Jumping on the Eichler Bandwagon

Been a couple of weeks since my last post, so a belated Happy New Year! We stayed in, cooked an amazing duck on the Bar-B – and then – and then – on New Years Day we did a 5K run in Yountville to support the Vine Trail.

 Considering our big dinner and the fact we were slightly hungover tired, we did it in about 30 minutes. Although, I have to admit, at about mile 2, I was seriously FEELING that duck. Huffing through gritted teeth, I seethed – ‘Whose DUMB idea WAS this?!?’ (it was mine!).
On to the subject of this post. I have mentioned previously that my husband Shawn grew up in an Eichler in the Lucas Valley area of San Rafael. His parents bought it for around 45K in 1967. Shawn introduced me to these houses when I moved to California 11 years ago. That is what attracted me to our current house – it is very much like an Eichler with the tongue and groove ceiling, layout, floor to ceiling windows. It is NOT an Eichler. I am still not sure who the architect was, but I hope to one day find out.
In the last year, Eichlers, especially in the Silicon Valley area have been selling like hotcakes. This home went into escrow in about a week, with multiple offers and ABOVE asking.

That’s why I had to snicker a little when we received a postcard for a home for sale near us here in Napa. The wording used was ‘Eichler inspired’ home. Yet the website is napaeichler.com.
Granted, this looks to be a modern type home, built in the ’50’s. But I think any resemblence to an Eichler ends there.

Check out the pictures. I would love to know what people think.

Michelle

Michelle

Welcome to The Napa Project, where I write about our five year remodel of a mid century home in Napa, California.

9 thoughts on “Jumping on the Eichler Bandwagon

  1. Once you get past that painfully grim front elevation (which looks almost identical to the facade of a cheap apartment building near a Shell station I frequent), it’s not a bad looking house, but comparing it to an Eichler smacks of a serious case of grandiosity…or a total lack of knowledge about Eichlers.

    1. Completely agree! Calling it an Eichler just really chaps my hide! Plus, it needs some major work – the concrete, deck…and I am not sure how many people would find a turqoise countertop appealing. I certainly wouldn’t pay 1.3 mil for it! No worries about the blogroll, Dana!

    2. Hi Michelle- found your blog through Dana! I agree about the facade- I think I would use the other entrance as a ‘front door’. I like the countertops. Maybe they’re not for everyone, but I would keep them. I’m just heading out the door to do a practice 5K (and it’s 30 degrees here!:)

    3. Hi Susie, It’s 28 degrees here – we’ve had some cold mornings in Napa! My major beef with this listing is the fact that they are trying to pass it off as similar to an Eichler. And the price. After looking at listings for years in search of our house, with an older home my brain immediately goes to things like curb appeal, what needs work or a complete remodel, the asking price and the cost of upgrading. The home is on the same acreage as ours and our biggest cost has been the landscaping because it was such a mess. In my opinion, this home is overpriced for the amount of work it needs. But if they get asking, cool! It will boost our comps!

  2. I was absolutely certain I’d had you on my blogroll and my reading list for months, but when I looked today, you weren’t there. Yikes! I thought you’d just been busy and hadn’t been posting. That’s all remedied now, so I won’t miss anything else. (Wow, is my face red!)

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