Romantic Home in Berkeley's Buena Vista/UC Northside Neighborhood

Romantic Spanish/Med with bridge & bay views has been artfully remodeled. Located Northside, not far from University of California & wonderful Berkeley shops & restaurants!



In the space that was originally an outdoor courtyard, an enclosed sunsplashed atrium is now the heart of this lovely 1931 home. 



Open & bright, with sunlit main living level space: two sided gas/ceramic log fireplace; built-ins; cathedral ceiling with carved & painted trusses; elegant custom lighting & period fixtures.



Split-level with bedrooms & baths upstairs; two master suites: one has a fireplace, two closets & bonus space with views to the atrium below; second bedroom opens through an iron gate to a landscaped terraced garden that features winding paths, flagstone terraces, lily pond, waterfalls & exterior lighting! 



Recent interior eco-paint; exterior painting; new stainless appliances, range hood exhaust fan & limestone counter; careful attention paid to preserving classic details: iron frame windows throughout & some have been reconditioned & reglazed; re-tiled bath; 



Mexican tile & rustic wood details; wall sconces; copper gutters & downspouts. 



Detached enclosed one car garage. 



Structural/seismic/systems upgrades over the last three years include foundation per engineering recommendations & 100 amp electrical service.

To the west and down the hill....Chez Panisse, French Hotel, Epicurious and more great North Berkeley shops and restaurants.

On UC Berkeley’s Northside of campus with easy access to : Lawrence Berkeley Labs; Greek Theater; Cal Stadium; Maxwell Field; Haas Business School; Boalt Hall and Euclid Avenue shops; La Val’s Pizza; Analog Books; Celia’s Mexican Restaurant.

There are 3 nearby bus lines. The 65 and 52L bus take you to the Downtown Berkeley BART Station. The 52L loops right around most of the UC Berkeley Campus, and the F line goes to San Francisco. 

Sq.Ft.: 1,970 (per building permit application & architectural plans); Lot: 6,120; Built: 1931: 



Square footage not verified or guaranteed by seller or agent.

Neighborhood information at http://www.berkeleyhomes.com/neighborhoods/berkeley/uc-northside-southside.html

Saul's Deli North Berkeley Soul Food

Saul's Deli North Berkeley Soul Food

I know why this dog was let out

Shattuck Avenue North Berkeley about a year ago

Can never have too many ACLU Members!

Can never have too many ACLU members. Solano Avenue in Thousand Oaks
Berkeley

Imagine if our children only had 2 legs?

Baby T (Baby Terrorist) in a regal pose

Dini (Poudini) indulging her dad's photo habit

Ira the shameless

Just Listed: Beautifully updated home in Berkeley's Thousand Oaks neighborhood!

It's rare to find a home in Berkeley that has Bay views, a spectacular garden and is near Solano Avenue and Kensington Circle shops and transportation. You will find this rare combination on quiet 650 Vincente Avenue.

Visit 650Vincente.com for the entire photo portfolio and more information on this wonderful Thousand Oaks Neighborhood!

Open Sunday 19 Oct 2008 2:00 to 4:30 pm.

$775,000 2 Bedrooms 2 Baths
























Located in the desirable Thousand Oaks neighborhood, 650 Vincente is a sunny, two-story traditional home with spectacular Golden Gate, San Francisco, Bay Bridge, and Bay Views. The street has wonderful neighbors, and is in a USGS non-slide zone.

The large garden is beautifully landscaped. The redwood deck is perfect for watching the sunset over the Bay.

Updated kitchen with new stainless appliances/ gas stove. Refinished wood floors. New garden drip-watering system. New lighting. New wiring.

Main level: Living room with coved ceiling, dining room, updated kitchen, and a full bath with tub and shower.

Upper level: Two bedrooms, and a large, sun-filled study or family room with vaulted ceilings, operable skylight, and Golden Gate Bridge view. Bath with shower.

Extra space: Attached garage; large workshop/storage space on the lower level.
Work in San Francisco.... or downtown Berkeley? Take the AC Transit #79 bus directly to Berkeley or El Cerrito Plaza BART stations... or even the AC Transit G Line (perhaps with online wireless) directly to San Francisco.


