Berkeley/Oakland: Somewhere For My Little Pumpkin

You’re the devoted parents of a student at UC Berkeley. You want to invest in a property for your darling offspring – maybe they can share with some lovely friends. You would prefer somewhere within walking distance of campus and useful shops and in a good neighborhood.

Here are two possibilities for you on or very near College Avenue in the Elmwood neighborhood. You have a choice. Ultimately it may boil down to how much you like to get your hands dirty.

The first one (above) is on College itself in Berkeley and is a 3-bed/1.5 bath condo in a smart traditional near the Elmwood shopping district. It is described as having been remodeled “with utmost care”, having a “gourmet” kitchen and a “serenely landscaped” garden. Priced at $799,000 it comes in at $231 per sq. ft.

A little further south down College into Oakland is a craftsman-style 3-bed/1 bath house on 63rd street that looks like it requires work but has loads of original features (above). It is a probate sale, is priced at $649,000, which makes it $484 per sq. ft. (Don’t flinch — you’re a devoted parent remember? No price is too high for your poppet.)

It’s your call.