Sunny Hills Real Estate:
Fullerton’s Sunny Hills West Neighborhood
Real estate in Fullerton’s Sunny Hills West neighborhood always seems to move fast when compared to neighboring areas. There are many reasons that Sunny Hills West homes are among Orange County’s best real estate, and this profile will let prospective home buyers see many of the unique features and characteristics that are behind the neighborhood’s popularity. Once they decide they like the area, the Tools section below will then enable them to find, buy, or track homes for sale in the Sunny Hills West area.
Tools:
Sunny Hills West Homes For Sale - Use the FOUST Home Finder to search for homes yourself, or set up a custom search when you’re ready to dial in on a specific type of property in the Sunny Hills West neighborhood. *This tool can also help to search for real estate in other areas as well.
Sunny Hills West Property Tracker – Whether you’re a savvy investor or just a curious neighbor, our FOUST Property Tracker™ is the best way to keep you “In The Loop” with regards to home sales in your neighborhood or area of interest. Sunny Hills West
Neighborhood Pictures – See for yourself what the neighborhood and its homes actually look like.
Other Local Neighborhood Reviews - Scroll through our “Learn about Real Estate by Neighborhoods” section to find other neighborhoods of interest.
History of Sunny Hills West
The Sunny Hills West neighborhood consists of three different tracks of homes, mostly all built by William Lyons. The first tract of homes, designed with floor plans that maximize the number of bedrooms available, were built between 1964 and 1966 with few other small tracts, by unknown builders, mixed in later.
The middle portion of Sunny Hills West, consisting of large floor plans and located on the western portion of the area, was built between 1969 and 1971. In response to the slower real estate market at the time and the lethargic selling of these large homes, Lyons also built a tract of smaller models on the east side of the 
neighborhood between 1971 and 1975. The three different tracts are almost seamlessly woven together into a very charming and cohesive neighborhood.
On the average, the homes in the original portion of Sunny Hills West will host 3-6 bedrooms of 1,772-2763 sq. ft size and have lots from 7,000-13,000 sq. ft. The larger homes of the middle portion run 3-5 bedrooms, between 1,600 and 3,500 sq. ft., with lot sizes from 8,000-20,000 sq. ft. The newer portion of Sunny Hills West offers generally smaller homes of 3-5 bedrooms, between 1,400 and 3,000 sq. ft., with lot sizes ranging from 8,000 to 14,000 sq ft. Below you will find the most common Sunny Hills West models available.
Area Home Models
Sunny Hills West – Original
Roughly between Rosecrans, Conejo, Parks Rd, and Gilbert (Includes west side of N. Camino Centrloma and adjacent streets)
Bed |
Bath |
Stories |
Bldg. Sq. Ft. |
Sample Pics |
Insider Tips |
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3 |
2.5-3.5 |
tri level |
1,640-2,100 |
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3 |
2-3.5 |
1 |
1,690-1,847 |
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3 |
2.5-3.5 |
1 |
2,189-2,445 |
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4 |
2-4 |
1 |
1,900-2,010 |
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3-4 |
2.5-3.5 |
2 |
2,140-2,353 |
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5 |
3-5 |
2 |
2,358-2,360 |
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5 |
3-4.5 |
2 |
2,720-2,730 |
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6 |
3.5 |
2 |
2,760-2,765 |
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Builder: Unknown 1
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Bed |
Bath |
Stories |
Bldg. Sq. Ft. |
Sample Pics |
Insider Tips |
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4 |
2.5 |
2 |
2,000-2,684 |
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5 |
2.5-3.5 |
2 |
2,700-2,761 |
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6 |
3.5 |
2 |
2,720-2,850 |
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Builder: Unknown 2
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Bed |
Bath |
Stories |
Bldg. Sq. Ft. |
Sample Pics |
Insider Tips |
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3 |
2 |
1 |
1,900-1,920 |
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4 |
2 |
1 |
1,871-2,322 |
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4 |
2.5-3.5 |
2 |
2,165-2,187 |
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5 |
3 |
2 |
2,187-2,600 |
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6 |
3 |
2 |
2,500-2,800 |
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Sunny Hills West – Middle
Roughly between Camino Rey, Camino Centroloma, Rosecrans, and Avenida Del Norte. (Includes some of Celeste and east side of N. Camino Centroloma
Bed |
Bath |
Stories |
Bldg. Sq. Ft. |
Sample Pics |
Insider Tips |
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3 |
2 |
1 |
1,600-1,750 |
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4 |
2 |
1 |
2,000-2,207 |
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3 |
4 |
2 |
2,100-2,400 |
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4 |
3 |
2 |
2,164-3,221 |
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4 |
4.5 |
tri level |
3,300-3,500 |
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5 |
3 |
tri level |
3,200-3,600 |