Berkeley Compliance:
RECO (Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance) Compliant


Public Records:
Following data from the Public Records (and not confirmed by seller or agent)

Built 1924: House: 1,342 Sq Ft.; Lot: 3,800 Sq Ft; Source: Public Records

$775,000.

Ira & Carol Serkes & Nancy Lee Noman
Email

NNoman@pacunion.com or
serkes@berkeleyhomes.com for more information.

Visit 650Vincente.com for the entire photo portfolio and more information on this wonderful Thousand Oaks Neighborhood!

What a gorgeous day and night in Berkeley!

Yesterday afternoon's view from my deck chair at Casa Serkes. The dogwood flowers are practically day-glow in intensity.

It was quite a week - put the superb home at 532 Vincente on the market, wrote several offers for Cambridge and Maplewood (from the mysterious East Coast) clients, got two offers accepted (Finnegan is no longer homeless)... and wilted in 95º weather.

So.. when Carol asked "where are you taking me to dinner" I said "anywhere you want!" Sea Salt had a 45 minute wait, so we decided to do take out from Gregoire's, then sit on our still-warm deck and dine in the company of Poudini and The Baby Terrorist.

Here's the scene on North Shattuck Avenue last night.. Since the sign warns to "Keep Off Media" most of the people on the median strip were eating Cheese Board Pizza and talking rather than listening to their iPod or iTouch!

And people want to know why I love living in Berkeley!

---

Email serkes@berkeleyhomes.com or call 510-526-6668 for more information.

Live update of East Bay Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, Rockridge...homes by neighborhood!

The North Berkeley Library

North Berkeley Library
Image from Jana Bouc's Flikr Page and used with permission

I happened across Jana's Journal and Sketch Blog this morning.... and clicked on it to see a charming sketch Jana Bouc did of the North Berkeley Library. It's a lovely sketch, and captures the character of the library.

She wrote "I hadn’t realized how beautiful (and extraordinarily complicated) the landmark building of the North Berkeley Public Libary is"

The Berkeley Public Library web site says it was "Constructed in the California Spanish style, North Branch Library was designed by renowned Berkeley architect James Placheck. The structure, which opened in September 1936"

It always struck me as being built earlier than 1936, but the concrete wall construction is a bit of a giveaway that it was a WPA project.

We have a bit of the library on our house.. we liked the color so much, we painted our Thousand Oaks home in similar colors.


The library is at 1170 The Alameda, on a triangular parcel, an island of its own It's at the south end of tree lined The Alameda, where it intersects with Hopkins.

The North Berkeley library is an easy walk to some of the nicest neighborhood shops in Berkeley:

West: Northbrae/Westbrae and the Hopkins Shops (Goia Pizza - most like NY Pizza), Monterey Market, Magnani Meats, the Fish Market


North: The top of Solano Avenue in Thousand Oaks

South: North Berkeley (yes, go south to reach North Berkeley)

And across the street is one of the more unusual gas stations in Berkeley... it looks like it belongs more in Amherst MA than Berkeley CA.

Historic and utterly unique! "...one of the most intriguing houses in Berkeley"

Historic and utterly unique! “...one of the most intriguing houses in Berkeley...”

2652 Shasta Road: Four Units: $1,500,000

Situated in a lovely residential area on wooded and winding Shasta Road, minutes to North Berkeley shopping and restaurants; UC campus; public transportation.

The property was originally part of an 1880s rock crushing operation for the stone quarry above at what is now La Loma/Glendale Park.

About 1917, it was converted to a single family residence by noted architect Frederick Reimers, according to Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association records.

A 1949 article describes it as “...one of the most intriguing houses in Berkeley... [wooden] beams from the rock crushing equipment were utilized to build the house". Those massive beams can be seen in the Loft Unit (#3).

Several of the buildings Reimers designed are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: an Art Deco car dealership on Durant in Berkeley, and Olvida Penas in Pebble Beach. Reimers was also the original architect on Eugene O’Neill’s Tao House.

