The Foxwood Community in Martinez is located at the intersection of Hwy 680 and Hwy 4 just northwest of Concord. Whether you work in the Silicon Valley or downtown San Francisco, the commute is approximately 90 minutes with traffic. Also, the area is in close proximity to Suisun Bay where you can enjoy the scenic water views.
Public Transportation
Amtrak - Martinez Station (MTZ)
Bart - North Concord/Martinez Station
Neighborhood Walkability
Walk Score: 42/100 (car dependent).
Lucky: 0.96 miles
KFC: 0.94 miles
Starbucks: 1.5 miles
Century 16: 4.74 miles
City Library: 4.41 miles
Barnes and Noble: 2.58 miles
Curves: 1.5 miles
Target: 2.66 miles
Home Depot: 0.95 miles
Walmart: 0.97 miles
Schools
Morello Park Elementary School (API: 866)
Martinez Junior High School (API: 767)
Alhambra Senior High School (API: 761)
Crime Rate
From www.idcide.com. "Martinez's property crime levels tend to be about the same as California's average level. The same data shows violent crime levels in Martinez tend to be much lower than California's average level."
Statistics For Martinez
Median Sales Price: $372,840
Average Price per Sqft: $252
Median Rent for 4 Bedroom Home: $2500
For more stats and trends for Martinez, go to http://www.trulia.com/
For more rent information around the neighborhood, go to http://www.rentometer.com/us
Auction Pricing and HOA Fee
Starting bid for 4 Bed+Loft, 3 Bath 2544 sq. ft. unit is $475,000
Starting bid for 4 Bed+Loft, 2.5 Bath 2933 sq. ft unit is $525,000
HOA Fee: $184
Home Builder
DeNova Homes
Community Review
If you work in Martinez or around the East Bay, then certainly it would make sense to purchase a home in Foxwood. But if you work in the Silicon Valley or San Francisco, the round-trip commute time is pushing three hours each day which in my opinion is not practical. Even if you can withstand the brutal traffic day in and day out, you'll need to factor in the high gas prices and figure out if the long commute is feasible.
To my surprise, the neighborhood elementary school has a fairly high API score of 866! If you have small children, this is a good opportunity for them to attend an excellent school. Middle and high school scores are decent with API scores of 767 and 761, respectively. Overall, the schools here are better than average and should be a positive factor during your decision process.
The homes in Foxwood have previously sold for $850,000 which I find appalling. Sure, the big homes should fetch a premium, but I find it difficult to fathom that folks are paying this much to live in a small town in the Central Valley where median incomes are historically lower than urban areas. Am I missing something here? Assuming that the home buyers can afford these high prices, are the homes really worth $850,000? Absolutely not. Based on a four-bedroom rental unit in the same neighborhood, the rent goes for approximately $2500. And if my price-to-rent calculation* is correct, these homes are worth about $480,000 which is right around where the starting bid is.
Price-to-Rent Calculation:
Rent: $2500
Annual Rent: $30,000
P/R ratio: 16
30,000 X 16 = $480,000
Community Location
117 Silva Court
Martinez, CA 94553
1-888-785-0555
(Google Map)
Auction Info
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Concord Hilton
1970 Diamond Blvd.
Concord, CA 94520
925-349-2619
From the Accelerated Marketing website
"Foxwood’s new homes feature two spacious floor plans from approximately 2,544 sq.ft. to 2,933 sq.ft. of dynamic living space. Inviting gas appliance fireplace, designer fixtures, handsome cabinetry, gourmet kitchens with Corian counters and quality stainless steel kitchen appliances are found in all homes. Private master suites with adjoining bath and large walk–in closet provide the perfect retreat. All homes are designed with safety, efficiency and convenience in mind. Foxwood has also been designed as a GreenPoint Rated community as approved by Build It Green with energy saving insulation, dual pane windows, central heating and air conditioning, dual flush toilets and so much more. The homes are situated on private lots with perimeter fencing and front yard landscaping with automatic sprinklers."
Go to http://www.foxwood.acceleratedmp.com/ for more details
