Monthly Archives: March 2014

Open House Review: 58 Gray Dove

Venturing out to Portola Springs, I visited a spacious 3 bedroom, 3 ½ bathroom home with a large backyard and a 3 car tandem garage.

Asking Price: $1,249,888
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3.5
Square Footage: 2,717
Lot Size: 4,870
$/Sq Ft: $460
Days on Market: 15
Property Type: Residential, Single Family Mediterranean
Year Built: 2007
Community: Portola Springs – Keystone
HOA Fees: $135/month

There are Mello Roos taxes.

At the end of Gray Dove (three houses down), the street wraps around the block and across the street from the homes is a nicely landscaped slope with mature trees; however Portola Parkway sits on the other side. I did not notice traffic noise from Portola Parkway during my visit. The home’s entrance is located under a covered porch. There is space for a bench or a couple of chairs next to the front door. Once inside, beautiful natural stone floors flow throughout the first level of the home. The number of windows in each room provides ample light. The home looks clean and excellently maintained.

Immediately to the left is a light, open living room area. There are 3 large windows and a set of glass French doors which opens to a small square courtyard that has a path leading to the backyard.

Further down to the left, with another set of glass French doors leading to the same courtyard, is the dining room. It has a nook in the wall to provide extra space for furniture. Across from the dining room is the staircase, coat closet, entrance to the garage and half-bathroom. The dining room has a pass thru directly to the kitchen. The short pass thru has a set of lower cabinets under a large window.

The kitchen and family room are found at the back of the home. The rooms open up to each other. To the left is the kitchen with granite countertops, natural stone backsplash and a large rectangular island which contains a sink, dishwasher and additional cabinets for storage. There is space for bar seating at the island. One wall has a built-in refrigerator, oven and microwave. The perpendicular wall has a mix of solid wood and glass front cabinets. The gas range sits along the same wall, with additional drawers and cabinets on each side. There is a generous amount of counter space. At the end of the kitchen is an area in front of the windows and glass French doors that leads out to the backyard. It appears to have enough space to be used as a small casual eating nook.

The family room is a standard room with a nice fireplace. The 5 large windows open look out to the backyard and side yard, but leaves limited wall space in comparison to the room size.

The backyard is spacious and open. It is nicely landscaped with grass, plants, trees and a stone patio, with plenty of space for outdoor entertaining.

The half bathroom comes with a pedestal sink and a window to bring in natural light.

Going up to the second floor the stairs, as well as the bedrooms, are carpeted. Once upstairs, there is a laundry room with cabinets sitting above space for a side-by-side washer and dryer. A small window separates the appliances from a built-in sink and cabinets.

The master bedroom is a good size room with 5 large windows. An open arched doorway leads into the master bathroom. To the right are dual sinks separated by a large soaking tub. A large window sits above the tub. Along the back wall are the separate toilet and a shower with sitting bench and window. To the left is a large walk-in-closet. I am unsure whether a privacy door could be installed at the bathroom entrance to limit the light and noise into the bedroom.

Both secondary bedrooms have attached bathrooms which come with a single sink and a tub/shower combo. The first bedroom has two windows and a glass door that overlooks the courtyard. The door opens up to a small landing, not quite big enough to stand comfortably on. It has a walk-in closet. The bathroom’s sink has small tile backsplash and a white tile countertop. The tub/shower combo has the same white tile and accent as the sink’s backsplash. It is in clean, excellent condition.

The hallway leading to the last bedroom has windows and wood linen cabinets. The last bedroom is very large and has plenty of storage space with dual closets. The space is currently used a large entertainment/bonus room. The only difference with the attached bathroom is it uses pale yellow tile with blue accent tiles for the countertop and tub/shower surround.

This is a spacious 3 bedroom house. It would have been nice if the living room area by the front entrance was an enclosed room to provide an extra enclosed space in the house. However, the rooms are spacious and the bigger secondary bedroom has enough space to be used as a bedroom with office space. The backyard is large and the courtyard provides extra entertaining space. The home is clean and turn-key.

Open House Review: 159 Islington

Last week, I reviewed 447 Ridgeway, a two bedroom condo in Northwood Pointe’s Greystone Villas. This week, I’ll review 159 Islington, an identical condo, but with a reversed floor plan. The price dropped $20,000 last week, bringing it much closer to the Ridgeway property.

The basics:

Asking Price: $529,000

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,260

Lot Size: N/A

$/Sq Ft: $420

Days on Market: 28

Property Type: Condominium

Year Built: 1998

Community: Northwood Pointe, Greystone Villas

HOA dues are $286 ($40 + $246) per month and there are Mello Roos (note that 447 Ridgeway lists the HOA as $284).

