Single-Story Homes in Brentwood Without the 55+ Rule

Someone loves the idea of single-story living, tours Trilogy, and then finds out the age requirement does not fit their situation. They assume the choice is a two-story house or nothing. It is not. Brentwood has neighborhoods with one-story floor plans and no age rule at all, and some of them have no HOA either.

Below is the list I keep for clients, what you give up by skipping a 55+ community, and the two local rules that still follow you into a non-restricted neighborhood.

Why the big search sites miss these homes

There is no "single-story plus no age limit" filter on the portals. You can filter by stories on some of them, but the age-restricted communities show up in the same results as everything else, and the no-HOA homes are not flagged as such. The data that would answer your question is spread across the listing remarks, the HOA fields, and the community rules, and no search box reads all three at once.

So I keep a manual list. When a client tells me they want one level and no age rule, I do not start with a saved search. I start with the neighborhoods below and pull what is on the market in each one.

Where to start your search

These are the places I look first. Each has its own character, and the single-story supply in each moves at its own pace.

Brentwood neighborhoods with one-story homes and no age rule

• Shadow Lakes — lake or fairway views, a mix of one- and two-story homes, competitive when a single-story comes up
• Sand Creek — established, open floor plans, typically well-maintained
• Garin Ranch — a newer master-planned neighborhood; some homes here carry no HOA fees at all
• Brentwood Hills and Hammock Creek — classic Brentwood neighborhoods with solid single-story inventory

A few notes on how I read each one.

Shadow Lakes is the one where you move fast. The views are the draw, whether you are looking at water or a fairway, and because the neighborhood is a mix of one- and two-story homes, the single-story ones are a fraction of what comes up. When one lists, it is a competitive area, so have your financing ready before you tour.

Sand Creek is established. The floor plans tend to be open, and the homes are typically well-maintained, which matters on a one-story house because there is no upstairs to hide deferred maintenance in. What you see on the tour is close to what you get.

Garin Ranch is the newer master-planned spot, and it carries the detail most people call me about: some of the homes here have no HOA fees at all. Not lower dues. None. On a monthly budget that is a line item that simply goes away, and it is the reason "no-HOA single-story" is a real search in Brentwood and not a wish.

Brentwood Hills and Hammock Creek are the classic neighborhoods. They do not get the same attention as the newer developments, but the single-story inventory is solid, and that steadiness is exactly what you want when the floor plan is the non-negotiable.

What you trade when you skip the 55+ community

Nothing here is free. You gain flexibility and you avoid the age rules, and in exchange a few things change.

Amenities. Trilogy's built-in social scene, the pools and the activities, is part of what the HOA dues pay for. In the neighborhoods above you are trading that for lower dues, and in some Garin Ranch homes for no dues at all. If you were never going to use the clubhouse, that is a clean win. If you were, it is a cost you should count before you decide.

Resale. This one runs in your favor. A home with no age restriction can be sold to anyone, so when you eventually list, your buyer pool is wider than it would be inside a 55+ community. The same single-story floor plan that made you want the house is what the next buyer will be searching for, and there are no rules narrowing who that buyer can be.

Maintenance. With no HOA, or a smaller one, more of the upkeep is yours. The monthly savings are real, but so is the responsibility, and it belongs in the same budget the dues came out of.

I compared the age-restricted communities side by side in Comparing Brentwood's 55+ Communities if you want to see what you would be giving up in detail. And if the one-level layout is about staying put for the long haul, Aging in Place in Brentwood covers what to look for in the house itself.

Right to Farm follows you into these neighborhoods

Prop 19 still applies outside Trilogy

This is the question I get most from buyers who assume the tax benefit is tied to the 55+ community. It is not. You can still take advantage of Prop 19 if you qualify, and qualifying is based on your age and your timeline, not on your neighborhood's HOA rules or whether the community is age-restricted.

So a qualifying homeowner selling one house and buying a single-story in Brentwood Hills is in the same position as one buying in Trilogy. The neighborhood does not change the answer. The details, including the timeline, are in Don't Overpay Property Taxes When You Downsize.

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Tell me which of these neighborhoods you are curious about and I'll pull the single-story homes on the market there by hand, HOA status included, because the algorithms usually miss them. Do not trust an automated estimate to tell you what is available.

(925) 200-0717 — I answer my own phone seven days a week, and a one-story search is a quick one to start.

This post is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or tax advice. Neighborhood details, HOA status, and disclosure requirements vary by property and should be confirmed with the listing and the applicable HOA documents. Proposition 19 has eligibility requirements and deadlines; confirm your situation with the Contra Costa County Assessor or a qualified tax professional before relying on it.

Margie Lupo, Broker Associate, SRES® · eXp Realty of Northern California, Inc. · DRE #01193496 · Brokerage DRE #02188495 · Equal Housing Opportunity