Of Concord's three Eichler neighborhoods, Parkwood Estates is the one people tend to fall for on the first drive-through. It's a self-contained enclave of mid-century homes with no through streets, tucked right up against Concord Community Park, and its homes and lots run a little larger than in the city's other Eichler tracts. I've represented more Eichlers here than anywhere else, so this guide is a close look at what makes Parkwood Estates special and what to know if you're thinking of buying or selling here.
A Little History: Eichler's "Parkside" Neighborhood
Joseph Eichler built three tracts in Concord between 1963 and 1965: Parkwood Estates, Rancho del Diablo and Rancho de los Santos. The Eichler Network counts 77 Eichlers in Parkwood Estates, the most of the three, with a few conventional ranch homes mixed in. County records for the homes I've sold here show them built in 1964.
In Eichler's own files the project went by another name. UC Berkeley's Environmental Design Archives catalogs it as "Parkwood Estates (aka Eichler Parkside)," in the collection of architect Claude Oakland. Neighbors stuck with Parkwood Estates, and the name fits: the tract sits between the park and Babel Lane, and the park is a big part of daily life here.
Who designed these homes?
Most Parkwood Estates Eichlers are Claude Oakland designs. The Berkeley archive lists the CC-174 (originally drawn as the MC-574) and the CC-184 for Parkwood Estates, and Eichler Vault's registry adds plans including the CC-1804 and mirrored "R" versions like the CC-174R. The firm of Jones & Emmons is credited with designs here too; one of the homes I sold was a Jones & Emmons carport model, plan CC-1804. If you're researching a specific house, its plan number is the best starting point.
What the Homes Are Like
Parkwood Estates has more model variety than the other Concord tracts. The Eichler Network singles out a striking double-steep-gable atrium model, alongside carport models and atrium plans with gabled rooflines. Inside you'll find the classic Eichler vocabulary: post-and-beam framing, tongue-and-groove ceilings, walls of glass, radiant floor heat and, in many plans, an open-air atrium at the heart of the house.
The Parkwood Estates Eichlers I've listed have been single-story homes with four or five bedrooms and roughly 1,870 to 2,350 square feet, many of them around 1,995. Lots are generous by Eichler standards, often 9,000 to 10,000-plus square feet, and several are a quarter acre or more. That extra land is why so many Parkwood Estates backyards have pools, and why some owners have room to add an ADU.
A surprising amount of original character survives. Homes I've sold here have kept their mahogany paneling, unpainted tongue-and-groove ceilings, globe lighting, built-in shelving and even the original Eichler house numbers.
Streets and the Park
Parkwood Estates' Eichlers line Gainsborough, Merridan, Lancashire and Barrington Drives in Concord's 94518 ZIP code.
The neighborhood's defining feature is Concord Community Park. The city-run Concord Community Pool sits on Lancashire Drive, and the park has tennis courts, playing fields and trails. Some Lancashire Drive homes back right onto the park, with direct access from the backyard. The Markham Nature Area and arboretum is a short walk away, and Mount Diablo views are part of the backdrop from many yards.
Concord BART is a little over a mile from the tract as the crow flies, and sellers here typically describe it as about a ten-minute drive. Highway 242 and I-680 are close, and downtown Concord's Todos Santos Plaza is about a mile and a half away.
Living in Parkwood Estates
The park makes Parkwood Estates feel connected. The Eichler Network has written about Parkwood Estates' long-running neighborhood potluck and about original owners still living in their homes decades later. When an Eichler here needs mahogany siding or a hard-to-find part, neighbors across Concord's three Eichler tracts often know where to find it.
HOA status for Parkwood Estates isn't consistently reported, so for any home you're considering, confirm whether an association or recorded restrictions apply by checking the preliminary title report and the seller's disclosures.
Owners here put real effort into keeping these homes comfortable. Recent Parkwood Estates sellers have added owned solar, ductless mini-splits, dual-pane glass, newer foam or TPO roofs and updated radiant boilers, and kept the architecture intact while doing it. If you're planning a kitchen, my post on kitchen design trends shaping East Bay homes covers how warm wood ties back to Eichler post-and-beam character.
