Worth The Wait
T
he Woodside condominium complex in Arden is a hidden gem. It’s a gated community on Howe Avenue between Sierra Boulevard and Northrup Avenue, and features a park setting with mature trees and gardens. The 725-unit planned apartment complex was developed in the 1960s and converted to condominiums around 1980. Homeowner Lyn Efken has been a resident since 1982, when she purchased a Woodside townhouse. After she retired as a speech pathologist
CH By Cecily Hastings Photography by Aniko Kiezel OPEN HOUSE
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and program administrator, she managed other Woodside properties for homeowners who rented their units. In 2014, she purchased a larger two-story, three-bedroom, two-and-ahalf-bath townhouse. “The windows overlook mature trees and have Eastern light exposure most of the day. “I had been dreaming of this unit for years!” she says. “I loved that this unit was 1,215 square feet when my previous unit was only 725 square feet.” Her favorite feature was the garage. Most Woodside units come with carports. There was a catch. The larger home had been vacant for 20 years. It needed a complete renovation. Efken lived in her existing home and spent almost two years completing the work. “I didn’t want any stress with the remodeling,” she says. “I wanted it to be fun.” When the drywall came down to the studs for electrical and lighting upgrades, she realized she had the
Lyn Efken with Bentley
VACANT 20 YEARS, NOW A BEAUTY
