Berkeley Real Estate
Located in the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, Berkeley is bounded by Oakland and Emeryville to the south, Albany and Kensington to the north, Contra Costa County to the east and Alameda County to the west. At 2010, total population was estimated to be at around 113,000. With the size of its population, Berkeley is considered to be the 4th biggest in Alameda County, 52nd in California and 230th in the United States.
The general climate in Berkeley is typical to that of a Mediterranean climate characterized by dry summers and wet winters. Berkeley is home to numerous educational institutions including the University of California-Berkeley, considered to be the oldest University of California campus, and the Graduate Theological Union. Berkeley has also made its mark with its political liberalism. Below: An overview of the Berkeley campus of the University of California by allaboutuni2307 |
Aside from being one of the most progressive and politically liberal cities in the nation, Berkeley also features cultural and culinary attractions. The numerous points of interest in the city continue to heighten the interest of both locals and tourists.
When you are in Berkeley, you can visit Berkeley Repertory Theater, Tilden Regional Park, University of California-Berkeley Botanical Garden and the Edible School Yard, among many others. If you are inclined towards the green surroundings, you should pass by the Berkeley Marina and East Shore State Park. You can also revisit the history of the city through the city’s local landmarks such as George Edwards Stadium, Berkeley High School and Studio Building. Berkeley also hosts festivals and events including the Himalayan Fair and the Berkeley Kite Festival. Below: Berkeley Kite Festival by luqmac If you have any questions about living in Berkeley, please don’t hesitate to ask! I’d love to share my thoughts with you about the pros and cons of this neighborhood, as well as the current real estate trends. |
Berkeley Neighborhoods
Berkeley HillsBerkeley Hills is to the east and generally has the highest priced real estate. There is a reason for this though. The views from up here are simply breathtaking and there is generally less traffic and noise pollution, along with more greenery. Most streets are lush and tree-lined. You will need a car to get around though, and some of the roads can be rather steep and narrow. Oh, and driving a manual (stick) car can be a little more difficult…
Bounded by Hayward Fault to the west and Wildcat Fault to the east, Berkeley Hills features several high peaks including Vollmer Peak, Grizzly Peak, Round Top and William Rust Summit. The highest peak, Vollmer Peak, was named after the city’s first Chief of Police, August Vollmer. The image below gives you a sense of some of the views that can be had from homes in Berkeley Hills. Truly breathtaking! North BerkeleyLocated along Shattuck North of the University, North Berkeley maintains the distinction of being a Gourmet Ghetto, luring food fanatics from different corners of the world. Certainly, it would not be named as such for nothing. North Berkeley indeed deserves the recognition, being home to some of the world’s most popular restaurants including Chez Panisse. This restaurant founded by Alice Waters has been credited to have given birth to innovative California cuisine. Aside from Chez Panisse, you can also relish in the sumptuous dishes in the Cheese Board, known for their great breads and goat cheese pizzas. You should also not miss the roasted chicken and salads in Poulet or the raw, vegetarian foods and organic wines from Cafe Gratitude. You can also choose from Cesar, a tapas restaurant and bar that also offer post-dinner entertainment, or Gregoire featuring French-inspired take-out items. More dining options are available to satisfy your gustatory cravings.
Aside from being the home of the most hunger-gratifying dining establishments, North Berkeley also hosts cultural venues such as Berkeley Art Center, Hillside Club and ACCI Gallery, among many others. You can also visit Berkeley’s lineup of shops that can cater to your different needs such as jewelries, home decors or health and beauty regimens.
Indeed, with great food and great company, North Berkeley is the perfect place to be called home. |
ElmwoodElmwood‘s main street is College Avenue and sits to the south of the university. The homes here are generally expensive but has a great vibe with a mixture of students and more established residents. Despite being dominantly residential in nature, Elmwood also features a small yet thriving commercial arena. You certainly have a wide array of options for stores and shops to cater to your needs. You can just visit Elmwood Shopping District to find numerous restaurants serving different cuisines. You can choose from La Cascada Taqueria with Mexican cuisine, Summer Kitchen Bakeshop, Manpuku for Japanese dishes, and Trattoria La Siciliana for Italian cuisine. You can also take advantage of entertainment amenities such as the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts and Elmwood Rialto Cinemas. There are also other stores to cater to a variety of your needs such as gifts, furniture, home essentials, books, clothes and toys.
NorthbraeNorthbrae runs just along the Berkeley-Albany border with the main shopping district that runs on Hopkins St. Some key attractions include the Cedar-Rose Park, the Karl Linn Community Garden and Peralta Community Garden and the beautiful North Branch Library designed by early 20th century architect Julia Morgan.
More modestly priced that other parts of Berkeley, South Berkeley is quickly gaining a reputation for being the next Rockridge. It boasts a hub of amenities (Ashby Bart Station, Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods and an eclectic mix of stores along MLK, Ashby and Alcatraz) and it’s central location is highly prized. It borders Emeryville to the West/South-West, downtown Berkeley to the north, the great shopping stores in Elmwood/Rockridge just minutes to the east, and North Oakland/Temescal just to the south.
When you visit South Berkeley, you can observe its architectural heritage sites. You should visit the Ashby BART station that also features park-and-ride facilities. South Berkeley also serves as home to the La Pena Cultural Center. Another exciting spot in South Berkeley is the Wat Mongkolratanaram, a Thai Buddhist temple. You should also drop by the Grove Street Park. |
Claremont / The UplandsBeing one of the main roads or public highways together with Ashby Avenues, Claremont features stately homes in a beautiful tree-lined neighborhood. Take note, Claremont is different from that of Claremont Hills.
Named after a real estate developer in the late 19th century, Claremont initially started to be a grazing land. The name of the developer was later used in naming the canyon as well as the creek. The canyon was later named as the ‘Telegraph Canyon’ citing the incident of stringing of a telegraph line through the canyon. This later turned out to be an early auto passageway over the Berkeley Hills. The Claremont neighborhood survived a number of challenges including the East Bay Hills fire in 1991. The Uplands form a subsection of Claremont. |
Thousand OaksThousand Oaks is an idyllic Berkeley suburb in an inspiring natural setting. Roads decorated with lush plantings and colorful flowers wind around large granite boulders and tree groves, with sweeping views of the Bay.
The area's shopping district is along Solano Avenue, lovely, tree-lined boulevard of locally owned shops and restaurants. Residents enjoy an array of dining options including Chinese, California, Nepalese, Thai, Japanese, Korean & Vietnamese Cuisine. |