The active adult communities of Summerset and Trilogy at The Vineyards are key drivers of this upward price trend. Boasting an array of stylish home designs ideally suited to the 55+ lifestyle, these vibrant communities feature dozens, if not hundreds, of recreational options. Both are just a short drive from all the cultural attractions of the Bay Area and Sacramento. And both communities are within easy reach of the California Delta, a paradise for boaters, anglers, birders and anyone else who enjoys the tranquil beauty of this watery wonderland. Ask around and you’re sure to find plenty of residents who have a boat moored in a nearby marina…and may even offer to take you out for a cruise! In my experience as a realtor, Summerset and Trilogy residents are some of the friendliest around, and it’s always a pleasure when my work takes me out to see them in Brentwood.

With over 2000 homes, Summerset is divided into four developments specifically designed for the 55+ set: Summerset 1, Summerset Palms, Summerset Vista and Summerset Orchards. Each has its own home owners association, private clubhouse and recreational amenities. The centerpiece of the community is an impressive 18 hole golf course accessible to all residents.

Trilogy at The Vineyards offers what I’d call a resort-style experience, with swimming pools, tennis courts, spas, cabanas, fine dining and even a meditation garden. At the heart of the community is Club Los Meganos, a 34,000 sq ft social and recreational center with its own athletic club and restaurants. There’s a touch of Old World charm about this place, reflected in details like its beautifully tended gardens, bocce courts and well-appointed billiards lounge.

Club Los Meganos, the center of social life at Trilogy at The Vineyards.
Photo courtesy of Trilogy at The Vineyards.

Interested in a home at Summerset or Trilogy in Brentwood? I’ll be happy to show you what’s currently on the market, and believe me, I’d love an excuse to go spend some time in these stunning communities!

Elevation Sketch Courtesy of the City of Walnut Creek Planning Division

24-Hour Fitness, the athletic anchor of this impressive development, is one of nation’s largest fitness chains with over 400 gyms in 17 states. Speaking as a realtor, and with all due respect to concrete, this is definitely one of the most exciting developments underway in Walnut Creek at the moment. Bay Area home buyers are some of the most health-conscious anywhere, and having a world-class facility like 24-Hour Fitness in our community will make Walnut Creek an even more attractive place to settle down.

Highlights of the 24-Hour Fitness facility include a swimming pool, basketball court, workout studios and dozens of weight and fitness machines. Members will be able to choose from classes including aerobics, boot camp, cycling, dance, swimming, strength training and Zumba.

After working up an appetite in the pool or on the machines, the tasty (and healthy) menu of Chick-fil-A awaits next door. This newcomer to Walnut Creek’s dining scene will be the first Chick-fil-A in the East Bay…previously you’d have had to drive all the way to Fairfield for your chicken fix.

This dynamic addition to Walnut Creek’s urban landscape was designed by Galen Grant of FCG Architects, a firm which has already made a big impression on the local scene with Rossmoor’s Del Valle Pool Complex, for which it won the city’s 2008 “Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth Award” for Best Recreational Facility. The property will be just down the street from the new North Main Apartments at 1960 N. Main Street, and promises to make this neighborhood one of the hottest ones in Walnut Creek for fitness-minded residents.

As the Home Rearrangements website puts it, Donna’s service will help you “rearrange, reuse, regroup, redesign, recycle and renew what you already own for a complete new look to your entire home.” This can be an especially valuable service for seniors who’ve recently moved and aren’t sure how exactly to recapture the magic of their previous residence. With this in mind, Rossmoor has arranged for Donna to present a class specifically focused on furniture rearrangement to make the best use of space while creating an aesthetically pleasing experience.

Donna’s class meets next Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. in Rossmoor’s Multipurpose Room 3. Class participants are encouraged to bring photos from rooms that could use some help to get Donna’s expert advice. Not sure where your favorite couch should go in your new place, or which end the end table belongs at? Snap a photo and bring it along!