Now 2652 Shasta Road is a four unit building, stepped down the hillside with north bay and Mt. Tamalpais views. The Top and Loft level units have all the distinctive early century California hallmarks of the period: grand proportions; rustic wood panelled walls; redwood pillars and beams; vintage wall sconces; built-ins with glass paned cabinetry and leaded glass.

Interior staircases connect all units and this could once again become a single family home. The Top and Loft levels particularly have the potential of being combined into a spectacular tri-level living space. The lower two units are more modest with some updating of kitchens and baths.

Ground/basement:
laundry and storage

1st Level (#1):
One bedroom, one bath, north bay views

2nd Level (#2):
Two bedrooms, one bath, clawfoot tub & pedestal sink; redone kitchen, north bay views

Loft Unit (#3):
huge open space on two levels, one bathroom, shower only; leaded glass, built-in shelving; grand baronial fireplace, vintage wall sconces; there are seven steps up to the second level; wood floors; kitchen eating area has a Franklin stove; stenciled ceiling; two sets of dual paned French doors lead to balcony stretching across the front of the building with views of the north bay and Mt. Tamalpais

Top Unit (#4):
One bedroom, one bath; living/dining built-ins; newer fixtures and tiled kitchen and bath flooring; Franklin stove; wood floors; two sets of window seats with storage beneath; stenciled ceiling; distinctive diagonal crossbracing at each set of side windows; westward views;

Parking:
There is space at the front just off Shasta Road for three cars, possibly a fourth; also a single car garage

Utilities:
One meter serves all units

The Amazing Berkeley Hills Lodge - Once a Quarry Building, now versatile residential/income property

More than 30 years ago I rented a wonderful apartment in the Berkeley Hills. It was between the Temple of The Wings (2800 Buena Vista Way) and Hume Castle (2900 Buena Vista Way).

The scent from the Eucalyptus trees was delightful, and it was magical to wake up and be above the fog which blanketed Berkeley. On chilly evenings I had a roaring fire in the huge fireplace.

Why am I telling you this? Because you now have the opportunity for your own special place in the Berkeley Hills.

Imagine the most amazing loft, with golden wood floors, a wide deck across the entire front, painted ceilings, and a huge fireplace of your own.

And the ability for renters to help make the payments.

Historic rock quarry building converted to a residence in 1917, could be an amazing home, or combine top two units for utterly unique grand lodge living space. Stunning wood details, balcony with bay and Mt. Tam Views, stepped down the hill.

Four Units
The Top - high above Shasta Road
The Loft - Amazing! Will it remind you of a Cathedral... or the computer game Myst... perhaps an Amphitheater... or, with its huge fireplace, one of the Maybeck on Buena Vista Way or Maybeck Twin Drive?
Unit The Third - the most conventional
Unit The Lowest - Gothic Windows and an intriguing layout

This is one of our hand crafted homes where pictures are worth 10^3... or 10^6 words.

Are you interested in shared housing? Always wanted a piece of history?... Thinking of a loft, but really want a view?.. have an extended families (in a unique Berkeley kind of family) or son(s) or daughter(s) attend UC Berkeley? Then this might be just for you!

We realized that this isn’t for everyone.... so this unique property will be shown by appointment.

Email serkes@berkeleyhomes.com, call 510-526-6668 or Toll Free 800-887-6668 for more information.

Overseas Visitors... please let me know your country and time zone and I’ll set an appointment for a VOIP Phone Call or Video Conference on Skype or .Mac (just Skype Serkes or add serkes@mac.com on your .mac account.

Visit http://berkeleyhillslodge.com for the extensive photo portfolio... and what it’s like living in North Berkeley, the Berkeley Hillls... and owning/managing Berkeley Rentals.

USD $1,500,000

Approximate Price in your currency:

GBP £770,265
EUR €1,030,980
CAD $1,499,865
CHF SFr. 1,649,805
AUD $1,661,475
CNY ¥10,787,250
ZAR ZAR 11,756,895
MXN N$16,128,450
RUB 37,069,500р.
JPY ¥160,687,500

Source
http://www.xe.com 10 Feb 08

North Berkeley Adventures - The Cheese Board

One of the many reasons I love Berkeley... the amazing sights!