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Sunny Hills West – Newest
Roughly between Paseo Dorado, Camino Rey, Grissom Park, and Camino Del Sol
Bed |
Bath |
Stories |
Bldg. Sq. Ft. |
Sample Pics |
Insider Tips |
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3 |
2 |
1 |
1,441-1,446 |
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3 |
2 |
1 |
1,638-1,750 |
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* + den which could
be 4th bedroom |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1,768-1,820 |
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3 |
2.5 |
2 |
1,998-2,109 |
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* + game room which could
be 4th bedroom |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2,066-2,101 |
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* + den which could
be 4th bedroom |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2,066-2,101 |
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* + den which could
be 4th bedroom |
Special Features
Three car garages and driveways - One of the most unique features of the neighborhood is the presence of three and even some four car garages wthin the middle and newer tracts. This feature is especially important since the City of Fullerton does not allow overnight parking on the streets. In addition to the garages, the full-size driveways can accommodate at least three cars as well. If a buyer has lots of vehicles, this will be a definite plus.
Cul-de-sacs - A cul-de-sac is the name for a neighborhood street that is significantly wider than the surrounding streets, usually rounded in shape, and has zero through traffic except from residents who live on the street. The major benefit is that cul-de-sac homes can make very good places for young children to play with less of a threat from passing traffic. The downside of cul-de-sac homes is that the end homes can be less than ideal according to the laws of feng shui, at least according to the people we’ve encountered. Sunny Hills West contains numerous large and small cul-de-sacs along with the normal mix of straighter residential streets.
Hillside terrain – The Sunny Hills West neighborhood is carved into a moderate hillside. This results in many things like view property and undulating topography which adds to the areas charm and uniqueness. This undulation in terrain may pose an issue for some people who like to walk but will most definitely result in a good workout. Despite the rolling streetscapes, the houses themselves are all on fairly flat lots.
Mature trees –The character of the area is further enriched by mature trees, which dot the undulating streetscapes. Many of the trees change colors with the seasons and provide a warm feel that is often hard to find in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Most of these trees are on city property and therefore maintained by the City of Fullerton. Homeowners may find that some of the trees shedding their leaves will create a mild mess that will require a little raking on behalf of the homeowners.
Two public parks – Virgil “Gus” Grissom Park and its little cousin Robert B. Chaffee Park are community public parks offering grassy recreation areas. In addition, a walk/jog/horse/bike path traverses both parks and provides recreation options unique to the area. While neither of the parks have any playground or recreation equipment available at present, both provide ample space to play a game of softball or take a leisurely evening walk. Both parks are maintained and operated by the city, and there are no dues passed on to the surrounding homeowners.
Walking distance to area schools – While the respective school district will be covered in the next section, it is worth noting that parents of children living in Sunny Hills West will be walking distance to both the elementary, junior high, and high school.
Area Fundamentals
Schools – Sunny Hills West feeds some of the best schools not only in Fullerton, but in the country as well. If one is truly looking for an exceptional education for their children, this school district will not disappoint. As of this time, the area feeds into the nationally acclaimed Sunny Hills High School as well as Parks Junior High and Sunset Lane Elementary. Some parts of the Sunny Hills West neighborhood feed into the ever popular Laguna Road Elementary School instead of Sunset Lane. For more info on each of the respective schools, please contact the districts using the links at the bottom of the page.
Views – Very rarely does one single area offer such a diverse array of view property opportunities as the Sunny Hills West neighborhood. Perched atop the rugged hillside, potential home buyers can shop for all sorts of views ranging from city light and hillside to ocean and Catalina Island. It is more common for homes on the south side of the neighborhood streets to have the best views since the entire area rests on the south side of the hill. Of course, home buyers will be paying a premium for these lots as well.
Quiet Area – One of the most surprising features of this area is the relative serenity of the neighborhoods. Very little through traffic, city noise, or other distractions provides an excellent venue for escaping the stress of the workday without feeling totally isolated. Sunny Hills West is still in close enough proximity to many local entertainment venues to satisfy those that like to go out for a night on the town.
