This week, I visited 18 Miners Trail in Northwood. While it has many upgrades, there is also still plenty of room for improvement.

The basics:

Asking Price: $779,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Square Footage: 2,213

Lot Size: 4,560

$/Sq Ft: $352

Days on Market: 23

Property Type: single family residence

Year Built: 1979

There are no HOA dues or Mello Roos taxes.

The first thing I noticed was a large sideyard leading up to the front door and wrapping around to the backyard. Because it is a smaller lot, it is nice to see a bit of extra space on the side.

Downstairs, the flooring is all new, with a combo of tile in the entry and kitchen and wood throughout the rest of the rooms. In contrast, the upstairs carpet is shabby and needs to be replaced. While the upstairs bedrooms all have new windows, the downstairs windows are original. The ceilings were scraped throughout the whole house.

The living room is just off the entryway and is a step down from the hall. It has a vaulted ceiling and, despite having three windows, feels dark due to all of the trees in the front yard.

The dining room is on the other side of the entry. It has a sliding door out to the sideyard and, like the living room, has a vaulted ceiling.

The dining room leads into the kitchen, which has been nicely remodeled. In addition to the new marble floor, it has granite counters, attractive new cabinetry, and stainless steel appliances. A large garden window looks out to the backyard. The kitchen doesn’t have quite as many cabinets as most others I have seen, so space will have to be used efficiently.

The family room is at the back of the house, right off the kitchen. It has space for a breakfast table at the back wall. There are sliding doors out to the backyard and a fireplace in the middle of another wall. It also has a skylight over the breakfast table. Because all of the natural light is at the far end of the room, most of the space is pretty dark.

There is a downstairs bedroom off the family room. It has built in shelves along one wall. Like the family room, it’s only light source is a sliding door to the backyard, so it is a dark room. It is big, but long and narrow, so somewhat awkwardly shaped for a bedroom. The closet is also pretty small, leading me to think it makes a better office or playroom. There is a remodeled en suite bathroom with a single sink and a shower/tub combo. This bathroom also has hallway access (via the laundry room) and is the only downstairs bath.

Upstairs, there are three more bedrooms. The master is a pretty big room. It has a fireplace and a balcony, along with a vaulted ceiling. The bathroom has been partially redone, with newer counters and tile around the separate shower and tub, but the original cabinets. The old carpet and cabinets make the otherwise nice bathroom look shabby.

The other bathroom upstairs has also been remodeled. It only has one sink, though it’s set in a very long counter. It has a combo shower/tub and newer granite and tile.

The two secondary bedrooms are very typical for an older home in Northwood. They are average sized, each with one window facing the street. One has a standard closet and the other has a walk in; neither is particularly large.

The home backs to Northwood, a somewhat quiet but non-residential street. It is also directly across from the back side of a shopping center, so it probably gets noise from delivery trucks. The outside of the home suffered some damage from termites and dry rot. The owners are willing to fix this at their own expense as long as the clause is included in the offer.

Older homes in Northwood have seen a fairly wide range of prices lately, both in those that have recently sold and those currently on the market. At $352 per square foot, this house is somewhere in the middle of that range. The two biggest drawbacks are the location and the lack of natural light, neither of which can be changed. Which one do you think is keeping it from selling?

Discuss on Talk Irvine: http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3646.0.html

This weekend, I visited a condo in the southernmost part of Woodbridge. It is an upper end unit, overlooking a greenbelt, and has some recent updates.

The basics:

Asking Price: $389,000

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,164

Lot Size: N/A

$/Sq Ft: $334

Days on Market: 14

Property Type: condo

Year Built: 1982

HOA dues are $392 per month and there are no Mello Roos taxes.

This condo is in the Park Vista tract of Woodbridge. As soon as I arrived, I could hear the cars rushing by on the nearby 405 freeway. All of the windows were open in the condo, but I would imagine that it’s close enough to hear the freeway noise even with the windows shut.

