sunnyvale neighborhood guide · property nerds® at compass
Primewood, Sunnyvale Homes for sale, recent sales and a Property Nerd’s guide
Thirty-five late Eichlers built from 1969 to 1972 on a few streets and courts just south of Fremont Avenue near Mary Avenue, with steep glass gables, atriums and some of the largest plans Eichler built.
Primewood by the numbers
primewood by the numbers · live from the mls
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Calculated in your browser from MLS data for Primewood (approximate tract outline south of Fremont Ave near Mary Ave). Sales are single-family homes, townhomes and condos.
homes in primewood · live from the mls
Homes for sale, for rent and recently sold in Primewood
Every active listing, rental and closed sale in Primewood from the MLS, updated automatically, with a map of the neighborhood outline.
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Listings come from MLSListings and other MLSs through IDX and show their listing brokerage; confirm details with the listing agent. The map outline is the neighborhood boundary used by our listing search (Primewood (approximate tract outline south of Fremont Ave near Mary Ave)); it may not match every local definition.
the story
How Primewood came to be
Primewood is one of the last tracts Joseph Eichler built in Sunnyvale. The Eichler Network dates its 35 homes to 1969 through 1972, after Eichler Homes went bankrupt, when Joe Eichler was running a successor firm, J.L. Eichler Associates. UC Berkeley's Environmental Design Archives holds the 1969 site plan for 'Primewood, tract 4621,' drawn by Jones & Emmons, in its Oakland & Imada collection, along with tract records from 1967 to 1970 and a 1971 lot file on Lennox Court.
The site was a former apricot orchard and the last undeveloped piece of a neighborhood of traditional ranch homes, according to the Eichler Network, and Eichler himself staffed the sales office in the model home. The tract has only two entrances, and its utility lines are buried, so there are no overhead wires along the streets.
streets and homes
The streets and the houses
Primewood sits just south of Fremont Avenue near its intersection with Mary Avenue. The Eichler Network lists the homes on Allison Avenue, Lennox Way and Beaverton, Blanchard and Lennox courts. Current maps label two of those as Allison Way and Blanchard Way, and Blanchard Way also has older non-Eichler houses, so check the build year of any address. Lennox Way is the spine, with the courts branching east from it.
These are late, large Eichlers. Most run 2,000 to 2,300 square feet with four bedrooms, some with five, and many have walk-in pantries. One signature model swaps the flat roof for steep gables filled with glass. Another pairs two steep, side-gabled, shake-roofed pavilions, some with outrigger-like ridge beams that the Eichler Network compared to Tiki huts. Most homes have atriums, and swirl-pattern vertical wood siding shows up inside and out.
When the Eichler Network visited, exteriors were almost entirely intact and most homes still had their original garage doors. Owners had added insulation and double glazing, and one hid new air-conditioning ducts in interior soffits rather than run them across the roof. We did not find a single-story zoning district covering Primewood in city records through early 2017, so check the parcel's zoning rather than assume either way.
streets in primewood
- Lennox Way
- Lennox Court
- Beaverton Court
- Allison Way (Allison Avenue in some sources)
- Blanchard Way (Blanchard Court in the Eichler Network)
parks and places
Parks, shops and landmarks near Primewood
- park
Serra Park
About half a mile south at 730 The Dalles Avenue: 11.5 acres with ball fields, tennis, a playground, water play and picnic areas.
- shopping
Mary and Fremont avenues
Shops and services cluster around the Mary-Fremont intersection, a short walk from the tract.
- park
De Anza Park
About two-thirds of a mile north across Fremont Avenue at 1150 Lime Drive, with ball fields, basketball, a playground and picnic areas.
- club
Fairbrae Swim and Racquet Club
About half a mile northeast at 696 Sheraton Drive: member-owned, with a lap pool and lighted tennis courts. Check its website for status and membership.
schools and commute
School districts and getting around
School districts
An MLS record for a home on Lennox Way lists Cupertino Union School District for elementary and middle school and Fremont Union High School District for high school. That differs from the Rancho Verde and Fairbrae homes across Fremont Avenue, which list Sunnyvale School District, so don't assume from the neighbors. Attendance boundaries change; check the exact address with each district.
Sunnyvale School District guide · Silicon Valley school districts
Getting around
- Sunnyvale Caltrain station (121 W. Evelyn Ave.) is about 2.1 miles north in a straight line.
- VTA Rapid 523 stops at Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road and Fremont Avenue, about three-quarters of a mile east, with service to the Sunnyvale Transit Center.
- Highway 85's Fremont Avenue interchange is a short drive west on Fremont.
- Mary Avenue runs north to El Camino Real; Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road leads south toward Interstate 280.
nerd notes
Buying or selling in Primewood: what we check
Buying here
- Confirm the build year and tract for the exact address. Blanchard Way and nearby streets mix Primewood Eichlers with older ranch houses.
- Check the zoning for an S (single-story) suffix. We found none for Primewood in city records through early 2017, but zoning can change.
- Steep glass gables mean big glass areas and more complex roof lines than a flat-top Eichler. Have a roofer who knows Eichlers check flashing, roofing material and any original shake.
- Get a radiant heat pressure test and ask about pipe material and past repairs.
- Ask what insulation and glazing upgrades have been done; the Eichler Network notes the original roofs and walls had little insulation.
Selling here
- Describe the model accurately. Primewood's large late plans and steep gables set it apart from earlier, smaller Eichlers.
- Have roof, radiant heat and permit records ready.
- Note the school districts the MLS lists for your address, with the usual advice to verify with the district.
- Photograph original garage doors, siding and glass gables if you still have them.
nerd noteCommissions are always negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what's included.
faq
Primewood questions, answered
How many homes are in Primewood?
35 Eichler homes, according to the Eichler Network.
When was Primewood built?
1969 to 1972 per the Eichler Network. The tract's site plan is dated 1969, and county records show 1968 or 1970 for some individual houses.
Who designed Primewood?
Jones & Emmons and Claude Oakland Associates. The 1969 site plan in UC Berkeley's archive is credited to Jones & Emmons, and one Lennox Way listing credits its house to Claude Oakland.
Is Primewood covered by single-story zoning?
We didn't find a single-story combining district for Primewood in city records through early 2017. Check the current zoning map for the parcel before you plan any addition.
Which school district serves Primewood?
The home we checked lists Cupertino Union for K-8 and Fremont Union High School District. Confirm the exact address with the districts.
next door
More Sunnyvale neighborhood guides
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Thinking about Primewood? Let's run your numbers.
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