Fairwood Addition

Fairwood Addition Eichler Tract Sunnyvale 94087

Historical Overview of Fairwood Addition

• Year Built: 1971 (late-era Eichlers)

• Home Count: 20 single-family Eichlers on Chickadee Court and Chukar Court

• Architects: Jones & Emmons (principal), with late-era influence from Claude Oakland

• Typical Size/Layout: ~1,545–1,800+ sq ft; 3- and 4-bedroom plans; atrium and gallery variants

• Preservation: Covered by Sunnyvale Eichler Design Guidelines (and reinforced by the surrounding Eichler single-story fabric)

Fairwood Addition is a compact, late-period Joseph Eichler development built in 1971, a decade after the main Fairwood tracts (1961–62). Sited on two cul-de-sacs (Chickadee Ct. and Chukar Ct.) in the Ortega Park neighborhood, it represents Eichler’s last chapter in Sunnyvale: a small, carefully executed cluster that distilled twenty years of mid-century learning into efficient, livable plans.

Where Fairwood I & II delivered a broad spectrum of early-’60s models across more than two hundred lots, the Fairwood Addition focused on a curated set of three and four-bedroom designs, most in the 1,545–1,800+ sq ft range. Built after the atrium concept had become an Eichler signature—and just as the “gallery” (skylit interior hall) plan gained traction—the Addition showcases the endgame of Eichler’s suburban modernism: compact footprints, clean structure, and luminous interiors, tuned for contemporary family life.

• Architectural Highlights

• Model DNA. Homes here are single-story and typically 3/2 or 4/2, offered in atrium and gallery variants:

• You Atrium models place an open-to-sky courtyard at the home’s core, ringed by glass—pinwheeling daylight into living spaces, bedrooms, and circulation.

• Gallery models trade the open sky for a skylit interior hall (the “gallery”) that draws light deep into the plan—an elegant solution for year-round comfort without losing the drama of a central spine.

• Structure & materiality. Expect classic Eichler ingredients:

• Post-and-beam framing (open rooms, minimal interior bearing walls)

• Floor-to-ceiling glass with sliders to patios/atriums

• Tongue-and-groove ceilings and exposed beams

• Radiant-heated slab floors (quiet, even heat; a signature of late-era Eichlers)

• Low-sloped or flat roofs with broad eaves that extend living spaces visually and shade glass

• Street presence. As with most Eichlers, the quiet face is to the street—carport/garage, blank planes, and minimal fenestration—while the drama is inward (atrium) and to the rear (glass-walled living areas and patios). The two-court plan of the tract naturally limits through-traffic and maintains the low-slung, human-scaled mid-century silhouette.

• Renovation patterns. Sensitive updates here typically:

• Upgrade mechanicals (boiler/radiant, panel capacity) and glazing (thin-profile dual pane)

• Refresh kitchens/baths with flat-front cabinetry, period-right finishes (terrazzo/stone/cork), and modern appliances

• Recoat/upgrade low-slope roofs (foam/membrane) for energy performanceYou 

• Preserve paneling, ceilings, and atrium/courtyard logic (buyers pay for authenticity)
  
  

Neighborhood Context & Lifestyle

Micro-enclave feel. With just 20 homes on two cul-de-sacs, Fairwood Addition offers an intimate mid-century pocket—quiet streets, minimal traffic, and a high degree of cohesion. Long tenures are common; neighbors tend to know each other, and the courts function as casual gathering spaces for kids on scooters, dog-walkers, and impromptu chats.

Everyday convenience. The tract sits along the Homestead corridor, moments to daily retail and services. Raynor Park and Ortega Park are nearby for playfields, tennis, and picnics, and the John W. Christian Greenbelt (to the north) threads a 2.7-mile walking/bike spine through Sunnyvale’s park network. Downtown Sunnyvale (Cityline/Murphy Ave.) is a short drive for dining, retail, and the weekend farmers’ market.

Commute calculus. The location is prime Silicon Valley:

• Apple Park and Infinite Loop: minutes by Homestead/Lawrence

• Google, LinkedIn, NVIDIA, Intel: quick freeway or surface-street access

• Arteries: Lawrence Expy., Wolfe Rd., El Camino Real, Hwy 85/280/101 all nearby

The net effect: quiet, cul-de-sac living with big-tech proximity—a rare pairing that underscores the tract’s long-run desirability.