There is another matter with regards to noise in the area that is worth noting. The railroad that runs the southern border of Sunny Hills West is active but does not see much rail traffic. Home buyers are advised to investigate the possibility of disturbance for themselves, however, we would like to advise them to bring a comfortable chair because it may take awhile if they are waiting for a train to come! No matter where the day or night takes a Sunny Hills West home owner, the neighborhood will provide a cozy retreat for them to call home.
Expert Insider Information
West Coyote Hills Project – One of the biggest draws of the Sunny Hills area is its close proximity to nature and hillsides. Currently a developer by the name of Pacific Coast Homes has plans to develop a large portion of land surrounding the area into what they are terming a “low density community” called West Coyote Hills.” In the past, the land has been used by Chevron and was not open to the public. There is a group known as the Friends of Coyote Hills that opposes the development claiming that this area needs to remain a nature preserve in order to not destroy one of North Orange County’s last natural habitats.
Pacific Coast Homes offers interesting but controversial arguments that the plan for the project will be sensitive to the surrounding terrain and do a good job blending public use and nature preservation to land that is not currently available for public use. Check the above links to find out more about both sides of this sensitive issue as well as maps of the proposed project. One can also visit the Fullerton City Council to find the latest developments.
Our feeling is that while the outcome is not certain, this looks like a project that will most likely be carried out to some degree or extent. When it will happen or what the impact will be is a story that remains to be told. Obviously, we are hopeful that whatever they decide will increase the value of the area and make the Sunny Hills area an even more desirable community to live. We encourage potential home buyers to sample for themselves the charm of this unique part of Orange County and decide for themselves how the proposed project will influence the area.
Top of the World – Running the border of the proposed West Coyote Hills Project is an area with a lot of local folklore. The Top of the World is just a recreational trail cut into the edge of the undeveloped hillside but the area offers much more than that in the way of stories. The views, either during the day or at night, are dramatically panoramic and stretch out over much of Orange and Los Angels Counties. On a clear day, it’s easy to make out Catalina Island and almost any night the twinkling of city lights has lend itself to the backdrop of more than one romantic encounter. Part of the charm is the contrast between the completely undeveloped (and inaccessible) hillsides on one side and the vast expanse of human progress and development on the other. Whether one is an outdoor enthusiast or not, most will agree that Top of The World is a desirable feature for Sunny Hills real estate.
Jacaranda Senior Apartments – The former site of the once thriving Sunny Hills Racquet Club will be redeveloped by the Morgan Group, a luxury apartment developer, into a 131 unit senior apartment community on the east end of the Sunny Hills West neighborhood. Many residents of the community are not excited about the transformation but the city has sided with the developer’s argument that this senior community will be the highest and best use for the property. As with the West Coyote Hills Project, we hope to see the end result bring additional value to the community and its residents. We again encourage potential home buyers to sample the area decide for themselves how the proposed project will influence the area.
Fullerton Loop – Outdoor recreation has a good home and strong following in the Sunny Hills area. The 12 mile long Fullerton Loop is an extension of this as well as natural terrain features and city foresight. While Sunny Hills West does not have much in the way of horse property itself, it does have numerous trails for horseback riding. The Fullerton Loop is a loose term for the connecting of many of these paths to form one continuous riding trail for outdoor enthusiasts. Horseback riding, hiking, walking, jogging, running, and mountain biking are all activities allowed on the trails. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from using the trails of the Fullerton Loop.
School Bells – Because much of Sunny Hills West’s close proximity to neighboring schools, it is often possible to hear the school bells and P.A. announcements during the day. Maybe to some this will be a distraction, but it is very comforting to others as a reminder of days of less real world stress and obligations.
Coyotes – With the presence of undeveloped nature areas and rugged hillside expanses, home owners in the area need to be aware of the presence of coyotes. Small pets should be well protected in order to avoid being harmed by the native animals. It is not uncommon for a Sunny Hills West home owner to be taking an early evening walk and stumble upon a wild coyote in the street. While they have not been known to attack the locals, residents should use caution and not provoke the animals when walking alone or at night. Coyotes and other native wildlife are a unique feature of the area and part of its natural attraction to home buyers.
A Note From Your Local Real Estate Professionals
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While these tools, articles, and guides about buying a home in Fullerton, California, will be extremely helpful, we would like to note that they are no substitute for our own personal insight and attention. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, concerns, or ideas regarding the Fullerton real estate market.
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Sunny Hills West
