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Talk Eichler with Boyenga Team
Compare the details. Find your fit.
Compare the details. Find your fit.
A practical Sunnyvale Eichler workbook from Boyenga Team | Compass.
Two homes can share a compelling roofline and feel completely different to live in. Use this workbook to compare the properties on your shortlist, keep evidence beside impressions and prepare a more useful conversation with Eric and Janelle Boyenga.
How to use it: copy the prompts into a note for each address. Fill in what you know, mark the rest “unconfirmed,” and revisit the same questions after a tour or document review. You do not need to enter personal information on this website.
01 / Set your priorities before the tour.
01 / Set your priorities before the tour.
Choose three essentials, three preferences and the compromises you can accept. Make them observable: a separate work room, a particular bedroom arrangement, usable storage or an outdoor area that connects to the main living space. “Great layout” is less useful than describing the routine the layout needs to support.
Copy these prompts: My three essentials are ___. My preferred timing is ___. The projects I could manage are ___. The changes I would not want to take on are ___. The questions that could change my decision are ___.
02 / Compare the address and its setting.
02 / Compare the address and its setting.
Use the Sunnyvale Eichler neighborhood guides to begin your research, then test each address against your own routines. A tract name cannot establish condition, school enrollment, commute time or remodeling options.
Everyday routes: try the trips you expect to make at the relevant time of day. Note crossings, transit stops and the final approach to the home.
Street and lot: observe access, surrounding uses, window relationships and outdoor privacy. Revisit when noise or traffic conditions might differ.
Schools and services: confirm the exact address, grade and enrollment year with the responsible district if this matters to your search.
Neighborhood identity: keep the source beside any tract, architect or model attribution. Nearby homes and similar appearances are leads for research, not proof.
Use the Sunnyvale Map Explorer to plan your visits →
03 / Compare the home you can use today.
03 / Compare the home you can use today.
Walk your ordinary weekday.
Walk your ordinary weekday.
Trace the route from parking to the kitchen with groceries, from a bedroom to a bathroom, and from a work area to a quiet call. Notice storage, door swings and paths that pass through another activity. Use room dimensions and your furniture sizes to test the fit; a wide-angle photograph is not a furniture plan.
Read light and privacy together.
Read light and privacy together.
From seated and standing positions, note views through glass, neighboring windows and places where you would want screening. Record the visit time and weather. If a room’s light is central to your decision, arrange another visit at a different time rather than assuming one viewing represents the whole day.
Test the indoor–outdoor connection.
Test the indoor–outdoor connection.
Ask how you would use an atrium, courtyard or garden: dining, play, quiet seating or gardening. Notice the route, thresholds, shade and access for maintenance. Record drainage questions for a qualified professional; attractive planting cannot establish how water behaves during rain.
Separate fit from possible changes.
Separate fit from possible changes.
For each concern, write either “works now,” “can live with it” or “requires a project.” Treat a hoped-for addition, wall removal or system upgrade as an unanswered feasibility question until the appropriate professionals and City staff have reviewed it. A favorite idea should not become an assumed feature of the purchase.
04 / Give each property question an evidence trail.
04 / Give each property question an evidence trail.
Use the same format for every unresolved item: what I observed → what I need to know → who can answer → supporting record → next step.
Roof and drainage: ask for available installation, repair and warranty records, then discuss present condition and follow-up with qualified inspectors.
Heating and cooling: identify the system actually installed. Ask about service history, changes and the comfort questions that need evaluation. Do not infer the current system from the home’s age.
Glass, wood and finishes: distinguish visible appearance from documented age or restoration. Ask what supports “original,” “restored” or other material claims.
Additions and alterations: compare the present layout with available plans and records. Ask City staff about records and approvals; a drawing, invoice and final inspection record answer different questions.
Future work: ask professionals about scope, access, dependencies and what must be investigated before a reliable proposal can be prepared.
Example: “The room felt warm at 3 p.m.” is an observation. “The glazing must be replaced” is a proposed solution. Keep the two separate until the cause and options have been evaluated.
Build your ownership discussion around the purchase, recurring expenses, known maintenance and separately investigated projects. Obtain property-specific quotes and advice for insurance, financing and proposed work; this workbook does not supply a repair allowance or a home value.
05 / Turn your notes into a decision.
05 / Turn your notes into a decision.
After each visit, write three short lists: what works for you, what needs evidence and what would need to change. Compare homes on the same questions while the visit is fresh. Keep a major unresolved issue visible even when you love the architecture.
Copy this decision card.
Copy this decision card.
Address and visit: property, date, time and weather.
Best fit: three things that support your daily routine.
Tradeoffs: three compromises you would actually accept.
Evidence needed: question, document or professional, and follow-up date.
Potential projects: purpose, scope to investigate and effect on move-in timing.
Next action: revisit, request records, arrange professional advice or remove from the shortlist.
Bring your shortlist to the Boyenga Team.
Bring your shortlist to the Boyenga Team.
Eric and Janelle can help turn a collection of appealing listings into a focused property comparison. Share the addresses, your priorities and the questions that could change your decision.
Review my Eichler shortlist with Boyenga Team →
Research links worth keeping with your notes.
Research links worth keeping with your notes.
Buyer field guide · Neighborhood index and architecture glossary · Project planner
Planning-source check · October 23, 2026: Sunnyvale’s July 21, 2026 Council report distinguishes designated Eichler neighborhoods from the proposed citywide lower-density design standards and discusses updating Eichler design-review thresholds. For a particular property, ask City staff which current standards, overlays and review process apply. An older guideline PDF alone should not settle that question.
Read the City Council report, file 26-0590 · City design-guidelines directory
Workbook by Boyenga Team | Compass. This is a way to organize observations and questions; it does not establish a home’s condition, value, school assignment or permission to remodel.
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