There is a small storage closet at the bottom of the outside staircase that leads up to the unit. It’s a great place for storing children’s bikes, scooters, or a stroller, but isn’t big enough to hold much more. The staircase had recently been repainted and there was a balcony at the top with room for a small table and a couple of chairs.

The front door opens directly into the living room. It has newer Pergo floors and recessed lighting. The room is a good size, but with windows only in one corner, probably doesn’t get a lot of light for most of the day.

The dining room and kitchen are on the other side of the front door. It is big enough for a table for eight, but doesn’t have any windows. It leads directly into the kitchen, which has attractive granite counters and brushed nickel hardware. The room is long and narrow, with white appliances and darker cabinets. There is a second balcony off the kitchen that provides space for a grill.

A hallway at the back of the condo leads to the three bedrooms. The master is first, with a big window on one wall and a large mirrored closet on another. The room isn’t very big and doesn’t give many options for arranging furniture, but there is space for a bed and two other pieces (dressers or a comfy chair). The attached bathroom has a single sink and a shower, plus a couple of storage cabinets.

Next down the hall is the second bathroom. This one is bigger than the one in the master, but still only has one sink. There is a shower/tub combo. Though half the bathroom has the same Pergo floors as the rest of the condo, the back half is tiled.

The next bedroom is a good size and has a mirrored closet. It currently has five bigger pieces of furniture in it and still has plenty of open floor space in the middle. The third bedroom is smaller, but still a decent size. It has a nice walk-in closet and sliding doors that lead out to the balcony off the kitchen.

A small closet at the end of the hall (between the two secondary bedrooms) houses the washer and dryer.

The condo is in really good condition and makes good use of the space. It only has one parking spot – a covered carport a bit down the greenbelt. Additional parking is available on the street on the far side of all the carports. The owners can enjoy all of the benefits that Woodbridge has to offer, including parks, lakes, and good schools, but the specific location of this unit is a drawback. The owners will review offers this week, so set an appointment and put your bid in quickly if you’re interested.

Discuss on Talk Irvine: http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3624.0.html

53 La Ronda $549,800

82 Fringe Tree $648,000

Turning off Culver onto Warner and heading up to Harvard in Westpark, I visited two open houses, a single family detached home at 53 La Ronda and a three level plus condo at 82 Fringe Tree. There were different options and prices, but some interesting similarities. And in both cases, there was a steady stream of visitors.

The single family home has been on the market about 35 days. The condo went on the market 8 days ago. As of Wednesday, the condo was listed as sale pending with backup offers accepted.

Significant Numbers:

	53 La Ronda	82 Fringe Tree
Community	Westpark	Westpark
Asking Price	$549,800	$648,000
Style	Single Family Detached	3+ Level Condo
HOA dues	$157	$394
Bedrooms	3	3
Baths	2	2.5
Sq. Ft.	1100 sq.ft.	2125 sq.ft.
$/sq. ft.	$500/sq.ft.	$305/sq.ft.
Lot size	3,146 sq.ft.	———
Year Built	1996	2006
On market	30 days	8 days
Mello Roos Tax	Yes	Yes

Close Up of 53 La Ronda:

This single family detached home is neatly tucked into a private corner in a quiet cul de sac. Stepping inside, the open floor plan utilizes the great room approach, making the most of a slim 1100 sq. ft. space.

On the right of the entry there is an open den that could be converted to be the third bedroom. The open space of living room with a built-in wall and fireplace, dining area and kitchen has laminate wood flooring and a view of the patio. A child’s bedroom is off to the left with bath and the master with walk-in closet, bath and oversized tub is around to the right.

The kitchen has remodeled granite counters and recessed lighting. There is a double garage.

Close Up of 82 FringeTree: Located in the popular Columbus Grove neighborhood, this spacious condo works with an open floor plan too. Walnut hardwood floors lead into the living room with a soaring ceiling, plantation shutters, & custom built in bookcases flanking the gas fireplace.

