Rancho de los Santos Eichlers

Eichler Homes in Rancho de los: Mid-Century Modern Marvels in a Historic Neighborhood 

Eichler Summit – A Modernist Icon on Rancho de los

Rancho de los Santos Eichler Homes

Rancho de los Santos is a small but vibrant Eichler enclave in Concord, California. Developed between 1964 and 1965, it is one of three Joseph Eichler subdivisions built in Concord, along with Rancho del Diablo and Parkwood Estates, as documented by the Eichler Network.eichlernetwork.com. For decades, its original name—“Rancho del Diablo #2”—was largely forgotten until Eichler enthusiasts rediscovered the tract’s history and marked its 50th anniversary in 2013 eichlernetwork.com. The neighborhood comprises roughly 40 single-story modernist homes, designed using Eichler plans CC-294 and CC-13 by architects Claude Oakland and Kinji Imada, a detail referenced by the Boyenga Team boyengateam.com and Redfin redfin.com. These mid-1960s Eichler homes embody classic California modernism, featuring flat, low-slung rooflines and post-and-beam construction that eliminates interior load-bearing walls, resulting in open, flexible interiors unified beneath a continuous roof plane. Early marketing materials even promoted the tract as “Eichler Homes CC-294 designed by Oakland & Imada,” highlighting its architectural pedigree.

Architectural Characteristics

The Rancho de los Santos Eichlers display hallmark Joseph Eichler design elements, including floor-to-ceiling glass, broad overhanging eaves, and strong indoor–outdoor flow achieved through central atriums or courtyards. These characteristics are widely documented by sources such as Redfin redfin.com and Mid-Century Machine midcenturymachine.com. Typical floorplans—such as the CC-13 “Gallery” model—feature a dramatic 36-foot-wide living span that visually and physically connects the front and rear of the home, intentionally blurring the boundary between interior and exterior spaces redfin.com. Original Eichler innovations remain prominent throughout the tract, including in-floor radiant heating embedded in concrete slabs (often marketed by Eichler as “warm tile floors”), expansive sliding glass walls, and clerestory windows that flood interiors with natural light. While many homeowners have thoughtfully upgraded systems—adding insulation, dual-pane glazing, air conditioning, and modern foam roofing—the architectural integrity has largely been preserved. The result is bright, airy interiors where built-in wood cabinetry and exposed post-and-beam frameworks remain a defining visual feature.

• Open Post-and-Beam Design: Exposed beams paired with vaulted ceilings create a sense of volume and openness characteristic of Eichler architecture redfin.com

• Atrium / Courtyard Layouts: Many homes retain a private interior atrium or enclosed courtyard at the center of the house, a signature Eichler concept designed to integrate nature into daily living redfin.com.

• Glass Walls & Sliding Doors: Nearly every major room opens to the yard through full-height glass, reinforcing the connection to the outdoors.

• Radiant Slab Flooring: Poured concrete slabs with radiant heat tubing—an Eichler innovation—continue to provide efficient, even warmth decades later midcenturymachine.com.

Neighborhood & Lifestyle

Rancho de los Santos has a distinctly suburban feel, defined by quiet, tree-lined streets and a close-knit community of homeowners with a shared appreciation for mid-century modern design. Walkability within the neighborhood is limited—most errands require a car, with a Walk Score of approximately 49 according to Walk Score walkscore.com However, residents enjoy convenient access to nearby amenities, including Concord Park and Concord Boulevard Park, both located just a few blocks away walkscore.com Downtown Concord, offering shopping, dining, and cultural attractions, is only a short drive from the neighborhood. Public transportation options exist, including local bus routes and TransBay service, though service frequency is limited walkscore.com Homes in Rancho de los Santos fall within the Mount Diablo Unified School District and are generally zoned to Concord-area schools.

