Your Real Estate Expert for Berkeley and Beyond
“Marilyn is exceptional. Her knowledge base, enthusiasm for her job, professional ethics, organization, sensitivity to our aesthetic requirements, loyalty and gentle perseverance set her apart.”
-- Bill and Carol Seidel
Marilyn Garcia, PhD
Broker Associate, Realtor®
DRE# 02014153
District Homes
1758 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94707
Direct:
(510) 390-5406
THE OUTLOOK: North Berkeley & the Berkeley Hills, Q1 2026 results
THE OUTLOOK: Berkeley Real Estate Market Update, Q1 (January - March) 2026 Limited inventory was the defining feature of the Berkeley market in the first quarter of 2026. North Berkeley The supply of homes for sale was low across Berkeley, but it was especially tight in North Berkeley. There were only 28 homes available during the first three months of the year (Q1), about one-third fewer than at the same time in 2025. With so few homes to choose from, competition between buyers was intense, with more offers than we’ve seen in the last several years. Median sold price: $1,600,000 [...]
THE BERKELEY PIER
THE BERKELEY PIER I've long been fascinated by the Berkeley Pier, which extends far into the Bay at the foot of University Avenue. Once open for walking and fishing, it has been closed to the public since 2015. According to City documents, the pier was built in 1926 by the Golden Gate Ferry Company to serve an auto ferry to San Francisco. At its peak, it began near the current I-80 on-ramp at University Avenue, and stretched about 3.5 miles (!), almost to Treasure Island. After the Bay Bridge opened in 1935, the car ferry was no longer needed, and [...]
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: Should I replace my gas water heater, or switch to a heat pump version?
I need a new water heater. Should I replace my gas unit, or switch to a heat pump water heater? If you are looking for the simplest, lowest cost replacement today, sticking with gas is still a viable option (for now!). But there are a number of reasons to seriously consider the heat pump option. Gas appliances burn fuel inside the home, and in the process produce nitrogen oxides (NOx). These are linked to respiratory irritation and asthma, and they also contribute to smog. That smog connection is why the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, or BAAQMD, has adopted [...]
COMPLETED SALES, Berkeley Hills, 1st Quarter 2026
Click HERE to see details and photos of properties SOLD in the Berkeley Hills, 1/1/2026 - 3/31/2026. Note that, after you follow the link, you can click on each individual property to see photos and more details. Click "Close" near the top to return to the list. * For the purposes of this newsletter, “Berkeley Hills” refers to the area bounded as follows: north of campus, east of a line heading north on Spruce from campus, cutting over on Los Angeles to Arlington, and then north along Arlington to the Kensington border.
COMPLETED SALES, North Berkeley, 1st Quarter 2026
Click HERE to see details and photos of properties SOLD in North Berkeley, 1/1/2026-3/31/2026. Note that, after you follow the link, you can click on each individual property to see photos and more details. Click "Close" near the top to return to the list. * For the purposes of this newsletter, “North Berkeley” is defined as the area bounded by University Avenue in the south, the line of Sacramento Street to the west, the Berkeley border to the north, and below Arlington Avenue, Los Angeles Avenue, and Spruce Street (south of Los Angeles) to the west.