The Home Rearrangements class is free for Rossmoor residents, but space is limited, so make reservations with Kelly Berto by calling 925-988-7703. And if you’d like to schedule Donna for a consultation at your Rossmoor home, you can contact her through the Home Rearrangements website. Let the rearranging begin!

As the chart below illustrates, condo and townhome prices in Walnut Creek have been rising steadily over the past 6 months, with the exception of a dip around the holidays when few buyers are actively looking. Speaking as a realtor, I see this trend as being closely tied to the fact that active seniors love the convenience and comfort offered by these types of Walnut Creek homes.

Value is also a major consideration for seniors who are retiring and often adjusting to a fixed income. Condo and townhome prices are less than half of those for single family homes in Walnut Creek, so it’s not surprising that many seniors are looking to trade in the big old family home for something smaller and cozier…especially when it means they’ll end up with a lot more money in their pockets.

Photo courtesy of 1860 Tice Creek Drive, Walnut Creek

The Market Action Index for Walnut Creek condos and townhomes also clearly reflects this trend. An index over 30 is considered a sign of a seller’s market, and as you can see, that’s definitely the case here:

So what advice would I take away from these charts and data? If you own a condo or townhome in Walnut Creek and are looking to sell, this could be a great time to do it. And if you’re a senior (or anyone else) thinking of buying, you may have a bit of competition for the best units on the market. But I wouldn’t let that deter you, especially since the market may get even hotter in a few months with the arrival of the peak spring and summer buying season.

Thinking about “rightsizing” to a condo or townhome in Walnut Creek? Simply click here to view the latest listings!

First, let’s take a look at median home prices over the past year in these three locations:

As you can see, Lafayette is by far the priciest of the three, with home prices just under $1 million. Walnut Creek is next, with median prices just over $700,000, and Concord is the most affordable for home-buyers with median prices in the $300,000 range. So that’s the pricing landscape we’re dealing with…now, let’s take a look at market activity in each place, using Altos Research’s proprietary Market Action Index metric:

As you can see, Concord has the highest market activity ranking, followed by Walnut Creek and Lafayette, meaning that their level of market activity is inversely correlated with their respective pricing ranks. The simplest conclusion to draw from these two graphs is that value-conscious buyers are most active in the market at the moment, while those with larger budgets are either chosing to bide their time, or may have found that their budgets aren’t so large after all following the tough economic conditions of the past few years. I’d guess many of those buyers with reduced budgets are shopping for homes in Concord whereas in the past they may have been looking in Walnut Creek or even Lafayette.

Lafayette’s relatively low level of market activity is also reflected in its declining home prices, which have fallen from above to below $1 million over the past year. Without the support of buyer activity, prices have only one place to go…down. Looking ahead a few months, this could mean that we’ll be seeing an uptick of activity in Lafayette as word gets out that luxury homes are going for bargain rates.

You may also be wondering how exactly this Market Action Index I’ve been using actually works. As Altos Research explains it, “The higher the Index goes, the hotter the market. Like a thermometer, the measurable scales goes from zero to over 100.” Anything with an index value of 30 or above is considered a seller’s market, and anything below 30 is considered a buyer’s market. And as you can see, despite the differences in activity between Concord, Lafayette and Walnut Creek, all three indexes fall below 30, meaning they are all technically buyer’s markets at the moment. So if you’re considering buying a new home in Contra Costa County, you might want to do it while those graphs are still well below 30!

Trilogy at Rio Vista is located about an hour by car from both San Francisco and Sacramento. It’s also a quick drive from the wineries of Napa and Sonoma, as well as all the outdoor adventure offered by the Sierra Nevadas and Lake Tahoe. As you can see on the map, it’s smack-dab in the middle of all that the Bay Area and Northern California have to offer:

Homes at Trilogy at Rio Vista range from the mid-$100,000′s up to the mid-$300,000′s, and range in size from 1160 sq ft to 2500 sq ft, so you’re likely to find one that suits your lifestyle perfectly. Environmentally-conscious buyers will appreciate the fact that Rio Vista’s homes are built to Shea Green Certification standards, which exceed the most rigorous industry standards for green construction. Thanks to Rio Vista’s green building practices, you’re not only getting a comfortable home, you’re also getting one that’s incredibly energy efficient, with a very low environmental footprint.

