builder filesfile 06 of 18built c. 1962–1984boyenga team at compass
Ditz-Crane homes
Ditz-Crane was a Santa Clara County tract builder founded by Robert “Crunch” Crane and the brothers George and Jack Ditz. Its largest documented tract is Waverly Park in Mountain View, 314 homes built from 1962 to 1967. Here’s what’s on record, what isn’t, and what Ditz-Crane homes sell for.
- builder
- Ditz-Crane (also written Ditz Crane)
- founders
- Robert “Crunch” Crane, George and Jack Ditz
- based
- Santa Clara (De La Cruz Blvd office in 1983)
- documented
- 1962–1984
- largest tract
- Waverly Park, Mountain View: 314 homes
- architect
- not on record
- listings say
- “Ditz-Crane,” “Ditz Crane”
- sales on record · live…
- median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
- for sale now · live…
- homes documentedabout 375
where they are
Where the homes are
Tracts with a builder record. Most details come from a newspaper report from about 1967 and from Bahl Homes’ own project history.
| tract | city | built | homes | streets and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Park | Mountain View | 1962–1967 | 314 | The “Waverly developments,” priced $28,000 to $40,000 when new, according to the report from about 1967. Tract numbers and streets aren’t in the records we found. |
| Waverly Park WestTract 5417 | Mountain View | filed 1974 | 28 lots | Rustic Lane. Bahl Homes developed the lots and sold them to Ditz-Crane. |
| St. Francis Estates | Sunnyvale | about 1966–1967 | 24 | Finished after a little more than a year of building, priced $30,000 to $40,000 when new. Streets aren’t on record. |
| Shady SpringsTract 4538 | Los Altos | filed 1968 | 9 lots | Oak Lane and Pritchett Court. Bahl Homes sold lots to Ditz-Crane, which built and sold the houses. |
The same report announced Somerset West in Cupertino (44 homes, ground just broken) and a 31-acre purchase at Miramonte and Portland avenues in Los Altos for about 95 semi-custom homes, and named Rancho Manuella in Los Altos Hills plus San Ysidro, Rolling Hills and Pinehurst. We haven’t confirmed what was built there. Many Ditz-Crane homes sold in Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara and San Jose sit in tracts not yet identified in the records.
how to spot one
What’s on record about the houses
No source we found describes a Ditz-Crane plan series, architect or signature style, so we don’t market these as mid-century modern or Eichler-like.
- market
Mainstream 1960s tract homes
The Mountain View and Sunnyvale tracts sold for $28,000 to $40,000 when new, according to the report from about 1967.
- semi-custom
Semi-custom in Los Altos
The planned Los Altos homes were announced as semi-custom, at about $50,000.
- confirm
Confirm with the records
Listings use the name in many cities. The original permit and the tract map are the surest way to confirm who built a given house.
- myth check
Not a modernist brand
We found no record tying Ditz-Crane to an architect or a modern design program. Judge each house on its own plan, condition and updates.
the sales ledger
Every recorded Ditz-Crane sale
Each dot is a sale whose listing names Ditz-Crane. Hover a dot for the address, date and price. The orange line is the median price per square foot for each year.
- sales on record…
- median price…
- median $ per sq ft…
- latest sale…
one recorded salemedian for the yearprice per sq ft = sale price ÷ listed living area
| sold | address | price | $/sq ft | bd / ba | sq ft |
|---|
Listing agents use the name across several cities, including tracts we haven’t confirmed. Sales come from the MLS records available to us and include every sold listing whose description names the builder, so a few homes may be labeled by the listing agent rather than confirmed from tract records. Sold data is shown with the listing brokerage. Price per square foot uses the living area in the listing. Ask us for a full comparable-sales report on any address.
on the market
For sale now
Active listings whose description names Ditz-Crane.
Checking active listings…
owning one today
Owning one today
- No overlay or designation foundWe found no single-story overlay, design guideline or historic designation naming a Ditz-Crane tract. Check the parcel’s zoning with the city.
- CC&RsAsk the title company for any recorded CC&Rs on the tract. We didn’t review them for this page.
- A 1960s housePlan inspections for the roof, electrical panel, sewer lateral and foundation. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Which tract?We match the address to the tract map and permits, so you know what was built, when, and by whom.
- AdditionsWe compare the permit history with the listed size, since many 1960s houses have grown.
- The right comparablesWe price against similar-size homes in the same tract, using the sales ledger on this page as a starting point.
- Zoning before plansIf you plan to add on, we confirm zoning, setbacks and any overlay with the city first.
How we market one when you sell
- Name it correctlyIf the records confirm Ditz-Crane, we say so with the tract and year; if not, we leave it out.
- Price from real salesWe set the price from recent sales of comparable homes nearby, not a city average.
- Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets the repairs and refresh before you list.
- Show the updatesWe document what’s been updated, so buyers can compare it with original-condition homes.
questions
Questions we hear
Who founded Ditz-Crane?
Robert “Crunch” Crane and the brothers George and Jack Ditz, according to the 2024 obituary of Crane’s son, Bo Crane, who joined the firm in 1972. A report from about 1967 names John A. Ditz as vice president.
Where are Ditz-Crane homes?
Waverly Park in Mountain View is the largest documented tract, with 314 homes built from 1962 to 1967. St. Francis Estates in Sunnyvale had 24. The firm also built on lots in Waverly Park West in Mountain View and Shady Springs in Los Altos.
Is Ditz-Crane the same as Dietz-Crane?
We found no record linking the two. “Ditz-Crane,” with a hyphen, is the spelling in city records and in the founder’s family obituary.
Are Ditz-Crane homes mid-century modern?
We found no record of a modern design program or architect. Judge each house on its own plan and updates.
sources
Sources
Obituary, newspaper, builder and city records, checked October 2026.
- Obituary: Robert L. “Bo” Crane Jr. (2024)Founders of Ditz-Crane; Bo Crane joined in 1972n2v.almanacnews.com/obituaries/print/bo-crane?o=8688
- The Times (San Mateo), page 9, about 1967Waverly Park, St. Francis Estates and other projects; seen as search excerptswww.newspapers.com/newspage/52344329/
- Bahl Homes: Waverly Park West28 lots sold to Ditz-Cranewww.bahl.com/Pages/History/Mountain_View/Waverly_Park_West/waverly_park_west.html
- Bahl Homes: Shady Springs, Los AltosLots sold to Ditz Cranebahl.com/Pages/History/Los_Altos/Shady_Springs/shady_spring_lost_altos.html
- City of Pleasanton: 1983 subdivision agreementDitz-Crane, 2295 De La Cruz Blvd, Santa Claraweblink.cityofpleasantonca.gov/WebLink/0/doc/8990/Page1.aspx
builder files
Every builder file, by era
Bars show the years each builder was building here. See all builders or the home styles field guide.
- Doelger1927–1960s
- Rousseau1931–1933
- Stern & Price1951–1953
- Mackay Homes1950s
- Mardell1955–1959
- Ditz-Crane1962–1984
- Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
- Bahl1968–1986
- SummerHill Homes1976–today
- Robson Homes1989–today
- Classic Communities1990s–2010s
- Trumark Homes2012–today
- KB Home1980s–today
- Pulte Homes2000s–today
- Shea Homes2000s–2010s
- Lennar2000s–today
- Toll Brothers2000s–today
- Taylor Morrison2007–today
talk to a property nerd
Own a Ditz-Crane home?
We can confirm the tract, value it against recent sales and plan the prep. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
