Bernal Heights Home Offers Space and Views for $1.299M

Several interesting Bernal Heights properties have turned up on the market in the past week or so. First there was the charming yellow house at 3215 Harrison and last week two modern homes on the other side of the hill (3942 Folsom St. and 4142 Folsom St.) caught our eye. Today, the one we are focusing on is 161 Bradford St.. This Bernal Heights property offers something that is somewhat rare in that neighborhood: space and views. And we are willing to bet it smells great too, given its proximity to some of the best high-end bakers in town.

Of course there are notable exceptions, but Bernal Heights is not known for spacious homes. Some remodeled properties that have added square footage have commanded high prices (recent case in point: a 2,970-square-foot home fetched $2.165 million).

That's one of the reasons the green house at 161 Bradford St. is noteworthy. The three-bedroom, three-bath home has 2,500 square feet. For this neighborhood, the house is roomy inside and out: It has two view decks and a long, flat yard. Views from inside are provided via oversized window walls (the one in the kitchen is especially nice) and an atrium.

There are a few design decisions that say "I was built in 2004," such as the glass block windows in the living room and the fixtures and finishes in the bathrooms; but given that there are features like a sizable bonus room and a two-car garage, those are easy to overlook.

What might be harder to ignore is Highway 101. This stretch of Bradford runs between Cortland and Franconia, parallel to and just a few blocks from 101 and Bayshore Boulevard. In truth, it's closer to the Lowe's on Bayshore than the cool shops and restaurants up the way on Cortland. That said, see that industrial building to one side (visible in the front and from the backyard)? That's 1501 Cortland St., an office/warehouse space that's home to a bevy of wedding and event pros, including Sweet Lauren Cakes (artisan cake pops), Arrowood Photography, Janae Shields Photography, Violetta Flowers, and (our favorite) Cake Coquette. This building has an industrial kitchen turning out famously delicious wedding cakes and cake pops, so you have to believe baking smells waft through the neighborhood from time to time.

· An Example of Why Everyone Wants to Move to Bernal Heights [Curbed SF]
· Bernal Homes Separated by a Few Blocks and More Than $500K [Curbed SF]
· Bernal Megaflip More Than Doubles in Price, Asks $2.195M [Curbed SF]
· 161 Bradford St. [Redfin]