2011 was a good year for Walnut Creek’s real estate market.  Well, I suppose “good” is a relative term  It felt better than some in the recent past.  Volume wise, 2011 levels were roughly in line with 2006, and the top sale broke back into the $2m price range – something that hadn’t occurred since 2008.  But, you’re not reading this to find out about Walnut Creek’s market trends … you want to see the 5 most expensive Walnut Creek homes sold last year.  So, with that in mind, here you go…

#5

2175 Norris Rd, Walnut Creek

2175 Norris Rd – $1.549M

This custom built 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 4k square foot home is in the Blackwood neighborhood.  This Appian Homes built property was completed in 2010 and is loaded with upgrades.

#4

289 Castle Hill Ranch Rd, Walnut Creek

289 Castle Hill Ranch Rd – $1.55M

This Tuscan-styled estate of 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and 4500 square feet is situated on 15 acres just south of Tice Valley.  And, if you get tired of spending time in the main house, there’s always another 500 square feet of living space in the guest house!

#3

3690 Oak Creek Ct, Walnut Creek

3690 Oak Creek Ct – $1.565M

A custom 4 bedroom, 5 bathroom (3 of which are full), 4k square foot custom built home sits right on the edge of the Rancho Paraiso neighborhood.  Sitting on nearly an acre lot, this home spares no expense.

#2

108 Meadow Crest Ln, Walnut Creek

108 Meadow Crest Ln – $1.85M

This 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 4k square foot home comes with a temperature controlled wine room, a pool and spa, and a guest house.  That not enough?  How about 5 holes of pee wee golf?!?

#1

3723 Rancho Estates, Walnut Creek

3723 Rancho Estates Ct – $2.37M

A beautiful 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 6k square foot home in the coveted Rancho Paraiso neighborhood.  You’ll have your own wine cellar, media room, game room, pool and spa, cabana, a sport court and a vineyard!

When it comes to residential real estate, we know that the condo/townhouse market is the first to go down in price and the last to rebound.  For that reason, a lot of investors prefer to own single family homes instead – it creates a smoother ride as the years tick away while you own the property.  Now, in truth, there are many other factors that go into it as well, but we’ll save those topics for a later post.

When it comes to Walnut Creek houses, it’s not often that you find one in a nice location, good overall condition and at a price point that makes sense as a pure investment property.  However, I believe I walked through just such a house today.  It’s a property being listed by Brian Dietschy of J. Rockcliff over in the Larkey Park neighborhood.  Depending on your risk tolerance levels and some modest assumptions, this house could easily generate an 8% yield over a 10 year holding period.

Now ask yourself, when is the next time you think a bank is going to offer that kind of interest on a CD?  Maybe it’s time to put your money to better use…

Here you go – check out the property … as I type this (August 22th, 2011), the house is listed at $415k … the lower the price goes, the more I like it!  If you want to talk about the numbers or take a look at the house in person, give me a shout (925.817.8428 or brian@sparrproperties.com).

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 40539618 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

One of the best aspects of living in Walnut Creek is the proximity to other parts of the Bay Area.  You’re a 45 minute BART ride from downtown San Francisco.  You’re a 45 minute drive from some of the world’s best wineries in Napa and Sonoma.  In less than an hour you can be in the heart of Silicon Valley.  3 hours and you’re on the slopes of Tahoe’s best ski resorts.  Day trips exist for nearly any craving you may have.

Clearly, there’s a lot you can do when you live in Walnut Creek, but a personal favorite for my wife and I is to head down to the little seaside town of Carmel…

How to get there?

There are two primary ways to get down to Carmel from Walnut Creek: one takes you along the 101 past Gilroy, the other takes you on Highway 1 through Santa Cruz.  If you’ve never made the trip before, I’d recommend going down through Santa Cruz and then coming home through Gilroy.  Both directions, depending on traffic, will take you about 2 hours to drive.  For whatever reason, though, driving through Gilroy always feels easier and faster to me, so that’s the route I normally take.

Where to stay?

