

13 Porter is nicely situated on a cul-de-sac. It has no Mello Roos nor association and is a turn-key home with 1 bedroom on the main floor and pool/spa in the back yard.

The house has scraped ceilings, 6 paneled doors, recessed lights and ceiling fans, crown molding, new windows, clean carpet and clean tile. The ballusters on the staircase also look newer, which provides spacing safe for any infant. The bathrooms have been upgraded but the cabinets are outdated. The backyard has a pool and spa and plenty of space to entertain, but no grassy area to run/play on.

Upon entering, the vaulted ceilings and large windows in the living room, staircase and back rooms of the house create an open, light feel. Immediately to the left, along the wall, is the garage door entry where the laundry hookup is located. Looking towards the right, part of the staircase separates the living room from the smaller dining room.

Towards the left is a small hallway and in the back of the house is the family room and kitchen (which leads back to the dining room). The small hallway leads to the nice bathroom with a pedestal sink and a corner shower. Between the bathroom and the downstairs bedroom is a hall closet. The bedroom is currently used as an office with built-ins and has a ceiling fan. The smaller closet has mirrored doors.

The family room has a cozy brick fireplace and ceiling fan. One upgrade that is very useful for any family is the small counter area that can be used for a computer station or area to sit and pay bills/do work. The room has a big sliding door that leads to the backyard.

An eating bar with granite countertops separates it from the kitchen. The kitchen has white appliances, clean cabinets that may appear a bit outdated for some people’s taste, a nice backsplash and plenty of cabinet space with a small pantry. The window overlooks the backyard/pool.

The backyard has nice concrete, a pool, small jacuzzi and an area for outdoor seating. I did not see any signs of fencing around the pool to stop access into the pool. The retaining wall is nicely done with simple landscaping. There is not patio cover.

Once upstairs, double doors lead into the first room to the right which is the master bedroom. It has beautiful high ceilings and a ceiling fan. Although it isn’t an oversized master bedroom, it is large enough for a couple of dressers and king sized bed with nightstands. The windows overlook the backyard. I’m not sure if noise is a factor with it being located at the front of the hallway. In addition, just outside the double doors are the balluster s from the staircase which overlooks the downstairs area. A big positive is the layout into the bathroom. The pocket door into the double sink area provides privacy and can shut out light/noise in the mornings if someone is still sleeping. The vanity area has a door leading into a large walk in closet, which has access to the attic. Beyond the sinks is the toilet, upgraded shower and only bathtub.

The hall bathroom has a single sink, an updated shower, floors and lighting but the cabinets are outdated.

There is a small linen closet across from the bathroom, which is next to one of the two remaining bedrooms. The bedroom is smaller with a small mirrored closet. It overlooks the backyard. The other bedroom has a bigger mirrored closet, the only bedroom with wood floors and overlooks the side of the house and into the neighbor’s lovely backyard.

Looking at current listings and recent sales, the price per square footage is higher. But if you are looking to move into a turn-key house towards the end of a cul-de-sac or a model with a downstairs bedroom, this is worth looking at.

This week, I checked out a condo at 3 Delantera in the Northwood’s small Sundance neighborhood.

The basics:

Asking Price: $465,000

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 1,462

Lot Size: 1,742

$/Sq Ft: $318

Days on Market: 42

Property Type: Condominium

Year Built: 1978

Community: Northwood, Sundance

HOA dues are $348 per month and there are no Mello Roos.

This home is a pretty basic condominium – kitchen and living room downstairs, two bedrooms upstairs. There are neighbors on both sides, so all of the windows face either the front or the back of the house. Most of the windows are original and the bathrooms and kitchen have had small upgrades but haven’t been fully remodeled. The ceilings were scraped downstairs but not upstairs.

The house opens to a small, tiled entry with the staircase directly in front of you and the living room to the right. The living room is very long, so there is space to use it for a sitting room and a dining room, playroom, work area, etc. I think it is technically supposed to be a living and dining room, but since there isn’t a clear definition, it could easily function as something else. The entire room is carpeted.

A doorway leads to a small coat closet, an open storage space under the stairs, and a half bath. The bathroom has a single sink and long counter. While it is mostly original, it’s in excellent condition.