Because I described the layout of the condo last week, I’ll just briefly review it. The master bedroom is at the top of the stairs when you enter. The kitchen, living room and dining room run alongside each other. The second bedroom is at the far end of the condo. Both the dining room and second bedroom have access to the large balcony. Let’s see how this condo compares to Ridgeway:

Islington has laminate wood floors throughout the entire condo, with only the bathrooms being tiled. Ridgeway has oak hardwood in the living room and kitchen, but has carpet in both bedrooms. Personally, I like the actual wood more in Ridgeway, as it has a richer color and narrower boards. In Islington, the wood has an older, distressed look that I don’t find particularly attractive.

In the master bedroom, Islington has nice closet organizers including drawers and shelving. Ridgeway simply has adjustable wire shelves. The master bathrooms are very similar. The only real difference is that Islington has brushed nickel hardware and Ridgeway had chrome.

The biggest difference is in the kitchen, with Islington’s being far more elegant. Where Ridgeway had white tile counters, Islington has black granite and contrasting white cabinetry and drawers. Ridgeway had plain maple cabinets without any handles or drawer pulls. Islington has brushed nickel hardware throughout the kitchen. Islington also has all stainless steel appliances (Ridgeway’s are white) and a five-burner stove (Ridgeway has four). The kitchen in 159 Islington is much nicer and far more upgraded than the one at 447 Ridgeway.

In the living room, Islington has a nice built-in unit in the large space next to the fireplace. It has a large opening for a TV (though you could also mount the TV over the fireplace), plus two shelves. The adjacent fireplace has matching white molding. Ridgeway didn’t have a built-in unit, though the stand alone cabinet can be negotiated into the purchase.

Another key difference is the window treatments. In Islington, all of the windows have white plantation shutters. The sliding door in the bedroom has vertical blinds and the one in the dining room simply has a curtain rod. In Ridgeway, the windows have a mixture of blinds, brown plantation shutters and curtains. The windows treatments in Islington give it a much cleaner look.

In the second bathroom, Islington has nice tile floors, a plain white vanity and sliding shower doors. Ridgeway’s large white tile floors didn’t look good with the white vanity and the shower/tub only has a curtain rod. As in the other rooms, Islington has brushed nickel hardware and Ridgewood has chrome. The light fixture is also much nicer in the Islington bathroom.

Overall, Islington is more upgraded and looks more elegant, especially in the livng room and kitchen. The bathrooms are also nicer in Islington, even though both have the same vanity and shower/tub tile. Though I really dislike the floors in Islington, I think everything else in the condo is nicer than in Ridgeway. Now that the prices are almost the same (Islington is $4,000 more), I would definitely choose 159 Islington over 447 Ridgeway. Floors can always be changed. Which would you choose?

Irvine Farmer Markets, National Ag Week, and a Few More Thoughts

In honor of National Ag Week (March 23-March 29), I previously wrote (https://www.irvinehousingblog.com/blog/comments/irvines-tanaka-farm-and-our-agriculture-past) about Irvine’s Tanaka Farm. Today, I’ll continue the theme by highlighting Irvine’s farmers markets, which are outdoor markets at which you can buy many fresh fruits and vegetables that are often organic and from local farmers. In addition, other items are frequently available.

• The Orange County Great Park farmers market is operated by the Orange County Farm Bureau and is open on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. It is located in the Great Park on Marine Way near Sand Canyon. The contact number is 714-573-0374.While you are there you might also visit the nearby Great Park Farm and Food Lab.

• The Orange County Farm Bureau farmers market at University Center is on the corner of Bridge and Campus (across from UCI). It is open Saturdays from 8 am to noon, rain or shine. This is the largest farmers market in Orange County.

• The Kaiser sponsored farmers market is located at the Irvine Medical Center (6640 Alton Parkway 92618). This small farmers market is held year round in front of the Medical Office Building on Wednesdays at 9 am to 1 pm. This link gives some information on why Kaiser and other medical groups think good nutrition is part of good health.—Nutrition in Cancer Care (PDQ®): Supportive care – Health Professional Information [NCI]

In honor of National Ag Week, I’ll end with some “food for thought” on our agriculture, food, water supply, and environment:

“Absent carbon and critical microbes, soil becomes mere dirt, a process of deterioration that’s been rampant around the globe. Many scientists say that regenerative agricultural practices can turn back the carbon clock, reducing atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and increasing resilience to floods and drought.”—Soil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight?

“According to the Ohio State University Extension, the number of microbes in a teaspoon of soil is larger than that of people on Earth. Microbes in the soil are important in providing organic nutrition to plants, allowing them to grow.” —Microbes in the Soil

Note: The Orange County Farm Bureau farmers market that is currently held at the Irvine Regional Park in Orange will eventually return to its former location in Irvine. This location is in the parking lot of the Katie Wheeler Library. It is held on Tuesdays from 9 am to 1 pm. The library is located on Irvine Boulevard between Jamboree and Tustin Ranch Road.

