By Sara Beth Williams–
An old, 1939 home on the corner of Watson Way and Mariposa Avenue that sold one year ago continues to undergo a major remodel, with new roofing, and a complete overhaul of the front yard.
Visible exterior improvements include new landscaping, a new retaining wall and fencing, partial repaving of the driveway and front walkway, and a new sidewalk. New irrigation lines have also been laid. New windows, exterior paint and a new roof can also be seen by passersby.
The 1,800-square-foot home was originally constructed in 1939, according to its online listing, and sat boarded up and vacant for years before it sold in June for $550,000. The home was originally listed for $595,000 in April 2025.
In September 2025, Sentinel staff found the interior of the home stripped to the studs. Stairs for a staircase inside appeared constructed.
Construction on the home has continued for several months into 2026, with the addition of a new roof, a new gabled roof over the front porch, and new exterior paint and siding.
The listing described the home as a “charming fixer-upper” with multiple possibilities, including subdivision. The two-story home was listed as having four bedrooms and one bath and includes a fireplace and bonus room. After a building permit was acquired, work began in August 2025, construction workers on-site said.
The one-acre lot had a spacious unpaved driveway facing Watson Way, along with trees, a detached garage, and a brick patio in the back of the home, according to photos from real estate site Zillow.
Citrus Heights Historical Society President Larry Fritz said the property was owned by William Berry, who owned a 160-acre ranch in the 1880s. The ranch was bordered by Watson Way in the north, Auburn Boulevard to the west, and Mariposa Avenue on the east. Mariposa Avenue did not exist at that time. A street named Citrus Avenue on a 1912 map has since become Mariposa Avenue, according to Fritz.
The old home on Watson Way sits on the northeast corner of what was the Berry Ranch, which was purchased by Walt Trainor, of the Trainor and Desmond Real Estate Company, in 1912. The real estate company subdivided the 160 acres into parcels of about 10 acres according to a 1912 map of the area. Trainor and Desmond are the ones who coined the name “Citrus Heights” for their developments, Fritz explained. In all, they purchased about 20 large ranches, calling them all “Citrus Heights” followed by a numerical designation. Parcel number 118 is the one that the home now sits on.
Another map from 1939 shows the same parcel was further subdivided, with a 2-acre lot belonging to James and Gertrude Millette. The property appears to have stayed in the Millette family. No sales history is listed online before June 2025.
Real estate appraiser and housing analyst Ryan Lundquist previously confirmed that the property was in a trust and had no sales history before 1998, when Metro List was first implemented.
