OAKLAND

Oakland’s lovely hillside neighborhoods and lively shopping districts draw residents to the East Bay's largest city — an exciting, vibrant, urban community. In the Sequoyah-Chabot neighborhood, many homeowners enjoy large lots that border the East Bay Regional Park and the Lake Chabot Golf Course. Montclair’s homes are situated on forested lots that offer a quiet retreat from the city. Temescal is a bustling neighborhood along Telegraph Avenue, popular with the younger San Francisco transplants. In Jack London Square near the waterfront, old warehouses and former factories have been converted to loft living. Lakeshore-Upper Grand, with its mix of shopping, restaurants, antique stores, and a farmers market, is one of Oakland’s most eclectic neighborhoods. For those who live in Claremont, the Elmwood Shopping District offers a variety of old-fashioned shops. It’s easy to enjoy a wide variety of year-round outdoor activities in Oakland. Lake Merritt, located in the heart of the city, offers a 3.4-mile walking path, picnicking, sailing, and kayaking. Redwood and Joaquin Regional Parks encompass stately forests of 150-foot coast redwoods and provide miles of hiking, jogging, and horseback-riding trails. Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers golfing, an equestrian center, hiking, bicycling, and fishing.

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berkeley

Home to one of the most prestigious universities in the country, Berkeley offers intellectual and cultural stimulation from its campus, which is within walking distance of downtown. Many Berkeley neighborhoods were established in the 1920s, with quiet, tree-lined streets, brown-shingled homes, and lushly landscaped yards. In Thousand Oaks, the original developers preserved ancient oak trees and left rock outcroppings intact. Elmwood, with its thriving business district, remains one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods. In Claremont, the Claremont Hotel, a gleaming white Victorian-era landmark, has provided generations of Bay Area residents with a luxurious getaway. 

Berkeley has long been at the forefront of culinary innovation. Berkeley's most famous restaurant, Chez Panisse, opened its doors in 1971. Locals flock to the original Peet’s Coffee & Tea location. For residents who like to savor their meals at home, small retail districts sprinkled throughout Berkeley allow them to shop like Europeans, going from store to store to purchase everything they need. Those in a hurry can always visit major grocery stores nearby. 

Neighborhood green spaces abound throughout Berkeley, from small community gardens to the Berkeley Rose Garden, which boasts more than 3,000 rose bushes. The gem of the area is 2,000-acre Tilden Regional Park, with its miles of biking and hiking trails and the naturally landscaped swimming hole at Lake Anza. 

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el cerrito

El Cerrito means "the little hill" in Spanish, and the town that is perched on the hill above San Francisco Bay offers easy access to Interstate 80 and Interstate 580 to Marin. Hillside homes along the curving streets deliver sweeping views of San Francisco and sunsets over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Access to open space and parkland is extensive, with Arlington Park, Cerrito Vista Park, Hillside Natural Area, Huber Park, Poinsett Park, and Tassajara Park & Pottery Studio all nearby. The Ohlone Greenway is a popular trail with hikers and bikers. 

The University of California, Berkeley is several miles away, and two Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations, at El Cerrito Plaza and El Cerrito del Norte, make commuting easy. El Cerrito Plaza is a major shopping center housing grocery stores, restaurants, bookstores, a pharmacy, and smaller mom-and-pop stores. 

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Kensington

Thanks to its proximity to the University of California, Berkeley campus, Kensington may boast the largest number of Nobel Prize winners of any community in the world. But one look at this neighborhood of large homes in the hilly streets above Berkeley, its commanding views of the Bay Area, and sunny terraced yards will explain why this community is one of the most sought after in the East Bay.

Famed architect Bernard Maybeck had a home on Purdue Street. The homes he designed here at the turn of last century have become an informal blueprint for the signature home in Berkeley. These well-proportioned homes are designed for family life and dinner parties. Shingle siding, rustic construction, and bright expansive vistas are the hallmark of the homes in Kensington. 

Tilden Park provides the boundary to the east. Miles of biking and hiking trails, a miniature steam train, exhibition farm, merry go-round, and the naturally landscaped swimming hole at Lake Anza make Tilden a popular destination for families. 

Transportation via Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is convenient. Heading on Colusa Avenue leads to the El Cerrito Plaza BART station and a short drive down Arlington Avenue takes you to North Berkeley BART and North Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood. There are two distinct shopping districts in Kensington. 

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piedmont

Piedmont, a two-square-mile city within the borders of Oakland, was incorporated in 1907. At that time, it was known as “The City of Millionaires” because there were more millionaires per square mile residing there than in any other U.S. city. Today, their large, estate-like homes are still standing in the heart of Piedmont, reminding residents of its glitzy past. Homes in Piedmont range from estate-like homes with expansive grounds in central Piedmont, to more modest homes on the edges of town. Well-manicured landscapes prevail and the city’s stringent permitting guidelines ensure all of the homes maintain their original flavor.

The commercial area of town is small, featuring several banks and one gas station. Mulberry’s Market, a specialty food store with ready-made meals, caters to gourmet taste buds and is the frequent morning coffee stop for parents and after-school hot spot for kids. Piedmont’s proximity to Oakland’s many big-city amenities ensures Piedmonters will not miss out on the latest restaurants or first-run movies. 

The sense of community is strong, as witnessed by the large turnout for the annual Fourth of July parade that happens each year down Highland Avenue. The Piedmont Recreation Center offers a central gathering place for residents. Available for rental, it is the frequent setting for community events and parties. The beautiful grounds provide a wonderful place to hang out and play, and the wooded trail connecting the Center to the high school is the best place to take your dog to play. 

A casual carpool zone on Oakland Avenue, along with proximity to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District buses, offer workers convenient commute options. 

Pride in community involvement and village living are just a few of the reasons people love to live in Piedmont.  

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albany

This formerly working-class neighborhood once housed the pipe fitters, welders, and shipbuilders that worked for Henry Kaiser during World War II. Today, Albany is home to a diverse group of professionals who support the local schools with a passion.  

Solano Avenue, with its incredible array of restaurants, independent cinema, and shopping, is proof that there's more to Albany than its stellar school system. And because Albany is small, flat, and sunny, it's a walkable neighborhood, with Solano Avenue as its east-west axis. Bakeries, boutiques, and bistros thrive on Solano. The annual Solano Avenue Stroll, which takes place the second Sunday in September, shows off all 26 blocks - from the Landmark Theaters Albany Twin theater, which shows an eclectic mix of first-run blockbusters to small, independent features, to the family-run Sunny Side Up cafe. The stroll is the perfect place to start your exploration of Albany. 

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