Open House Review: 23 Miners Trail

Open House Review: 28 Miners Trail, Irvine, CA 92620

March 24, 2014 by Joy

Today I saw a two-level home at 28 Miners Trail, which is located on the corner of Goldrush and Miners Trail in Northwood. It is a property with a private pool and spa in the backyard and sits at the entrance of a small community comprised of 4 short cul-de-sac streets.

Asking Price: $768,000

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,150

Lot Size: 4,356

$/Sq Ft: $357

Days on Market: 14

Property Type: Single Family Residence

Year Built: 1977

Community: Northwood – Willow Creek

There are no HOA dues or Mello Roos taxes.

The home is one of the lower priced properties of Northwood, at $357 per square foot. Why the low price? This 1977 home does not have central air, still has most original features in the bathrooms and has ceilings that have not been scraped. Carpet throughout the house is worn and the exterior of the house needs to be repainted. Only a few windows downstairs have been upgraded. The home backs to Northwood (a non-residential street) and I could hear the occasional cars driving by. This house sits on a corner with Northwood behind it, the entrance to 4 cul-de-sac streets (Goldmine) on the side, and Miners Trail in front of it.

On the plus side, it has indoor laundry (uncommon in many Northwood homes), and a nice size pool and jacuzzi. The tiled flooring in the home (most of downstairs and bathrooms) is updated and clean. The kitchen is updated, and although it may not be up to par as newer homes, it is clean and has plenty of cabinets for storage. The house is located across the street from Northwood Town Center Shopping Center and is close to a nice walking trail and Northwood Community Park.

The entrance is located on the side of the home, along Goldmine. To the left of the double front doors, is a small front patio with space to sit under a lattice. The windows in the living room and dining room are the only new windows in the home. Upon entry, the stairs and hallway leading to the family room are directly in front of you. Immediately to the right is a step-down living room and to the left is the dining room. The first floor, apart from the carpeted living room has nice tiled floors.

The step down living room has vaulted ceilings and plenty of light. The carpet is light colored and the room is standard.

The dining room has vaulted ceilings and an abundance of natural light. A sliding glass door leads out to the front sitting porch area. The windows on the perpendicular wall look out to the backyard.

The dining room has an open doorway that leads into the kitchen. The kitchen has been partly remodeled and opens up to the family room. There is space for a couple of bar stools on the family room side of the peninsula. The old panel lighting was removed and recessed lighting was installed, partially raising the ceiling. The countertops are 4×4 white tiles, the original cabinets are painted white and the appliances are all white. There are pantry cabinets as well as plenty of upper and lower cupboards and drawers. If you like a lot of counter space then this kitchen would work well for you. The double sink sits in front of a window that overlooks the backyard. It is a split sink, so one sink is along one counter and the other side is on the peninsula, facing the bar stools. Additional natural light comes through a narrow window which runs across the counter top, under the cupboards.

The family room is a long rectangular shape. A single glass door, with a large window on each side of the glass door, leads to the backyard. At the other end of the family room are a wet bar, laundry room and garage entrance. There is not a lot of natural light since no windows are located on the far wall between the two ends of the room. The fireplace is brick and the wall it is located on has wood paneling covering the wall. The wet bar has a single black sink and original cabinets painted white above the bar and below the counter. Next to the wet bar is the laundry room with space for a side by side washer and dryer. Cabinets are located above the laundry machines. In front of the machines, on the back wall is a rack to hang up some clothes.

The backyard is a nice size, but comprises mostly of the pool and jacuzzi with concrete surrounding it. If you are looking for a private pool, this is a great property. However, there is no grass and I did not see any type of safety fencing around the pool. There is space for narrow tables or seats around the pool, but there is not a large area to set out a large table with seating for entertaining.

The half bath downstairs has new fixtures and the original cabinets are painted. The counter top is original but the lighting has been replaced with recessed lights. The same tile flooring is found in the bathroom as the rest of the first floor. It is in clean condition. A big coat closet is found across from the bathroom, under the staircase.

The staircase, landing and bedrooms upstairs are carpeted. The railing is original so it currently has netting placed along the railing at the top of the landing for safety purposes. Three bedrooms are found on the second floor. On the right are the two secondary bedrooms. The first bedroom is found through double doors. It is a spacious room and slightly larger than the other bedroom. It has a walk-in closet versus the second bedroom’s double sliding door closet. The second bedroom is the only room with scraped ceilings. Both bedrooms look out towards the front of the home.

The shared bathroom has many original features; fluorescent lighting, original counter top, bathtub and tile surround in the tub area. The cabinets have been painted white and the tub/shower combo has newer sliding glass doors. The tile flooring looks newer.

