Presented by The Souza & Niroomand Team
The Victor House
$849,000
Tommy Orange
What made the Victor house so special
The Victor Avenue house was made possible by the once dream of my first book (There There) being made into a TV show. We had been trying to move back to Oakland for years. I was born and raised in Oakland, between the Dimond and Glenview district just above Dimond Park mostly, but spent some time down the street from the Victor Avenue home before the age of five, and went to elementary school at Redwood Heights. While the TV show didn’t end up getting made, we moved into the Victor home just before having our second child. And I finished my second book, Wandering Stars, while living there between 2022 and when the book came out in 2024. I also sold my third book in November 2023 (forthcoming in 2027), the writing of which, for both books, happened in various rooms of the Victor house. I was awarded the Macarthur (“Genius”) grant in October of 2025 and was filmed at the house for all of their archival and promotional material. We could not have loved our neighbors at Victor Ave. more, both next-door as well as in the surrounding neighborhood. The place is warm, and inviting, and both conveniently close to two freeways as well out of the way from most foot traffic. It was a special time in the life of our family as well as for my career as a writer, and we will never forget our time at the Victor house.
Tommy Orange is the Oakland born, Pulitzer Prize finalist author of There There and the New York Times bestseller Wandering Stars, and a 2025 MacArthur Fellow.
All Property Photos
Property Details
Bedrooms
2
Bathrooms
1
Square Feet
1,159 sq ft
Neighborhood
Redwood Heights, Oakland
If These Walls Could Talk
If these walls could talk, they’d tell you about the quiet mornings a bestselling author spent right here, working through the pages of his next book.
In 2022, after years of trying to find his way back to Oakland, the city that raised him, Tommy Orange and his family made a home on Victor Avenue. Light, bright, and full of character, with tall ceilings and warm hardwood floors throughout, it was the kind of space that made room for both a growing family and a working writer. A sweet corner nook in the kitchen became the place for coffee and quiet thinking. A formal dining room held the meals that mattered with friends and family.
It’s where Tommy finished Wandering Stars, the celebrated follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize finalist debut, There There. It’s where he sold his third book. And in 2025, after being named a MacArthur Fellow, one of the highest honors an American writer can receive, he was filmed in this very house for the foundation’s archival record.
Beyond the story, the house holds its own. Two plus spacious bedrooms. A bathroom full of original charm. A bonus space he named the “den”.* A one-car garage. A yard made for play, for gathering, for sitting outside with an idea and letting it grow.
Some houses are just square footage. This one already has a story in it. Now it’s ready for yours.
“Fabulous neighbors. Real community. So much charm, inside and out.” - Tommy Orange
*Buyer to verify use of space. Neither seller nor listing agent has investigated or verified the accuracy of any of these sources of information nor that these spaces are or may be made into legally habitable spaces. Buyer must conduct their own investigation with the city and appropriate professionals and rely solely on that investigation.
In 2022, after years of trying to find his way back to Oakland, the city that raised him, Tommy Orange and his family made a home on Victor Avenue. Light, bright, and full of character, with tall ceilings and warm hardwood floors throughout, it was the kind of space that made room for both a growing family and a working writer. A sweet corner nook in the kitchen became the place for coffee and quiet thinking. A formal dining room held the meals that mattered with friends and family.
It’s where Tommy finished Wandering Stars, the celebrated follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize finalist debut, There There. It’s where he sold his third book. And in 2025, after being named a MacArthur Fellow, one of the highest honors an American writer can receive, he was filmed in this very house for the foundation’s archival record.
Beyond the story, the house holds its own. Two plus spacious bedrooms. A bathroom full of original charm. A bonus space he named the “den”.* A one-car garage. A yard made for play, for gathering, for sitting outside with an idea and letting it grow.
Some houses are just square footage. This one already has a story in it. Now it’s ready for yours.
“Fabulous neighbors. Real community. So much charm, inside and out.” - Tommy Orange
*Buyer to verify use of space. Neither seller nor listing agent has investigated or verified the accuracy of any of these sources of information nor that these spaces are or may be made into legally habitable spaces. Buyer must conduct their own investigation with the city and appropriate professionals and rely solely on that investigation.
Video Tour
Why Redwood Heights?
Redwood Heights takes its name from an old logging road that once wound through these hills, and today it remains one of Oakland's most desirable neighborhoods, rich in history and full of everyday charm. The streets are lined with beautiful older homes in a mix of styles, Craftsman bungalows next to Tudor and French inspired architecture, many dating back to the 1920s and lovingly updated for modern living.
From Victor Ave you are just blocks from the Redwood Heights Recreation Center, the true heart of the community, offering classes, camps, and gatherings year round. Top rated Redwood Heights Elementary is close by as well, feeding into the broader Oakland Unified School District.
Nature is woven into daily life here. Peralta Creek runs through nine acres of protected land right in the neighborhood, home to local wildlife and cared for by NEWT, a neighborhood nonprofit that has restored the creek and leads local school kids on educational walks along its banks. Just beyond that, Redwood Regional Park unfolds across nearly 1,800 acres with almost 40 miles of trails winding through redwood groves and evergreen forest. Add in Joaquin Miller Park and Leona Canyon and you have hiking, biking, and dog walking practically outside your front door.
When you want city life, the shops, cafes, and restaurants of the Laurel District, the Dimond, and Montclair Village are all close at hand. Commuters have easy access to Highway 13 and I-580, with downtown Oakland about seven miles away, simple connections into San Francisco, and Oakland International Airport less than fifteen minutes down the road. AC Transit lines along 35th Avenue make getting around without a car easy too.
This is Redwood Heights living, hillside history, natural beauty, and everyday convenience, all within reach.
From Victor Ave you are just blocks from the Redwood Heights Recreation Center, the true heart of the community, offering classes, camps, and gatherings year round. Top rated Redwood Heights Elementary is close by as well, feeding into the broader Oakland Unified School District.
Nature is woven into daily life here. Peralta Creek runs through nine acres of protected land right in the neighborhood, home to local wildlife and cared for by NEWT, a neighborhood nonprofit that has restored the creek and leads local school kids on educational walks along its banks. Just beyond that, Redwood Regional Park unfolds across nearly 1,800 acres with almost 40 miles of trails winding through redwood groves and evergreen forest. Add in Joaquin Miller Park and Leona Canyon and you have hiking, biking, and dog walking practically outside your front door.
When you want city life, the shops, cafes, and restaurants of the Laurel District, the Dimond, and Montclair Village are all close at hand. Commuters have easy access to Highway 13 and I-580, with downtown Oakland about seven miles away, simple connections into San Francisco, and Oakland International Airport less than fifteen minutes down the road. AC Transit lines along 35th Avenue make getting around without a car easy too.
This is Redwood Heights living, hillside history, natural beauty, and everyday convenience, all within reach.
The Souza & Niroomand Team
Red Oak Realty
- :
- #01701667 / 00811861
- Mobile:
- 510.543.7016/ 409.9111
- Office:
- 510.543.7016
www.bayarearealestateconnection.com
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The Souza & Niroomand Team
Red Oak Realty
- :
- #01701667 / 00811861
- Mobile:
- 510.543.7016/ 409.9111
- Office:
- 510.543.7016