Newer Means Better for Some Homebuyers

I always wince a little when a new client tells me they only want to see "new" houses in Concord and Clayton, since, well, "new" home construction in these cities that were built-out decades ago is kind of an oxymoron.

Does anyone remember the uproar that occurred over the development of  Crystyl Ranch? Environmentalist groups were against it and people feared the traffic on Ygnacio Valley Road would be that much worse. (Turns out, when traffic is that bad, no one really notices.)

Both Crystyl Ranch and Montecito, which are located off Ygnacio Valley Road near Cowell Road, are smack up against what is designated as permanent open space and the urban limit line. These two communities sit on what was literally the last piece of pie in terms of developable land for a major residential subdivision in central Contra Costa. (This will all change in the next decade with the development of the Concord Naval Weapons station.)

Still, these days, small "infill" projects are the only way a developer can bring a new subdivision to Concord or Clayton, and even those are few and far between.

However, it is still possible—but not exactly easy—to find a "newer" home in Concord or Clayton if you can do two things: stretch your definition of what "new" means, and be prepared to look for awhile.

When people ask me  to see "new" houses I immediately know they will like neighborhoods such as Crystyl Ranch or Montecito in Concord, or Oakhurst Country Club or Diablo Village in Clayton. But after that it's hit and miss. A custom home might pop up, like the fabulous one featured below, or one might come available in a recently built infill projects, such as Arlington near Clayton and Ygnacio Valley Road, or Silverleaf off Clayton Road, or Wisteria, an "urban village" of three story homes on small lots near downtown Concord. All of these "sold out" a long time ago, but now the re-sales are popping up periodically.

I would speculate unscientifically that over half of the people I show houses to would prefer to have a "newer" home if they had the choice, but only some make it a strict criteria. They may just like a more contemporary look, or they may hate home improvement projects. For these folks, "old" does not equal "charm" or "character" no matter how you dress it up, it just means plain old.

For those of you who love that "new house" smell, here are a few homes in Concord and Clayton that are still on the younger side and on the market now:

931 Tiffin Drive, Clayton

3 bedroom, 2 bath, 3,000 square feet

$725,000

Completely re-built in 2004, this gorgeous, custom home sits on Tiffin Drive, one of the most desirable streets in Clayton. People literally wait for the ranch-style homes on this street to come available because of the big flat lots and "Leave it to Beaver" quality. This home has a third-acre lot. It is located at the base of the base of the Mt. Diablo Regional Park area, a stone's throw from permanent open space and hiking trails. Inside, it features high quality finishes and  fixtures throughout, crown moldings, plank hardwood flooring with mahogany inlay, a gourmet kitchen with granite slab counters and custom hand-layed tile, and a wide open floorplan. Residents can also walk to highly-rated elementary and middle schools.

6273 Pine Hollow Road, Concord

4 bedroom, 2.5 baths, 3,145 square feet

$759,000

Built in 1997, this home is also a custom-built one. It's situated back off the road on a private driveway. Inside it has a wonderful family-friendly layout with hardwood floors and a great kitchen. The yard offers RV/Boat parking and a detached two-car garage with an additional work shop. There's also an in-ground pool. Walk to downtown Clayton, shopping, open space and highly-rated schools.

5172 Academy Road, Concord

3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1,893 square feet

$379,040

Built in 2002, this home offers a super-convenient location close to Concord BART, downtown Concord, and Highways 680 and 4. And that was just the point. These neighborhoods are often referred to as "urban villages" because they are a throwback to a time when people actually lived downtown and could walk out their front door to go to work or shop, and not have to commute to a bedroom community. This house is easy to maintain with a small but usable 3,835-square-foot lot. Inside, it has an updated kitchen with granite countertops, tile flooring and a breakfast nook. There's also a cozy family room and a formal dining room too. 

103 Gold Rush Court, Clayton

4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,171 square feet

$499,000

Built in 2000, Diablo Village in Clayton is literally right downtown, next to the fire station and across the street from Longs, and a block away from the park, restaurants, post office and other services. Plus the kids can walk to the elementary school and the middle school from here. Situated on an easy to maintain 5,036- square-foot lot, it offers a nice-sized master suite, a formal dining room and open functional kitchen that is off the family room. The yard is low-maintenance and there are no rear neighbors.