I was on the phone to my good friend Brenda Jones from Bennington Vermont. We have a mastermind call every Monday Morning... when all of a sudden I said "There's a dog crossing the Shattuck with a baguette in its mouth!"

So.. parked right away and took this shot with my iPhone

We were across the street from The French Hotel (where else?), and down the block from Chez Panisse. It definitely looked like a Cheese Board Baguette to me! His caretaker said that the dog eats part, buries part, and then digs up the buried bread for a snack later on.

One more reason I love living in Berkeley!

I once lived on Buena Vista Way... and loved walking to North Berkeley.

Stay tuned.. we've a suprise coming soon!

Serene North Berkeley Retreat.. just steps to North Berkeley Shops

Visit photo portfolio at http://1305henry.com

$925,000 for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath retreat






You’ll love returning to your serene retreat.... just steps to North Berkeley Shops, and easy access to UC Berkeley and San Francisco via Bus & BART. It’s really a single family home in disguise... with the benefits of condo ownership.

The main level has two patios - a garden for morning coffee, and another one for afternoon sun , wood detailed living room with fireplace, well designed kitchen, dining room, and a half bath

The upper level is a combination bedroom/sitting room suite ... with its own fireplace, full bath and shower, and a private deck with bay views.

And in the middle level - two more bedrooms (one for guests or your workspace, full bath, and washer/dryer)

Within just a few blocks of your new home is....
Live Oak Park & Theater (Himalayan Fair coming up on May)
Andronico’s Market & Safeway
Peet’s Flagship Store at Walnut & Vine
Cheese Board & Lococo’s Pizza
Black Oak Books
Chez Panisse, Saul’s Deli

French Hotel for coffee
Acci Gallery

Visit the North Shattuck Web Site for more details http://www.northshattuck.org/

Working in San Francisco? The FS bus stops right across the street ... and select buses have free Wi-Fi!. According the the AC Transit Web Site (http://www.actransit.org) it’s only about 30 minutes to the Trans Bay Terminal. Do you like morning coffee? Why not stroll to the Downtown Berkeley BART Station and stop at the French Hotel for Cappuchino along the way. It’s less than a mile to walk, and only a 20 minute or so BART ride. Check out http://www.bart.gov/ for details


And here's what the seller loves about living here:

Things that I love about living at 1305 Henry Street

1. Everything within easy walking distance including:

Restaurants like Chez Panisse, Saul’s Deli, Café de la Paz, the Cheese Board Pizza, and desserts at Masse’s Pastries

Wine and tapas as Cesar’s in the evening

Going to book readings at the Black Oak bookstore

Coffee at The French Hotel (or Peet’s or Starbucks)

Clothes and shoe shopping with my daughters on Vine Street

The Virginia Street Bakery for yummy cinnamon croissants

Tasting the cheeses at the Cheese Board, the incredible breads, and pear ginger scones.

The Farmer’s Market on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.

The North Berkeley library that is open 7 days a week


2. Sitting in the gardens, reading and watching the birds take a bath in the fountain and the hummingbirds feed from the flowers

3. Enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony while watching the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge.

4. Relaxing in the master bedroom loft, reading and listening to music

5. Going around the corner to Live Oak Park for the Street Fairs and live theatre

6. Going to Cal Performances (10 minute drive) and the Cal football games

7. Getting to SF in less than half an hour without driving! (BART or the FS bus that stops right across the street)

8. Being able to walk over to the Safeway or Longs in two minutes when I need one item for a recipe

9. Strolling down Solano Avenue trying to decide on Mexican food, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Zachary’s pizza, Japanese, Noah’s bagels, or California cuisine.

10. Taking photos of the flowers in the garden and going to Berkeley Horticultural Center to buy more.

11. Walking up Marin Avenue to the Berkeley Rose Garden to see all the beautiful varieties in bloom.

12. Going to the “How Berkeley Can We Be” parades

13. Buying amazing produce at the Monterey Market and the Berkeley Bowl

14 Taking photos of the sunsets and rooftops

15. Hiking in Tilden Regional Park

We're living wonderful West Coast Lives

Carol and I are big fans of Sedge Thomson's weekly radio show, West Coast Live... and it made us realize how lucky we are to be living West Coast Lives!