For contrast, the Eichler neighborhood of Fairgrove in Cupertino is known for its high walkability, proximity to shops, and access to top-rated Cupertino schools, as well as its adjacency to Apple Park eichlerhomesforsale.com. Fairgrove is also notable for being one of the first Eichler tracts protected by special zoning—designated as an “R1-E” district to preserve its single-story modernist character eichlerhomesforsale.com. Rancho de los Santos does not have a formal design overlay, but homeowners frequently collaborate on restorations and community events. Notably, Concord Eichler enthusiasts once organized a neighborhood-wide 50th anniversary celebration, reflecting the strong sense of shared identity documented by the Eichler Network eichlernetwork.com

Market Insights

Eichler homes in Rancho de los Santos command strong prices within the Concord real estate market. A recent sale at 4003 Santa Fe Court—a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with 1,577 square feet—closed on July 2, 2025 for $1,053,000, or approximately $668 per square foot, according to Redfin (https://www.redfin.com). Another property at 4020 Salem Street, offering 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2,111 square feet, was listed in late 2024 for approximately $1.325 million, as noted by the Boyenga Team boyengateam.com Overall, Rancho de los Santos Eichlers typically trade in the $600–650 per square foot range, reflecting strong demand and extremely limited supply within this small, roughly 40-home tract. Because inventory is so tight, listings tend to attract immediate interest when they become available.

For broader context, Concord remains significantly more affordable than Silicon Valley markets. Redfin reports a median home price of approximately $729,000 for Concord as of October 2025, up about 3.8% year over year, while Cupertino’s median sale price stood near $2.7 million redfin.com. In practical terms, a Rancho de los Santos Eichler—typically priced between $1.0 and $1.3 million—represents a relative value compared to Cupertino Eichlers, which often exceed $1,200 per square foot redfin.com. For mid-century modern enthusiasts, Rancho de los Santos offers architectural authenticity and lifestyle appeal at roughly half the per-square-foot cost of premier Silicon Valley Eichler enclaves. 

Why Rancho de los Santos Appeals to MCM Enthusiasts

Mid-century modern collectors are drawn to Rancho de los Santos for its unusually cohesive architectural integrity. Unlike many post-war suburbs where original designs have been heavily altered, nearly every home in this tract remains a true Eichler, with very few intrusive remodels or incompatible additions. The neighborhood’s compact scale fosters a strong sense of community among owners who share an appreciation for Joseph Eichler’s design philosophy and the principles of California modernism. Compared to older Eichler tracts, Rancho de los Santos also benefits from slightly newer construction and more generous yard space, without the visual disruption of two-story retrofits seen in some Cupertino neighborhoods. In short, Rancho de los Santos offers a well-preserved snapshot of 1960s Eichler history at a relative value, making it a standout choice for mid-century modern enthusiasts and collectors alike.

The Boyenga Team – Silicon Valley’s Eichler Specialists

Eric and Janelle Boyenga and the Boyenga Team are widely recognized as leading experts in Eichler and mid-century modern real estate. Known as “Property Nerds” for their deep passion for architecture and data-driven strategy, the team has built a dominant niche within Silicon Valley’s modern-home market, as highlighted by Compass compass.com.

• Top-Rated Eichler Specialists: With more than 450 five-star Zillow reviews, the Boyenga Team consistently ranks among the most trusted real estate teams in the region. They are frequently cited as the “#1 Eichler Real Estate Team in Silicon Valley,” according to the Boyenga Team boyengateam.com.

• Track Record & Awards: As founding partners of Compass Silicon Valley, Eric and Janelle Boyenga rank among the Top 100 real estate teams in the United States, as reported by the Wall Street Journal via Compass compass.com. To date, they have closed more than $2.5 billion in sales across over 2,200 homes—an achievement attained by only a small fraction of Bay Area agents compass.com. Locally, they consistently lead Eichler home sales in Cupertino, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, and surrounding markets.

• Marketing Edge: The Boyenga Team is known for bespoke Eichler-specific marketing strategies. Their offerings include Compass Concierge—providing funded home preparation, staging, and renovations—as well as a signature three-phase marketing plan built around pre-launch buzz, architectural storytelling, and targeted digital exposure compass.com. They also leverage Compass Private Exclusives to discreetly connect Eichler sellers with qualified buyers before homes ever reach the open market compass.com.

• Deep Local Knowledge: With more than a century of combined experience, the team possesses deep expertise in Bay Area Eichler zoning, architectural nuances, and buyer behavior. Their multilingual team—speaking 14 languages—serves both local and international clients with precision and cultural fluency compass.com.

• Media & Influence: The Boyenga Team is frequently featured in national and regional media, including Architectural Digest, Robb Report, and SFGate, for their insight into Eichler homes and Silicon Valley real estate. Their dedicated Eichler platform, eichlerhomesforsale.com eichlerhomesforsale.com, further reinforces their position as the go-to resource for Eichler enthusiasts.