In addition to the scenic charms and recreational fun of the Delta, Trilogy at Rio Vista features a long list of on-site amenities, including a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, an events center, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

The view from the 18-hole golf course. Photo courtesy of Trilogy at Rio Vista.

The list of activities available to Rio Vista residents frankly boggles the mind…here’s a small sampling:

Ballroom Dance
Billiards
Bingo
Bocce Ball
Bridge Lessons
Country Line Dance
Delta Breeze Chorus
Drama Club
Fishing
Men and Women’s Golf Clubs
Good Samaritans
Gospel Singers
Hiking
Kayaking
Mah Jongg
Motorcycle Club
Pinochle
Scrapbooking
Stained Glass
Table Tennis
Trilogy Jazz Band

And the list goes on…tempting, isn’t it? So why not take a look in person? I’ll be happy take you out for a tour of Rio Vista homes fitting your budget and lifestyle. Or you can start your own Rio Vista house-hunt online. Simply click here to see the latest listings of Rio Vista homes for sale.

Significantly for Rossmoor’s financial bottom line, the manor sales earned the community $3,283,000 in transfer fees, which will go toward paying off community improvements such as the Del Valle pool enclosure and Creekside community center, as well as financing new projects currently on the drawing board, such as an Event Center and table tennis facility.

David Smith, Chairman of Rossmoor’s Finance Committee, attributes the strong interest in Rossmoor homes to the recent addition of the Creekside social center and restaurant and the construction of covered pools at the Del Valle athletic facility, both of which make a strong positive impression on prospective buyers.

Located by the first holes of Rossmoor's two golf courses, the Creekside Complex is one of the first things to catch the eye of many future residents. Photo courtesy of Rossmoor.

According to Smith, “Agents tell me that in touring Rossmoor, new buyers are always shown these facilities, and most seem to like what they see. Apparently, our new buildings and facilities are a major draw for new residents.” While home prices at Rossmoor are still below their all-time highs, the strong buyer demand seen in 2011′s sales numbers indicates that the community remains one of California’s most popular active adult communities.

Rossmoor's indoor Del Valle pool is a major attraction to new residents. Photo courtesy of Rossmoor.

Interested in settling down at Rossmoor? Simply click here to view the latest listings of Rossmoor homes currently on the market.

Factors contributing to the drop in foreclosures include new lender policies that have allowed greater flexibility in rescuing or liquidating distressed properties. These include short sales, refinancing, interest rate adjustments, reduction of the principal owed, or as simple a strategy as allowing homeowners more time to improve their financial situation.

In the Bay Area, homes in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties had the lowest likelihood of foreclosure, but Contra Costa County and the Greater Walnut Creek area also showed improvement in numbers of Notices of Default being filed. As you can see in the chart below, Walnut Creek Notices of Default dropped from 44 in November 2011 to 26 in December 2011, a decline of well over 50%.In plain English, this means that far fewer homes took the first step into foreclosure:

On the other hand, Notices of Sale, a later stage in the foreclosure process, climbed from 37 to 46. This most likely reflects the earlier peak in Notices of Default seen August 2011, as homeowners still behind on their payments moved closer to having their homes sold.

Similar trends can be seen across all of Contra Costa County, with Notices of Default dropping from 892 in November to 607 in December, while Notices of Sale climbed from 900 to 1168. But looking back further to December 2010, we can also see that the number of Notices of Sale being filed have dropped in both Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County as a whole compared with a year ago.

Looking ahead further into 2012, as fewer homes enter the foreclosure pipeline, the drop in Notices of Default will eventually be followed by a drop in Notices of Sale as well. Combined with more flexible policies on the part of lenders, this means more homeowners will get to stay in their homes, and could also lead to more stability in the local housing market with fewer distressed properties to drive down prices.

