Real Estate in Berkeley: Thousand Oaks

Oaks Theater, Solano Avenue, Thousand Oaks, Berkeley
Photo by Kathie Berg: Berkeley Real Estate

Why Live in Thousand Oaks

- walk to everything
- architecturally distinguished homes
- lush settings, views
- several parks and recreation areas
- good neighborhood organizations

About Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks is a neighborhood where you can have everything. You can live in the hills, enjoy the views, soak in the ambiance, and still be able to walk to everything.

A hundred years ago, present day Thousand Oaks was a remote and sleepy part of the Berkeley hills. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake sparked an interest in developing the East Bay and the hills and foothills started seeing development; Solano Avenue started taking shape as a shopping district and cable cars and light trains running along Marin, Solano and Colusa provided greater access to the area. A housing boom took place in the teens and 20s; an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and Tudor revivals and Craftsman style homes covered the hills, and one of Berkeley’s most exclusive neighborhoods was created.

Thousand Oaks Today

And Thousand Oaks has retained its allure. The architecturally interesting houses, generous views and beautiful, tree-lined streets make this one of Berkeley’s most sought after neighborhoods – most residents stay for a long time and turnover is low. And literally steps away from all this tranquility is the hustle and bustle of Solano. You can walk to some of the best apparel and antique stores in the East Bay, stop for coffee at Peet’s or Starbucks, see a movie at the Oaks Theater, dine at one of dozens of superb restaurants, and still be only a few minutes from the tranquility of your home! And once a year you can revel in the largest block party in the Bay area, the Solano Stroll, featuring hundreds of vendors and tens of thousands of visitors.

Neighborhood Association

TONA, the Thousand Oaks Neighborhood Association, is the main community organization. It strives to maintain that crucial harmony between the neighborhood’s commercial and residential sides that has made Thousand Oaks such a special place to live and work. With a membership of 1800 households, TONA deals with zoning issues, helps support the Thousand Oaks School and acts as a general advocate for the neighborhood. It organizes meetings, maintains a community calendar and publishes a quarterly newsletter.