Lodging is abundant in Carmel – it’s simply a matter of matching your budget with your location desires.  Looking for a posh, romantic getaway – there’s nothing better than the Highlands.  In fact, while drinking a bottle of wine and watching the sun set on the Pacific Ocean from our balcony here, I proposed to my wife.  If you prefer to be within walking distance to Carmel’s downtown area, though, there are three hotels that immediately come to mind for me: Lobos Lodge, Carriage House Inn and La Playa Hotel.  The Los Lobos Lodge is generally the first place I look … their price, location and cleanliness is hard to beat.

What to eat?

I will happily drive to Carmel for the food alone!  There are some phenomenal restaurants here, but I definitely have my favorites…

For breakfast, Katy’s Place is a must.  It’s cash only and they don’t take reservations, but it’s the best breakfast in all of the Bay Area … in my humble opinion, at least  Breakfast burritos … omelets … eggs benedict … side of country style potatoes … crispy bacon … so many great things to choose from.  A trip to Carmel is not complete if you don’t have breakfast at Katy’s Place.

For lunch, it’s all about the Village Corner.  Grab a table on their outdoor patio, order an Arnold Palmer, a Greek gyro and some fries and then just kick back and relax.

For dinner, make a reservation and head over to Casanova’s … you won’t regret it.  The gnocchi Casanova is out of this world – light spinach dumplings with parmesan … oh so good!  A pan seared filet mignon for your main dish followed up by the dolce di cioccolata.  My mouth is watering as I type this!  Wash it all down with one or two bottles of wine from their 30 thousand bottle cellar that was hand dug 14 feet under the restaurant.  What a great way to end the day.

What to do?

Carmel has a little something for just about everyone.  Feeling artsy?  Stroll through the many galleries in town, but be sure to stop by the Photography West gallery and check out some of the amazing black and white photography they have on display.  Need some retail therapy?  Head up and down the main streets in town, but be sure to make your way over to the Carmel Plaza where they have Anthropologie, Cole Haan, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany’s and many more.  Want to dip your toes in the ocean?  Walk downhill along Ocean Ave until you hit the beach.  Ready to indulge in a little real estate porn?  Take a walk along Scenic Road and just check out all the multi-million dollar homes overlooking the ocean.  Need a break from the hustle and bustle of town?  Hike through the many miles of walking trails in Point Lobos State Park.

Oh, and before I forget, the world famous Pebble Beach golf course is just down the road…

Detour on the way home?

On your way back to Walnut Creek but not quite ready for the weekend to be over?  Stop off at the Gilroy Outlets and get one more dose of retail therapy!

Although Walnut Creek homes don’t normally come with an Alamo or Orinda-like price tag, we still have our fair share of multi-million dollar properties … you just need to know where to look. The million dollar homes can often be spotted in South Walnut Creek around Saranap and Rudgear, close to the Shell Ridge Open Space in Walnut Heights and Lakewood, and, last but not least, all throughout the Northgate area.

Here’s a sampling of the multi-million dollar Walnut Creek homes currently for sale…

Showing properties 1 - 12 of 12. See more city of Walnut Creek real estate.
(all data current as of 5/12/2012)

1. $2,850,000 : 2455 DEER VALLEY LN, WALNUT CREEK
   
   6 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 7,568 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.50 ac
2. $2,350,000 : 2057 MAGNOLIA WAY, WALNUT CREEK
   
   6 beds, 5 full baths

   Home size: 5,200 sq ft

   Lot size: 20,471 sqft
3. $1,999,000 : 2420 TICE VALLEY BLVD, WALNUT CREEK
   
   7 beds, 6 full baths

   Home size: 7,165 sq ft

   Lot size: 36,240 sqft
4. $1,850,000 : 1321 Mountain View Boulevard, WALNUT CREEK
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,087 sq ft

   Lot size: 20,473 sqft
5. $1,675,000 : 160 LA BOLSA ROAD, WALNUT CREEK
   
   6 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 4,063 sq ft

   Lot size: 15,794 sqft
6. $1,349,900 : 144 RUDGEAR DR, WALNUT CREEK
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 3,900 sq ft

