Country Place — Larwin tract homes in San Ramon (1978)

Country Place arrived in 1978 during the final buildout of San Ramon Village, the master-planned community that had transformed thousands of acres of former ranchland into one of the East Bay's fastest-growing suburbs. Built by Larwin Northern California, the 204-home subdivision occupied one of the last undeveloped sections of the Montevideo neighborhood, helping complete a community that had been taking shape for more than a decade.

Although Country Place was not among San Ramon's earliest subdivisions, its opening reflected a renewed confidence in the housing market after the slowdown of the mid-1970s. Strong pre-sales, aggressive marketing, and rising home prices demonstrated that demand for suburban living remained strong. By the time construction was complete in 1979, Country Place had become another piece of the larger San Ramon Village story—a neighborhood built not on open frontier land, but on the final available spaces within an already established community.

Vintage March 1978 Oakland Tribune advertisement for Larwin’s County Place subdivision in San Ramon featuring the slogan “If you don’t hurry to our opening, you’ll be just in time for our closing,” promoting urgency and strong early demand for the new housing development.
From a March 1978 Oakland Tribune ad—Larwin leaned into urgency with the slogan: “If you don’t hurry to our opening, you’ll be just in time for our closing.” Whether it reflected a recovering late-1970s housing market or simply clever marketing, the campaign positioned County Place as one of San Ramon’s hottest new subdivisions before construction had barely begun.

Where is Country Place in San Ramon?

Map showing the location of the Country Place tract in the Montevideo neighborhood in San Ramon, California.
Annotated aerial map of the Country Place tract in the Montevideo neighborhood in San Ramon, California. Base imagery from Apple Maps.

Selling the tract

Larwin marketed Country Place to buyers who wanted the benefits of an established suburban community without sacrificing the amenities associated with newer homes. Advertisements emphasized features that had become increasingly important to late-1970s homebuyers, including air conditioning, self-cleaning ovens, sunken living rooms, vaulted ceilings, and wood-burning fireplaces.

Just as important was the location. Country Place was promoted as part of a "totally planned community" within San Ramon Village, placing residents near schools, parks, and a neighborhood shopping center. By the late 1970s, convenience had become one of suburbia's most effective selling points, and Larwin made sure prospective buyers understood they were purchasing more than a house.

Larwin also highlighted architectural variety. Buyers could choose from multiple floor plans and fifteen exterior design combinations incorporating wood siding, brick, stucco, shake roofs, and Spanish-style tile roofing. The goal was to create visual diversity while maintaining a cohesive neighborhood appearance.

Perhaps the most revealing advertisements focused on demand. Early campaigns stressed the rapid pace of sales, while a later promotion offered an unusual incentive: Larwin would purchase a buyer's existing home at fair market value. Together, the campaigns reflected a housing market that was recovering from the mid-1970s slowdown, with builders competing aggressively for families looking to move into larger suburban homes.

Vintage June 1978 Oakland Tribune advertisement for Larwin’s County Place subdivision in San Ramon, promoting homes near a neighborhood shopping center and highlighting suburban convenience.
From a June 1978 Oakland Tribune ad—Larwin promoted County Place for its location near a then-new neighborhood shopping center. Although the center has since been demolished, the ad reflected how suburban convenience had become a major selling point in late-1970s San Ramon. Among Larwin’s Bay Area developments, County Place was also one of the company’s more expensive communities.

Vintage September 1978 Oakland Tribune advertisement for Larwin’s County Place subdivision in San Ramon featuring an artist’s rendering of a tile-roofed suburban home and promoting 15 exterior design combinations with wood, brick, stucco, shake, and tile roof options.
From a September 1978 Oakland Tribune ad—Larwin highlighted the architectural variety of County Place with an artist’s rendering of one of the development’s tile-roofed homes. Buyers could choose from 15 different exterior designs featuring combinations of wood siding, brick, stucco, shake roofs, and Spanish-style tile roofing.

Vintage December 1978 Oakland Tribune advertisement for Larwin’s County Place subdivision in San Ramon featuring the slogan “You Buy Ours, We’ll Buy Yours,” promoting a home trade-in program where Larwin would purchase buyers’ existing homes.
From a December 1978 Oakland Tribune ad—Larwin introduced an unusual sales incentive for County Place in San Ramon: “You Buy Ours, We’ll Buy Yours.” The program promised that Larwin would purchase a buyer’s existing home at fair market value, helping families move into a new County Place home during a slowing housing market.

Pricing history of Country Place homes

  • 1978: $73,990 - $92,990
  • 1979: $78,990 - $99,990

The homes of Country Place

When Country Place opened, buyers toured a carefully staged collection of Larwin model homes showcasing the neighborhood’s mix of architecture, indoor-outdoor living, and family-oriented floor plans. Though individual elevations varied, these original models helped define much of the neighborhood’s visual identity.

The five original models opened in February 1978 on Montevideo Drive.

Annotated aerial map showing original model home locations in San Ramon's Country Place neighborhood.
Annotated aerial map of the Country Place model home complex on Montevideo Drive. Base imagery from Apple Maps.

Model homes of Country Place

1. The Butterfield - 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2,194 sq. ft.

2. The Plan 2 - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,877 sq. ft.

3. The Plan 3 - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,650 sq. ft.

4. The Cornfield - 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 2,190 sq. ft.

5. The Wheatfield - 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1,448 sq. ft.

Current appearance of the original Butterfield home in San Ramon's Country Place.
Original Butterfield model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Plan 2 home in San Ramon's Country Place.
Original Plan 2 model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Plan 3 home in San Ramon's Country Place.
Original Plan 3 model today (extended) via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Cornfield home in San Ramon's Country Place.
Original Cornfield model today (extended) via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Wheatfield home in San Ramon's Country Place.
Original Wheatfield model today via Google Street View.

Legacy of Country Place

Country Place sold out by 1979, bringing another phase of development to San Ramon Village as the community approached maturity. While it lacked the pioneering role of some earlier San Ramon subdivisions, the neighborhood reflected the priorities of late-1970s suburban homebuyers: larger floor plans, architectural variety, modern amenities, and convenient access to schools, parks, and shopping.

Today, Country Place remains part of the Montevideo neighborhood, its streets and homes serving as a reminder of the final years of large-scale suburban expansion within the original San Ramon Village master plan. As one of the last major subdivisions built in the area during the 1970s, it marked the transition from a rapidly growing new community to an established suburb.

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