We always try to make the show when it's at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)... two hours of "hand crafted radio" which matches our Berkeley "Hand Crafted Real Estate Services" and an amazing assortment of guests.

Why the SFMOMA Show? Because the West Coast Live admission also gets us into the museum for free.. and ahead of the big line to see the Picasso Exhibit which just opened!

Whenever possible, we take BART in and walk over from the North Berkeley to the Montgomery Street BART Station.. but we were running late today so drove in. The parking garage on 3rd Street a block below the museum always seems to have room.. and the rates are reasonable (for San Francisco that is)

My favorite Architecture and Design bookstore in the San Francisco Bay Area is William Strout Architectural Books on Montgomery Street; SFMOMA and Berkeley's Builder's Booksource are also superb


More West Coast Living Adventures... we came home from dinner at the Kensington Pub the other night... and in the night sky was a beautiful silver slipper of a crescent moon, probably about a day after conjunction with Venus!

Berkeley Rocks.. in more way than one!



Rocks? In Berkeley?

For Valentine's Day Carol bought me a beautiful book "Berkeley Rocks" I've blogged about it earlier... but we happened to be showing a home near Indian Rock Park.. so took some photos. Yes.. that's really San Francisco in the background!


Still life with Seltzer!

Most of our clients are referred to us from other clients, their Realtors, or come to us from our BerkeleyHomes.com web site.

We were showing a Rockridge Home to one of our buyers... and I realized I was near Genova Deli in Temescal. Genova is one of those old fashioned delis.. now in much larger quarters than they had been in when I first came to Berkeley in 1974.

Genova is the Italian Deli which most reminds me of the New York Delis of my youth (born in Manhattan, grew up in The Bronx).

Genova has changed since 1974, when everyone behind the counter wore a clean white starched apron and a tie. And everyone behind the counter was an older Italian man.. or so it seemed

Now everyone behind the counter wears a clean white starched apron and a tie. And everyone behind the counter is now male or female, young or old, and reflects the diverse makeup of the wonderful East Bay.

Still Life With Seltzer


But I digress (or perhaps, I should say, I digest?)

I ordered a bunch of food to take home (delighting Carol when I arrived home)... and one of our first feasts was gallantina, mortadella, red peppers, beans, archichoke tort... and seltzer from the Seltzer Sisters.

Carol agreed with me.. the composition looks vaguely Japanese!

But there's more to our West Coast Lives. We've wonderful clients, so have had an extraordinary real estate week.

Our real estate week - helping wonderful people sell and buy homes in (and near) Berkeley

On Friday we closed escrow on 138 Behrens, a home which we originally sold to our client about 20 years ago as part of their IRC 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange.

Our Sobrante Road sellers signed their closing papers at the nearby Montclair Village Title Office.. and I rushed back home to take Carol to see Jersey Boys for her Birthday Wednesday

We saw some magnificent homes on Berkeley Real Estate Brokers' Tour Thursday (our clients receive extraordinary information each week on the homes we see)

Tuesday? A lender who heard my speak many years ago referred us to two sisters; we showed them homes on Tuesday, and ratified their purchase contract on a Piedmont Avenue home this afternoon (it's 11:40 pm so it's still Saturday).

That's not all we did on Tuesday.. our two IRC 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange offers were accepted on two 4 bedroom homes in Raleigh NC (we're diversifying the location of our Real Estate investments so it's not all in Berkeley)

Oh... did I mention that we listed a beautiful North Berkeley home on Thursday afternoon? It's about a 3 minute walk to Saul's Deli.

And there I am again, talking about corned beef, egg creams, matzoh ball soup, and seltzer.

Bookstores and food and Carol... some of the great loves of my life.

And for Carol's birthday this week we went to see Jersey Boys at the Curran Theater. It was WONDERFUL!

We also started work our front yard landscaping!

We truly are living wonderful West Coast Lives!

Ira