Attractive north-central Berkeley home, utilities included

Description

A visiting scholar’s haven, this spacious, stylish house is located just a 10-or 15-minute walk from the UC Berkeley campus. The two-story house comprises four bedrooms, two studies plus additional quiet nooks, and a bright and airy upstairs kitchen/dining room combination. The dining room, lined with windows, overlooks the back garden. There is a sunny rear deck with picnic table and all-weather chairs — ideal for outdoor dining. Beyond the deck is a patio with patio furniture. An exterior staircase leads from the upstairs dining room to the back deck. At the bottom of the garden is a secure bicycle shed. The rental unit includes a full upstairs bathroom with tub and shower plus a half-bathroom downstairs. Access to a second full kitchen-bathroom combination, located in the owners' unit at the back of the house, is negotiable. The main downstairs study, off the front entry, features an extra-large desk and plenty of bookshelf and table space. With its upright Yamaha piano, this room doubles as a music room. Located off the downstairs sitting room is a separate smaller study with printer, plus the half bathroom. A downstairs bedroom with double bed opens out to the back deck, providing an ideal space for visitors. The kitchen and both bathrooms have been upgraded with granite countertops and attractive tile. The kitchen features multiple cabinets and ample counter space. Its furnishings include a Breville microwave oven & toaster, Bosch dishwasher, Asco clothes washer & drier, and classic Wedgewood stove. The main upstairs bedroom contains a queen bed and a large dresser. A second bedroom contains a loft bed suitable for a single person or child, together with a built-in desk and bureau. A third bedroom, located at the front of the house, has a large central space and a pair of small beds suitable for children. Alternatively, this room can serve as a quiet upstairs sitting room or yoga or workout room. There are separate closets for brooms, linens & towels, and bedding, plus three standard clothes closets. The downstairs sitting room is furnished with a TV/blue-ray combination with Bose speaker; a high-quality FM stereo system with accompanying CD player; and a fully functional wood-burning stove set in an attractive tile frame -- just the thing for those surprisingly chilly West Coast winter nights. Much of the house is decorated with tasteful paintings and other art works. All but a few windows have been double-glazed. Venetian-style blinds throughout the house allow for privacy and for control of the incoming light. Of incomparable value is the house’s location in a neighborhood that ranks high on the national “walkability” index. Schools for children of all ages can be reached on foot or by bike. Two BART stations are a short walk away. Local amenities include special performance venues (Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Pacific Film Archive; Freight and Salvage) plus dozens and dozens of ethnic restaurants & cafes. Close by are Chez Panisse and the original Peet's coffee shop. Need groceries now? Two blocks away is Trader Joe's. Built in 1906, our simple but gracious wood-frame house is representative of the architectural craftsmanship of that era. Noteworthy are its hardwood floors, its bay windows, its arched ceilings, its leaded glass, its decorative mantelpiece, and its harmonious front porch with opposing columns. The owners have lived here on and off for almost forty years. They take pride in maintaining the property at a high standard. They retain for their own occasional use an in-law type of apartment at the back of the property, with a separate entrance. The tenants' occasional use of that unit's full bathroom and kitchen is negotiable. In short, the house offers an oasis of calm in a vibrant urban setting.