   Lot size: 26,100 sqft
7. $1,249,000 : 25 ROSE ARBOR LN, WALNUT CREEK
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 3,309 sq ft

   Lot size: 15,000 sqft
8. $1,199,000 : 88 EL CAMINO CORTO, WALNUT CREEK
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,904 sq ft

   Lot size: 13,300 sqft
9. $1,195,000 : 887 Holly Hill Dr, WALNUT CREEK
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,625 sq ft

   Lot size: 21,780 sqft
10. $1,185,000 : 687 LA VISTA RD, WALNUT CREEK
    
    4 beds, 4 full baths

    Home size: 3,667 sq ft

    Lot size: 20,900 sqft
11. $1,100,000 : 160 EL DORADO R0AD, WALNUT CREEK
    
    5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,948 sq ft

    Lot size: 14,280 sqft
12. $1,029,000 : 58 Saddle Rd., WALNUT CREEK
    
    5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,548 sq ft

    Lot size: 33,933 sqft

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

I’ve had the pleasure of calling Walnut Creek home since 2001, and my attachment grows stronger every year.  For those that live here, though, that’s no surprise.  So, when a buddy of mine asked me to rattle off 3 reasons why he should move over to the East Bay and become my neighbor, I thought to myself – no problem!  But then, as I started my own rendition of college basketball’s March Madness … as in, 64 reasons all battling for the top spot … I realized this may be harder than I originally thought – can I really narrow it down to just 3?!?  Well, here goes…

Reason #1 … one big playground.

I happen to be a wanna-be triathlete.  Although, as my friends will tell you, I can barely swim to save my life, my bike still has training wheels on it and my running pace is often surpassed by walkers … oh well, I still try!  Anyways, the fact is, Walnut Creek gives me an abundance of choices for fulfilling all my outdoor desires.  Heather Farms and Renaissance Club Sport are two popular choices for getting in a little pool time.  The north entrance to Mt Diablo and the numerous open space areas (Shell Ridge, Lime Ridge, Acalanes Ridge and others) give road and mountain bikers plenty of miles to ride and hills to climb.  And then, the extensive paved trail systems (Iron Horse Trail, Contra Costa Canal Trail, Briones to Mt Diablo Trail and others) give road runners a safe place to pound all the pavement their heart desires.  How can you not love this area?

Reason #2 … shop ’til you drop.

OK, my wife will die if she ever reads this because she swears that I’m allergic to shopping; however, that doesn’t mean the importance of good retail is lost on my pour soul.  In fact, a recent appraisal highlighted Walnut Creek as being in the top 10 of all Main Street retail areas in the US … not too shabby!  Broadway Plaza is the main attraction, but I can just sit here and rattle off some names to get your attention – Nordstrom’s, Tiffany’s, Apple, Lacoste, Betsy Johnson, Banana Republic, Macy’s, H&M, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Barnes and Noble, Urban Outfitters … do I need to continue?  How about a brand new Neiman Marcus that is set to open soon?  Yeah, there’s a lot of shopping here – and this list is just scratching the surface of all the retail shops in town.

Reason #3 … sample from the menu.

OK, we’ve been swimming, biking and running all around the outskirts of town … we’ve been shopping all through the heart of downtown … now it’s time to refuel and get some food in our bellies.  Lucky for us, there are a ton of choices.  What are you in the mood for?  Some steak – try Fleming’s, Vic’s or Ruth’s Chris.  Italian – head over to Tomatina’s, Il Fornaio or Montecatini.  Indian – some of the best in the Bay Area can be found at Sargam’s.  Just want a burger – hit up the Habit, George’s or the Counter.  Best sandwich shop in the area – Morucci’s.  A little Asian cuisine – Koreana Kitchen, Do Sit and I could go on and on.  Suffice it to say, though, that Walnut Creek has an answer for just about every type of food craving you might have.

So how’d I do?  Three pretty good reasons in my opinion and I didn’t even get around to talking about the schools, the weather, the easy commute to the rest of the Bay Area or any of the companies relocating their head quarters out here.

Still on the fence about making the move?  Give me a call and we can talk – 925.817.8428