The Emerald Hills Blog

Wow….Emerald Hills and Farm Hills Estates sure woke up from their real estate slumber in a big hurry this week.   This was easily the best Tuesday broker’s tour of the year, and I’m not just saying that because there was tons of good food (there was.)  I haven’t seen this many really nice houses hit the market in the same week for quite some time.

Which one is crowned the “New Listing of the Week” by the Emerald Hills Blog?  It was a very tough decision this week.   The homes at 846 Mohican Way, 10 Woodhill Drive, 657 Oak Park Way, and 35 Summit Ridge Place were all worthy contenders and would have all been winners had they hit the market another week.   But this week, the crown goes to….

3239 Oak Knoll Drive

This week’s champ is a 4,090 square foot,  4-bedroom 3.5 bath home that’s being offered at $2,095,000 by Lynn Roberts of Alain Pinel Realtors.

The first thing you’ll notice about this home is how easy it is to miss it (this is a good thing.)  It’s nicely hidden off of Oak Knoll, which can get a little busy during certain times of the day.  It’s quite an eye opener when you walk down the driveway.

The home is only 12 years old, and it was nicely built and well thought out.  The kitchen is spacious and is open to the living areas — this is something I really like in homes.  Kitchens are the new gathering places for today’s families, and this one is a great one to hang out in…

The floorplan on this house is fantastic.  The family room and main living areas are large, and flow together nicely.   The bedrooms are all generously sized, and placed far enough apart to ensure privacy.   This is one smartly designed home that is built well.

Unlike some homes in Emerald Hills that are perched on a hillside, this home sits on a huge 35,400 square foot lot that is very usable.   The yard backs up to the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, so there’s even more open space behind the property line, which enhances the privacy of the back yard.  It’s nice that a home that tops out at over 4,000 square feet still has a yard like this…

So if you’re shopping in this price range, you definitely need to put this one on your list. See the others that I mentioned too — they’re no slouches either

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It’s very common to assimilate Emerald Hills with narrow, twisty roads and homes perched on hillsides with incredible views.  This is completely understandable, hence the word “Hills” in Emerald Hills.  But there are areas in Emerald Hills, especially in the upper-lake area where the terrain levels off, and you can find some really nice level lots.  The loop that is Wilmington Way is just one of these areas, and is the location of this week’s “New Listing of the Week” in Emerald Hills.  919 Wilmington Way is a nicely done, 4-bedroom 2.5-bath, 2,970 square foot home that is being offered at $1,785,000 by Shelly Roberson of Alain Pinel Realtors.

There’s quite a bit to like about this house.   First and foremost, the home is situated on an almost entirely flat 11,912 square foot lot…not your common plot of land in Emerald Hills.   Does that give a builder a nice clean slate to work with?  You bet, and they did some great things with it.   The back-yard is simply one of the nicest I’ve seen in a while up here.    That much level space makes for a very “pool-friendly” back yard, and they really did this right.   The pool is a very generous size (not a narrow, dinky one)  and it’s surrounded by ample wood decking and a great lawn that wraps around the back yard.    One thing is for sure — this house will be the most popular house on the street when the weather gets hot.   This is a good picture, but you really need to see this back yard in person to appreciate it.

Inside, this home is a good example of how to design an open floorplan.  The ceilings are high, the rooms are spacious, and the floor-plan has a nice flow.   There are hardwood floors throughout the ground level, and you even have a 3-car garage to store the big toys.   Another example of smart planning?  The home is situated so that the living area is situated far back from the street, but not so far back that it takes away from the back yard.

Finally, the location is ideal.   Whether you’re dropping the kids off at Roy Cloud, or you need to hop onto 280 to get to work, both drives are literally a couple of minutes max.   If this is something in your price range, definitely take the time to come up and see it.   You’ll appreciate it even more in person.    Here’s the link again with all of the details:

919 Wilmington Way

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I really liked the home at 7 Cirrus Court when I first saw it this summer.   It had a lot of positives going for it — It’s a large house (over 3k square feet) with a layout that’s very suitable for entertaining, but it doesn’t lose the feeling of a family home.   It’s a tough balance to strike, but it works here.   The location is great for families with school age kids, since Roy Cloud School is literally right behind the home.   Finally, being on a cul-de-sac is a definitely a plus.

There were only two reservations I had about the home is that when if first listed.  First, the list price of $1,779,000 was going to be a challenge in this economy.  Second, the kitchen was a bit dated for a home in this price range.    Well, I’m happy to see that both of these issues have been resolved.   The kitchen has been beautifully updated, including brand new granite countertops.   And the list price has been dropped almost $200,000 to $1,599,000.

Here’s a link with more information on this home:   7 Cirrus Court.

So if you haven’t seen this home for awhile, it’s worth taking a second look at.   If you haven’t seen this home yet, definitely put it on your list.

(MLS # 80818616, listed by John Herrmann of RE/MAX Today)

Being a Roy Cloud grad, I have always had a soft spot for that section of Farm Hill Estates that’s sandwiched between Jefferson Avenue and Farm Hill Boulevard.  Most of the kids I went to school with lived in this area, so there are always LOTS of memories when I drive through.

Many of the people who live in this area now also have children who attend Roy Cloud School.  That’s why I always like to highlight a good “family” home in this area when I see it hit the market.  949 Stony Hill Road fits that role quite well.

This is a very clean, 4BR/2.5BA home that is being offered at $1,249,000 by Pam Piers Hammer of Coldwell Banker.   This home has lots of good things going for it — it’s nicely updated, and has a very nice open and functional layout.  The extra office space is a big plus for those who like to work out of their home.

Most of the street is on a hill (hence the name Stony Hill) but this particular lot is on the relatively level mid-section of the street.  This means the 7,700 square foot lot is essentially flat, which is another plus.  The back yard is nicely landscaped, and there’s a newly refinished deck that’s great for entertaining.

Finally, one of the big attractions here will be the location.   It’s in a great neighborhood and it’s a breeze to 280 for the commute.  Oh yeah, let’s not forget the whole Roy Cloud connection.

Be sure to check this one out….