Market Context & Dynamics

Scarce by design. With only 20 homes in the tract, new listings are rare events. Turnover is low, and the buyer pool is unusually motivated: Eichler aficionados, design-savvy tech professionals, and move-up buyers seeking authentic mid-century with a central Silicon Valley location. Scarcity amplifies competition.

Pricing posture. As late-era Eichlers (~1.55–1.8k sq ft), Fairwood Addition homes typically track Sunnyvale’s Eichler medians, with premiums for turn-key atrium/gallery models, intact architectural features, and thoughtful upgrades. In today’s market, comparable Sunnyvale Eichlers of similar size often transact in the high-$2M range, with exceptional examples reaching low-$3Ms—especially when presentation, updates, and outdoor program align. Expect above-market $/sf relative to conventional ranch stock; buyers pay for design pedigree and micro-enclave scarcity.

Days on market & SP/LP. DOM tends to be short when preparation and pricing are correct; multiple-offer outcomes are common, and strong SP/LP (sale-to-list price) ratios follow. In head-to-head comparisons, sensitively updated homes (modern systems + preserved MCM texture) consistently outperform “over-remodeled” alternatives.

Competitive set.

• Fairwood I/II (1961–62): larger tract, similar DNA; Addition buyers often cross-shop here.

• Fairbrae / Rancho Verde: comparable size band; premiums for atrium and intact materials.

• Peninsula (Palo Alto): higher absolute pricing; Addition offers relative value with equivalent architectural cachet and better commute for South Bay tech.

Preservation & Design Guidelines

Fairwood Addition benefits from Sunnyvale’s Eichler Design Guidelines, which:

• Encourage one-story massing, mid-century materials, and compatible fenestration

• Discourage out-of-scale second stories and incongruent detailing

• Provide a review framework for exterior changes/additions to protect the tract’s authenticity

While the Addition is small, it reads as one story by intent, and it sits among a larger constellation of Sunnyvale Eichler overlays and guideline areas. Practically, that means owners modernize with Eichler-sensitive solutions (foam/membrane roofing, thin-profile dual-pane, period-right finishes), and buyers can be confident the streetscape’s mid-century character will endure.

Real-World Preparation: How to Sell a Fairwood Addition Eichler Well

Pre-list tune-ups (high-ROI):

• Roof service or recoat (foam/membrane) a 

• Radiant system test/repair and panel capacity upgrades

• Thin-profile dual-pane at key glass walls

• Atrium/courtyard landscaping (low-water, MCM palette)

• Staging that celebrates the architecture (flat-front cabinetry, low silhouettes, period lighting)

Narrative & visuals: Lead with atrium/gallery living and inside-outside continuity. Capture twilight glow through glass walls; include drone context; storyboard lifestyle (parks, Homestead corridor, tech proximity). The right story + imagery catalyzes the design-minded buyer pool.

The Boyenga Team Advantage

Eichler fluency. As Silicon Valley’s leading Eichler specialists, Eric & Janelle Boyenga (Compass) marry architectural expertise with data-driven strategy. They know the model vocabulary (atrium vs gallery), what to preserve (beams, paneling, atrium logic), where to modernize (roofing, glazing, mechanicals), and how to position late-era Sunnyvale inventory for maximum appeal.

Compass tools that matter here:

• Compass Concierge funds pre-sale improvements and authentic staging with no upfront cost, so sellers can showcase the home at its best and net more at closing.

• Private Exclusives quietly expose the home to a curated buyer network before MLS, creating pre-market demand.

• Collections & Analytics target the right buyers (MCM fans, design-centric tech buyers) and inform smart pricing with Eichler-specific comps.

Network & negotiation. The team’s exclusive Eichler buyer database and reputation in the mid-century niche routinely yield multiple-offer scenarios and record outcomes. For buyers, early access and expert guidance on inspections (radiant, roof, panel) can be the difference between winning and missing a rare, 20-home opportunity.

Bottom line: In a micro-enclave like Fairwood Addition—where supply is fixed and demand is passionate—the Boyenga Team’s property-nerdish approach, modern marketing stack, and architectural fluency deliver a decisive advantage for sellers and buyers alike.