One flight up, the family room overlooks the living room and leads to the dining room and kitchen. The kitchen area has granite counters with coordinating stone back splash, a good sized center island, upgraded cabinetry, and stainless steel appliances. There is ample room for a large dining table.

Next flight up, the master bedroom has plantation shutters and a master bath with upgraded back splash and tile flooring, large oval tub and separate shower. The walk in closet has custom built in organizers. There is an inside laundry on the upper level.

The 2.5 car attached garage features built in storage cabinets, and an area for kids’ playtime, a home gym, or hobbies. The Columbus Grove Association include 2 pools, a clubhouse, and park with kids’ playground equipment.

What should be considered here? Both homes have special appeals and have been used by current owners with families. Both show well. The condo is sleekly done and ten years newer, and the single family home was originally a model home.

The condo has more space and a higher asking price with rooms arranged on three plus levels, while the single family detached home is snug, but open and airy and nicely positioned in a secluded area. The realtor at La Ronda said she has seen the single family Westpark homes jump about $50,000 in last few months, and they now seem to be on a plateau.

Who will be moving in? The condo has an offer pending. The space lends itself to entertaining and family events if you are up for the vertical arrangement. A small family, single couple or individual might elect to invest in Irvine and choose the detached single family home. Both have award winning schools and outstanding recreational options.

Recent listings for the area: 128 W. Yale Loop, $668,000; 7 Firestone #8, $749,900.

Recent sales for the area: 27 Juneberry, $570,000; 6 Salviati Aisle, $549,900.

Condos listing for $400+/SF are becoming a new normal in Irvine. People are flocking to see these homes, and without a second thought, are putting in offers with more than the usual twenty percent down payment. I talked to a Realtor friend of mine recently, and asked him if people were throwing in all cash offers to these overpriced condos since the appraisals might not even be favorable for loans. He said it's a combination of down payments in excess (to cover if the appraisal came in lower than the purchase/listing price) and appraisals done to suit current market conditions. As an Irvine home owner, and as a buyer to upgrade, it's confusing to me as well. At this point, I am not sure if we should sell and get out before the water gets murky, or buy another one before I get priced out! (I am sure all the Realtors have started using the legendary threat “Buy now, or be priced out forever” again!)

Things are getting so crazy, the house with this MLS picture (only picture) sold at $363/SF!

I had written about “Campaniles of North Park” and wondered if the unexciting exclamations and the use of teenage jargon had decreased interest in one of the properties. Turns out we are at a point where everything sells, and everything sells for more! I think busy Realtors can start employing their Kindergarten children to take pictures and write property descriptions, and still mint money.

Here is a picture from a property listed at $599,999 (pending sale, back-up offers accepted!).

Topsy-turvy market? Agreed.

Topsy-turvy world? Maybe.

Topsy-tuvry backyard? Oh, must be a new phenomenon, inspired by the topsy-turvy tomato plants!

Many pictures in this listing are blurry. But this one has a certain spooky element to it.

Here is a listing by another Irvine Realtor. Although there are a couple of very professional Realtors on Talk Irvine, I didn't want to choose their listings – a good listing is a good listing, but I don't want to play favorites. (6 Night Bloom listing description and pictures/ staging were very professional in my opinion, and so was 95 Waterman). In a day and age where technology has advanced so much that you can point and shoot great pictures with your cell phone, and spell-check what you write using almost any tool you are using to write, it's a turn off to look at blurry pictures and read incomplete property descriptions. An average buyer spends one third of his pay check on his house. If my department store can send a glossy catalogue to lure me into buying a $50 sweater, I think my Realtor can at least spend a few minutes to present the house in a decent manner.

Do you scan a property via MLS listing before you visit the property?

What are your thoughts? Do the blurry pictures and incomplete information bother you?

When you hire a Realtor, what are the qualities you look for?