The kitchen is at the back of the house. There are laminate floors, new sliding doors leading out to the patio/garage and the original bay window. The breakfast nook is actually quite large, so you wouldn’t really need to have a separate dining room. The appliances are newer and white, and include a four-burner, smooth-top electric stove so it is incredibly easy to clean. There is plenty of counter space, upper cabinet storage, and one tall pantry cupboard. However, there isn’t a great place to keep pots, pans, or any other larger item.

A decent-sized back patio offers some outdoor space and leads directly to the detached, two-car garage. The washer and dryer hookups are also in the garage.

Upstairs are two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The master is a good size, but the single window at the back doesn’t bring in a lot of light. One corner of the room has a small cutout with basic shelving. As with the living room, the carpet is in good condition. The walk-in closet has a tiled floor and is a bigger than I expected it to be.

The master bath has the original cabinets, two sinks and a newer tile floor. The shower is deep enough to double as a bathtub (and contains hardware for both), but it has a tile floor and feels like just a shower.

The other bedroom is a good size but the configuration is slightly awkward. One wall has a big cutout with several windows, but they are somewhat low to the ground so any furniture would block the lower portion. There is a two-door, sliding closet with built-in shelves.

The upstairs bath (not attached to the bedroom) is much like the master – original sink (single) and cabinets with new tile floor. The shower/tub combo also still has the original white tiles.

Overall, the condo is in good condition and pretty spacious. My only real complaint is with the kitchen cabinets. Even though the bathrooms are original, they have all been well maintained and don’t look like they’re 35 years old. The community pool is very close to the unit. It is within walking distance of Santiago Hills Elementary and Sierra Vista Middle Schools. It is zoned for Northwood High.

For the first time, we have two of our writers reviewing the same home for sale. I found it interesting to read two perspectives on this home.

Today, I saw a home in Northwood’s Park Paseo neighborhood that features a downstairs bedroom and a large bonus room upstairs.

The basics:

Asking Price: $888,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Square Footage: 2,549

Lot Size: 4,356

$/Sq Ft: $348

Days on Market: 21

Property Type: Single Family Home

Year Built: 1977

Community: Northwood, Park Paseo

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

The house is nicely situated on a cul-de-sac and very close to a greenbelt. Children can walk to Santiago Hills Elementary School without crossing any streets. The home is also very close to the community pool, tennis courts and clubhouse.

This house has a lot of potential, but can use a lot of work. The carpets are very dirty and the floors and walls are scuffed in many places. The ceilings have not been scraped and most rooms still have old windows. While all of the bathrooms have new faucets, no other upgrades have been made to the bathrooms or the kitchen.

The first floor has a bedroom at the front of the house. It is currently used as an office and has large shelving units on two walls. The room has a small closet with mirrored doors. The adjacent bathroom has a single sink and a stall shower.

The living room is a small step down from the rest of the house. It has vaulted ceilings and a white brick fireplace. French doors with access to the backyard were added.

The living room opens to the dining room, which has space for a large table. A big bay window was added overlooking the backyard.

The biggest downfall of this model house is the kitchen. It is small, closed in, and really feels cut off from the rest of the house. The ceiling is low and still has the original panel lights. It also still has the original oven. The counters are white tile and the cabinets are very plain. A garden window looks to the side of the house and doesn’t bring in much light. There is a small breakfast nook directly across from the kitchen that could hold a very small table, but it feels really cramped. It has a pantry, but the pantry is hard to access if you have a table and chairs in that space. I have seen this model redone with the kitchen opening up to the family room and it makes a huge difference.

The family room is at the back of the house. Like the living room, it has a white brick fireplace and doors to the backyard. One wall has a huge built-in unit that can’t accommodate a TV.

The backyard is fairly small for the neighborhood and is awkwardly divided into several areas. There is a covered patio area, a fountain surrounded by rocks, a raised area with a low wall around it, and an uncovered patio section with a step in the middle of it.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a large bonus room. The master faces the back of the house and is a good sized room. It has vaulted ceilings and, currently, bright pink walls. There are two different closets, each with mirrored doors. The master bath has two sinks with a vanity area in the middle. The shower is done in the original white tile and, though it technically doubles as a bathtub, it feels more like a shower.

