Presented by Caitlin Crawford
Classic Charm in Berkeley's Gourmet District
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$1,049,000
1709 Milvia Street
Property Details
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A warm, character-filled home in one of Berkeley's most loved and walkable neighborhoods.
Built in 1906 and loved by the same family for nearly 30 years, this is Berkeley through and through—high ceilings, beautiful light from the east, south and west, hand-carved lintels and ceiling medallions, custom built-ins, original hardwood floors and a distinctive fireplace. The rooms feel warm and gracious without ever feeling precious; there's an ease to the house that comes from being genuinely lived in and loved.
There's history here, too. While adding a bookcase in the dining room, the owners discovered a little time capsule tucked alongside the home's old-growth redwood framing: a railroad tie and handmade nails carefully left there by someone long ago. Apparently, loving this house is something of a tradition.
And while its old-house soul has been lovingly preserved, an extraordinary amount of care has gone into what you don't immediately see. Over the years, the owners have undertaken extensive foundation and seismic work, electrical and plumbing upgrades, a trenchless sewer replacement and upgraded windows. More recent improvements include rooftop solar, heat-pump heating and hot water, and a new roof completed in December 2025. In recent months, the home's rooftop solar system has produced more energy than the household used, resulting in zero PG&E payments due since March.
Just off the kitchen, the private rear courtyard feels like a little escape of its own. The sellers have spent years gathering there for outdoor meals among the flowers and Japanese maple leaves. Out front, a garden planted for pollinators brings blooms, bees and hummingbirds, while the plum tree reliably bears fruit each year. Off the primary bedroom, a generously sized rooftop for relaxing, gardening, entertaining, sunbathing...
And then there's the location. Located just 1 block from Berkeley's beloved Gourmet District, you can wander to the Cheeseboard for pizza and music, head to Berkeley Rep or up toward the UC Berkeley campus. Milvia itself is a prized Berkeley Bike Boulevard, giving this wonderfully central North Berkeley location a decidedly neighborhood-y feel.
Three generations of one family have called 1709 Milvia home. There have been birthdays and holidays, children and grandchildren, long dinners, friends, flowers and plenty of ordinary days in between. Now, after nearly three decades, it's ready for someone else to make it theirs.
Old Berkeley soul, beautifully cared for, in one of the best little pockets of the East Bay.
There's history here, too. While adding a bookcase in the dining room, the owners discovered a little time capsule tucked alongside the home's old-growth redwood framing: a railroad tie and handmade nails carefully left there by someone long ago. Apparently, loving this house is something of a tradition.
And while its old-house soul has been lovingly preserved, an extraordinary amount of care has gone into what you don't immediately see. Over the years, the owners have undertaken extensive foundation and seismic work, electrical and plumbing upgrades, a trenchless sewer replacement and upgraded windows. More recent improvements include rooftop solar, heat-pump heating and hot water, and a new roof completed in December 2025. In recent months, the home's rooftop solar system has produced more energy than the household used, resulting in zero PG&E payments due since March.
Just off the kitchen, the private rear courtyard feels like a little escape of its own. The sellers have spent years gathering there for outdoor meals among the flowers and Japanese maple leaves. Out front, a garden planted for pollinators brings blooms, bees and hummingbirds, while the plum tree reliably bears fruit each year. Off the primary bedroom, a generously sized rooftop for relaxing, gardening, entertaining, sunbathing...
And then there's the location. Located just 1 block from Berkeley's beloved Gourmet District, you can wander to the Cheeseboard for pizza and music, head to Berkeley Rep or up toward the UC Berkeley campus. Milvia itself is a prized Berkeley Bike Boulevard, giving this wonderfully central North Berkeley location a decidedly neighborhood-y feel.
Three generations of one family have called 1709 Milvia home. There have been birthdays and holidays, children and grandchildren, long dinners, friends, flowers and plenty of ordinary days in between. Now, after nearly three decades, it's ready for someone else to make it theirs.
Old Berkeley soul, beautifully cared for, in one of the best little pockets of the East Bay.
All Property Photos
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Features
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1906 Berkeley soul. Nearly 30 years of love. And a remarkable amount of thoughtful stewardship along the way.
- Beautiful natural light from the east, south + west
- Level entry from the street
- 1 en-suite bedroom on main level
- 1 block to Gourmet District offerings like Cheese Board Collective, Chez Panisse and Saul’s
- High ceilings, original hardwood floors + architectural details
- Hand-carved lintels and custom built-ins
- Private patio just off the kitchen and expansive sunny deck
- Extensive foundation + seismic improvements
- Trenchless sewer replacement + upgraded dual paned windows
- Rooftop solar + heat-pump HVAC
- Heat-pump water heater + EV charger
- New roof in December 2025
- Solar recently producing more energy than the household used—with no PG&E payments due since March
- Located on one of Berkeley’s beloved Bike Boulevard
- Pollinator-friendly gardens + fruiting plum tree
- Freestanding house within a small, self-managed 3-home HOA, with each home operating largely independently.
Property Details
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Bedrooms
4
Bathrooms
2
Square Footage
1,649 sq ft
Neighborhood
Gourmet District
Year Built
1906
Parking
1 off street parking space
A Note from the Seller
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Video Tour
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Floor Plan
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about this
Explore the Neighborhood
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The Gourmet District
Less than a mile north of Downtown Berkeley, the Gourmet District is one of those quintessentially Berkeley neighborhoods where great food, beautiful architecture and everyday life happily overlap.
The neighborhood is perhaps best known for the stretch of Shattuck Avenue anchored by Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse, The Cheese Board Collective and the original Peet’s Coffee. Add an ever-changing collection of restaurants, cafés and neighborhood shops, and it’s easy to understand how the area earned its food-loving reputation.
The houses are every bit as interesting as the restaurants—a wonderfully eclectic mix of Victorians, Craftsman homes, bungalows and other distinctly Berkeley architecture lining leafy residential streets.
And there’s plenty beyond Shattuck. Live Oak Park offers tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas, green space and an open-air theater, with the Berkeley Art Center tucked just beyond. UC Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley and BART are all nearby, while Milvia itself is one of the city’s Bicycle Boulevards.
It’s a neighborhood that makes it remarkably easy to leave the car at home—and very easy to eat well.
Less than a mile north of Downtown Berkeley, the Gourmet District is one of those quintessentially Berkeley neighborhoods where great food, beautiful architecture and everyday life happily overlap.
The neighborhood is perhaps best known for the stretch of Shattuck Avenue anchored by Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse, The Cheese Board Collective and the original Peet’s Coffee. Add an ever-changing collection of restaurants, cafés and neighborhood shops, and it’s easy to understand how the area earned its food-loving reputation.
The houses are every bit as interesting as the restaurants—a wonderfully eclectic mix of Victorians, Craftsman homes, bungalows and other distinctly Berkeley architecture lining leafy residential streets.
And there’s plenty beyond Shattuck. Live Oak Park offers tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas, green space and an open-air theater, with the Berkeley Art Center tucked just beyond. UC Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley and BART are all nearby, while Milvia itself is one of the city’s Bicycle Boulevards.
It’s a neighborhood that makes it remarkably easy to leave the car at home—and very easy to eat well.
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Caitlin Crawford
Happy Making, Home by Home
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Caitlin Crawford