Renovated North Berkeley Family Home with Guest Apartment & Central A/C

Description

Welcome to our family home in one of Berkeley's most sought-after neighborhoods. Nestled on a quiet, tree-lined street just two blocks from North Berkeley BART, our home offers the rare combination of exceptional walkability and peaceful residential living. From here you can stroll to neighborhood cafés, restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, parks, playgrounds, and local shops, while UC Berkeley is just a short bike ride or quick BART trip away. Albany Beach, the Berkeley Marina, waterfront trails, and the East Bay hills are all easily accessible by bicycle, making it easy to enjoy everything the Bay Area has to offer. Our home has been lovingly renovated over the years to create a bright, comfortable, and welcoming space for family life while preserving its classic Berkeley character. Large windows fill the home with natural light, hardwood floors run throughout, and thoughtful updates provide modern comfort. The inviting living room features a modern electric fireplace, perfect for cozy evenings, while central air conditioning—still uncommon in Berkeley—keeps the home comfortable year-round. Rooftop solar panels generate enough electricity to offset nearly all of the home's annual electricity usage, helping keep utility costs low. The property offers exceptional flexibility for visiting scholars and families. The main home includes three upstairs bedrooms, while the fully self-contained lower-level apartment has its own private entrance, bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen, and living area. This additional space works beautifully for visiting family members, an au pair, guests, live-in childcare, or a private office for focused work. Families will especially enjoy the dedicated children's spaces. A converted attic serves as a delightful playroom, while an indoor climbing wall and imaginative play area provide a unique place for children to explore and play. Outside, the home is surrounded by mature orange, lemon, apple, and passion fruit trees, along with a berry garden that changes with the seasons. A newly renovated outdoor deck offers the perfect setting for morning coffee, outdoor dining, or relaxing after a day on campus. The home is fully equipped for an extended stay and includes high-speed internet, washer and dryer, EV charging, a fully stocked kitchen, and everything needed for comfortable day-to-day living. Bicycles are available for guests to enjoy Berkeley's extensive bike-friendly streets and nearby trails. A vehicle may also be available upon request for an additional fee. Our neighborhood is particularly well suited for visiting families, with excellent public schools, numerous parks and playgrounds, and a welcoming community atmosphere. At the same time, the location provides outstanding access to UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, San Francisco, and the greater Bay Area via BART, making it ideal for sabbaticals, research collaborations, temporary faculty appointments, or professional relocations. As Berkeley faculty ourselves, we understand how important it is to have a home—not just a place to stay—during a sabbatical or research visit. We hope our home offers exactly that: a peaceful, comfortable space where you can settle in, work productively, and enjoy everything that makes Berkeley such a special place to live. Available fully furnished for a single three-month stay from mid-December through mid-March. We welcome responsible individuals, couples, and families who will enjoy and care for our home as if it were their own.