builder filesfile 19 of 57built c. 1955–1959boyenga team at compass
Mardell homes
The Mardell Building Company built Mardell Manor, the last of the three mid-century tracts in Mountain View’s Monta Loma neighborhood. Here’s what’s on record about the houses, how they differ from the Eichlers and Mackays next door and what they sell for.
- builder
- Mardell Building Company
- tract
- Mardell Manor, in Monta Loma
- city
- Mountain View, 94043
- built
- 1955–1959
- homes
- 234
- plans
- 1,140 and 1,216 sq ft
- architect
- not on record
- sales on record · live…
- median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
- for sale now · live…
- tracts on record1
where they are
Where the homes are
Mardell Manor is the only Mardell tract on record. We searched city, archive and neighborhood sources for others and found none.
| tract | city | built | homes | streets and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mardell ManorMonta Loma neighborhood | Mountain View | 1955–1959 | 234 | Monta Loma runs from San Antonio Road to Rengstorff Avenue and from Middlefield Road to Central Expressway. Mardell Manor was its last tract, after Eichler’s Fairview and John Mackay’s Oakwood. Its exact street boundaries aren’t in the records we found. |
The home count, years and plans come from the Monta Loma Neighborhood Association’s notes on the neighborhood’s builders. The association suggests the company name may come from Marcelyn and Dell Avenues.
how to spot one
How to tell a Mardell from its neighbors
The neighborhood association says Mardells look like the Eichlers and Mackays to a casual eye. The differences are in how they were built.
- foundation
A raised foundation
Mardells sit on a raised concrete perimeter foundation with a crawlspace. The Eichlers next door are on slabs, and so are about half the Mackays.
- heat
Forced-air heat
Mardells were built with forced-air heat, where the Eichlers used radiant heat in the slab.
- ceilings
Wood plank ceilings
Like the Eichlers, Mardells have wood plank ceilings. The Mackays have painted ceiling board.
- walls
Drywall, not paneling
Interior walls are drywall. The Eichlers used wood paneling.
- floors
Hardwood floors
Mardells came with hardwood floors, which the Eichlers didn’t have.
- plans
Two plans and a two-car garage
1,140 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, or 1,216 sq ft with 3 or 4 bedrooms (the dining room serving as the fourth) and 2 baths.
side by side
Mardell, Eichler and Mackay in Monta Loma
Three builders, one neighborhood, built within a few years of each other.
| Mardell | Eichler | Mackay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| tract name | Mardell Manor | Fairview | Oakwood |
| foundation | raised, with a crawlspace | slab | about half slab, half raised |
| heat | forced air | radiant, in the slab | wall furnace or forced air |
| ceilings | wood plank | wood plank | painted Celotex |
| walls | drywall | wood paneling | drywall |
| floors | hardwood | vinyl tile | hardwood or asphalt tile |
From the Monta Loma Neighborhood Association’s notes on the three builders.
the sales ledger
Every recorded Mardell sale
Each dot is a sale whose listing calls the house a Mardell. Listing agents don’t always name the builder, so this undercounts; our Monta Loma guide covers every sale in the neighborhood.
- 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 |
|---|
Listings that only mention Mardell Way are left out. 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 Mardell.
Checking active listings…
owning one today
Owning one today
- No overlay foundWe found no single-story overlay, design guidelines or historic designation for Mardell Manor or Monta Loma. Confirm current zoning with the City of Mountain View before planning a second story.
- The crawlspaceA raised foundation puts plumbing and wiring under the floor where an inspector can reach them. Have the crawlspace checked for moisture and pests.
- Match the permits to the sizeMany houses in the neighborhood have been changed since the 1950s. Compare the permit history with the size in the listing.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Which builder?In Monta Loma we confirm whether a house is a Mardell, an Eichler or a Mackay, since foundations and heating differ.
- Crawlspace and foundationWe order a foundation and crawlspace look, plus the usual roof, electrical and sewer lateral checks. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
- Room to growWe check lot size, setbacks and zoning if you plan to add on.
- The right comparablesWe compare against similar-size Monta Loma houses, separating originals from expanded homes.
How we market one when you sell
- Name it correctlyWe describe the house as a Mardell with the details that set it apart, such as the hardwood floors and raised foundation.
- Price from real salesWe set the price from recent Monta Loma sales, not a city average.
- Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets the repairs and refresh before you list.
- PhotographyWe photograph the plank ceilings and floors that buyers ask about.
questions
Questions we hear
Who built Mardell homes?
The Mardell Building Company, which built the Mardell Manor tract in Monta Loma from 1955 to 1959, according to the Monta Loma Neighborhood Association. Its partners and architect aren’t on record.
Is a Mardell an Eichler?
No. They look alike from the street, but Mardells have raised foundations, forced-air heat, drywall and hardwood floors. Eichlers have slabs with radiant heat and wood-paneled walls.
Did Mardell build anywhere else?
Not that we could find. Mardell Manor in Mountain View is the only tract on record.
How big are Mardell homes?
As built, 1,140 or 1,216 square feet, with 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a two-car garage. Many have been changed since, so check the listing and the permits.
sources
Sources
Neighborhood association records, checked October 2026.
- Monta Loma Neighborhood Association: home stylesBuilders, plans, counts and constructionwww.montaloma.org/monta-loma/home-styles/
- Monta Loma Neighborhood Association: historyMardell Manor and the neighborhood’s tractswww.montaloma.org/monta-loma/history/
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.
- Fernando Nelson1880–1920s
- Ernest Coxhead1890–1930s
- Willis Polk1890s–1920s
- Frank Delos Wolfe1892–1926
- Henry Gutterson1914–1954
- Gellert (Sunstream)1922–1972
- Birge Clark1922–1970s
- Stoneson1920s–1960s
- Doelger1927–1960s
- McKeon1927–early 1970s
- Gardner Dailey1930s–1960s
- William Wurster1930s–1960s
- Rousseau1931–1933
- Bohannon1936–1955
- Cliff May1950s
- Stern & Price1951–1953
- Mackay Homes1950s
- Goodwin Steinberg1950s–1980s
- Mardell1955–1959
- Hayman Homes1960s–1970s
- Ditz-Crane1962–1984
- Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
- Bahl1968–1986
- Ponderosa Homes1970s–1990s
- Shapell1971–2000s
- Anshen & Allen1940s–1960
- Jones & Emmons1951–1970s
- Claude Oakland1950s–1970s
- Owen Signature Homes1970–today
- Swatt | Miers1975–today
- SummerHill Homes1976–today
- Pinn Brothers1976–today
- Citation Homeslate 1970s–2010s
- Robson Homes1989–today
- Pacific Peninsula Group1989–today
- Barry Swenson Builder1990s–2010s
- Classic Communities1990s–2010s
- Warmington1990s–2020s
- Kelly Gordon2000s–2010s
- Feldman Architecture2003–today
- DeNova Homes2000s–today
- City Ventures2011–today
- Trumark Homes2012–today
- Davidon Homes2010s
- The New Home Company2014–2018
- Dividend Homes2010s–today
- KB Home1980s–today
- Brookfield1990s–today
- Pulte Homes2000s–today
- Shea Homes2000s–2010s
- Lennar2000s–today
- Toll Brothers2000s–today
- Taylor Morrison2007–today
- D.R. Horton2010s
- Tri Pointe Homes2012–today
- K. Hovnanian2014–2018
- Meritage Homes2010s
talk to a property nerd
Own a Mardell?
We can value it against recent Monta Loma sales and plan the prep. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
