Homes in the San Leandro Marina District
Nice dreams, you think. But with Bay Area home prices being what they are, it’s not likely to happen unless you win the lottery.
Unless, of course, you know about the San Leandro Marina area. Situated along San Francisco Bay to the west, the area is bounded by Williams Street to the north, and Manor Boulevard/Flood Channel to the South. Wicks Boulevard forms the area’s eastern boundary.
Situated close to both BART and I-880, the area offers many ideal amenities at starter-home prices, says Scott Harrison of Prudential Real Estate in San Leandro. “You really have several little neighborhoods,” he says. “First, there’s Mulford Gardens, with tract homes ranging from $360,000 to $425,000. It’s also called Little Alaska, because the street names are all Alaskan cities.” The Mulford Gardens neighborhood, bounded by Williams, Doolittle, and Marina, is just a few blocks from San Francisco Bay.
Harrison says these homes are often requested by people seeking easy access for those with limited mobility. “They are tract homes with slab floors, and it is very easy in and out, and they’re one story only. So, I’ve had people ask for those homes specifically for that reason.” The gentle Bay breezes and proximity to both the freeway and BART add to the area’s appeal.
Further south, the homes along Seagate Drive sit right on a driving range, with older homes (mostly condominiums) further east, along Belvedere, Doolittle, and Fairway.
Most of the homes in these two areas of the Marina neighborhood are mid-20th century, according to Harrison, having been built in the 1950s and 1960s.
Newer homes exist in the Marina Faire area, just west of Seagate Drive. Nautical street names and proximity to the Bay are key components of the neighborhood. Neptune Drive is the ideal place for those seeking water, as, “your back yard is the Bay,” Harrison explains.
While the pricing in the neighborhood seems shockingly high to those outside the San Francisco Bay Area, locals see undervalued bargains. Condos can still be found for under $500,000, while homes that elsewhere might tip the $1 million mark are still within the $500,000 to $800,000 range. There are also more economical options, such as a mobile home park, available as well.
While the neighborhood offers some ideal settings, most homes are smaller, or even condominiums. However, in one section of the Marina neighborhood, land is still available. “There are parcels from about one quarter acre to one acre still available,” Harrison notes, with the prices ranging widely. Called the “West Avenues,” this section of the Marina neighborhood is situated south of Little Alaska, between Marina Boulevard and Fairway Drive.
Larger, older homes exist in the West Avenues, too. Rather than one particular style, however, the offerings are unique, says Harrison, and “many are not homes. You have a fair number of duplexes and triplexes. Or, you will have a single family home on one part of a lot, and a duplex on the other part.”
But don’t worry about being too crowded. “It’s also likely that the street is unpaved, and you may have six to 10 people on a single street,” Harrison explains, giving the area a more intimate feeling.
Overall, homes in the Marina neighborhood are more expensive the closer you get to the golf course and/or the Bay, Harrison explains. However, with an area that is 1.5 miles wide, all homes are fairly close to both the shoreline and to public transit and freeways. Which makes living in the neighborhood even more ideal.