Outside of the master bedroom are cabinets for linens. The master bedroom has double doors leading into a standard size room. The room has vaulted ceilings and plenty of natural light coming in through two large windows and a sliding glass door leading to a small balcony. The balcony looks like it could use some fresh paint. A room air conditioning unit takes up some space on the right hand side of the balcony. The view overlooks the backyard, Northwood and the shopping center across the street. Dual sliding closet doors are next to the bedroom entry.

An open entry to the bathroom leads to another set of mirrored closet doors, dual sinks, a tiled bathtub and a separate toilet. The bathroom is carpeted, and in original condition with paint on the cabinets chipped and the tub/shower completely lined with 4×4 tiles, which definitely dates the tub. There is plenty of counter space and a spot at the countertop to place a chair underneath and sit in between the two sinks.

This is a nice layout but a buyer may want to consider the location and would have to desire a private pool. Having a neighborhood comprised of small cul-de-sac streets is an advantage if you have children. There are plenty of things that could be done to make it more modern but does the lower price make it worth buying and upgrading to your own liking?

Open House Review: 447 Ridgeway

There are several condos available in Northwood Pointe’s Greystone Villas neighborhood. Three of them – 447 Ridgeway, 159 Islington, and 947 Somerville – have the same layout (Islington is reversed). I’ll review 447 Ridgeway today and 159 Islington next week. Somerville wasn’t open so I didn’t see that one.

The basics:

Asking Price: $525,000

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,260

Lot Size: N/A

$/Sq Ft: $417

Days on Market: 34

Property Type: Condominium

Year Built: 1998

Community: Northwood Pointe, Greystone Villas

HOA dues are $284 ($40 + $244) per month and there are Mello Roos.

With a listing price of $525,000, 447 Ridgeway costs less than the other two, which are each listed at $549,000. Ridgeway also has a very motivated seller who is willing to negotiate. The condo is freshly painted and in good shape, though it doesn’t have as many upgrades as the others.

When you walk in the front door, you immediately go upstairs to get to the unit. The master bedroom is just to the right at the top of the stairs. It is definitely smaller than most master bedrooms. While it probably doesn’t have space for a chair or seating area, it should be able to hold a queen size bed, a pair of nightstands and a dresser. Three small windows look to the front while one larger window faces the garages and units across the street. The walk-in closet stretches behind one wall and is actually a pretty good size. There is an adjustable, wire-rack organizing system in place.

An arched doorway leads into the master bathroom. There are two sinks, set into a white vanity with smooth countertops and basic cabinets and drawers. The shower is on the left, with basic white tiles and a built-in seat. There is a basic showerhead and sliding chrome doors. The water closet is to the right of the sinks. There is a set of linen cabinets in there as well.

The living room is slightly to the left off the entry stairs. One wall has an alcove for an entertainment unit. The owner is willing to include the current unit with the sale and may have a TV available that fits inside. Just next to it is a small fireplace surrounded by simple white molding, a white hearth and without a mantle. Two large windows, fitted with brown shutters, line the back wall. The oak floor is designed to have an older look and is in good condition.

The living room and dining room flow together, though a slight change in the depth of the wall does designate the separate spaces. Two more windows line the back wall of the dining room. Another wall has a sliding door leading to the large patio.

The long, narrow kitchen sits parallel to the living and dining rooms. The counters are basic white tiles and the cabinets are a light maple color without handles or knobs. A few cabinets have glass fronts. The long counter facing the living room has a double sink in the middle, a stainless steel dishwasher, several small drawers and a few cabinets. A slight angle at the end leads to the refrigerator (included with the sale), a built-in desk and a walk-in pantry. The opposite wall has a long counter, the range and microwave. There are additional cabinets and drawers here as well. Just off the kitchen sits a laundry room with upper cabinets. The washer and dryer are also included with the sale.

The second bedroom and bathroom are just past the dining room. The bedroom has plush carpet and mirrored closet doors. There is a small alcove in one corner. Another wall has a sliding door to the patio. Overall, the room isn’t very large but everything is in excellent condition. The bathroom is just outside the bedroom. It has a single sink, large white tiled floors, and a shower/tub combo, also with basic white tile. Like the master, it isn’t fancy but is functional.

This is a pretty basic condo. Nothing is particularly fancy, but everything is in good shape and there are nice, smaller upgrades like recessed lighting and ceiling fans. The neighborhood has a swimming pool with spa and it’s an easy walk to Canyon View Elementary and Northwood High School. According to the realtor, it is also generally easy to rent these units if you’re looking for an investment property. The price is lower than the other two units with the same floor plan and is average for condos in the general area. With the motivated seller, the buyer may be able to negotiate a pretty good deal.