Piedmont Avenue Homes For Sale
In the northern reaches of Oakland, between Temescal and the independent City of Piedmont, lies the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood — one of the most walkable, historically textured, and authentically urban places to live in the entire East Bay. The neighborhood is built around a commercial corridor that has been in continuous operation for well over a century, anchored by landmarks designed by Julia Morgan, a cemetery planned by Frederick Law Olmsted, and an ice cream institution that Pixar put in a movie. Home prices range from approximately $900,000 to $1.6 million for single-family homes, with condominiums available below $400,000 — a range that draws buyers from first-time purchasers to long-established East Bay families.
Piedmont Ave Real Estate
The Commercial District
Piedmont Avenue's commercial street is the neighborhood's defining feature — a corridor that functions, as longtime residents say, like a small town within the city. Piedmont Grocery (established 1902) has operated continuously for over 120 years, making it one of the oldest grocery operations in the East Bay. Fenton's Creamery, founded in Oakland in 1894 and famous for its handcrafted ice creams, was featured at the end of the Pixar film Up — an acknowledgment of its genuine Oakland cultural weight. The Piedmont Avenue Cinema runs independent and art house films. Mars Record Shop, Mercy Vintage, and dozens of independent restaurants, cafes, and wine bars fill the rest of the street. The neighborhood earns a Walk Score consistently among the highest in the East Bay — residents genuinely walk to nearly everything they need.
Julia Morgan and Frederick Law Olmsted
Two of America's most celebrated designers left enduring marks on Piedmont Avenue. The Chapel of the Chimes — designed by Julia Morgan, the first woman licensed as an architect in California and the architect of Hearst Castle — is a masterwork of intimate architectural spaces: garden courtyards, vaulted ceilings, stained glass, and pools of light that make it one of the most remarkable buildings in the East Bay. It is open to the public as a columbarium and cultural landmark.
At the northern end of the street, Mountain View Cemetery was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1863 — the same landscape architect who created Central Park and Golden Gate Park. The 226-acre grounds were designed to function as a public park as much as a burial ground: rolling terrain, mature tree canopy, Bay Area views, and walking paths that locals use regularly. Black-tailed deer and wild turkeys are commonly spotted. The Key Route Plaza at Piedmont Avenue and 41st Street preserves what remains of the Key System's historic 1939 C-line streetcar terminal — a restored building that now serves as a cafe and reflects the neighborhood's pre-automobile origins.
The Homes
The residential streets branching off Piedmont Avenue are lined primarily with Craftsman bungalows, Victorian-era cottages, and early 20th-century homes that reflect the neighborhood's development history — built after Mountain View Cemetery opened in 1863 and expanded through the early 1900s. The housing stock is dense and varied: single-family homes on modest lots sit alongside multi-unit buildings and a handful of larger residences. The neighborhood's proximity to the commercial corridor means that residents walk to daily needs; the residential streets themselves feel quiet and residential by contrast. Mosswood Park, just west of Piedmont Avenue, provides tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and a creek-side green space that functions as a neighborhood backyard.
Schools
Piedmont Avenue Elementary School and Oakland Technical High School (Niche A) anchor the neighborhood's public school pipeline. Oakland Tech features five distinct academies — a structure that gives students real academic focus and pathway options within a large public high school setting. It is consistently Oakland's highest-rated comprehensive public high school. Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, at the neighborhood's southern edge, is the flagship hospital of the largest managed care organization in the United States — a major employer and neighborhood institution.
Getting Around
MacArthur BART station is approximately 0.8 miles away, providing direct rail service to San Francisco (approximately 20–22 minutes to Embarcadero) and connections throughout the BART network. Interstate 580 runs along the southern border with direct on-ramp access. Multiple AC Transit bus routes serve Piedmont Avenue, Broadway, and Grand Avenue. The neighborhood is approximately 2 miles from downtown Oakland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of homes are available in Oakland's Piedmont Avenue neighborhood?
The neighborhood includes Craftsman bungalows, Victorian-era cottages, early 20th-century houses, condominiums, and multi-unit residential properties. Single-family homes generally sit on modest lots near the commercial corridor.
How much do homes cost in Piedmont Avenue?
The page states that single-family homes range from approximately $900,000 to $1.6 million, while condominiums may be available below $400,000. Current listing prices vary by property.
Is Piedmont Avenue a walkable neighborhood?
Yes. The page describes Piedmont Avenue as one of the East Bay's most walkable neighborhoods, with residents able to walk to grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, shops, a cinema, and other daily needs.
What public schools serve the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood?
Piedmont Avenue Elementary School and Oakland Technical High School anchor the neighborhood's public school pipeline. Oakland Tech offers five distinct academies.
What public transportation is available near Piedmont Avenue?
MacArthur BART station is approximately 0.8 miles away, with service to San Francisco and connections across the BART network. Multiple AC Transit bus routes serve Piedmont Avenue, Broadway, and Grand Avenue.
What neighborhoods are near Piedmont Avenue?
Piedmont Avenue borders Temescal, Mosswood, and the City of Piedmont. Rockridge, Glenview, and Grand Lake are also nearby.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Piedmont Avenue borders Temescal to the west, Mosswood to the southwest, and the City of Piedmont to the east. Rockridge is a short drive or walk north along College Avenue. Glenview and Grand Lake are nearby to the south and east.
To learn more about buying or selling in the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood, call Bruce Wagg at (669) 202-7777.