Villa de San Ramon: from Casa Bonita to casa barely sold

The rise and retreat of Villa de San Ramon

In the spring of 1965, a South Bay builder named Duc & Elliot arrived in Dublin with a plan: build a stylish, well-appointed neighborhood where families could live large in modern, sun-drenched homes. What they didn’t plan for? A market that would fizzle faster than a backyard Tiki torch in a rainstorm.

Welcome to Villa de San Ramon—a mid-century gem with seven model homes, one celebrity guest, and a whole lot of ambition.

Grand opening of Villa de San Ramon from April 18, 1965.

The grand opening (and grand expectations)

Developed on land once slated for a project called Barkley Square, Villa de San Ramon opened on April 18, 1965, with prices starting at $19,900 and topping out around $23,300. That made these homes a little pricier than the competition—Ecco Park and Redwing Valley, just across Amador Valley Boulevard, started about $2,000 cheaper.

But Duc & Elliot weren’t worried. Their homes came with all the bells and whistles—bold floor plans, roomy garages, modern features, and even Better Homes and Gardens accolades. Sales started strong: 50 homes were sold within the first three weeks. The future looked fabulous.

A star-studded start

To help christen their new community, builder Jules Duc brought in none other than Michael Landon, then known for his role on Bonanza (and later Little House on the Prairie). Landon visited on May 30, 1965, shaking hands and posing next to perfectly manicured lawns and sparkling new façades.

It was a golden moment—TV stardom meeting suburban optimism. What could go wrong?


Location of Villa de San Ramon

The original model homes are indicated with an "M" (on Burton Street) and the second batch of homes are enclosed with black lines. Only one home, on the corner of Emerald Avenue and Amador Valley Boulevard, was unique in this phase (perhaps the sales office). Empty lots in the middle of the subdivision were built between 1970 and 1973 by the Shamrock Estates subdivision.

Map of Villa de San Ramon in Dublin, California.

Villa de San Ramon model homes (1965-1967)

The original model complex on Burton Street featured seven designs, each more charming than the last. With 3 to 6 bedrooms, there was something for everyone—at least on paper:

Site of the 1965 Villa de San Ramon model homes.

Pricing history
1965 (Unit 1): $19,900 - $23,300
1965 (Unit 2): $20,300 - $23,300
1966: $20,700 - $23,750
1966 (Unit 3): $20,700 - $22,750. Unit 3 dropped plans 4 and 6.
1967: $20,950 +

1. The Californian (Plan 1303)- 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,288 sq. ft.

The original Californian model today.

The floor plan of the Californian.

2. The Casa Serena (Plan 1324) - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,483 sq. ft. Basically, a 4-bedroom Californian.

The original Casa Serena model today.

3. The Mount Diablo (Plan 1294) - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,708 or 1,740 sq. ft. The most popular home in the development. It was given the National Approved Value Design award by Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

The original Mount Diablo model today. Note the original walkway is still there.

The innovative floor plan of the Mount Diablo. Its thoughtful design still inspires us today. 

4. The Casa Grande (Plan 1606)- 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,855 sq. ft. No dining room, no master suite—oops! The home was discontinued by unit 3 (1966). Only 5 were built, including the model.

The original Casa Grande model today.

The original Casa Grande from May 30, 1965; mistakenly called The Manor House.

The floor plan of the Casa Grande, with its shared family bathroom upstairs.

5. The Briarwood (Plan 1293) - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,440 sq. ft. Easily compared to the Mount Diablo, but less loved. Only 7 were built.

The original Briarwood model today.

The floor plan of the Briarwood.

6. The Manor House (Plan 1516) - 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,855 sq. ft. Same square footage as Casa Grande but with one less bedrooms to create a 27' long main bedroom. The model was discontinued by unit 3 (1966).

The original Manor House model today.

7. The Casa Bonita (Plan 1903) - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,258 sq. ft. The most affordable and surprisingly popular.

The original Casa Bonita model today.

The floor plan of the Casa Bonita.

Despite some quirks (like multiple models with no dining room and no private master bath), the homes looked the part. The Mount Diablo model even earned national praise for its clever layout, which separated formal living, casual family, and sleeping spaces— revolutionary at the time. 156 homes were sold over two years.

Trouble in suburbia (1967 model homes)

But by 1967, the winds had shifted. The economy tightened, lending slowed, and suddenly, style wasn't enough to sell a home. Sales plummeted. In response, Duc & Elliot rolled out a second batch of just three homes—two popular models from the first batch, and one new model.

It didn’t help.

The new model complex opened on Amador Valley Boulevard near Emerald Avenue in April 1967,

Site of the 1967 Villa de San Ramon model homes.

Pricing history
1967: $20,950 - $24,500

1. The Villa del Oro (Plan 305) - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,494 sq. ft.

The original Villa del Oro model today.

2. The (new) Mount Diablo (Plan 306) - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,689 sq. ft.

The original Mount Diablo model today.

3. The Casa Serena - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,478 sq. ft.

The original Casa Serena model today.

Despite the retooling, only 28 homes sold that year, a steep fall from the opening years. It wasn’t just Villa de San Ramon—Duc & Elliot’s Livermore project, Los Altos Heights, was also struggling.

The end of the line

By late 1967, the writing was on the wall (and probably in red ink). Duc & Elliot wrapped up work at Villa de San Ramon and exited the neighborhood. By 1970, the remaining empty lots were sold off to new developers under the Shamrock Estates name, marking the quiet end of the Villa de San Ramon story.

A legacy with character

Despite its stumbles, Villa de San Ramon remains a piece of Dublin’s mid-century story. It was a neighborhood that started with a bang (and a Bonanza) but ran into the economic reality check that many developers faced in the late ’60s.

Today, it’s remembered for its bold designs, early success, and very human ambition—to build homes that felt like more than just walls and windows. And one, the Casa Bonita, lives on in spirit—proof that even the most modest model can make a lasting impression.

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