Northway Downs: Duets That Live Like Single-Family Homes

Northway Downs is one of those Pleasanton pockets that quietly over-delivers. On paper it's a community of duets — attached homes that share a single common wall — but step inside one and it reads like a single-family home, with the bonus that most here carry no HOA dues at all. For a buyer who wants a manageable home in a central location without a monthly association bill, that combination is hard to beat. Here's the full picture.

Where it sits

Northway Downs sits in central Pleasanton, on and around Northway Road, with the Ken Mercer Sports Park and the Alameda County Fairgrounds close by and downtown Pleasanton just a short trip away. You're well-positioned for the things that make Pleasanton what it is — Main Street's restaurants and shops, events at the Fairgrounds, several nearby parks — with quick access to I-680, I-580, and BART for the commute. It's a genuinely convenient spot that doesn't feel like you're paying a premium for the location.

The homes

Northway Downs was built by Morrison Homes, the most prolific homebuilder in Pleasanton's history — the same builder behind Pleasanton Valley, Valley Trails, Heritage Valley, and Autumn Glen. These are two-story duets, most commonly three bedrooms and two baths, generally in the 1,200-to-1,800-square-foot range, and they're designed to feel far more like a detached home than a townhome. Expect open floor plans with dramatic double-height or vaulted ceilings, a fireplace in the living room, skylights, and inside laundry. Most homes have their own private — often secluded — backyard with a patio, and garages run two cars, some attached and some detached with additional driveway parking, depending on the home.

HOA — or rather, no HOA

Here's the detail that sets Northway Downs apart from many of Pleasanton's other attached-home communities: most of these duets are not part of a homeowners' association and have sold with no HOA dues. You own your home and your yard outright, much the way you would a detached house — without a monthly association fee, but also with the upkeep that comes with that. Because association status can vary parcel by parcel and can change, I always confirm the HOA situation — along with any party-wall agreement between the two duet halves — directly from the MLS and the disclosures before you write an offer.

Schools

Northway Downs falls within the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD), and homes here are within reach of all three school levels. Because assignments can come down to the specific parcel — and can shift over time — I confirm the designated elementary, middle, and high school by address with PUSD before a buyer commits, rather than rely on a general neighborhood label. If schools are central to your search, that's the first thing we verify.

Thinking about Northway Downs?

Because these homes are well-priced for Pleasanton and carry no association dues, they tend to draw strong interest when they come up — and in a community this size, that isn't often. It helps to know the floor plans, which homes have the attached garage versus detached, which backyards are the most private, and what recent sales have actually told us about value here.

Whether Northway Downs is exactly what you're after or you're comparing it against the other duet and attached-home options around central Pleasanton, I'd be glad to help you understand what's moving and what it's selling for. Knowing how the no-HOA structure affects your costs, which floor plan fits, and how these stack up against nearby communities makes a real difference. That kind of street-level detail is where I can genuinely help.

— Rebecca Rook, Living Tri-Valley | Compass