Discuss on Talk Irvine

Today, I came across an open house at 2 Tiempo in the Windstream neighborhood of Northwood and decided to check it out. The home is not currently listed for sale on Redfin or Zillow and neither of the two listing agents have the property mentioned anywhere on their websites. That said, the home is definitely on the market. The current owners tried to sell in July 2011 at $879,000. After three months and a $10,000 price drop, the listing was removed. Here’s where it stands today:

Asking Price: $839,000

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,562

Lot Size: 6,969

$/Sq Ft: $327

Property Type: Single Family Home

Year Built: 1981

Community: Northwood – Windstream

HOA dues are $175 per month and there are no Mello Roos taxes.

The house sits on a corner lot of a small cul-de-sac within the gated community of Windstream. Just one house separates it from the greenbelt and views of the Hicks Canyon Trail, though there isn’t direct access to the trail. It’s also a very short walk to Santiago Hills Elementary School. It does sit very close to one of the main gates into the community, so there may be some traffic going down the adjacent street, but overall it is still a pretty quiet location.

From the front gate, you can walk directly through to the backyard; there aren’t any fences or gates dividing the front from the back. A swimming pool sits right in the corner of lot, visible from the front, and without a fence around it. Owners with children will probably need to better protect the pool since it is so easily accessible from the street (there is a gate to enter the property but it doesn’t lock or automatically latch closed). The fully hardscaped backyard also has a jacuzzi, a built in barbecue with bar seating, and plenty of additional space.

The living room is just off the main entryway and a couple of steps down. It has vaulted ceilings, new wood floors, and a brick fireplace in the middle of own wall. The white mantle doesn’t fit in with the dark wood floors but could be refinished to match.

The dining room is behind the living room, but not sunken down. It also has vaulted ceilings and new wood floors, plus a large window facing the backyard.

The dining room flows into the kitchen, which mostly reflects the original 1981 design. The floors and counters are both white tile and the counters are white too. The black fridge and dishwasher are a bit newer, but the double ovens are original. There is a built in stove with four regular and two grill burners. The cupboards definitely show their age, with some of them not hanging perfectly straight and several with paint chipping. They are in decent, but not perfect, condition. When I opened the wide pantry doors, I was surprised to find very narrow shelves inside. A large breakfast nook has sliding doors to the backyard and a set of built-ins with cupboards and shelving.

The family room has a large rock fireplace on one wall and a niche for the TV on another. There are nice plantation shutters on the windows and the same wood floors as in the living and dining rooms.

Beyond the family room are the laundry room, with a sink, and half bath that hasn’t been remodeled but appears to be in good condition.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms. The two secondary rooms are pretty big and bright. One has wood floors, two windows, and a large, mirrored closet. Crown molding and a niche in one corner give it a nice touch. The other room is carpeted and has smaller windows, but still has a large, mirrored closet. It also has a niche in one corner, but much smaller than the one in the first bedroom.

Like its downstairs counterpart, the upstairs bathroom is in good condition but hasn’t been remodeled. It has white tiled floors and counters, two sinks, and a shower/tub combo.

The master is a big room with vaulted ceilings and several windows. Its layout offers space for numerous pieces of furniture without feeling crowded. It has a nice sitting area at one end. There is also a fancy chandelier hanging over the bed, similar to one normally seen in a dining room.

The master bath is very large, with two sinks, a big soaking tub, and a good-sized stall shower. There are two mirrored closets. The vaulted ceilings have a skylight which, along with other windows, makes the bathroom very bright.

The house has a new roof and a three-car garage. The wood floors are all new and the carpet, though older, is in great shape. It’s in a safe, quiet neighborhood and on a large lot. Most 2,500 square foot homes have at least four bedrooms; with only three in this house, you know you’re getting rooms that are bigger than average. Despite the original kitchen and bathrooms, the house has a lot going for it and it is priced to sell. I’m not sure why the listing is so hard to find, but I think it’s worth tracking down.

Discuss on Talk Irvine: http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3604.0.html