Irvine Housing Blog

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Targeting Perfection in Woodbridge

As I turned the corner onto Woodland Drive, the neighborhood was quite familiar. A few months ago, I watched a swarm of people surge through the open house at 22 Tanglewood in this same area, the Park Homes tract in Woodbridge. That house was new to the market, listed at $545,000 at the end of June, and reported by Redfin as sold for $585,000 in early August.

The story and the properties are similar. This two level, single family attached home, is also new to the market, immaculate, and priced to fit the market. This home is slightly smaller and closer to the edge of the neighborhood, with outside traffic noise at the end of the street. Also, the other property had some upgrades that this one does not.

In addition to pristine appearance, it is interesting to consider the size of the property. The square footage in this single family home is 1,681 sq.ft. and the lot size is 2,500 sq.ft.

Inside, with an open floor plan, perfectly scaled furniture, and large sized sliding doors leading to the patio, there is no sense of tightness. Outside, the bricked, covered patio is well executed. Of course, 10 more feet would be wonderful. 22 Tanglewood was slightly larger with 1,850 square feet, a lot size of 2,645 sq. ft., and a similar patio.

Looking further into the numbers, there are three bedrooms, all upstairs, and 2.5 baths. The HOA is $322. The $/sq.ft. is $318. The home was built in 1976. There is no Mello Roos tax.

Moving through the home, double doors open into the foyer and a light, bright carpeted living room with fireplace, and built-in bar. Crown moldings, plantation shutters, multi windows, and vaulted ceilings suggest elegance and ease. The dining area capitalizes on a “corner of light” overlooking the patio.

In the kitchen, there is a custom counter eating area with shuttered windows overlooking the patio. The counters are Formica. The home on Tanglewood had granite counters and stainless appliances.

To the right of the entrance, carpeted stairs lead to bedrooms with shuttered windows. A built-in storage unit sits at the top of the steps. The master suite has a walk in closet, and double vanity in the bath. One of the bedrooms has been made into an office/study. Laundry is inside and the double garage is oversized.

Specifics for this 2 level home:
Bedrooms, 3
Baths, 2.5
Sq. Ft, 1,681
Lot Size, 2,500
$/Sq.Ft. $321
HOA, $322
Double Garage
1 common wall attached
Community, Woodbridge
Association pool, spa
Irvine Unified School District
Built, 1976
On the market, 7 days

Considerations and Comparisons: Size, price, the desirable Park Homes location, and skillful use of an open floor plan can all be considered here. Woodbridge’s prime assets with the lakes, small town feeling, exceptional recreational facilities and top schools all come into play. Additional upgrades could be done, and some might choose to soften the patio with more foliage.

Who will be the new owners at 3 Woodland Drive? An upbeat family looking for great recreation facilities and equally great schools, or a professional couple who value home time, and want everything in place right now, will be attracted.

Nearby recent sales: 22 Tanglewood sold for $585,000 in August; 25 Woodland Drive sold for $527,000 in June. Recent listings: 59 Eagle Run, $619,000; 7 Santa Victoria, $635,000.

Discuss on Talk Irvine: http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3182.0.html