Of course, if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that predicting where the housing market is likely to go can be a very risky business – so it’s always wise to take even the best charts and data with a grain of salt. But I do think it’s safe to say that for homeowners facing financial challenges, the positive indicators are outweighing the negative ones, and that’s certainly reason for optimism heading into 2012.

Of course, inventory isn’t the only factor to consider in determining where home prices are likely to go – macroeconomic conditions, seasonality and demographic trends are also big ones, to name just a few – but in any market, supply is always going to be one of the key variables. And right now, the extremely low inventory of Walnut Creek homes combined with sustained buyer demand means that sellers are getting multiple offers and often seeing their homes sell for well above the original listing price. In fact, just last week I was amazed to get several offers for one home within just a few days…and when that scenario is occurring regularly throughout the local real estate market, it’s no wonder that prices keep going up.

Another part of the big picture is the fact that Walnut Creek is becoming such a popular place to settle down. This means that more and more buyers are coming into the market, providing even more upward pressure on home prices. These are the enthusiastic folks making those multiple offers on homes, and I don’t see their numbers decreasing any time soon.

As I mentioned, seasonality plays an important role as well, and looking ahead into spring and summer, the typical peak months for home sales, I expect home inventory to begin rising again as more owners hop off the fence and decide to put their homes on the market. But these are also the months when even more buyers will begin looking seriously as well, and the rise in the demand they represent means it’s likely home prices will continue to rise or at least remain stable.

OK, that’s enough data crunching and prognosticating for one day. So what’s the takeaway lesson in all this? It’s a seller’s market out there in Walnut Creek, and it’s likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Speaking of which…got a home to sell? You’ve come to the right place – feel free to call or email anytime for advice on getting it listed and getting it sold. In a market like this you might get more for it than you expected!

Rossmoor
1001 Golden Rain Rd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94595

Rossmoor is one of California’s most recognized active adult communities, and it’s a privilege to have it in our backyard. Located on 1800 acres in the Tice Valley area of Walnut Creek, Rossmoor’s residents make their homes in duplexes, fourplexes, apartments and single-family homes. Offering plenty of recreational options and prices for almost any budget, Rossmoor is the first choice of many seniors looking for an exciting, active lifestyle in an ideal location.

Photo Gallery Courtesy of Rossmoor

Summerset Orchards by Del Webb
770 Centennial Place
Brentwood, CA 94513

Spread across 1000 acres in Brentwood, Summerset Orchards is a haven for golf lovers, boasting its own 18-hole golf course that winds through the community. Other recreational options include a fitness center, tennis courts, walking trails, and swimming pools.

Summerset’s Charming Homes & Landscaping.
Photo Courtesy of Summerset Orchards.

Anchor Bend at Summer Lake
1033 Clear Lake Drive
Oakley, CA 94561

If you love the peaceful waterside lifestyle of the California Delta, Anchor Bend may be for you. Located on Summer Lake, which opens into hundreds of miles of Delta waterways, Anchor Bay is the perfect spot for anglers, boaters, and anyone who enjoys the scenery and culture of this aquatic playground. And with a Farmers Market and Almond Festival right down the road, you’ll never go hungry!

The Lakes
Discovery Bay, CA 94505 ­

The Lakes offers yet another residential option for lovers of the relaxed Delta lifestyle. Built around three scenic lakes in Discovery Bay, The Lakes features walking trails, sports courts, picnic areas, and the security of a gated entrance staffed 24 hours a day. Discovery Bay Country Club and Yacht Harbor Marina are right down the road.

Trilogy at the Vineyards
1648 Gamay Lane
Brentwood, CA 94513

Surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, Trilogy may be the ideal choice for seniors seeking the scenery and relaxed pace of the wine country lifestyle. And with the recent opening of Club Los Meganos, a 34,000 sq ft community center with gourmet dining, two pools, an athletic club and spa, Trilogy now boasts one of Northern California’s most extensive recreational facilities.