"Life Spawns In Bernal Heights"

Bernal Heights lies south of San Francisco's Mission District!

Bernal is a glorious neighborhood nestled on a rocky mountain hill with an origin that dates back to 1839.

It has been a part of daily life in my family since the late 1960's.   The most recognizable feature it has is a microwave tower sitting on top of Bernal Heights Mountain Park.  The best way to describe the way my neighborhood looks from a distance, say... Twin Peaks, is sort of a behive effect, little homes wrapping themselves around this huge rocky hill we all call Bernal, as if the homes are all hives that house the worker bee's, and they all surround the mother bee, to please her every desire or order.  But up close you begin to realize what beauty and distinction each hive(home) has to offer in Bernal, with many tree lines streets some with such size and beauty that it completely covers some of the home as if they were wearing face masks at a black and white ball, you know what it looks like but do you really know? 

Such beauty, such history from its classically restored and well kept by owners Edwardian and Victorian homes that prominently dominate the styles we see in this neighborhood tucked aways from all the constant craziness and comotion that often occurs during busy times in the nearby and always buzzin street of Mission.  Bernal Heights also has Cesar Chavez street to the north and San Jose Ave.


At the time my family purchased a home in Bernal Heights, it was but a modest still unfinished and continuously growing and experiencing an influx on many young families , looking for a safe neighborhood with great homes and accessibility to shops and transportation.  Still to this day those are some of the key elements that have stood the test of time and has continued to make Bernal a fun and highly desirable San Francisco Neighborhood.

During those times in the late 1960's the wages were modest in San Francisco for most families and home prices reflected those wages accordingly, but considering that in those times homes went for less than $30,000, turned out to be the best investment my family could have possibly made.  Not knowing that how good of an investment it truly was, and how this growing neighborhood has played many roles on many levels of my memories and upbringing of having this neighborhood always being a constant partner in my evolutions as a young boy growing up part time in San Francisco.



The many memories of childhood, playing on the streets lined with beautiful ageless trees that constantly would leave there trails of leaves draped over sidewalks, streets, and cars alike, playing on the double slide in the Esmeralda St. stairway, with a cardboard as my engine to make me go faster and faster down the slide, cutting my leg open, from a broken bottle at the end of the slide, but mind you this was the early 80's when Bernal wasnt as clean as as well kept as it is today!   It's many conveniences from walking through Holly park or shopping on the main commercial strip of Cortland Ave., and venturing into the Bernal Library for a good book. 

Bernal Height's proximity to mission st. has also played a major role in conveniently being able to attain anything needed for the home, from food to clothes to, seafood, sweet bread, to even a great tasting taco, on 24th and mission.  The most memorable times were always in the 80's when the San Francisco 49er's were one of the dominant teams in football, which allowed us all to celebrate and partake in the joyous moments when they won one of the many championships, with all the streets filled with fans from all over in one common theme of joy and celebration.  Being able to go to a park at any given moment also is a big reason why I love this neighborhood, Holly park is a joy to walk around or play basketball, Precita Park is also a great park to meet friends or have a barbecue, or venture to Bernal Heights Park to walk the many dogs we owned and loved throughout the years.

Bernal Heights has so much to offer, with it's best and most intriguing feature of course is it's views from many many different positions on the hill are breathtaking and just a joy to enjoy in the day and especially at nite.  I have lived a large percentage of my young life in Bernal Heights and would have it no other way it is truly one of the most intriguing and heart pumping (hills lots of hills)  but fun and engaging neighborhoods, with a thriving community loving to experience a neighborhood with such a rich and historical past!



The median sales price for homes in Bernal Heights for Sep 10 to Nov 10 was $670,312. This represents a decline of 0.7%, or $4,688, compared to the prior quarter and a decrease of 6.9% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have depreciated 16.2% over the last 5 years in Bernal Heights, San Francisco. The median sales price of $670,312 for Bernal Heights is 4.90% higher than the median sales price for San Francisco CA. Average listing price for homes in Bernal Heights was $730,279 for the week ending Dec 22, which represents an increase of 1.6%, or $11,202 compared to the prior week and an increase of 3.2%, or $22,783, compared to the week ending Dec 01.


 


Bernal Heights Recently Sold Homes