On an upsloping cul-de-sac across from Charles Farnsworth Park in Altadena, crews are only finishing touches away from completing a new construction home that hit the market early this week for under $1.9 million.
Distinguished by a white facade with black trim, this 2,125-square-foot modern farmhouse-style residence at 3245 Arrowhead Court is the first of 15 single-story homes by San Diego-based New Point Communities, a real estate development and building firm, with sales led by Compass.
Construction began in August, and the developer expects to finish the first home for move in by February.
New Pointe’s entry into Altadena comes as the unincorporated town is in various stages of recovery from the destruction caused by the Eaton fire.
“In addition to the disaster itself, you’ve taken 6,000 homes out of the market,” said Mark Marquez of Compass, who is co-listing the home with colleague Jeff Salcido. “So, we’re not building new inventory, we’re replenishing inventory.”
The homes come in one of three styles, including farmhouse, Santa Barbara mission and craftsman.
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Scot Sandstrom, president of New Point, describes these styles as an homage to the homes that once filled the area. But neighbors refer to those lost homes as having been more modest.
Neighbor Susan Dachel reminisced about her 1947 home of the last 40 years. It was one of two houses on the cul-de-sac constructed by local brothers who built bunkers during World War II.
“They were incredibly solid,” she said, standing on her cleared lot. “You never felt earthquakes. When the wind blew, you had no idea. The outside was cement block that you plastered over so it didn’t look like a bunker. But all of these houses were square. Maybe that was the cheapest way to build.”
The newer homes filling the neighborhood are more dynamic.
New Pointe’s recently poured the foundations for two more homes in the cul-de-sac using the same floorplan as the nearly finished home. Each of these homes will have four bedrooms, four bathrooms and an open-concept kitchen that flows into a vaulted living room, complete with a bump-out electric fireplace.
The kitchen offers ample storage and will be equipped with Bosch stainless steel appliances. A large center island, complete with seating space, will be finished in a quartz countertop.
Triple-panel sliding doors in the living room and primary suite directly open to the backyard. Standing in the backyard of the modern farmhouse’s 7,482-square-foot lot on a clear day offers views of the Los Angeles skyline and a shimmering stretch of ocean.
Records show that in January 2023, the previous owner paid $1.42 million for what was the 1950 traditional home that stood there. It spanned 2,012 square feet and featured three bedrooms and three bathrooms.
In March, the owner listed their burned lot for $625,000 and sold it to the developer for $10,000 above the asking price.
“We only approached people that had listed lots, we didn’t do any solicitations,” said Scot Sandstrom, founder and president of New Pointe.
This isn’t his first post-fire build.
Sandstrom launched his firm in October 2007 as the wind-driven Witch Creek fire erupted, consuming nearly 200,000 acres and over 1,000 homes in San Diego County. Some of his family members and friends lost their homes to the fire.
“I had no idea what the fire would mean to New Pointe, but we ended up buying lots and building homes,” he said, recalling the market at the time was flailing. “We did 47 homes, and I probably met 30 sellers who shared stories that are very similar to what we’ve heard here. Not everybody can rebuild and by selling, it gives them an opportunity to start again.”
And just how will buyers respond to a brand new home in Altadena priced at just below $2 million?
“There was never a lot of inventory on the market here, and now your seeing an inventory that appeals to a broader pool of people,” Marquez said. “It’s brand new, it’s bigger, it’s more functional and yeah it’s a great location. But the market will ultimately dictate where it goes.”
The house will open to the public from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7.