Set to the backdrop of the San Leandro Hills and just a stone's throw from the San Francisco Bay is the lively neighborhood of Upper Bal. This San Leandro neighborhood offers a mixed urban and suburban feel where people can enjoy quiet residential spaces with small community parks or stroll along bustling sidewalks that lead past dozens of local and familiar retailers.
Upper Bal is full of diverse architecture. Along streets lined with crape myrtle trees sit Spanish Revival homes with stucco facades and red clay tiled roofs, craftsman homes with vibrant colored siding, ranch-style homes featuring prominent window awnings and duplexes with large garages. They are often on small plots with landscaped front yards of grass or stone. Two- to three-bedroom homes start around $700,000 and can sell for more than $1 million.
Running errands is easy since many shops are conveniently located along California State Route 185, which borders the neighborhood’s west end. Along the main thoroughfare are smaller mom-and-pop shops like 88 Seafood Supermarket, Guadalajara Grocery & Meat Market, and De Anda’s Clothing, as well as familiar retailers like Advance Auto Parts and CVS Pharmacy. Restaurants also dot the street, providing residents with diverse dining options like Vallarta, a Mexican fare eatery, and Fat Fish, a sushi joint.
The annual San Leandro Cherry Festival is a long-standing community event that has been held almost every June since 1909 in historic downtown San Leandro. The festival is full of cherry-related activities, like pie baking and eating contests. A parade also marches through the city, and residents can enjoy live music, food, and art vendors.
Neighborhood kids may attend schools in the San Leandro Unified School District. Students can begin their education at Jefferson Elementary School, which received a C on Niche. They can continue their schooling at Bancroft Middle School and San Leandro High School, rated a C-plus and B on Niche, respectively. At the high school, students can focus their education by enrolling in specialized academies for business and finance, multimedia, STREAM and social justice.
There are two main parks frequented by Upper Bal residents. Toyon Park is centrally located in the neighborhood and is within walking distance for most residents. It offers several unique amenities, including bocce ball and horseshoe courts and a tiny tot area. Residents can also utilize its vast lawn space, barbecue pits and picnic tables. Less than 2 miles away, in the nearby neighborhood of Ashland, is Edendale Park. Renovated in 2020, this 1-acre park offers lawn space, a playground, shade structures, and several picnic tables. The Historic Bal Theater, which sits on the corner of California State Route 185 and 148th Avenue, is a community mainstay and offers a slew of indoor activities, including concerts, movie showings, teen karaoke nights and art workshops.
Upper Bal is bordered by U.S. Interstate Highway 580, making it a viable option for those commuting to Oakland, just 15 miles away. Residents can also get to Fremont or the San Francisco International Airport, just 16 and 26 miles away, respectively, by driving down nearby U.S. Interstate Highway 880. Public transit is easily accessible here, with BART public bus stops lining Bancroft Ave and the San Leandro Train Station being just 2 miles away.
Viktor Manrique
RE/MAX Regency
(341) 222-3488
149 Total Sales
1 in Upper Bal
$660,000 Price
Melissa Case
Bhg Re Reliance Partners
(925) 281-3443
77 Total Sales
1 in Upper Bal
$875,000 Price
Gina Rinetti-Marques
(925) 396-7432
111 Total Sales
3 in Upper Bal
$950K - $1.1M Price Range
SIMONE KOGA
Compass
(650) 540-3987
61 Total Sales
1 in Upper Bal
$630,000 Price
Leslie Peterson
(628) 250-4213
144 Total Sales
1 in Upper Bal
$880,000 Price
Tianne Rinetti-Vittoria
(510) 901-5235
80 Total Sales
2 in Upper Bal
$765K - $1.1M Price Range
On average, homes in Upper Bal, San Leandro sell after 11 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Upper Bal, San Leandro over the last 12 months is $791,000, consistent with the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Small area between SFOA International Airport and Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Nature-focused neighborhood alongside Lake Chabot and the hills of San Leandro
A close-knit, midcentury-developed community close to downtown San Leandro
From an agricultural oasis to a budding, bustling community
An East Bay suburb south of Lake Chabot and the Oakland Hills
Older homes and architectural styles in a prime location San Leandro
