1539 Walnut

Located in a highly desirable North Berkeley neighborhood known for its terrific restaurants and shops, this sweet two story home is just a few blocks from The Cheeseboard (gourmet breads, cheeses and pizza), takeout at Gregoire’s, coffee at Vanne Bistro, Café Parisien’s fabulous French pastries, the original Peet’s Coffee (don’t miss the Alfred Peet museum just down the street), and of course, internationally known Chez Panisse. Walnut Square shops are just a short stroll down the street.

Main Floor:

Kitchen (pantry, updated cabinetry with quartz countertop, new flooring), laundry area (washer and dryer included in sale); woodburning fireplace, living and formal dining rooms;

Upper Level:

Two bedrooms and an elegant bath with skylight, refinished tub/shower, glass shower enclosure, and new vanity and fixtures ... plus a bonus room, with windows on three sides. French doors in the front bedroom open onto a balcony overlooking the streetside scene below. Lusciously light and bright interior is delightfully refreshed with new paint and newly refinished wood floors

No garage, no driveway — sellers have lived here happily for over 33 years with on-street parking. Residential parking permits are available for residents.

UC Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley and BART are close too, and there’s easy public transportation to San Francisco via AC Transit’s FS bus at the corner of Shattuck & Cedar. Walk Score: 97 and a Biker’s Paradise Score: 90.

MLS: 41085909; Per Tax Records: Built: 1921; 1,270 Sq.Ft.; Lot Size: 1,920 Sq.Ft.

Visit http://www.NorthBerkeleyHomes.com for photo portfolio, details, seller and neighborhood info.

Room identification, measurements, square footage, room counts and other details generally differ from public records. Neither agents nor sellers have verified square footage, room dimensions, room counts, and public/other records. Buyers are advised

to investigate for themselves.

From the Sellers to you

1539 Walnut Street

One thing we have always loved about our home is the abundance of natural light, with plenty of windows in every room and a charming Mediterranean-style balcony in the main bedroom. The yard is compact and planted with drought resistant plants, with room to add your favorites.

Living here has been a joy, not just because of the house itself, but also because of the neighborhood. It has so much to offer. There have been many Saturday morning strolls down to the Cheese Board, to get their iconic pecan rolls, lemon ricotta teacakes or their provolone and olive bread, all freshly baked. In the evening they offer live music and pizza that showcases some of the offerings from their cheese counter. Oh, that cheese counter! Their selection of cheeses is astounding. It truly is a foodies' paradise, five minutes from your doorstep.

Need a cup of coffee? The original Peet’s, founded by Alfred Peet himself in 1966, is a 3 minute walk away. Cafenated on Vine (5 min walk) has a private yet open back patio where you can sit and work or chat (or both), enjoying their excellent coffees and creative cafe cuisine. Newcomer, Café Parisien is cozy and ideal for business meetings or casual gatherings over coffee and French pastries.

Since we are located in the middle of the Gourmet Ghetto, you will have quite a selection of restaurants to choose from. If it’s Italian food that you crave, you can visit Corso, La Cocos, or our favorite, Agrodolce. They are definitely not your average Italian restaurants, offering next level authentic food. If you want incredible Jewish favorites, look no further than Saul’s. They also are a great place to have breakfast. If you are in the mood for Asian food, there are excellent Chinese (Dalian), two Japanese udon noodle restaurants, and a new Thai restaurant called Farmhouse Kitchen. Of course we can’t leave out Jot Mahal, our favorite Indian restaurant. If you are just in the mood for burgers and curly fries, Barney’s is a five minute walk away. And if you want a very special and memorable experience, Chez Panisse is the ultimate foodies trek. The most amazing thing is that all of these restaurants are a 5-15 minute walk from your doorstep.

You also will not have to walk far to find an excellent dentist, optician or hair salons that are also located minutes away.

If you have kids, you will also have a lot to do. Cordonices and Live Oak Park are an easy stroll away, offering fenced-in playgrounds and wooded areas for kids to explore when older. Lawrence Hall of Science is a 10-15 minutes drive away and a great place to go on a rainy day. Toddlers will love to visit Totland located on Virginia St. and McGee. My kids personally enjoyed the two Berkeley Public Libraries that are not too far away. My kids also really enjoyed Tilden Regional Park at the top of the hill and minutes away by car. We spent many hours feeding celery and carrots to the animals at the Little Farm, and hiking the wide trails to Jewel Lake.We also enjoyed going to Lake Anza to swim and meet with friends on their beach on a hot day.  And best of all, the well known and highly rated Berkeley Pediatrics is an easy one block stroll away–no car needed.  

If you love to walk in nature, you will feel at home here. Tilden Regional park offers many hiking trails. I have spent over 30 years hiking the roads and paths in the Berkeley Hills. It is easy to chart a very challenging workout.  My favorite thing to do is to take a walk up the hill and time it so that I can watch the sun set on my descent. You will hear the owls calling to one another just after sunset in January and February. If you don’t feel like a long walk, you can go to the Rose Garden and join the people who all come to watch the sun set. If you want to work out, the downtown YMCA is an excellent place to go, offering weight rooms, exercise equipment, pilates and yoga classes, and swimming–all a 20 minute walk away. For entertainment, there is the  BAMPFA museum, numerous breweries and pubs, and the Freight and Salvage for music and “The Moth” shows.

Grocery shopping is effortless, too. Andronico’s and Safeway are just around the corner, staffed by familiar faces who have been part of the community for years. Foodie favorites Trader Joe’s is a 15 minute walk and Berkeley Bowl is a 15-20 minute drive..

Commuting is simple, with plenty of options. The FS express bus, with a stop just steps away near Andronico’s, takes you over the Bay Bridge with limited stops and stunning views, dropping you off at Salesforce Tower. Prefer BART? It’s a short 15-minute walk.

Now let’s talk about the lack of a driveway. No, it’s not ideal, and yes, we occasionally have to park a block away. It was really not an issue for us, previously living in San Francisco where parking was much more difficult. Plus, there’s no street sweeping to worry about, and visitor permits are easy to arrange online.

This neighborhood has been our home for 32 wonderful years. Every walk around the block reminds us of the charm, community, and character that make this place so special. Now, with our kids grown, we’re moving to Europe in search of a new adventure. We’ll always carry a piece of our Walnut Street home in our hearts.