How has South Berkeley performed over the past year?

South Berkeley, Berkeley, California is down 6.6% over the past year. It also has a gross yield of 2.4, prices in line with Berkeley and about 53% above California, and a Red Flag score of 47.

How does South Berkeley compare to Berkeley and California?

South Berkeley, Berkeley, California is priced in line with Berkeley and about 53% above California. It also has a gross yield of 2.4, walkability of 98, education in the 71st percentile, and a Red Flag score of 47.

What are the walkability and school metrics in South Berkeley?

South Berkeley, Berkeley, California has walkability of 98 and education in the 71st percentile. Those figures sit alongside a gross yield of 2.4, prices about 53% above California, and a Red Flag score of 47.

Neighborhood

South Berkeley

Berkeley, California US

South Berkeley, Berkeley, California has a low-yield profile with gross yield of 2.4 and prices in line with Berkeley and about 53% above California. Prices are down 6.6% over the past year, while the Red Flag score of 47 suggests a moderate overall risk reading. Walkability is 98, and education is in the 71st percentile, giving the neighborhood a strong access profile despite the yield compression.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

0.54 mi²

ZIP Code

94703

County

Alameda County

State

California

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$1,315,609

YoY-6.6%

Gross Rental Yield

2.4%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

47 / 100

Walkability Score

Walker's Paradise

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

71 / 100

Excellent · better than 71% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Limited

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

South Berkeley Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for South Berkeley, Berkeley.

Unlock the South Berkeley 12-month price trend

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$1,315,609	-6.6%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$857/sqft	+11.0%
Asking Rent (Median)	$2,636/mo	+1.6%
Gross Rental Yield	2.4%	—
Liquidity Score	16 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	26	+23.8%

Is South Berkeley Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited California crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

47 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Earthquake100Very High

Flood60High

Heat60High

Wildfire20Low

Tornado20Low

Strong Wind20Low

Hail20Low

Hurricanen/an/a

7/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): California averaged 25.6 crimes and 4.9 violent per 1,000 residents (-8.9% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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What Stands Out AI Insight

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 98/100

Dense amenities — 38 dining & 15 grocery options nearby

Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)

Insights are generated from South Berkeley's live DistrictScore metrics.

South Berkeley Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (California-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Air Quality — PM2.5

2015–2024

5.2 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-22.9% since 2015

EPA 9WHO 5

20152024

Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the South Berkeley centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 21% of U.S. neighborhoods.

California Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	25.6	4.9	-8.9%
2023	28.3	5.1	-0.7%
2022	28.6	5.0	+8.0%
2021	26.5	4.8	+1.9%
2020	25.8	4.4	-7.3%
2019	27.8	4.4	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; South Berkeley inherits the California figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 2

Zone 2 — Moderate potential · South Berkeley

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Industrial odor18 nearbyVery High

Point-source screening near South Berkeley: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in South Berkeley

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

98

Walker's Paradise

Walkability Score

15

Grocery

38

Dining

11

Schools

4

Universities

8

Hospitals

2

Pharmacies

7

Parks

1

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within South Berkeley's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

South Berkeley vs Berkeley vs California

How South Berkeley benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

Across South Berkeley, the median sale price sits in line with the median for Berkeley neighborhoods and about 53% above the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 2.4%, against 2.7% for Berkeley neighborhoods and 3.7% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices fell 6.6%. Transaction liquidity sits in line with the median for Berkeley neighborhoods and below the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
South Berkeley	$857/sqft	2.4%	16
Berkeley	$857/sqft	2.7%	16
California	$559/sqft	3.7%	28

Unlock the South Berkeley benchmark

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Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & California tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~0.69% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

State income tax up to 13.3%; rental income is taxed at these rates.

State Capital Gains

Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: documentary transfer tax $0.55 per $500 + local.

Assessment Cap

Prop 13 caps assessed-value growth at 2%/yr; property is reassessed to market value when you buy.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

No statewide mansion tax (LA has a local one); statewide rent control caps increases at 5%+CPI (AB 1482).

US citizens & tax residents8

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Senior & Veteran Exemptions

Disabled-veteran property-tax exemption (~$161,083 in 2025, more if low-income); senior programs available.

1031 State Conformity

California conforms to 1031 but claws back deferred CA-source gain (Form FTB 3840) if you move out of state.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & California property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Berkeley Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

South Berkeley Real Estate FAQ

South Berkeley, Berkeley, California has a gross yield of 2.4 and prices that are in line with Berkeley and about 53% above California. The Red Flag score is 47, and prices fell 6.6% over the past year, so the return profile is comparatively low.

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