I don’t make it over to Portola Springs very often, but I noticed three open houses on the same block this weekend and decided to check them out.  I visited 26, 31 and 33 Conservancy.  Apparently, 27 Conservancy is also on the market, but that one wasn’t open.  This week, I’ll tell you about 33 Conservancy, which has been on the market the longest at 138 days.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will compare it to its neighbors.

The basics:
Asking Price: $878,888
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Square Footage: 2,533
Lot Size: N/A
$/Sq Ft: $347
Days on Market: 138
Property Type: Detached Condo
Year Built: 2007
Community: Portola Springs, Manzanita

HOA dues are $256 ($134 + $122) per month and Mello Roos totals approximately $4,500 per year.

I actually really liked this house on the inside and find it strange that so many houses on the same block are for sale.  While I didn’t notice anything wrong with the street or the neighborhood, it certainly does make me question things, especially since three of them (27, 31, and 33) have been on the market for 75-150 days.  Conservancy is not a cul-de-sac street and could get traffic going to other parts of the neighborhood, but most of the streets around there connect, so there are certainly other routes people could take.  It’s only a couple of blocks away from a community pool and park, including a playground, half basketball court, tons of grass and a few community buildings.  The street is fairly close to the 133 toll road, but doesn’t back to it.  Perhaps the reason is its proximity to the landfill, which I know bothers many potential Irvine buyers.  However, if the landfill was the only reason, wouldn’t the entire neighborhood be on the market?

Portola Springs is slated to get a new elementary in 2014, opening on an alternate campus, with the official local campus opening in 2015.  Residents are currently zoned for Stonegate Elementary, Jeffrey Trail Middle School, and Northwood High, though they are slated to switch to Irvine’s fifth high school when it opens in a couple of years.

This house has a fairly open floor plan downstairs, at least compared to its next door neighbor.  When you enter, the staircase is immediately on the left and there is a bedroom on the right.  The bedroom, like the rest of the downstairs, has distressed hardwood floors.  It is an average sized room with windows facing the street, the side of the house, and an inner courtyard.  It has a fairly small closet with two French-style doors.  The bathroom is directly across the hall.  It has a single sink with a granite counter and travertine tiles in the shower.

The living room, dining room and kitchen are at the back of the house.  The living room has two large windows looking out one side of the house and a door to the courtyard on the other.  There is a fireplace with white molding around it and a small built-in cabinet unit in white melamine.  The back part of the room is the dining area.  It has space for a large dining table and enough wall space for two china hutches.  Sliding doors lead out to the small back patio, which is hardscaped in brick and includes a natural gas hookup for a grill.

The kitchen is next to the dining room, through an arched doorway.  The cabinets are done in white melamine with glass-fronted cabinets above the stove.  It includes stainless steel appliances, granite counters and a travertine backsplash.  The center island has cabinets and drawers on both of the longer sides and provides a great counter without any appliances or sinks taking up space.  Two windows above the sink face the interior courtyard.  While the kitchen isn’t particularly large, it is well laid out and makes excellent use of the space.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a large master retreat.  I was really surprised when I walked into the first room, as it was much larger than I expected (especially compared to those in 31 Conservancy).  Small windows look to three different sides of the house.  In addition to the two-door closet, there is a small alcove where you could add a built-in unit if desired.

The bathroom is across the hall.  It has two sinks set in a granite counter with white melamine cabinets.  There are travertine floors and tiles in the shower/tub combo.  A door separates the sinks from the rest of the bathroom.

In the hall, a long wall of low, built-in cabinets offers great storage for linens, toys, out of season clothes, etc.

The other bedroom is down the hall on the left.  It is a lot smaller than the first room, but can still hold several pieces of furniture.  Crown molding and an overhead light add a nice touch to the room.  It has just one window, facing the side of the house.  The two-door closet has a built-in organizer.

Just past the bedroom, there is a long, narrow laundry room.  It has a sink, additional counter space and many cabinets.

The master suite is at the end of the hall.  As you enter, there is a retreat on the left that is at least as large as the smaller bedroom.  It makes a great space for an office, a workout room, or a place to relax and get away from the kids.  French doors open to a tiny balcony that isn’t big enough to use.  The bedroom is on the right side.  It is a good-sized room, especially considering it has a full retreat.  There is a single French door leading to another tiny balcony.  A small alcove between the retreat and bedroom offers linen storage.


An arched doorway leads into the master bathroom.  Elegant marble lines the floor, counters and tub surround.  There are two sinks, split by the bathtub in the middle.  There is an additional vanity where you could put a stool or chair.  The separate shower is average-sized and has a seat on the side.  The walk-in closet is long and narrow with built-in organizers.

As I said in the beginning, I really liked the layout and the look of this house.  I loved the large bedroom upstairs.  I’m a little wary of the home, since it’s been on the market for so long and so many of the surrounding houses are also for sale.  It seems to be priced in line with the others, and with recent sales, so it’s tough to pinpoint a reason that it’s still on the market.  I’ll definitely keep my eye on this one.  Next week, I’ll walk you through its next door neighbor, 31 Conservancy.