New Homes in Walnut Creek – 555 YVR

 

Brand New Condos in Walnut Creek, a Short Walk to Most of the Bay Area!                   

 

In spite of the requisite signs and banners proclaiming “Now Selling”, you may have driven by “555 YVR”, a new home development in Walnut Creek, without even noticing it. 

But I wanted to see exactly what these new homes in Walnut Creek were and how much it would take to be a part of it.

Before we go inside, let’s talk about the location – right on Ygnacio Valley Road between North Main Street and Broadway.  An easy walk to Walnut Creek BART, which means the entire Bay Area.  Work in San Francisco?  Walk to work.  Flying out of Oakland International (OAK) or SFO? Walk to your flight.  Want to take in an A’s or Giants game?  Walk to the ballpark.

It is also within easy striking distance of downtown Walnut Creek, its new library, and about a thousand restaurants.  That’s right, new homes in Walnut Creek within walking distance to everything in the East Bay!

As I drove up, I found easily accessible parking.  It reminds me of a lot of the new home developments in Jack London Square or Emeryville.  But with these new homes, you get a Walnut Creek address!

With any new building, everything looks crisp and clean and, well, “upscale”.  This one is no exception.  A well decorated lobby entrance and a nice water feature once you enter the light, bright inner courtyard  lets you feel as if you are in a classy environment and stands up to close scrutiny.  What impressed me was the quality of materials and how they were used. Hardwood decking and interesting landscaping in a well-designed space.  Nice!

Let’s talk about the units themselves.  Again, I got the feel of quality materials from the stainless steel appliances to the hardwood floor to the tiled baths. 

A lot of “loft style” condos builders make the mistake of using “cheap” appointments.  They take the “industrial” feel a little too far by using cheap cabinetry and carpet.  Not these folks!  Even the basic flooring is hardwood and tile and the cabinets have a good, solid feel.

There are six different models from 763 to 1308 square feet.  The smallest is a one bedroom, one bath priced from $349,000.  There are four other one-bedroom plans with one- and one-and-a-half baths increasing in size – and price – to a two-story 1065 square foot model offered at $480,000.

The two-bedroom plans are between 1147 and 1308 square feet and range in price from $499,000 to 4650,000.

To me, the appeal is that they are brand new homes in Walnut Creek with lots of amenities – and that fits well with a younger urban professional buyer.

A quick glance at the resident’s-only Fitness Center, the Media Center, the well-appointed rooftop deck and barbeque area and it is easy to picture a group of 20- to 30-somethings at an after-work get-together. 

Overall, I was very impressed.  Under $400,000 for a brand new home in Walnut Creek with a central downtown location and secure parking seems pretty dazzling.  As the units get more expensive, the shine loses some of its luster, however.  By the time you get to the $650,000 model, you may want to consider a single-family home if you willing to take on the extra maintenance in exchange for more space.

By the way, they were smart enough to get FHA condo approval for these homes, which means you can get in for as little as a 3½% downpayment.

With a lot of very nice features included as standard, you may not feel the need to make any upgrades at all.

However, they do offer options such as upgraded wide-plank flooring, nicer carpeting, and upscale window coverings. 

Although all of the units come with modern Stainless Steel appliances, they do not come with a refrigerator.

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