One of the other bedrooms has double doors and high ceilings. One wall is taken up by a three-door closet with very dark doors that make it feel very drab. The other bedroom also has high ceilings and there is a small closet in one corner with mirrored doors. Both rooms face the side of the house and just have one window.

The upstairs bathroom has one sink with a fairly small counter and a shower/tub combo. It’s pretty small and somewhat cramped.

The bonus room overlooks the street and also has vaulted ceilings. Windows on three sides bring in a lot of light. There is a wet bar in one corner with an open storage space above it. The room offers a lot of flexibility and is a great extra space in the home.

Looking at current listings and recent sales, the price for this house seems high. While I realize prices are going up, this one is not in line with the others, especially considering it has no upgrades. With a lot of work, this home could be really nice. It is big and the downstairs bedroom will appeal to many buyers.

Do you think it’s worth the money? Would you be willing to invest the time and money to fully upgrade this house?

17 Ninos

Asking Price:	$888,000
Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	3
Square Footage:	2,549
Lot Size:	4,356
Price per Square Foot:	$348
Property Type:	Residential, Single Family
Style:	Two Level
Year Built	1977
Community:	Northwood
HOA Fees:	$85
Mello Roos:	No

The location of this home, at the end of the cul-de-sac and just a half block to the elementary school and Clubhouse, is great for any family. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large bonus room are located on the second level, while one bedroom and one bathroom are located on the first floor.

Upon entering, there is space for a small table which sits along the side of staircase. To your left are a small full bathroom and a bedroom. To your right is the living room and dining room. Behind the dining room wall is the family room and kitchen.

View of Entrance. Living Room is to the left in this picture.

Front Entrance and Living Room

Living Room, Dining Room

This home, unlike some of the other models with the same layout, has a fireplace in the living room (in addition to the family room). The living room has a sunken floor and French doors leading to the back yard.

Downstairs Bedroom and adjacent bathroom.

The bathroom has original cabinets and lighting, but is clean and the shower looks newer.

Although the ceilings have the original popcorn texture, the vaulted height and large windows creates a light and open feel. Apart from the carpeted bedroom, the floors downstairs are hard wood. The sliding glass door and window facing the back are new, while the rest of the house has original windows.

The backyard has no grass but has a lattice patio cover on entry outside of the family room.

There is also a sliding glass door for entry to the back yard from the family room. The family room has built-in shelves that span the entire wall.

Angle from Entrance into Family Room. The kitchen is behind the wall on the left

View from Sliding Glass door looking into Family Room/Kitchen. Built-ins are along the left.

The kitchen has fluorescent lighting in the ceiling and original cabinets. On the right is the oven and an open wall with overhead cabinets and counter for a couple of bar stools.

Garage entry is off of the kitchen. Laundry hook up is found in the garage.

Upstairs has vaulted ceilings as well. The small landing comes with built-in cabinets running along the side of the staircase. Note that the staircase has the original ballusters. All bedrooms and the staircase have carpet, which may need to be cleaned or changed. Immediately to the right are double doors leading into the Master Bedroom. The windows face the back yard. The bathroom is large with an open solution, not having a door separating it from the bedroom.

Upstairs landing with built in cabinets. Entrance to Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom and entrance to bathroom sink/vanity area. Large mirrored closet.

More closets in vanity/sink area of bathroom.

Sunken bathtub/shower. Toilet located in own private area.

View coming up stairs into first bedroom.

First bedroom upstairs has a double door entry and appears slightly larger than the other upstairs bedroom. The larger bedroom also has more closet space with an extra third sliding door.

Second upstairs bedroom.

Hallway Bathroom upstairs.

Adjacent to the hallway bathroom and at the opposite end of the hall from Master Bedroom is a large Bonus room which faces the front of the house. It sits above the entire garage.

View walking out of Master Bedroom. Opposite end of hallway is the Bonus Room.

Bonus Room

View from Bonus Room

The house could use upgrades to modernize it. However, someone has the opportunity to add their own personal touches and choose how they want to re-model their own house. Someone looking for a bedroom downstairs would like this model, especially considering the fact the house has the extra large bonus room upstairs that they can use as a guest room/office/playroom.

The low HOA fee includes Park Paseo’s two tennis courts, walking distance to a large pool, baby pool and large Jacuzzi as well as access to the Clubhouse.