Buying an Eichler in Parkwood Estates
With fewer than 80 Eichlers in the tract, the right home doesn't come up often. Here's what I tell buyers:
- Know the plan number. A CC-174, a CC-1804 carport model and a gabled atrium plan live very differently. The plan tells you the layout, atrium placement and garage setup.
- Look at the lot, not just the house. Lot size and orientation vary a lot here. Park-adjacent lots, pool yards and room for an ADU all affect value.
- Inspect the Eichler systems. Radiant heat, roofing and drainage, electrical panels and windows deserve an inspector who knows Eichlers.
- Ask about permits. ADUs, enclosed atriums and room conversions should have permits on file with the City of Concord.
- Be ready. Have financing lined up and tell me what you're looking for, so you hear about homes as they're coming.
Selling Your Parkwood Estates Eichler
Parkwood Estates buyers are shopping for architecture, so the marketing has to show the plan, the light and the land. These are some of the homes I've represented here:
- 1243 Lancashire Dr: a renovated Eichler with a private pool, direct access to the park's tennis courts and views of Mt. Diablo. Sold June 2025.
- 3695 Merridan Dr: a Claude Oakland CC-174 on one of the tract's largest lots, restored with its atrium, mahogany paneling and original house numbers intact. Sold October 2025.
- 3713 Merridan Dr: a 2,155-square-foot CC-174R with radiant floor heat and an atrium. Sold May 2026.
- 1237 Lancashire Dr: a five-bedroom Eichler with a permitted detached ADU, a pool and backyard access to the park. Sold July 2026.
- 3707 Merridan Dr: a Jones & Emmons CC-1804 carport model on a terraced quarter-acre lot with radiant heat and unpainted ceilings. Sold August 2026.
- 3701 Gainsborough Dr: an atrium model on a level quarter-acre lot with original mahogany, ceilings and built-ins. Sold October 2026.
- 1279 Lancashire Dr: a Claude Oakland design with an open-air atrium, kitchen and baths by Destination Eichler, and a quarter-acre pool yard. Sold October 2026.
- 3730 Gainsborough Dr: an atrium Eichler with a motorized retractable atrium roof, owned solar and a pool. Coming soon.
Every one of those homes sold on its story: what's original, what's been improved and why it matters. If you're thinking about selling, start with a home valuation, and I'll walk you through what Parkwood Estates buyers are paying for right now.
Parkwood Estates FAQ
How many Eichler homes are in Parkwood Estates?
The Eichler Network counts 77 Eichlers, the most of Concord's three Eichler tracts, with a few conventional ranch homes mixed in.
Who designed the homes?
Most are Claude Oakland designs with "CC" plan numbers such as the CC-174 and CC-184. Jones & Emmons is also credited, including the CC-1804 carport model.
What streets are in Parkwood Estates?
Gainsborough, Merridan, Lancashire and Barrington Drives, between Concord Community Park and Babel Lane in ZIP code 94518.
Is there an HOA?
HOA status isn't consistently reported for Parkwood Estates. Confirm it for the specific home through the preliminary title report and seller disclosures.
Can I add an ADU?
Many Parkwood Estates lots are large enough to consider one, and at least one home here has a permitted detached ADU. Check current City of Concord rules for your lot.
How is Parkwood Estates different from Concord's other Eichler tracts?
Parkwood Estates has the most homes and the most model variety, slightly larger homes and lots, and its own edge on the city park. Rancho del Diablo and Rancho de los Santos sit together about a mile to the east.
Let's Talk Eichlers
Whether you're hoping to land a Parkwood Estates Eichler, wondering what yours is worth, or just love these homes as much as I do, I'm always happy to talk. Explore more of the city on my Concord neighborhood page, browse my recent listings and sales, or reach out and we'll find a time to chat.
