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Northbrae

Northbrae

Suburban Neighborhood in Berkeley, California

Alameda County 94707

$1,720,277 Average Value
$1,020 Average Price per Sq Ft

A thriving neighborhood

Less than two miles from downtown Berkeley is a neighborhood known as Northbrae. According to local and Compass Realtor Andrea Gordon, Northbrae is lively and full of activity. “It has always been a really popular neighborhood. It’s walkable and there are wonderful stores along Solano Avenue, Hopkins and Monterey,” she says. With its many local businesses, top-rated schools and more, Northbrae takes the best qualities of the Berkeley area and puts them together to form one charming neighborhood.

Hopkins Street is a smaller commercial center popular with walkers.
Hopkins Street is a smaller commercial center popular with walkers.
Solano Avenue is made up of mostly independent businesses.
Solano Avenue is made up of mostly independent businesses.
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Pastries, produce and plants

Running along the northern edge of Northbrae is Solano Avenue, a bustling thoroughfare lined with shops and restaurants. Patrons can enjoy European-style goodies at the Lavender Bakery & Café. For groceries, Monterey Market offers sustainable produce, including seasonal fruits and veggies. Andronico’s Community Markets carries thousands of local and specialty products, many of them made right in the Bay Area. Berkeley Horticultural Nursery provides plenty of plant life to spruce up living spaces and gardens.

Andronico's in North Brae has amazing produce.
Andronico's in North Brae has amazing produce.
Lavender Bakery & Café provide European style pastries for the Northbrae neighborhood
Lavender Bakery & Café provide European style pastries for the Northbrae neighborhood
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The parks of Northbrae

Northbrae residents need not venture far to find places to enjoy the outdoors. Live Oak Park includes courts for volleyball, basketball and tennis as well as an amphitheater. Jewel’s Terrace Park is a family-friendly park with specially sized playgrounds friendly for both small and big tots.

Northbrae  children enjoy basketball at the Live Oak Park
Northbrae children enjoy basketball at the Live Oak Park
Northbrae residence enjoy a casual game of tennis at Live Oak Park.
Northbrae residence enjoy a casual game of tennis at Live Oak Park.
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Discovering Northbrae

There are plenty of things to do in and around Northbrae. All year, locals can visit the North Branch of the Berkeley Public Library to check out materials and attend events like clubs, workshops and movie screenings. During the warmer months, the Berkeley Rose Garden boasts dazzling floral displays. With its 1,500 rose bushes and 250 different varieties, the garden is considered by many to be the finest rose garden in this part of California.

The Oaks Theater is a landmark along Solano avenue.
The Oaks Theater is a landmark along Solano avenue.
Northbrae residence enjoy the fully bloom roses at the Berkeley Rose Garden.
Northbrae residence enjoy the fully bloom roses at the Berkeley Rose Garden.
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Houses selling quickly in Northbrae

“The housing market is incredible for sellers. Everybody wants to live there because it’s one of the most popular neighborhoods in Berkeley and it’s near schools, shops and fun things to do. It’s basically the heart of Berkeley,” Gordon says. Such is why homes here typically sell after about 11 days on the market. Housing styles one can expect to find in Northbrae include bungalows and Craftsmans, many of which were built in the early twentieth century. These homes sit on moderate to large lots shaded by tall, mature trees and separated by winding streets. Although there are occasionally outliers beyond this range, home prices typically run between $1.4 million to $2.2 million.

Winding streets and tall mature shade trees are hallmarks of Northbrea.
Winding streets and tall mature shade trees are hallmarks of Northbrea.
Varying design between neighboring homes help give Northbrea a distinctive look.
Varying design between neighboring homes help give Northbrea a distinctive look.
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Berkeley Unified School District

Students in the Northbrae area can attend schools in the Berkeley Unified School District. Thousand Oaks Elementary School earned an A-grade rating from Niche while Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School received an A-grade. Berkeley High School earned an A-plus rating and offers several rigorous academic programs, including Arts and Humanities Academy, linking students' interest in the arts to wider aspects of their educational experiences. The University of California – Berkeley is less than three miles away. With around 400 degree programs available, the college is ranked as the number-one public university worldwide by U.S. World News & Report.

Thousand Oaks Elementary serves the elementary aged students of Northbrea.
Thousand Oaks Elementary serves the elementary aged students of Northbrea.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle offers tennis, a pool and track & field.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle offers tennis, a pool and track & field.
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Northbrae's roads then and now

Northbrae’s streets once served a different purpose. “A lot of pathways to the neighborhood were originally built as shortcuts to stops for the streetcar lines, which don’t exist anymore,” Gordon says. Today, Northbrae still has lots of ways to get around. It is served by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) through public bus transportation and its several streets are navigable on foot. Additionally, with Albany to the west and downtown Berkeley to the south, Northbrae has access to larger surrounding cities. Interstates 80 and 580 are significant highways that connect from Northbrae’s local streets to beyond the area.

Julia Concepcion
Written By
Julia Concepcion
Michael Hirsch
Photography Contributed By
Michael Hirsch
Jessica Johnson
Video By
Jessica Johnson

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Eddie O'Sullivan, an experienced agent in this area.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

Metro Oakland International

29 min drive

Bus

Hopkins St & Beverly Pl

Bus

Marin Av & Lassen St

Bus

Hopkins St & Monterey Av

Bus

The Alameda & Marin Av

Bus

Marin Av & Arlington Cir

Bus

Sutter St & Yolo Av

Bus

Sutter St & Hopkins St

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Northbrae US
Homicide 1 4
Sexual Assault 1 4
Assault with Weapon 1 4
Robbery 3 4
Burglary 3 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 2 4
Larceny 2 4
Crime Score 2 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$1,725,000
Median Single Family Price
$1,912,500
Median Townhouse Price
$1,595,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$1,020
Last 12 months Home Sales
17
Median List Price
$1,499,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
-24%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-10%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
822
Median Year Built
1922
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,776
Below the national average
1,936
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,230
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,049
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
732
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
5,662

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Eddie O'Sullivan, an experienced agent in this area.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
2,103
Median Age
52
Population Density
12 ppl/acre
Population under 18
18.1%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
32.8%
Above the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$156,905
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$175,898

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
96.6%
College Graduates
83.5%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
58.3%
Significantly above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
64.8%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
26''
Average Winter Low Temperature
43°F
Average Summer High Temperature
75°F
Annual Snowfall
0''

Area Factors

Very Bikeable

Bike Score®

85 / 100

Very Walkable

Walk Score®

80 / 100

Some Transit

Transit Score®

47 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Northbrae
Eddie O'Sullivan
Elevation Real Estate
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